15 best events and new openings to look forward to in Tokyo in 2023

Shinjuku’s bustling nightlife district of Kabukicho is now home to Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, Japan’s largest hotel and entertainment complex, which opened its doors on April 14 2023. The towering skyscraper spans 48 storeys and five basement floors, with plenty to keep you entertained. There's a cinema, live concert venue, gaming arcade, yokocho food hall and much more. 

Tokyu Kabukicho Tower also features artworks by 26 artists scattered throughout the building, including art rooms inside the building's Hotel Groove Shinjuku. Additionally, there are highway bus stops for Haneda and Narita airports on the first floor, making it easy to connect to other destinations. 

One of the newest additions to the city’s skyline is the shiny new Tokyo Midtown Yaesu, a convenient shopping and dining complex right across the street from Tokyo Station. 

The most striking feature of this complex is the 45-storey Yaesu Central Tower, which is home to Japan’s first Bulgari Hotel from floors 40 to 45. Making a grand statement on the ground level, however, are two massive public art installations: the 10m-tall 'Star' by Tokujin Yoshioka and 'Mountain Range' by Takashi Kuribayashi.

Underground, meanwhile, is the Bus Terminal Tokyo Yaesu. Located on the second basement floor, this transport hub is connected to Tokyo Station via an underground passageway. Here you'll be able to catch buses to Haneda and Narita airports as well as cities like Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka.

Opened in January 2023, Haneda Airport Garden is directly connected to Haneda Airport Terminal 3 and features a new bus terminal, a rooftop spa plus dozens of shops and restaurants.

The facility also includes two Villa Fontaine hotels, which opened on December 21 2022. As its name suggests, Hotel Villa Fontaine Grand is the larger of the two, with a total of 1,557 guest rooms that include Japanese-style tatami rooms. Hotel Villa Fontaine Premier, meanwhile, is a touch more luxurious than its sister establishment with 160 spacious suites overlooking the Tamagawa River.

Those who don’t need to spend a whole night at the airport on their layover have the option of unwinding at the 2,000sqm hot spring facility on the 12th floor of the complex, which is open to non-hotel guests for a separate admission fee.

At the bus terminal, meanwhile, you can coaches into Tokyo or further afield to destinations like Ise in Mie prefecture, Osaka and Hakuba in Nagano prefecture.

The Sunshine 60 Observatory on the 60th floor of Ikebukuro’s Sunshine City closed its doors in October 2022 to undergo renovation, but it reopened in April 2023 with a revamped interior. Previously known as Sky Circus for its art installations and interactive activities, the observation deck has been transformed into Tembo Park, an indoor park where you can relax and enjoy the views.

The main area inside Tembo Park is Tembo no Oka, which means ‘observatory hill’ in Japanese. Most of the floor is covered in turf, so you can sit on the ground or relax on the couches while taking in breathtaking panoramic views of the city from 251 metres above ground. The area is particularly good for children and even has a designated space for toddlers where they can crawl around and play with toys.

Next to Tembo no Oka is a café that serves meals like chicken curry (¥950), honey chicken banh mi (¥850), a blue sky-inspired banana smoothie (¥800) and even organic baby food (from ¥550). You can also bring in meals from elsewhere during lunch hours (11.30am-2pm) on weekdays, and even borrow a picnic mat for free.

Animate Ikebukuro has long been a destination for anime and manga fans, with this year being its 40th anniversary. But Animate has another reason to celebrate as a recently completed revamp has turned it into one of the biggest anime shops in the world. This ten-storey complex has expanded into the former Ikebukuro Health Centre and now has double the floor space, plus a new theatre and exhibition halls.

The second and third floors are dedicated to manga for young adults, and stock light novels, fanzines and art supplies. It can be overwhelming to browse through the entire two floors, but you can find book recommendations from the staff on the shelves.

You can now also shop for apparel and household goods inspired by anime characters at Space A La Mode on the fourth floor. Need a break from shopping? Stop by the first floor Gratte café for treats such as anime printed lattes and iced cookies.

It’s finally here: after a long pandemic-induced hiatus, Cirque du Soleil is back in Japan for the first time in five years, presenting Alegría: In a New Light. This production, which is the longest-running show in Cirque du Soleil history, is a version of a 1994 production that has been revamped to resonate with modern times. 

The show is on now through June 25 at Odaiba Big Top, after which it will move to Osaka. The show is roughly two hours long (including a 25-minute intermission), featuring an incredible ensemble of 52 performers, including clowns, acrobats, aerialists and fire dancers from 17 countries.

Tickets are available online. Prices start from ¥6,800 for adults, ¥5,800 for students and ¥4,800 for children.