March 2023 events in Tokyo

Japan’s cherry blossoms are expected to bloom slightly later than usual this year. Although spring is the most popular time to see these flowers, you can still catch beautiful sakura during winter from mid-February onwards in several parks, gardens and shrines around Tokyo.

You’ll most commonly come across kawazu-zakura, a pastel pink cherry blossom native to Shizuoka prefecture which usually peaks between February and March depending on the location. Unlike the spring cherry blossoms, which only last about a week, these have a longer lifespan of around a month...

Celebrate the arrival of spring at Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi. The centrepiece of this annual event is the 200m cherry-blossom-lined avenue through the Garden Area of Tokyo Midtown. It’s especially magical after 5pm when it’s all lit up.

One of the best ways to enjoy the flowers is at The Blossom Lounge. You can grab a drink or something to eat at this outdoor venue while enjoying views of the cherry blossoms and other spring blooms such as white daisies, windflowers and lavender. Enjoy original spring-themed cocktails, desserts, paninis and curries made by the skilled chefs of the Ritz-Carlton. The lounge is open daily from 12noon to 8pm (last entry 7.30pm) and until 9pm (last entry 8.30pm) on Fridays and Saturdays when the sakura are in full bloom. 

Check out the first floor Tokyo Midtown Galleria to see some glamorous spring flower displays. These impressive displays are made by flower artists Takayuki Fukazawa and Naoki Mitarai.

If you’re looking for the most OTT illumination in Tokyo, this is it. Yomiuri Land's annual winter light show will bedazzle even the most ardent illumination-fiend. As the name might suggest, jewels are the focus here: literally millions of colourful LEDs are set up throughout the vast theme park evoking sparkling gems. The park is split into ten areas where visitors can expect to be treated to beautifully lit attractions. 

In addition to the rainbow-lit, 180-metre-long Fortune Promenade and Crossing Sapphire Passage, this year features a large-scale illumination of a horseshoe surrounded by motifs of jewels. The highlight, however, is the fountain show, with illuminated water in different colours being sprayed into the air to create stunning shapes. Look out for the fountain’s flames and lasers, which are synchronised to the music. 

The impressive illumination was produced by world-class lighting designer Motoko Ishii, who has worked on past light displays at the theme park. This year she has added warm orange colours to the show, which resemble sunlight and match the theme of the illuminations – ‘Light is Happiness’.

While you’re there, make sure to check out the Japanese-style light-up event Hana Akari at nearby Hana Biyori garden.

Sagamiko Resort Pleasure Forest will be pulling out all the stops for its winter illumination show with a display featuring over six million LEDs. What’s more, there’s an entire area dedicated to the popular Sumikkogurashi characters. 

You can also hop on the park’s Rainbow Chairlift and sail over colourful stripes before arriving at the the top of a hill to see a series of illumination art walls and a merry-go-round with illustrations of the adorable characters. Below the ferris wheel, you’ll spot a giant snow globe with five of its characters illuminated in crystal-like lights. Don’t miss the six metre-wide baby blue Sumikkogurashi lizard balloon floating on top of the water, too.

There will also be plenty of Sumikkogurashi meals and desserts to snack on while you’re here. Visit the Wild Dining restaurant to eat katsu curry (¥1,900), ramen (¥1,700), strawberry crepe (¥900) or a cup of corn soup (¥700), which comes topped with character wafers and star-shaped toppings.

Located next to Tokyo amusement park Yomiuri Land, Hana Biyori garden is lighting up with a spectacular illumination display between October 29 and April 9 2023. Follow the path lined with 500 takeakari bamboo lanterns and takemari (round ball-like objects made from bamboo) and you’ll come to a historical gate that was transplanted from the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

A new addition this year is a beautiful floral mandala made from bamboo that stands at the end of a little path decorated with differently shaped bamboo lanterns. Throughout the garden, you’ll find more of those lanterns as well as takemari, which will each contain a bouquet resembling the famous ‘flower chandeliers’ that are found in the on-site greenhouse. You also shouldn’t miss the 100 colourful illuminated Japanese umbrellas near the Tahoto pagoda.

While you’re there, make sure to check out the spectacular Jewellumination at Yomiuri Land, too.

The event takes place from 4pm to 8pm. Closing days for December onwards will be announced at a later date.

Love is in the air at The National Art Center, where a series of paintings borrowed from the Louvre in Paris have been curated based on their fiery portrayals of passion and romance. The series will include a total of 70 masterpieces created between the 16th and mid-19th century. Featured artists include François Boucher, Jean-Honoré Fragonard and François Gérard, among other visionaries from Europe. 

The exhibition launches at the beginning of March, so it won’t be open in time for Valentine’s Day, but that only reaffirms the fact that impassioned displays of affection shouldn’t be confined to just one commercial holiday. 

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.

Fujiko F. Fujio is known for his famous manga series like Doraemon and Kiteretsu Daijyakka, but at this exhibit you can dive into his short stories known as ‘sukoshi fushigi’ (meaning ‘a little mysterious’ in Japanese). The drawings are similar to his usual animation, but feature an eerie plot that’s geared more towards adults. 

There are rare drawings and manga from stories including ‘Minotaurus’ Plate’ from 1969, which is about a man who tries to save a girl from ‘cow-men’. Another exhibit highlights 1978's ‘Ryuketsuki’, a story about a town with a widespread virus that turns people into vampires. There's also ‘Mimitaro’ from 1976, which features a boy with psychic powers. 

Take a break at the café on the first floor to try dishes inspired by Fujio's stories, including a rabbit-themed cheesecake (¥1,200) from Hyonhyoro or a bright red cassis-flavoured Ryuketsuki drink (¥680). The museum shop on the first floor has a range of exclusive merchandise including tableware, T-shirts, stationery and even a skateboard.

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.