The best things to do in Tokyo this weekend

Niku Fes is back this Golden Week, bringing one of Tokyo's biggest meat festivals to Odaiba. The festival is being upgraded this year with more seats than ever before, plus plenty of live music as well as an extensive line-up of meat dishes.

You can feast on meaty delights such as A5-ranked steak, wagyu sushi, slow-roasted beef, beefy cheeseburgers and kebabs from around two dozen restaurants across Japan. Make sure to also try dishes from one of the eleven restaurants participating in the Steak King Championship. These restaurants are serving up their own unique takes on the classic steak, and it’s up to you to crown the winner.

As for the drinks, there will be craft beer from Abashiri Beer in Hokkaido and refreshing Mexican Cuervo lemon sours to accompany your meal. You can enjoy desserts, too, including churros, gelato and kakigori shaved ice. 

While there are plenty of benches to sit on, including a family area which is available after buying 10 meal tickets, purchasing the VIP experience gets you a dining space for four people. This deal features table service in a comfortable, shaded seating area. You can reserve it in advance on the website for ¥9,800. 

On April 28, 30, May 1 and 2, the entire facility will transform into a beer garden from 4pm to 9pm, when all beers will be ¥500. The first 500 people to enter from 4pm will receive free Niku Fes official goods. 

Need a break from all the eating? Head over to the stage area for live music during the day. Headliners and specific event details are yet to be disclosed.

Entry to Niku Fes is free and you can just buy food and drink as you go. But note that meal tickets can only be purchased through the official Niku Fes app.

Head over to Komazawa Olympic Park during Golden Week to spend an entire day sampling some of Japan’s best gyoza. There will be 17 stalls offering more than 30 different styles of this quintessential Japanese dumpling. Enjoy deep fried shoyu butter corn gyoza from Hokkaido, juicy seafood squid dumplings from Fukuoka, baked xiaolongbao-style gyoza from Osaka, Hakata-style hitokuchi (bite-size) gyoza, strawberry milk cheese dessert gyoza from Tokyo, and much more.

There will also be other dishes like fried rice to go with the gyoza, as well as craft beers from Hokkaido Brewing, Fujizakura Heights Beer and Fuji Premium Brewing. There’s no entry fee, so you can just pay as you go. If you want to forgo the hassle of paying at each store, there is a package deal sold online for ¥4,000, which includes five meal tickets and a fast ticket to skip one queue.

Why wait until autumn to celebrate Oktoberfest? While the original Oktoberfest in Munich doesn't kick off until September, Tokyo's beer lovers can enjoy celebrations throughout spring, too. Odaiba’s outdoor Oktoberfest falls during Golden Week, when revellers can gorge on suds, sausages and sauerkraut by the waterside.

If you’re craving some Taiwanese food this spring, then drop by Tokyo Skytree Town for its Taiwan Festival. Head over to the fourth floor of Sky Arena until June 1 to feast on Taiwanese food throughout the day. Several stalls are offering popular Taiwanese festival cuisine such as lu rou fan (braised pork over rice), cong you bing (scallion pancake) and da ji pai fried chicken.

You can also shop for Taiwanese goods and even enjoy massages and fortune telling. The dining area is decorated with red lanterns to give it a Taiwanese night market feel.

Tachikawa's Showa Kinen Park isn't content with merely hyping sakura: its Flower Festival takes place over three months and celebrates the blooms of winter rapeseeds (in March), tulips (April), nemophilia (April-May), poppies and German chamomile (May), of course in addition to the cherry blossoms in March and April.

Along with flower-viewing, the park will be hosting a number of floral-themed events, and dedicated photo spots will be set up on the premises. Don't miss the chance to see a beautiful field of nemophila flowers in late April, which turn into a gorgeous sea of blue once 2 million nemophilia plants bloom at once.

The colourful Children’s Day koinobori carp streamers are an annual sight at Tokyo Tower, and this year you can see them at the main entrance from March 25 through Golden Week until May 6. There are 333 streamers set-up here, signifying the 333m height of the iconic tower. 

Among the 333 streamers, there's one that's not a carp – see if you can spot the sanma (pacific saury) nobori. This unique inclusion is Tokyo Tower's way of sending hope to the region affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

As this display is held right outside the tower on the ground level, you don't need a ticket to see this joyous sight.

One of Tokyo’s largest koinobori festivals takes place at the foot of Tokyo Skytree, with 1,000 carp streamers fluttering in the air. The traditional koinobori carp streamers are put up to celebrate Children’s Day, which happens every May 5 during Golden Week. 

If you visit the Postal Museum on the ninth floor, you can participate in a fun workshop to make your own koinobori from used stamps for ¥300 (¥150 for high school students and under) until May 5. Additionally, other activities will also be taking place at venues around Tokyo Skytree Town including a fake food workshop at Ganso Shokuhin, a workshop to make hand-painted carp streamers at the Tokyo Solamachi East Yard, and a carp streamer candy sculpting workshop at the Asakusa Amezaiku Ameshin store.

For much of the year, Shiofune Kannonji is a quiet temple on the foothills of Ome, off the beaten path. However, once a year, crowds flock to see the temple grounds come to life in a vibrant array of colours during the annual azalea festival.

The main attraction of this festival is the scenery: a spectacular display of 20,000 azaleas of 20 varieties that blanket a valley with a patchwork of pink, white, purple and green colours. The best time to see them is around Golden Week. 

Coinciding with the bloom, the Shiofune Kannonji Azalea Festival is also hosting a fire-walking event on May 3 to pray for the blessings of the deity Fudo. The public is welcome to take on the challenge of walking over red-hot charcoal in exchange for a charm that is said to help ward off evil.

There's a ¥300 entry fee (primary school children and younger ¥100) during the azalea season. Check the temple's Facebook page for the latest blooming updates. 

You can catch free movies at Shibuya Stream this spring at the outdoor main staircase and Inaribashi Square from April 28 to May 11. One to two different films will be screened each day, including the likes of ‘La La Land’, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, ‘Mamma Mia, 'Kung Fu Panda 4’ and 'Fall Guy'. 

Most movies will be in English with Japanese subtitles, but there will also be a few dubbed in Japanese. Screening times depend on the day, but you can check the schedule on the event website.

The event is free and no tickets are required. However, reservations aren't accepted and space is limited, so we recommend arriving earlier to guarantee a seat.

Yokohama's Minatomirai area will be transformed into a Star Wars galaxy over Golden Week to celebrate Star Wars Day on May 4. For fans of the iconic space saga, May 4 is known as Star Wars Day, as the iconic line ‘May the force be with you’ cheekily sounds a lot like ‘May the 4th be with you’. 

Celebrations include a host of events and exhibitions that will take place across Minatomirai, at venues such as Landmark Plaza, Mark Is Minato Mirai, Yokohama City Hall, Grand Mall Park and around Sakuragicho Station.

At Landmark Plaza, you’ll find an exhibition featuring images of famous scenes from the movies showcased along with music. The plaza will also host a Yoda statue on the third floor as well as posters for all the movies. There'll also be a Star Wars Pop-up Store where you can pick up merch like T-shirts, tote bags, figurines and smartphone accessories.

A special screening of all nine Star Wars movies will be held at the new United Cinemas theatre in Mark Is Minato Mirai from April 25 to May 6. The movies will be in English with Japanese subtitles. Additionally, don't miss the 3D lifesize Lego models of spacecraft like the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon and the iconic speeder bike, shown at the Mark Is Minato Mirai Grand Galleria.

At the adjacent Grand Mall Park, there will be a character meet and greet, where you can take memorable photos with costumed fans dressed as popular Star Wars characters, as well as live performances of Star Wars-themed songs from May 3 to May 6. The park will also host food trucks selling festival grub inspired by the beloved franchise. An original promotional video will also be shown on a large screen outside Yokohama City Hall.

For more details, see the event website.

The folks behind Shibuya’s Tokyo Comedy Bar are taking their show on the road – well, a couple stations north on the Yamanote Line – with this new weekly stand-up comedy showcase in Shinjuku. Invading Kabukicho’s DecaBar Super every Friday and Saturday night from 8pm, Shinjuku Stage features what for this area counts as wholesome entertainment, in the form of high-energy performances in both English and Japanese. Whether you’re a local looking to tickle your funny bone or a newcomer in need of some good honest jokes in the neon-lit surroundings, this show is likely to fit the bill. Tickets are available via Tokyo Comedy Bar. 

This spring and summer, Japan’s ancient aesthetic heritage meets the cutting edge of animation. On at the Tokyo National Museum from March 25 to August 3, ‘Immersive Theater on Neo-Japonism: From Ancient Art to Anime’ is an ambitious 24-minute visual experience that journeys through 10,000 years of Japanese creativity.

Projected across four massive walls fitted with towering 7-metre screens, the ultra-HD installation explores the evolution of Japanese artistic expression from the clay figures of the prehistoric Jomon period to the ink paintings of the Edo period (1603–1867), culminating in the vibrant dynamism of contemporary anime. Brought to life by the innovative minds at digital art outfits Panoramatiks and Cekai, the experience highlights how Japan’s animist worldview and refined sense of space continue to influence global pop culture.

The exhibition draws poignant connections between ancient scrolls, classical motifs, and works by anime legends like Osamu Tezuka, Isao Takahata and Mamoru Hosoda, serving up a distinctive blend of history, art and imagination.

Yebisu Brewery Tokyo is holding a collaborative art exhibit between Yebisu Beer and manga artist Hirohiko Araki, creator of the bestselling series Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure. Widely known for his unique artistic style and poses, Araki was invited to collaborate with Yebisu Beer to draw bijin-ga portraits inspired by advertisements produced by the brewery in the early 1900s. Bijin-ga is a term used for portraits of beautiful women in Japanese art, and the style was often applied to beer advertisements back in the day. 

The exhibit will display Araki’s two three-metre tall modern interpretations of bijin-ga, drawn in his signature vivid style: ‘Western’ and ‘Peach Patrol.’ Don’t forget to get the limited-edition Araki-designed Ebisu Beer cans and merch on your way out, as they’re being released in limited quantities.

Step into the masterful world of Japan’s most celebrated woodblock print artist this spring at ‘Hokusai: Another Story’, held at Shibuya’s Tokyu Plaza. Utilising the latest in high-definition imaging, spatial audio and Sony’s state-of-the-art sensory technology, the exhibition promises to bring Hokusai’s iconic works to life.

The main highlight of the exhibition is the vivid scenery of Hokusai's ‘Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji’, with ultra-high-definition visuals and Sony's Crystal LED displays recreating the intricate details of the work. Visualise, hear and feel the sensation of jumping on puddles or walking on dry sand, thanks in part to haptic floor technology developed by Sony PCL. Then, follow a path illuminated by bamboo lights to reach a room where you can browse master replicas of iconic ukiyo-e prints. Each replica is crafted using DTIP (3D Texture Image Processing) technology that scans every fibre of the traditional washi-paper originals to preserve the works digitally. This multisensory experience allows visitors to not only see, but truly feel, the world Hokusai depicted.

Tickets must be purchased in advance through the event website.

Pottery lovers, rejoice. 21_21 Design Sight is holding an exhibition of dozens of donburi (ramen bowls) from now until June 15. Most of them hail from the Tono region of Gifu prefecture, which accounts for a whopping 90% of Japan's ramen bowls.

The exhibition features the wares of ramen bowl collector Yasuyuki Kaga, as well as an 'Artist Ramen Bowls' exhibit: a colourful mix of 40 unique bowls designed by 40 different artists, designers, food experts and more. Each artist's bowl includes a bilingual synopsis from the creator themselves, detailling the thoughts and intentions behind their design.

Those interested in sustainability can learn more about the bowl-making process and efforts to recycle unwanted pottery into raw materials. If you're feeling artsy, hit up the 'Donburi Pride' workshop, where you can draw your own bowl design to take home or submit to the exhibition. Selected drawings will be temporarily displayed.

The exhibit is open every day except Tuesday, and runs from 10am to 7pm (entry until 6.30pm). Tickets are ¥1,600 for adults, ¥800 for university students and ¥500 for high school students. Junior high students and younger enter free of charge. You can purchase tickets here.

Japanese-American contemporary artist Tomokazu Matsuyama’s practice encompasses painting, sculpture and installation. Born in 1976 in Gifu, he currently lives and works in Brooklyn. His work organically merges and reimagines diverse elements, such as Asian and European cultures, ancient and modern eras, and figurative and abstract styles. His art both reflects his intercultural experiences and tirelessly questions the complex and polarised issues of our time: political cleavages, economic inequality, social conflict, the paradox of gender equality, media manipulation and the proliferation of disinformation.

Drawing on a wide range of cultural and historical influences, from Japanese art of the Edo and Meiji periods to classical Greek and Roman statuary, French Renaissance painting and contemporary post-war art, Matsuyama has over the past twenty-five years established himself as a key artist in the New York scene.

This show at the Azabudai Hills Gallery is the artist’s first major exhibition in Tokyo. Running from March 8 to May 11, ‘First Last’ presents some 40 works (15 of which have never been seen before in Japan). It showcases Matsuyama's reflections on the paradoxes of contemporary society, which seems to maintain a fragile balance through perpetual struggles, illustrating the biblical adage ‘the last will be first, and the first last’.

As his nickname ‘God of Manga’ suggests, the Osaka-born Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989) revolutionised Japanese manga and animation, shaping the industry into what it is today. His immense creativity and pioneering storytelling introduced the world to classics such as Astro Boy, Black Jack and Kimba the White Lion. The artist himself, however, considered Phoenix (Hinotori) his magnum opus. A profound and ambitious saga exploring the nature of life, death and reincarnation, the Phoenix narrative follows humanity’s relentless pursuit of immortality through the mythical bird whose blood grants eternal life, alternating between the distant past and far future. 

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of this landmark work, the first large-scale Phoenix exhibition will take place from March 7 to May 25 at Tokyo City View in Roppongi Hills. Featuring over 800 pieces spanning the manga’s twelve main arcs, the exhibition will not only showcase original artworks and manuscripts; it’ll also invite visitors to explore Tezuka's conclusion, left unfinished following the artist’s untimely death in 1989.

By merging art, philosophy and science, ‘Osamu Tezuka’s Phoenix Exhibition’ offers a fresh perspective on one of manga’s greatest masterpieces, conveying Tezuka’s visionary legacy to new generations.

Swedish-born artist Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was a pioneer of abstract painting, whose work prefigured that of such revered figures as Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky. Yet, for decades, her work was known only to a handful of people. The 21st century, however, has seen Klint receive some long overdue global recognition. A 2018 retrospective at New York's Guggenheim Museum attracted the largest visitor numbers in that venue's history, and now the prestigious National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo presents her first career overview to be held in Asia.

The exhibition centres upon selections from "The Paintings for the Temple", a series which Klint, who was involved in the then-booming spiritualist movement, produced between 1906 and 1915 after believing the project to have been 'commissioned' from another dimension during a seance. The artist perceived these works which combine abstract and figurative elements, and organic and geometric forms, to have been created 'through' her by some external spiritual force.

Advance tickets are sold until March 3. This exhibition is closed on Mondays (except March 31 and May 5) as well as May 7.