June 2018 events in Tokyo
Plan your June in Tokyo with our events calendar of the best things to do, including early-summer festivals, food events and rainy season fun
June in Tokyo is best described as damp, as this is usually when the dreaded rainy season rolls along. Although you'll have to wait a little longer until the city's summer festivals really kick into gear, all is not lost: June is usually packed with interesting exhibitions, gigs and openings, plus seasonal favourites like Tanabata, hydrangea and rose festivals, as well as firefly-viewing events all over the city. Grab an umbrella and make sure you don't miss out with our guide to all the best events going on in Tokyo this June.
Our June highlights
Taico Club '18
Long one of Japan’s better dance festivals, this big-time outdoor bash will once again see a great many fans make the pilgrimage to the mountainside Kodama no Mori campsite in Nagano prefecture. Taico Club is within relatively easy striking distance from Tokyo, albeit more convenient by car than public transport. The first lineup announcements usually start dropping in during January and February.
Beer Fes Tokyo 2018
It's the highlight of the year for Tokyo's hop heads: an afternoon of hardcore tasting, with over 120 varieties of craft beer on offer and the kinds of crowds you might expect on the Yamanote line during rush hour. Once you've paid the admission price, you're free to drink all the brews you can stomach for the next three-and-a-half hours from their special 'best aroma glass', which is supposed to bring out the best in the amber liquid. Rare beers abound, with queues to match. Note that admission is limited for each session, and the event often sells out, so you might want to pick up a ticket in advance.
Gorillaz
Damon Albarn and his animated band still manage to keep the crowds coming, even after a five-year hiatus. Their latest album, 'Humanz', dropped in April 2017 to high critical acclaim, and they headlined Fuji Rock in the same year. Lucky for us, they've decided to return to Japan again for a solo show as part of their world tour. Expect big, digital visuals, Albarn flitting around the stage like a man half his age, and perhaps some special guests.
Viva! Italia vol. 4
For a light-hearted take on new Italian cinema, head to Yurakucho's Human Trust Cinema to catch this programme composed of both recent hits and critically acclaimed movies previously unreleased in Japan. Highlights should include Marco Bellochio's masterful Il Regista di Matrimoni (The Wedding Director), the thriller Notturno Bus, and the 'Italian version of Breaking Bad', Smetto Quando Voglio. For the full programme and schedule details, keep an eye on the official website.
Zipang 2018
This annual open-air festival in Shirahama Flower Park, Chiba takes place right next to the beach and combines art with house and techno beats in a resort-like ambience. Crowd pleasers such as Gadoro and Kenta Hayashi are set to work it with their unique sounds, while the DJ line-up is headed by Zipang mainstay Nobu. It usually sells out in advance – get your tickets here before they're gone.
Free events in June
Oedo Antique Market
Taking place once a month, this market is great for picking up some cool art, unique handicrafts or time-worn decorative items. Keep an eye out for real Edo-era treasures hidden among the heaps of merchandise, which ranges from ceramics and clothing to ukiyo-e prints.
International Tokyo Toy Show 2018
As a kid, did you ever dream of a place where you could try all imaginable new toys ー for free? Then head over to Tokyo Big Sight for Japan’s largest annual toy exhibition. This family-friendly event introduces the latest toys, as well as books, food and phone applications, while focusing on the children’s future from different angles in the 'Kids Life Zone'.
Hilda Palafox: From Mexico to Japan
Mexico City-based artist-illustrator Hilda Palafox's work explores nature and femininity in motion, revealing a continuous search for the unknown. Besides 'regular' paintings and illustrations, mural paintings are also a key facet of her art – some of her works even grace the walls of the Mexican capital. At Instituto Cervantes, she will present the pieces resulting from her recent residency in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture.
More June events
Oedo Antique Market
Taking place once a month, this market is great for picking up some cool art, unique handicrafts or time-worn decorative items. Keep an eye out for real Edo-era treasures hidden among the heaps of merchandise, which ranges from ceramics and clothing to ukiyo-e prints.
International Tokyo Toy Show 2018
As a kid, did you ever dream of a place where you could try all imaginable new toys ー for free? Then head over to Tokyo Big Sight for Japan’s largest annual toy exhibition. This family-friendly event introduces the latest toys, as well as books, food and phone applications, while focusing on the children’s future from different angles in the 'Kids Life Zone'.
Zipang 2018
This annual open-air festival in Shirahama Flower Park, Chiba takes place right next to the beach and combines art with house and techno beats in a resort-like ambience. Crowd pleasers such as Gadoro and Kenta Hayashi are set to work it with their unique sounds, while the DJ line-up is headed by Zipang mainstay Nobu. It usually sells out in advance – get your tickets here before they're gone.
Hilda Palafox: From Mexico to Japan
Mexico City-based artist-illustrator Hilda Palafox's work explores nature and femininity in motion, revealing a continuous search for the unknown. Besides 'regular' paintings and illustrations, mural paintings are also a key facet of her art – some of her works even grace the walls of the Mexican capital. At Instituto Cervantes, she will present the pieces resulting from her recent residency in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Manpaku 2018
Held at Showa Kinen Park, this massive food festival really piles it on. There are 10 different areas, including a dedicated meat section to seafood ones, with anything from juicy steaks and fresh-out-of-the-water seafood donburi to healthy salads on offer. Side events include a tuna cutting show and street performers. It's a gourmet's fantasy, and with last year's edition buzzing from morning to evening, we expect this year to be another belly-filling grand affair.
Taico Club '18
Long one of Japan’s better dance festivals, this big-time outdoor bash will once again see a great many fans make the pilgrimage to the mountainside Kodama no Mori campsite in Nagano prefecture. Taico Club is within relatively easy striking distance from Tokyo, albeit more convenient by car than public transport. The first lineup announcements usually start dropping in during January and February.
Viva! Italia vol. 4
For a light-hearted take on new Italian cinema, head to Yurakucho's Human Trust Cinema to catch this programme composed of both recent hits and critically acclaimed movies previously unreleased in Japan. Highlights should include Marco Bellochio's masterful Il Regista di Matrimoni (The Wedding Director), the thriller Notturno Bus, and the 'Italian version of Breaking Bad', Smetto Quando Voglio. For the full programme and schedule details, keep an eye on the official website.
Gorillaz
Damon Albarn and his animated band still manage to keep the crowds coming, even after a five-year hiatus. Their latest album, 'Humanz', dropped in April 2017 to high critical acclaim, and they headlined Fuji Rock in the same year. Lucky for us, they've decided to return to Japan again for a solo show as part of their world tour. Expect big, digital visuals, Albarn flitting around the stage like a man half his age, and perhaps some special guests.
Great Japan Beer Festival
It's the highlight of the year for Tokyo's hop heads: an afternoon of hardcore tasting, with over 120 varieties of craft beer on offer and the kinds of crowds you might expect on the Yamanote line during rush hour. Once you've paid the admission price, you're free to drink all the brews you can stomach for the next three-and-a-half hours from their special 'best aroma glass', which is supposed to bring out the best in the amber liquid. Rare beers abound, with queues to match. Note that admission is limited for each session, and the event often sells out, so you might want to pick up a ticket in advance.
Earth Garden Summer 2018
Tokyo's ecologists, hippies and tree-huggers descend on Yoyogi Park for the quarterly Earth Garden, which this time focuses on the future. There'll be the usual plethora of stalls, food booths and workshops, complemented by a night-time flea market and a host of live acts. Keeping with the eco-conscious vibe, the reusable cups used at the stalls have a ¥50 refundable deposit.
