The best things to do in Tokyo this weekend

Inage Seaside Park in Chiba is hosting weekly DJ parties on its picturesque 90-metre-long pier that stretches out into Tokyo Bay, until September 28. Taking place on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 3pm to 8pm, the parties showcase artists spinning tunes from a variety of genres, including Balearic house, afrobeats, tech house, South African amapiano and more.

A special highlight will be the Sunday August 31 appearance by Ibiza icon Jon Sa Trinxa, who is celebrated for his signature Balearic style and two decades of DJing on the Mediterranean party island. Local favourites including Ren Yokoi, Mike-Masa and Bull will also take to the decks, spinning everything from techno to R&B to keep the summer vibes alive.

Check the event website for the most up-to-date DJ line-up. Closed Sep 6-7.

Feel the breeze of 1,500 windmills at Tokyo Midtown Hibiya’s annual outdoor summer fest. This picturesque event features a large dome adorned with over a thousand colourful windmills made from unused clear files from the shopping centre’s tenants. Come evening, the dome as well as the staircase at the plaza are lit up with blue and white lights, while cooling mist envelopes the area to create a mesmerising sight. 

What’s more, the summer festival is hosting several family-friendly activities for everyone to enjoy on August 16 and 17, such as booths for traditional Japanese matsuri games such as rubber ball scooping, shateki shooting, ring toss and a workshop to paint your very own wind chime. The booths will be set up at the main atrium of Tokyo Midtown Hibiya.

If you’re looking for a child-friendly event in the cool indoors, head to the underground plaza on August 9 and 10 for a workshop where participants can craft their very own pinwheels using unused clear files.

Tokyo Midtown has a packed programme of summer fun this year. If you want to take it easy, cool down at Midtown Garden’s Ashimizu area. The gentle stream here has been transformed into a foot bath, open between 3pm and 9pm (closed on Tuesdays). It can accommodate up to 70 people at a time and best of all, it’s free. Towels are available at ¥100 each, but of course, you can always bring your own.

Feeling wiped out by the summer heat? Make a beeline for the restaurants and cafés at Tokyo Midtown, now hosting a refreshing summer sweets fair featuring cool desserts such as the hyuganatsu and unshu orange kakigori shaved ice at Toraya, glace au chocolat doux ice cream at Jean-Paul Hévin, amazake watermelon juice at Sake Shop Fukumitsuya and more.

The National Stadium’s swanky next-door park is hosting a summer beer garden and outdoor cinema festival this month from August 1 to August 31. During the event period, expect to see the park transformed with tables and tents for a full beer garden get-up. Hosted by Corona, the beer garden is called Corona Cero Lounge and will have the usual Corona favourites such as Corona Extra (¥750), as well as the brand’s new non-alcoholic offering, Corona Cero (¥600), and inventive Corona-infused cocktails.

While you’re there, don’t miss the free outdoor film screenings happening on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The cinema line-up consists of Academy Award-winning titles such as Green Book and Top Gun: Maverick, as well as family favourites such as Paddington, School of Rock, The Minions and more. Note that all screenings are Japanese-dubbed versions of the films.

While entry to the festival is free, a special reservation is required to enter on August 16, when the nearby Jingu Stadium is hosting the Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival. Capacity is limited to two thousand visitors, so reserve a slot via Tablecheck before it's too late.

Studio Ghibli’s immersive sculpture exhibition is returning to Tokyo to captivate a new generation of fans. Featuring 3D recreations of iconic scenes from hit animated films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and Porco Rosso, the show is a new and improved version of Studio Ghibli’s first ever art exhibition, held in Tokyo back in 2003. 

Running from May 27 to September 23 at Warehouse Terrada’s B&C and E halls in Tennozu, the exhibition will feature mock-ups of scenes such as Chihiro’s first crossing over the bridge into the bathhouse in Spirited Away, and the thrilling scene from Ponyo where the titular character rides the waves to catch up to Sosuke in the storm. The main highlight, however, is arguably the true-to-size mock up of Porco’s Savoia S-21 seaplane from Porco Rosso.

When hunger strikes, head over to T-Lotus M, a waterfront event space adjacent to the exhibition venue, for some ham ramen inspired by a similar dish in Ponyo. Tickets can be purchased in combination with the Ghibli Museum or in conjunction with hotel accommodation plans.

For more details and ticketing information, check the event website. (Japanese only)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building in Shinjuku serves as the backdrop for a jaw-dropping and record-breaking projection mapping show. Covering an area of a whopping 13,905sqm, the after-dark spectacle has been certified by Guinness World Records as the largest permanent display of its kind in the world.

The nightly showcase features a range of visual wonders created by a mix of local and international artists. Some shows are inspired by Tokyo’s rich history, while others draw on themes like the lunar cycle. 

From April 26, ‘Tokyo Gundam in the Future’, a brand new projection mapping show featuring a Gundam with a newly reimagined Mobile Suit colour scheme, will begin on weekends and holidays every hour from 7pm (7.30pm from May 10). Be sure to check the event website for more details.

Enjoy a late night stroll under an artificial Milky Way at Tokyo Tower’s main deck. As an alternative experience for astronomy enthusiasts, Tokyo Tower has recreated the Milky Way using 29,000 LED lights, so you can gaze up at the (artificial) stars in the middle of the city.

Every 15 minutes, the blue LED lights that represent the starry sky turn pink and gold, while the Milky Way changes from white to a rainbow of seven colours. This special effect makes the Tokyo skyline look even more mesmerising, as if our beloved city is under a magical starry night.

The event takes place from 9.00am until 11pm.

No trip to Tokyo or Japan is complete without a shopping spree at the iconic Don Quijote. But if browsing the aisles isn’t enough to satisfy your Donki cravings, you’ll want to book a table for this playful Don Quijote-themed afternoon tea at Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya.

Available at the hotel’s 11th-floor all-day dining restaurant, Gallery 11, this fun afternoon tea spread is inspired by Don Quijote’s beloved mascots, Donpen and Donko, with an array of colourful sweets and fun surprises. 

Desserts include unique creations like the passion fruit chocolate and pink pepper marshmallow, honeycomb red velvet cupcake and candy apple filled with a rich caramel – all served on a mini skateboard. You can also enjoy a tastebud-tingling cake made with popping candy featuring images of Donpen and Donko, alongside a savoury herb roast chicken served with lemon and caper sauce.

The ground-breaking Blue Man Group returns to Tokyo this summer with an unforgettable stage show blending comedy, theatre and rock rolled into one electrifying performance. The silent, blue-and-black clad men will take the stage at Kabukicho Tower’s Shinjuku Milano-za sixth floor theatre, showcasing their iconic drumming and paint splashing which have attracted over 50 million people since starting their show in 1991. While they have recently bid farewell to their New York production, the group have maintained a strong presence in Japan since 2007, captivating over a million fans to date.

This year, you can also look forward to special performances with guest appearances by voice actress and singer Nana Mizuki, heavy metal band Lovebites vocalist Asami, and singer Yuki Koyanagi. 

Check the official website for performance schedules and ticketing information.

Time to don those wizardly robes. From April 18 to September 8, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo are bringing the set of 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' to life to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary. The tour will feature recreations of props, costumes and locations from the film, such as the Great Hall, the Prefects' Bathroom and the Goblet of Fire itself. Themed food and merch will be available for purchase.

Times and ticket prices vary, so be sure to check their website for availability, as tickets must be purchased in advance and currently are only available until June 30.

Traditional Japanese erotic art – shunga – flourished during the Edo period (1603–1867), along with the rise of ukiyo-e woodblock printing. Some of the greatest artists of the time, including Kitagawa Utamaro and Katsushika Hokusai, employed ukiyo-e to depict Edo’s hedonistic ‘floating world’ of geisha, kabuki, sumo – and sex. Shunga was in great demand and widely available, despite an official ban, and developed into a highly sophisticated genre in which artists incorporated refrences to waka poetry and the Chinese classics while tiptoeing around taboos and government censorship.

But once Japan opened itself up to the Western world after centuries of isolation, Shunga was deemed ‘obscene’ and purged from the culture – for nearly 150 years, it turned out. Only after several critically acclaimed exhibitions had been held overseas did the first major display of Shunga open on these shores – at the Eisei Bunko Museum in 2013. That landmark show slowly cleared the way for similar exhibitions, and now Tokyo’s getting perhaps the most rousing (sorry) Shunga show to date.

From July 26 to September 30, visitors to the Shinjuku Kabukicho Noh Stage can rest their eyes on around 100 pieces by the likes of Hokusai, Utamaro and Hishikawa Moronobu. Curated from the collection of Mitsuru Uragami, one of Japan’s foremost Shunga connoisseurs, the exhibition extends throughout the distinctive venue – from the Noh stage itself to the auditorium and dressing rooms. Yasutaka Hayashi from artist collective Chim↑Pom from Smappa!Group will be serving as art director, bringing a hefty serving of Kabukicho flair to what’s already looking like a show perfect for Tokyo’s most stimulating entertainment district.

Early-bird tickets are available for ¥1,900 (vs ¥2,200 on the door) via ArtSticker until July 25.

Note that the exhibition is off limits to visitors under the age of 18.

A Japan-first exhibition celebrating the visionary artistry of cinema legend Jean-Luc Godard has taken over the iconic Ohjo Building in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho. Until August 31, the castle-shaped landmark in the heart of Kabukicho is hosting an immersive multi-screen installation that reinterprets The Image Book, the final feature-length work by the late French master.

Structured into five chapters, the film took four years to create and reflects on more than a century of history, war, religion and art, weaving together quotes from classic films, literature and artworks. The exhibition deconstructs and reassembles this complex work, freeing it from the linear constraints of the cinema screen.

Curated by Fabrice Aragno, filmmaker and longtime collaborator of Godard, the critically acclaimed show offers a rare window into the director’s creative world, inviting visitors to wander through fragments of image and sound and step inside the mind of one of cinema’s most influential figures.

Tickets are available for purchase on-site or through the official website.

The sleek designer toilets that took Tokyo by storm in 2020 – and later even inspired the film Perfect Days – will host a unique photography exhibit this summer, showcasing works by world-famous B&W photographer Daido Moriyama from July 19 to September 23.

The main exhibition space, where Moriyama’s photographs of the designer toilets are displayed, will be the Hatagaya Public Toilet. Miles Pennington, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s DLX Design Lab, designed this toilet specifically with multifunctionality in mind. Envisioned to be used as an exhibition space or a pop-up kiosk – in addition to its primary function, of course – the toilet will now play the role of a photo gallery.

Moreover, don’t miss this opportunity to check out the 10 other designer toilets in Shibuya ward, which for the duration of the event will all feature toilet paper adorned with imprints of Daido Moriyama’s photographs.

Held in the Tokyo Node creative complex on the upper floors of the Toranomon Station Tower, the Design Ah! exhibition by national broadcaster NHK transforms its acclaimed educational TV programme (of the same name) into a vivid hands-on experience. Suitable for visitors of all ages, the exhibition reimagines everyday actions like walking or eating through a design lens, fostering curiosity, creative thinking, and a sharper awareness of the world around us. While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to try out the interactive gesture screen, where visitors are invited to use gestures to interact with subjects in a video in an immersive and responsive way.

With immersive 360-degree audiovisual installations, visual puzzles and interactive zones, the show offers a playful yet thought-provoking way to explore how design influences daily life.

Few would argue against the late Leiji Matsumoto as one of Japan’s most visionary manga artists. Born in 1938, Matsumoto grew up fascinated by the night sky, a passion that would later shape his iconic stories such as Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Harlock. His work blends space-faring adventure with profound philosophical themes, exploring concepts of life, mortality and human perseverance, and has inspired creatives worldwide, even shaping the dreams of future astronauts.

From June 20 to September 7, Tokyo City View at Roppongi Hills will host ‘Leiji Matsumoto: A Creative Journey’, the first major exhibition dedicated to the prolific career of an artist who left an indelible mark on the world of sci-fi with his rich storytelling and strikingly detailed art. Marking the beginning of a series of events celebrating the upcoming 50th anniversary of Galaxy Express 999, this exhibition will immerse visitors in Matsumoto’s imaginative universe. Featuring over 300 original drawings, including early works, rare materials and never-before-seen sketches, the display offers an opportunity to dig deep into the Fukuoka native’s creative process and experience the timeless magic of his work.

In the news for his role as the designer of the Expo 2025 site, Sou Fujimoto is an architect whose work explores the relationship between nature and architecture. Born in Hokkaido, he is inspired by the natural landscapes of his childhood and seeks to integrate organic forms into the built environment through an approach he calls ‘primitive future’.

This philosophy translates into an exploration of the limits between indoors and outdoors and the natural and the artificial, creating spaces that invite a new experience of inhabiting it. Fujimoto’s residential projects in Japan, such as House N, House O and House T, as well as international projects such as the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London, illustrate this desire to blur spatial boundaries. His work is characterised by the use of simple materials, often only one per project, implemented in innovative ways to create complex and intriguing shapes. The balance between a defined program and the freedom of appropriation by the occupants is at the heart of his approach.

Fujimoto’s first major Tokyo retrospective takes over the Mori Art Museum from July 2 to November 9. The exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the architect’s journey over the past quarter century, showcasing his achievements. Models, plans and documentary photographs sit alongside life-size models and installations, providing an immersive visual and spatial experience of the essence of his work. The exhibition highlights projects such as the Musashino Art University Museum & Library, the Arbre Blanc in Montpellier, France, the House of Music in Budapest, and – yes – the Expo site on Osaka’s Yumeshima.

Ukiyo-e superstar Katsushika Hokusai’s legacy continues to ripple through and beyond the art world even today, centuries after his death – the meme-ification of Under the Wave off Kanagawa being only the most obvious example. But what makes Hokusai a standout among the many Edo-period (1603–1867) masters who captured the lives, dreams and landscapes of the city?

This summer, the Sumida Hokusai Museum invites visitors to explore answers to that very question through an interactive exhibition highlighting the craftsmanship of Hokusai and his disciples. ‘Wow, Hokusai!’ encourages close observation, helping viewers notice shared motifs, subtle differences and clever compositional techniques across the artist’s oeuvre.

The show zooms in on key elements in Hokusai’s work – from thunderous skies to bustling riverbanks, from swirling waves to architectural wonders – to provoke moments of discovery. As such, it offers a vivid introduction to ukiyo-e and an intimate look into Hokusai’s genius.