The best things to do in Tokyo this weekend

Mukojima Hyakkaen Gardens has been revered as a prime flower viewing spot since the Edo period (1603-1868). In fact, the layout and some of the buildings in this heritage park date back to that time. The highlight, however, is the garden’s 360 plum trees of 20 kinds, which come alive in full bloom between February 7 and March 1 during the annual Plum Festival.

If possible, make sure you visit on February 7 or 23 for the special Edo-era entertainment. There will be a variety of street performances and dances scheduled at 11.40am, 1pm and 3pm. Don’t miss the suzume-odori performance, also known as the sparrow dance, on February 8 and 22 at 1pm and 3pm.

Park staff are offering a 60-minute garden tour on February 21 at 11.40am and 2.40pm. There will also be a special tea ceremony demonstration serving matcha tea at the Onari-zashiki resting area from 11am to 4pm on February 14 and 15. (¥1,500 per seat) Note that the tour is in Japanese only. All events except for the tea ceremony demonstration are free, but there is a fee to enter the garden.

The garden is open daily from 9am-5pm. Check the event website for more details.

Setagaya's Hanegi Park is home to over 650 plum blossom trees spanning 60 varieties. These small, pink flowers bloom when the weather starts to warm up and Hanegi Park celebrates with a month-long festival.

The Setagaya Plum Festival (or Setagaya Ume Matsuri) celebrates the flowering season with events like mochi pounding, tea ceremonies and traditional music performances. Most of these events take place on weekends and holidays. You'll find the event schedule here (in Japanese only).

While you're there, stop by the on-site food stalls for plum jam or plum-flavoured treats like sweet mochi daifuku or baked manju with candied plums and white bean paste inside. 

Kameido's charming Tenjin Shrine hosts this annual early spring festival in celebration of the bloom of more than 250 plum trees – 50 koubai red blossoms and 150 hakubai white plum trees – on the premises. The goken-no-ume tree is particularly special as it has both red and white plums blooming on one tree.

The flowers usually reach full bloom between the middle of February and early March, while a variety of events will take place throughout the festival period – mainly on the weekends.

A popular place for plum blossom fans since olden times, Yushima Tenmangu shrine still draws crowds every year. The plum blossoms might get less hype than the cherry blossoms that follow, but they still make for some gorgeous late-winter scenery.

This year marks the 69th run of the Yushima Tenjin Ume Matsuri. The annual festival is one of Tokyo's most popular late-winter events, and it takes place for a month from February 8 until March 8. The shinto shrine is home to about 300 plum trees, and most of them are around 80 years old. Approximately 80 percent of them produce white plum blossoms. 

On weekends and holidays – February 8, 11, 14-15, 21-23, 28, March 1, 7 – you can look forward to events such as live Kagura (ceremonial silent theatre),  Nihon-buyo (traditional Japanese dance) and taiko drumming as well as flamenco and belly dancing performances.

You’ll also find several stalls selling souvenirs from Bunkyo ward as well as local products from Ibaraki (February 8), Ishikawa (February 8, 14), Aomori (Feb 14-15), Kumamoto (February 21-23), Hyogo/Shimane (February 28-March 1) and Fukushima (March 7-8).

The 12th edition of the Kakuuchi Festival is set to be another boozy affair. ‘Kakuuchi’ refers to the bar that’s inside a liquor store and this festival celebrates the kakuuchi culture by replicating the drinking style. Here, small bars serving up a selection of sake, shochu and wine will be attached to their respective liquor store booth. Additionally, there will be around 30 food stalls cooking up sweet and savoury dishes to pair with your drinks.

Admission is ¥500 and it comes with a free sake tasting experience. However, if you're looking to sample a variety of alcohol from the comfort of your own table, get an admission and seat bundle, which comes with one drink token.

Both ticket types can be purchased in advance online, to avoid the queues. 

Both a beer festival and a competition among craft brewers, this event is a true celebration of the hoppy beverage. You’ll find a staggering selection of over 41 Japanese breweries and beer importers, as well as a few international labels, during this three-day event at Yokohama Osanbashi Hall.

Some popular Tokyo brewpubs including Tachihi Brewery and Devilcraft Brewery are participating, plus renowned breweries from further afield such as Nomcraft Brewing and Shizuoka's West Coast Brewing. 

You can buy tickets at the door for ¥1,200 (¥1,500 on Saturday & Sunday), or get a ¥300-¥400 discount if you book in advance online. Beer starts from around ¥600 per glass. Don't worry about going hungry, either, as there will be a selection of food vendors selling pub grub such as gyoza and grilled meat.

While you’ll find an abundance of vintage and thrift stores in Shimokitazawa, the trendy neighbourhood also hosts a regular flea market at the Shimokita Senrogai open space, just a few minutes’ walk from the station, beside the Shimokitazawa Police Box. 

Expect plenty of treasures and bargains, from crafts and handmade knick-knacks to jewellery and, of course, secondhand and vintage clothing. When hunger strikes, there’s also a café and a rotating line-up of food trucks.

Don’t feel discouraged if you haven’t been sticking to your 2026 resolutions. According to the lunar calendar, we still have a few more days before we officially enter the 2026 new year, which begins on February 18. If you want to celebrate the year of the fire horse in Japan, there are few better places to visit than Yokohama Chinatown, which has observed Chinese Spring Festival traditions since 1986.

Starting from 2022, the festivities are held concurrently with dazzling displays of colourful lanterns based on Chinese zodiac animals from January 20, installed in 60-odd locations throughout Yokohama, including Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, Bashamichi Station and Yamashitacho Park in the heart of Chinatown.

While this year’s programme has yet to be released, last year's festivities began with a midnight lunar New Year countdown at Yamashitacho Park. The festivities run through February 12, featuring a host of performances, food pop-ups and lantern displays. Here are the highlights to look forward to.

February 1 (Sat), 2 (Sun), 1pm-5pm: a showcase of acrobatics, lion and dragon dances and other spectacles will take to the stage at Yamashitacho Park. Everyone is welcome to catch the performances for free, but you should purchase tickets online in advance for the best seats.

February 8 (Sat), 9 (Sun), times unrevealed: for the first time this year, a street entertainment show will be held in an undisclosed location within Yokohama Chinatown. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a spontaneous lion dance show. 

February 11 (Tue), 4.30pm: the Shukumai-yuko procession will begin at Yamashitacho Park, where a dazzling ensemble of lion dancers, rickshaws carrying people dressed as famous Chinese emperors, and other performing artists parade through Kanteibyo Street, Fukken Road, Nishimon Street and Minami-mon Silk Road. The procession will finish back at Yamashitacho Park.

February 12 (Wed), 5.30pm-7pm: more lion dances will take place during a lantern festival at Masobyo Temple. Get there early if you want to score a free paper lantern (while supplies last) from the ChinaTown80 information centre, and write your New Year wish on it.

Be sure to check the event’s official website for the latest programme when announced.

Taking place around Yokohama Port, Yokohama Night Flowers (formerly Yokohama Sparkling Twilight) lights up not only the city but also the sky above it. It's a stunning sight as the fireworks are set off above the illuminated boats crisscrossing the sea in front of Yamashita Park. 

This time around, there are 9 five-minute fireworks displays scheduled from December to March. Depending on the date, the fireworks are launched from either Osanbashi Pier and/or Shinko Pier. This makes the seaside Yamashita Park and Yokohama's Red Brick Warehouse an ideal vantage point to catch all the explosive action.

Along with the fireworks, Yokohama is also hosting several nighttime events nearby, including the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market (until Dec 25), Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Art Rink (until Feb 15), Yokohama Bread Festival (March 6-8) and more. See the event website for updates.

Fireworks displays are held on December 24 and 31, January 24 and 31, February 7, 14, 21 and 28, March 21. (2026)

Shinjuku's Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo is bringing back its annual month-long Hinamatsuri (girl’s doll festival) event for February. By displaying beautifully dressed ceramic dolls resembling members of the ancient imperial court, families wish for their daughters’ health and happiness. The tradition of displaying these dolls at home, believed to date back to the Edo period (1603-1868), is on full display at the exhibit, which is set up along a stunning curtain wall of approximately 5,000 hand-sewn ornaments made from vintage kimono silk.

After marvelling at the graceful handmade dolls and silk ornaments, be sure to visit the folding screen (byobu) exhibition in the main lobby and 7th-floor restaurant corridor. Folding screens, which usually occupy the background in displays of Hina dolls, take centre stage here, featuring works by Kataoka Byobu, Tokyo’s only folding screen speciality store, as well as pieces by a selection of contemporary independent artists.

The month-long exhibition is accompanied by live koto performances (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 11am and 3pm in the main lobby), a market selling custom-made handpainted tabletop byobu (February 3, 19, March 3, 17 and 31 at the main lobby; prices start from ¥10,000) a live byobu painting performance (March 10 at 3pm, South Wing 2nd-floor space), and a karakuri trick-art craft workshop (February 12 and March 12 at 2pm and 4pm, with an additional 11am session on March 12; ¥4,400 per participant, first come, first served; main lobby).

Tokyo Skytree Town is going all-in on strawberry season with its Ichigo (Strawberry) Fair, a berry bonanza spanning around 90 shops across the Tokyo Solamachi complex. It's a full-on celebration of Japan's favourite winter fruit, with limited-edition desserts, drinks and strawberry-themed merch turning the shopping floors into a paradise for berry enthusiasts.

Whether you're after an elegant tart, a playful fusion dish or just want to stock up on strawberry-motif goods, there's plenty to explore on foot. Highlights include Qu'il Fait Bon's decadent tart topped with Shizuoka's Kirapika variety and pistachio custard, Grand Castella's condensed milk castella cake, and Mar-de Napoli's savoury strawberry farfalle for those seeking something beyond desserts. It's a full-on fruit fest at the base of Tokyo's tallest landmark.

Head over to Minami-Machida for this adorable Snoopy-themed ice skating rink at the outlet mall Grandberry Park. The rink is part of the shopping centre’s Christmas event and can be found at the Oasis Plaza. There are plenty of illustrations depicting Snoopy and his friends, while the rink is also illuminated in seven different colours in the evening.

Gloves are mandatory when skating here and can be purchased at the venue for ¥300. Beginners can either join a ten-minute ice skating lesson daily for ¥1,000, or a 60-minute lesson from 9.30am on December 21, 28, 30 and January 3, 4, 10, 12, 18, 25 and February 1. It’s ¥3,500 per person (skate rental included) and reservations have to be made in advance online (form opens December 6) or by phone.

Skate rental is included in the admission fee of ¥2,000 (high school, junior high and primary school students ¥1,700, preschoolers ¥1,200). Visitors who drop by from 6pm will get a discount and pay only ¥1,500 (high school, junior high and primary school students ¥1,200, preschoolers ¥700).

The rink is open from 1pm to 8pm on weekdays and from 11am to 8pm on weekends and holidays; until 6pm on Dec 31. Note that the rink is closed on Jan 1 and Feb 17.

This large ice skating rink in Tokyo Midtown’s garden area is surrounded by greenery, but if you go skating in the evening, you'll also get the added scenery of pretty illuminations and a view of the lit-up Tokyo Tower. Wearing gloves is mandatory, so if you want to avoid paying extra for a pair (¥300) sold on site, make sure to bring your own.

The admission ticket includes helmet rental, but skate rentals are an additional ¥500. The ice rink will close if temperatures are too warm, so make sure to check the website before heading over.

The ice rink is open daily from 11am-9pm, and the last entry is 8pm (closed on Jan 1).

The massive Unicorn Gundam statue in front of DiverCity Tokyo Plaza in Odaiba is getting lit up with special winter lights. Until March 6, you can see the robot illuminated in pale green, inspired by the upcoming Gundam Hathaway trilogy release 'Mobile Suit Gundam: The Sorcery of Nymph Circe', which is premiering on January 30. While you can see this exclusive light-up from 5pm to 11pm daily, we recommend visiting between 7pm and 9.30pm to also see a special nighttime show featuring a short screening of the animation, held every 30 minutes.

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 jaded illumination-fiend. As the name suggests, 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 you will be treated to beautifully lit attractions. 

In addition to the 180-metre rainbow-lit Jewellery Promenade and the 140-metre Crystal Passage illumination tunnel, you can also admire the newly built 'Sky-Go-Land' Ferris wheel, which features a special two-sided light display — a dazzling diamond pattern on the east side and elegant gold on the west. The highlight, however, is the fountain show, with water illuminated in different colours and sprayed into the air to create stunning shapes. There are three kinds of show happening every 15 minutes from 5pm daily. Also look out for the fountain’s flames and lasers, which are synchronised to music.

 There will be no illuminations from March 2 to March 13, 2026.

Sagamiko Resort Mori Mori has gone all out for its winter illuminations, featuring over six million dazzling LEDs. This year, there's an entire area dedicated to Tamagotchi – Japan's beloved digital pets from outer space. Expect to see Mametchi, along with his sidekick Kuchipatchi and other pocketable pets such as Memechi.

You can hop on the park’s Mametchi and Kuchipatchi themed Rainbow Chairlift and sail over colourful stripes before reaching the top of a hill, where you'll find a series of illumination art walls showcasing the whole Tamagotchi family. Keep wandering and you might stumble upon a mysterious UFO beaming with colour – maybe a hint at where these pocketable pets really came from. To wrap up the night, take in the dazzling lights and sweeping mountaintop views from the Ferris wheel or hop on the Tamagotchi Starry Sky Pedal for stunning panoramas and a light leg workout.

While you’re there, indulge in Tamagotchi-themed meals and snacks. Enjoy a hearty Tamagotchi Poka Poka Star Ramen or the voluminous Mametchi's Omurice Curry Doria Plate. Prefer something sweet? Then check out Furawatchi's flower crepe or the Memechi mango sundae.

Enoshima’s annual illumination is widely touted as one of the three biggest and most impressive light-up events in Greater Tokyo, alongside the ones at Ashikaga Flower Park and Sagamiko. There are about 10 illumination spots scattered across the hilly island – including the Enoshima Shrine, Ryuren Bell of Love on Lover's Hill and Nakatsumiya Square – so put on some comfortable shoes as you’ll be trekking a lot.

Don’t miss the main attraction located at the island’s iconic Enoshima Sea Candle lighthouse, which is decked out in 70m-long strings of lights stretching from the tip of the tower to the ground, creating a formation similar to the silhouette of Mt Fuji.

The Samuel Cocking Garden, where the Sea Candle is located, is transformed into the dreamy Hoseki (bejewelled) Forest, where everything from the ground and the grass to the trees are covered in purple lights. Keep an eye out for the Shonan Chandelier tunnel, all decked out with luxurious crystal beads and LED lights. New for 2025, the Samuel Cocking Garden will also feature a dazzling sea urchin-inspired installation created by MirrorBowler.

Most attractions are open from 5pm to 8pm (until 9pm on weekends and holidays). You can see some of the light-ups on Enoshima for free, but you will need a ticket (¥500, children ¥250) to enter the Samuel Cocking Garden, which hosts the largest illuminations.

If you're on the island early during daylight hours, head over to Enoshima Iwaya (¥500, children ¥200), as the island's famous cave, created by decades of wave erosion, is bedecked with sparkling lights from 9am to 5pm.

Package tickets, including entrance to Enoshima Sea Candle, Samuel Cocking Garden, and Esca escalators, can be purchased for ¥1,550 (¥750) via Emot.

Celebrating three decades of Ghost in the Shell, one of Japan’s most influential sci-fi franchises, this large-scale exhibition takes over Tokyo Node at Toranomon Hills from January 30 to April 5. The ambitious showcase traces the evolution of the series from Masamune Shirow’s ground-breaking 1989 manga to its acclaimed anime adaptations and, with a new 2026 series from Science Saru on the horizon, into the future.

Organised with the full cooperation of Production IG, the studio behind the franchise’s animation, the exhibition brings together works by directors Mamoru Oshii, Kenji Kamiyama, Kazuya Kise and Shinji Aramaki, offering visitors an unprecedented deep dive into the cyberpunk universe that redefined anime.

Over 600 production materials are on display, including original drawings, storyboards and concept art. You can also look forward to immersive installations and interactive exhibits that explore key philosophical themes from the series such as identity, consciousness and the boundaries between human and machine.

Further highlights include new contributions by international artists, exclusive interview footage, and the ‘DIG-ru’ installation, which invites visitors to ‘digitally excavate’ the world of Ghost in the Shell. And of course, you get to shop for plenty of only-here merchandise at the gift shop.

Brace yourselves (and your wallets) for a capsule toy extravaganza this February at the Roppongi Museum. Ever since the wildly popular Gacha Gacha Exhibition in Marunouchi last July, Tokyo’s gacha geeks have been hoping for a similar exhibition. The wait is finally over, with this even larger show happening for almost a full month from February 6 to March 2.

Expect to see contributions from a total of 13 capsule toy manufacturers, including two new participants, Ikimon and Benelic. To mark Gacha Gacha Day, the coveted Gacha Gacha Exhibition Grand Prize will be awarded on February 17, with the winner decided by visitor votes. Cast your ballot for your favourite capsule toy and help make gacha history.

Tickets can be purchased in advance via Asoview. Weekend, holiday and opening day tickets include a designated entry time to help manage visitor flow.

Visionary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) transformed the landscape of modern architecture through his organic forms, bold innovations and deep reverence for nature. His iconic works, including Park Güell, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà and, above all, the Sagrada Família, remain enduring testaments to his genius, blending mathematics and faith into living architecture. Today, seven of his masterpieces are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s passing and the completion of the Sagrada Família’s main tower, ‘Naked meets Gaudí’ at Warehouse Terrada offers a groundbreaking fusion of art, technology and scholarship. In official collaboration with the Gaudí Foundation, the immersive exhibition unveils Gaudí’s personal notebooks, letters, architectural tools and original blueprints, many on display for the first time worldwide.

Through cutting-edge projection, participatory installations and interactive experiences, visitors are invited to step inside Gaudí’s creative universe; to touch, feel and co-create the harmony of nature and architecture that defined his vision. Bridging a century of imagination, the exhibition celebrates Gaudí as an architect of stone, but also as a designer of dreams, whose spirit continues to shape the future of art and design.

Founded in Osaka in 1983, Capcom has shaped the landscape of global gaming with legendary franchises like Street Fighter, Resident Evil and Monster Hunter.

To celebrate over four decades of imagination, innovation and impact from one of Japan’s most iconic video game developers, Creative Museum Tokyo is hosting ‘Capcom Creation – Moving Hearts Across the Globe’ until February 22 2026. This immersive exhibition explores the evolution of video games as an art form, one that blends technology with human creativity to bring extraordinary digital worlds to life.

Spanning multiple ‘rounds’, the exhibition traces Capcom’s creative journey. Visitors enter through a vibrant 16-metre video tunnel featuring animated tributes to beloved characters, then dive into rare concept art, design documents, vintage box illustrations and behind-the-scenes materials. Interactive zones, including a pixel art lab, facial expression tracking and motion capture mirrors, invite guests to experience the technology behind game creation first hand.

Anime Tokyo Station in Ikebukuro celebrates the enduring legacy of two iconic anime series that are both marking 25 years since they were first broadcast on TV. The exhibition entices generations of Digimon Adventure 02 and Magical DoReMi # fans by showcasing the creativity, emotion and imagination that defined the turn-of-the-millennium era in anime.

Expect a rare behind-the-scenes look at the artistry of both series through an extensive collection of original production materials, including character design sheets, hand-drawn storyboards and vividly painted background art. That’s in addition to costume and prop reference materials that illuminate the meticulous world-building behind each show.

Interactive experiences abound. Visitors can step into the Digimon Adventure 02 universe at a dedicated photo spot featuring its key visual, or take commemorative pictures alongside beloved Magical DoReMi # characters such as Doremi, Hazuki, Aiko, Onpu and Hana. Complementing these displays are digital installations, a chronological showcase of the Digimon franchise, and insights into the latest series, Digimon Beatbreak.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) stands tall as one of Japan’s most celebrated artists, renowned for his dazzling imagination, bold compositions and mastery of line. While his brush paintings reveal his singular vision, ukiyo-e prints – commercially produced, widely circulated images – were what cemented his global legacy. These prints, once everyday commodities, now serve as invaluable windows into the culture, lifestyles and visual sensibilities of the period.

The Sumida Hokusai Museum’s ‘Exploring with Hokusai! The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Ukiyo-e Prints’ delves deep into the medium that shaped Hokusai’s fame. Rather than simply showcasing masterpieces, the exhibition illuminates the evolution of ukiyo-e technology, from early monochromatic sumizuri-e to the vivid nishiki-e that revolutionised colour printing. You’ll get to discover the ingenuity of carvers, printers and publishers, whose finely tuned collaboration brought each work to life.

The exhibition also highlights ukiyo-e as Edo-period (1603–1868) media. Portraits of actors, travel images, fans and advertisements reveal a lively society recorded through prints that doubled as entertainment and information. Together, the works on display offer a richly layered portrait of Edo’s visual culture and the enduring appeal of ukiyo-e.

The Watari-um’s ‘One More’ brings together two global icons of contemporary urban art: Brazilian twins Osgemeos and American artist Barry McGee. Emerging from graffiti and street culture, both artists have redefined the boundaries between public art and the museum space, infusing walls, cities and galleries around the world with vivid colour, rhythm and humanity.

Known for their dreamlike murals and whimsical characters, Osgemeos have exhibited from the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington to Milan’s Pirelli HangarBicocca. McGee, celebrated for his bold, socially engaged work under the tag ‘Twist’, has been a central figure in the American street art scene, showing monumental installations at SFMOMA and the Venice Biennale.

With ‘One More’, the duo transforms the Watari-um into a dynamic playground of imagination. Conceived as a spontaneous dialogue between long-time friends and collaborators, the exhibition blurs the lines between painting, sculpture, animation and installation. Expect a universe where urban energy meets poetic introspection – a celebration of creativity, community, and the enduring spirit of the streets that inspires the artists.

Pop art impresario Andy Warhol (1928–1987) blurred the boundaries between high culture and mass consumption, transforming everyday objects and the faces of celebrities into icons of contemporary art. His fascination with fame, beauty and repetition made him both a mirror of his age and a relentless critic of it, leaving behind a body of work that continues to resonate in today’s image-saturated culture.

Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo’s ‘Serial Portraits’ showcase is part of the Fondation Louis Vuitton’s Hors-les-murs program, which brings highlights from its Paris collection to audiences worldwide. This free exhibition focuses on Warhol’s radical reinvention of portraiture, from his playful photo booth experiments in the early 1960s to the spectral self-portraits he made shortly before his death.

Highlights like the Self-Portraits series (1977–1986) are displayed alongside both celebrated and lesser-known works to offer insight into Warhol’s evolving exploration of identity, celebrity and the endless possibilities of repetition. By juxtaposing iconic images with hidden gems, the exhibition reveals how Warhol turned portraiture into a stage for both personal reflection and cultural critique.