February 2023 events in Tokyo

Following its success at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from 2017 to 2018 and its visits to London and New York in 2019, the touring exhibition dedicated to the life and legacy of French designer Christian Dior is finally coming to Tokyo this winter.

Opening at the Museum of Contemporary Art on December 21, this mammoth retrospective will celebrate 75 years of Dior couture with a collection of timeless dresses and iconic designs from the post-war era to now. There will be a lot to take in, but the exhibition will thankfully run until May 28 2023 to give couture lovers ample time to view the collection.

Viennese painter Egon Schiele was just 28 years old when he died, but while his career was short-lived, he is remembered as one of the greatest artists of the late 19th century. It’s been about 30 years since Tokyo has seen an exhibition dedicated solely to the artist, so this comprehensive showcase hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is a truly momentous event. 

Here, you can encounter Schiele’s rare genius through 50 works borrowed from the Leopold Museum in Vienna. Through works like Schiele's 'Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant' and a 1915 portrait of his wife Edith, the exhibition provides rich insight into the young artist's life and his powerful legacy. Alongside Schiele's 50 artworks, there will be an additional 120 installations from Schiele's contemporaries including Klimt, Kokoschka and Gerstl.

The days may be getting shorter and colder, but even so, Tokyo doesn't turn into a dark and desolate place at this less than cheery time of year. In fact, as the city transitions from autumn into winter, millions of colourful LED lights are displayed in trees as well as on and around buildings, turning Tokyo into a sparkling wonderland...

Lace up your skates and glide around the capital's frosty selection of indoor and outdoor ice rinks