MINI is bringing one of its largest enthusiast celebrations to Japan for the first time, combining the international MINI United festival with the country’s established MINI LIVE! gathering for a one-day event in the mountains of Yamanashi Prefecture.
MINI United Japan 2026 with MINI LIVE! will take place Saturday, October 3 at Sun Meadows Kiyosato, a mountain resort in Hokuto City. Tickets are now on sale for an event expected to bring together MINI owners and enthusiasts from across Japan for car displays, new-model reveals, live music and activities.
The event also marks a significant expansion of MINI LIVE!, one of Japan’s largest MINI enthusiast gatherings. Now in its 14th year, MINI LIVE! typically attracts more than 1,000 participants. For 2026, it becomes part of the Japanese debut of MINI United, the larger festival format previously staged for MINI enthusiasts internationally.
MINIs in the Mountains
The setting is as much a part of the event as the cars. Sun Meadows Kiyosato sits in the Kiyosato Highlands on the southeastern side of the Yatsugatake Mountains, roughly two to two and a half hours by car from the Tokyo metropolitan area. The resort itself sits at approximately 1,200 meters, or 3,940 feet, above sea level.
Better known as a ski area during winter, Sun Meadows operates as a mountain recreation destination during the warmer months. Its Kiyosato Terrace is reached by a 1,100-meter panoramic chairlift climbing to an elevation of 1,900 meters, with views across the Kiyosato and Nobeyama highlands and toward Mount Fuji.
That mountain-resort component will be incorporated directly into MINI United. All three event ticket categories include unlimited use of the panoramic lift as well as a G-KART experience. The latter is Sun Meadows’ gravity-powered mountain kart attraction, accessed by the resort’s Flower Lift.
More Than a MINI Show
MINI Japan describes the gathering as a day for owners to celebrate the individuality of their cars, and the program reflects Japan’s particularly active culture of personalized MINIs.
The planned schedule includes a new MINI model unveiling, the MINI Proud Contest, manufacturer and specialist-shop displays, live music and other stage programming. Additional activities and a detailed timetable will be announced closer to the event.
The MINI Proud Contest puts owner cars at the center of the gathering, while the combination with MINI LIVE! should bring together everything from current-generation Cooper, Aceman and Countryman models to earlier BMW-era MINIs and the country’s considerable population of customized cars.
Tickets are divided into three categories. MINI Stage Avenue admission costs ¥8,000 per car and includes event parking and entry into the MINI Proud Contest. MINI Park A/B admission is ¥4,000 per car and includes parking in the dedicated MINI area. Both vehicle packages include an event welcome pack with items including a tote bag and sticker. General admission for visitors arriving without an event parking package is ¥2,000 per person.
Making a Trip of It
For international MINI enthusiasts, the location makes MINI United Japan more than simply a destination car show.
Sun Meadows Kiyosato is located at 8240-1 Nishiide, Oizumi-cho, Hokuto City in Yamanashi Prefecture. By car, the resort is approximately 20 minutes from the Nagasaka interchange on the Chuo Expressway, 30 minutes from Kobuchizawa and 40 minutes from Sutama. Travelers using public transportation can take the JR Chuo Line to Kobuchizawa, transfer to the JR Koumi Line for Kiyosato Station and continue approximately five minutes by taxi.
Early October also falls within Sun Meadows’ green-season operations. Kiyosato Terrace, G-KART and other summer attractions are scheduled to remain open through November 3, making the MINI gathering a potential centerpiece for a longer driving trip through the Yamanashi and Yatsugatake region.
MINI United Japan 2026 with MINI LIVE!
Saturday, October 3, 2026
10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Sun Meadows Kiyosato
8240-1 Nishiide, Oizumi-cho
Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Additional Information
MINI United Japan 2026 official event website
Sun Meadows Kiyosato visitor and access information
Tickets are ¥8,000 per car for MINI Stage Avenue, ¥4,000 per car for MINI Park A/B and ¥2,000 per person for general admission. MINI Japan and the MINI LIVE! Executive Committee are jointly organizing the event.