Sumida Park

Try out comforting dishes from across the globe without leaving Tokyo at the World Gourmet Festival in Sumida Park’s Soyokaze Plaza. Taking place on June 6 and 7, the festival will feature authentic dishes from all corners of the world, from Peruvian pan con chicharrón sandwiches to Ghanian-style jollof rice. Themed on recipes shared in the YouTube channel series ‘Embassy Chef’s Delicious Recipes’ by BS Nippon Television, the dishes served are verified by their respective embassies for authenticity. Along with food trucks offering global cuisine, expect to see a variety of stage performances, as well as a booth selling 30-plus hot sauces from all over the world.

Tokyo's biggest fireworks display is returning this summer on Saturday July 25. The Sumida River Fireworks Festival is also Japan's oldest fireworks event, dating back to 1733, when it was staged as part of a ceremony to pray for victims of a severe famine the previous year. It turned into an annual event in 1978 and attracts close to a million people every year. This year, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival starts at 7pm and will run for around 90 minutes, with a staggering 20,000 shells of fireworks. The fireworks are launched from two sites on the Sumida River around Asakusa Station: one between Umaya Bridge and Komagata Bridge and the other between Kototoi Bridge and Sakurabashi Bridge. You can check out the locations on the festival website.