The best things to do in Tokyo this weekend

Studio Ghibli’s immersive sculpture exhibition is returning to Tokyo to captivate a new generation of fans. Featuring 3D recreations of iconic scenes from hit animated films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and Porco Rosso, the show is a new and improved version of Studio Ghibli’s first ever art exhibition, held in Tokyo back in 2003. 

Running from May 27 to September 23 at Warehouse Terrada’s B&C and E halls in Tennozu, the exhibition will feature mock-ups of scenes such as Chihiro’s first crossing over the bridge into the bathhouse in Spirited Away, and the thrilling scene from Ponyo where the titular character rides the waves to catch up to Sosuke in the storm. The main highlight, however, is arguably the true-to-size mock up of Porco’s Savoia S-21 seaplane from Porco Rosso.

When hunger strikes, head over to T-Lotus M, a waterfront event space adjacent to the exhibition venue, for some ham ramen inspired by a similar dish in Ponyo. Tickets can be purchased in combination with the Ghibli Museum or in conjunction with hotel accommodation plans.

For more details and ticketing information, check the event website. (Japanese only)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building in Shinjuku serves as the backdrop for a jaw-dropping and record-breaking projection mapping show. Covering an area of a whopping 13,905sqm, the after-dark spectacle has been certified by Guinness World Records as the largest permanent display of its kind in the world.

The nightly showcase features a range of visual wonders created by a mix of local and international artists. Some shows are inspired by Tokyo’s rich history, while others draw on themes like the lunar cycle. 

From April 26, ‘Tokyo Gundam in the Future’, a brand new projection mapping show featuring a Gundam with a newly reimagined Mobile Suit colour scheme, will begin on weekends and holidays every hour from 7pm (7.30pm from May 10). Be sure to check the event website for more details.

The Oedo Antique Market, the largest and oldest outdoor market of its kind in Japan, is great for picking up some cool art, unique handicrafts or vintage decorative items. Keep an eye out for real Edo-era (1603-1867) treasures hidden among the heaps of merchandise, which range from ceramics and clothing to ukiyo-e prints. Currently, it's being held on the first and third Sunday of the month at the Tokyo International Forum. You can check the exact market dates updated on the website.

Keep in mind that the market operates weather permitting.

Shibuya’s Miyashita Park is hosting a pop-up for all things Pompompurin. Expect to see store-exclusive merch featuring Sanrio’s beloved beret-capped golden retriever, including Pompompurin T-shirts, tote bags, keychains and stuffed plushies in all shapes and sizes. Coinciding with the pop-up event from May 31 to June 15, five restaurants within Miyashita Park will offer Pompompurin-inspired dishes, such as the peculiar cube-shaped Pompompurin bread at Bread, Espresso and Machiawase. Be sure to be on the lookout for Pompompurin himself, who’s expected to make a special visit to the second-floor atrium plaza on May 31.

Taking place around Yokohama Port, Yokohama Night Flowers (formerly Yokohama Sparkling Twilight) lights up not only the city but also the sky above it. It's a stunning sight as the fireworks are set off above the illuminated boats crisscrossing the sea in front of Yamashita Park. 

This time around, there are 16 five-minute fireworks displays scheduled from February to September. Depending on the date, the fireworks are launched from either Osanbashi Pier and/or Shinko Pier. This makes the seaside Yamashita Park an ideal vantage point to catch all the explosive action.

Along with the fireworks, Yokohama is also hosting several food events nearby, including the Yokohama Strawberry Festival (February 6-March 2), Yokohama Bread Festival (March 7-9), Belgian Beer Weekend Yokohama and more. See the event website for updates.

Fireworks displays are held on February 1, 8 and 22, March 1 and 29, April 5, 6 and 19, May 17 and 24, June 21, July 5 and 12, August 10, and September 6 and 14. (2025)

After celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024, the legendary kaiju takes center stage at the Mori Arts Center Gallery with ‘Godzilla: The Art’, an exhibition highlighting the still-evolving legacy of the world’s most famous monster. Running from April 26 to June 29, this fifth installment in the acclaimed ‘Godzilla: The Art’ series invites visitors to experience the beast through a new artistic lens.

Since its cinematic debut in 1954, Godzilla has embodied themes of destruction, rebirth, and the ever-evolving relationship between humanity and nature. As a true international icon, the King of the Monsters continues to inspire wonder and dread in fans of all generations in search of symbolism and entertainment alike. 

Curated under the direction of renowned anatomist Takeshi Yoro, the exhibition breaks free from the confines of cinema to explore Godzilla as an artistic and cultural phenomenon. Featuring works by 15 contemporary artists, it showcases sculptures, paintings and multimedia pieces that reinterpret the essence and impact of Godzilla.

Time to don those wizardly robes. From April 18 to September 8, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo are bringing the set of 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' to life to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary. The tour will feature recreations of props, costumes and locations from the film, such as the Great Hall, the Prefects' Bathroom and the Goblet of Fire itself. Themed food and merch will be available for purchase.

Times and ticket prices vary, so be sure to check their website for availability, as tickets must be purchased in advance and currently are only available until June 30.

This spring and summer, Japan’s ancient aesthetic heritage meets the cutting edge of animation. On at the Tokyo National Museum from March 25 to August 3, ‘Immersive Theater on Neo-Japonism: From Ancient Art to Anime’ is an ambitious 24-minute visual experience that journeys through 10,000 years of Japanese creativity.

Projected across four massive walls fitted with towering 7-metre screens, the ultra-HD installation explores the evolution of Japanese artistic expression from the clay figures of the prehistoric Jomon period to the ink paintings of the Edo period (1603–1867), culminating in the vibrant dynamism of contemporary anime. Brought to life by the innovative minds at digital art outfits Panoramatiks and Cekai, the experience highlights how Japan’s animist worldview and refined sense of space continue to influence global pop culture.

The exhibition draws poignant connections between ancient scrolls, classical motifs, and works by anime legends like Osamu Tezuka, Isao Takahata and Mamoru Hosoda, serving up a distinctive blend of history, art and imagination.

The style of Japanese woodblock printing known as ukiyo-e (‘images of the floating world’) flourished during the Edo period (1603–1867). Artists captured the vibrant spirit of the ‘floating world’, a phrase that evoked both the pleasures of urban life and the fleeting nature of existence. Characterised by precise lines, luminous pigments, and depictions of kabuki actors, courtesans and landscapes, ukiyo-e became the defining art form of its time. Masters like Sharaku, Utamaro and Hokusai elevated the genre into a cultural touchstone whose influence endures worldwide.

That lasting impact is on display at ‘Ukiyo-e In Play’, hosted by the Hyokeikan at the Tokyo National Museum until June 15. Organised by the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing, the exhibition features works by 85 contemporary artists, designers and creators who reinterpret the ukiyo-e legacy through collaboration with artisans working with traditional carving and printing methods.

A highlight of the show is the section called ‘Ukiyo-e Artists Today’, where new prints by the likes of renowned pop artist Keiichi Tanaami are presented. Visitors are invited to discover how ukiyo-e has remained a vibrant, playful and resolutely modern art form through the centuries.

Pottery lovers, rejoice. 21_21 Design Sight is holding an exhibition of dozens of donburi (ramen bowls) from now until June 15. Most of them hail from the Tono region of Gifu prefecture, which accounts for a whopping 90% of Japan's ramen bowls.

The exhibition features the wares of ramen bowl collector Yasuyuki Kaga, as well as an 'Artist Ramen Bowls' exhibit: a colourful mix of 40 unique bowls designed by 40 different artists, designers, food experts and more. Each artist's bowl includes a bilingual synopsis from the creator themselves, detailling the thoughts and intentions behind their design.

Those interested in sustainability can learn more about the bowl-making process and efforts to recycle unwanted pottery into raw materials. If you're feeling artsy, hit up the 'Donburi Pride' workshop, where you can draw your own bowl design to take home or submit to the exhibition. Selected drawings will be temporarily displayed.

The exhibit is open every day except Tuesday, and runs from 10am to 7pm (entry until 6.30pm). Tickets are ¥1,600 for adults, ¥800 for university students and ¥500 for high school students. Junior high students and younger enter free of charge. You can purchase tickets here.

Swedish-born artist Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was a pioneer of abstract painting, whose work prefigured that of such revered figures as Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky. Yet, for decades, her work was known only to a handful of people. The 21st century, however, has seen Klint receive some long overdue global recognition. A 2018 retrospective at New York's Guggenheim Museum attracted the largest visitor numbers in that venue's history, and now the prestigious National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo presents her first career overview to be held in Asia.

The exhibition centres upon selections from "The Paintings for the Temple", a series which Klint, who was involved in the then-booming spiritualist movement, produced between 1906 and 1915 after believing the project to have been 'commissioned' from another dimension during a seance. The artist perceived these works which combine abstract and figurative elements, and organic and geometric forms, to have been created 'through' her by some external spiritual force.

Advance tickets are sold until March 3. This exhibition is closed on Mondays (except March 31 and May 5) as well as May 7.