Free things to do in Tokyo this week

A popular place for plum blossom fans since olden times, Yushima Tenmangu shrine still draws crowds every year. The plum blossoms might get less hype than the cherry blossoms that follow, but they still make for some gorgeous late-winter scenery. This year marks the 69th run of the Yushima Tenjin Ume Matsuri. The annual festival is one of Tokyo's most popular late-winter events, and it takes place for a month from February 8 until March 8. The shinto shrine is home to about 300 plum trees, and most of them are around 80 years old. Approximately 80 percent of them produce white plum blossoms.  On weekends and holidays – February 8, 11, 14-15, 21-23, 28, March 1, 7 – you can look forward to events such as live Kagura (ceremonial silent theatre),  Nihon-buyo (traditional Japanese dance) and taiko drumming as well as flamenco and belly dancing performances. You’ll also find several stalls selling souvenirs from Bunkyo ward as well as local products from Ibaraki (February 8), Ishikawa (February 8, 14), Aomori (Feb 14-15), Kumamoto (February 21-23), Hyogo/Shimane (February 28-March 1) and Fukushima (March 7-8).

First held in 2015, this multinational celebration returns this March to welcome the arrival of spring at Yoyogi Park Events Square and Keyaki Namiki road, where you can enjoy food, drinks, music and entertainment, plus all the salsa dancing you can possibly take over a single weekend. Grab a spicy taco and wash it down with beer, caipirinha or a tropical cocktail before moving on to the vast selection of rum and tequila. In between meals and dancing, go check out the stalls selling handicrafts and other fun accessories.

The UNU farmers’ market is one of Tokyo’s longest running and best-attended markets. Taking place every weekend in front of the university’s Aoyama headquarters, this one always attracts a knowledgeable crowd. Organic and local fare is readily available every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with the farmers themselves happy to provide details about their wares. Plus, there's always a few food trucks on hand if you wish to enjoy a quick meal.

Australian-based fashion house Injury and new media art and music collective Real Parent are making their Tokyo debut from March 13 to March 27 with an exhibition at UltraSuperNew Kura gallery. The show surveys the evolution of their work, bridging 4K virtual environments and sculptures made from 3D-printed metal and chrome-plated resin. Framed as ‘contemporary talismans’, the works explore the intersection of human instinct, AI consciousness and invisible systems of power. At the centre is the Interhumana series, where heart-shaped forms symbolise different modes of cognition: a transparent brain-heart representing wisdom, a black heart evoking synthetic AI consciousness and a red heart reflecting human emotional response. The new animation Silver Souls expands the narrative into a metaphysical realm, imagining the unseen forces that quietly drive digital reality. The Digital Heartburn series grounds the exhibition in the physical world, with aluminium hearts reflecting the erosion of privacy in an increasingly cashless society. Sculptural and wearable works, including heart-shaped bags, blur the line between art and fashion while questioning ideas of value in a world where tangible wealth is replaced by data. Visits are by appointment only on weekdays, while walk-ins are welcome on Saturdays. The exhibition is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Reserve a spot on the official website.

The 20th St Patrick’s Day Parade in Yokohama takes place again along the 600m-long Motomachi shopping street. Dress up in green and celebrate Ireland's national holiday with visitors from all around the world. The spectacle kicks off around 12.30pm with Irish music and dance, followed by the parade from 2pm and finishing with an open-air Ceili dance performance from 3.30pm. Afterwards you could head over to one of the little bars in the vicinity to end the day with a cool Guinness, or two.

Celebrate spring's arrival at Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi, where the annual highlight is the illumination of the 200m avenue lined with cherry blossoms in the Garden Area. This spot is especially scenic between 5pm and 11pm during the spring festival when all of the trees are lit up. Before the cherry blossoms bloom, they're bathed in bright pink light. Once in full bloom, the lights shine a bright white, letting you admire the blossoms in all their splendour. For an extra leisurely experience, you can get a seat at the Roku Midtown Blossom Lounge (12pm-8pm) in the Midtown Garden, where you’ll find exclusive spring-inspired cocktails and dishes prepared by chefs from the nearby Ritz-Carlton hotel. Check the lounge menu here.