Free things to do in Tokyo this week

The Printing Museum's P&P Gallery showcases 180 particularly well-designed books from Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Canada and China at this exhibit. The tomes, which stand above the rest based on layout, binding, editing or all of the above, can all be picked up and touched, and include the winners from the prestigious Best Book Design contest at this year's Leipzig Book Fair (held in Germany) plus 50 outstanding entries from past Japan Book Design meets.   

Today’s Gallery Studio in Asakusabashi is hosting a new exhibition showcasing the beauty of ruins. The concept behind the photography feature is to transform these dark, desolate ruins into works of art. The 15 participating photographers visited over 300 ruins throughout Japan, from decaying ballrooms to abandoned schools to hidden temples. Every photograph is hauntingly beautiful, transfixing the viewer. The gallery is also selling merchandise and prints of the exhibition photographs, so you can take these otherworldly glimpses home with you.

Before Art Book Fair makes a big comeback for its 10th edition in July, it's starting off with a month-long fringe event in Ginza's Sony Park, starting from March 8. While the former fair is known for bringing together publishers, artists and galleries from all around the world, this Ginza edition will connect you, the audience, directly with the exhibitors.The exhibitor list changes every week save for two constant vendors who will be featured throughout the one-month period. If you’re looking for art-related books, the weekday ‘Art Book Vending Machine’ offers more than 1,000 publications for you to choose from. Zine’s Mate Shop, on the other hand, doesn't only sell art books but also offer workshops on how to create them.

Head to Espace Louis Vuitton for their latest exhibition featuring work by the late Venezuelan artist Jesús Rafael Soto. Best known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale installations, Tokyo will see one of his impressive installations set up at the Louis Vuitton gallery space over the next few months. This installation is quite unique as it encourages guests to interact with it by walking through the space and immersing themselves in both kinetic and optical ways. 

Just across the river from the tiny Tennoz Isle, Terrada Warehouse is a massive, multi-use complex with a designated art space. The Terrada Art Complex – as the space is called – will be organising an art festival that leverages the entire island of Tennoz Isle as its exhibition space. The focus of the festival is large-scale public art and murals – the kind that can be found on the sides of the island’s waterfront buildings, plastered all over the Shinagawa Pier waiting room and decorating other public spaces around Tennoz Isle. Participating artists include Yusuke Asai, whose massive, beautiful artworks not only take up entire walls but often occupy entire rooms, with his paintings stretching across wall edges and crawling out across floors. Another name to look out for is the street artist Aryz, whose exploding internet following is rapidly making the mysterious Spanish painter a household name. The core exhibition is open until April 7, but many of the works are expected to be on display until Spring 2020. To help you get started on your art exploration, here's where you can see the artworks: Fureai bridge, Toyoko INN parking lot wall, Sanshin warehouse wall, Terrada Warehouse T33 wall, Higashi-Shinagawa Pier waiting area, Bond Street interior concrete wall, and the Tokyo Monorail Tennoz Isle Station ticket gates.