Things to do in Tokyo today
Not sure what to do this evening? Well, you're in the right place now: Tokyo always has plenty of stuff going on, from festivals to concerts and art shows, activities and more. Read on for our pick of the best things to do, and if you're planning further ahead, check out our weekly picks.
The Cinematic Orchestra
After a solo performance in 2008 and participation in SonarSound Tokyo 2012 as the closing act, the Cinematic Orchestra makes its long-awaited return to Japan with a show at the Hitomi Memorial Auditorium in the Showa Women’s University on April 19. The Jason Swinscoe-led ensemble provides an eclectic mix of soulful, thrilling and emotional music that leaves a lasting impression on the audience. This time around, the ensemble will be joined by Marihiko Hara, a Japanese musician who has made his marks in contemporary art, music video and stage performance, both in Tokyo and a subsequent Osaka performance. Doors open at 6pm, with tickets starting from ¥7,500. // !function(d,s,id){var Js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="https://zaiko.io/widgets/all.js.php";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","APEX-jssdk"); // Time Out Tokyo Tickets2019-04-19ザ・シネマティック・オーケストラ / THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA @ 昭和女子大学 人見記念講堂BUY NOW
Alive feat. Shlomi Aber
One of the top DJs in the Israeli electronic music scene, Shlomi Aber is making his Japan debut at Alive Tokyo on April 19. Aber has received wide acclaim since the release of albums ‘Cocoon Recordings’, ‘Bpitch Control’ and ‘Drumcode’. Nominated for a ‘DJ Award’, the highest prize in the dance music industry, he is also representing Israel as the producer of the top label ‘Be As One Imprint’. Joining him as the other headliner is the Austrian-born Electric Indigo. After making her mark on Berlin’s techno scene in the early 90s, she continues to shape the scene, culminating in her receiving the Outstanding Artist Award from the Austrian government in 2012. Her subtle yet elaborate sounds will surely make for an interesting complement to Shlomi Aber’s new-age avant-garde set. Doors open at 10pm. Early online reservations are now open, with advance ticket priced at ¥2,800. // !function(d,s,id){var Js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="https://zaiko.io/widgets/all.js.php";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","APEX-jssdk"); // Time Out Tokyo Tickets2019-04-19ALIVE feat. SHLOMI ABER @ SOUND MUSEUM VISIONBUY NOW
Sake Spring 2019 Shinagawa
Rain, hail or shine, the lively Sake Spring Shinagawa festival will take place at Shinagawa Intercity this April, where kurabito (sake brewery workers) from across the country gather to provide festival-goers with their finest drops. Purchase an ochoko (sake cup) and set of tickets in advance (or on arrival) to get tasting. There’s plenty of food on offer to balance the booze, as well as live entertainment like traditional dance and taiko drums to add to the merriment.
Burials in China: Early White Porcelain: Its Birth and Development
Chinese ceramic is an art form famed for its intricate beauty. Its birth and development spans for more than eight thousand years. Over the following centuries, new technology and styles were developed, which laid the foundation for the blue-and-white porcelain and overglaze-enamel wares that we know today. This thematic exhibition features precious works of early white porcelain, specially selected from the collections of the Tokiwayama Bunko Foundation and the Tokyo National Museum. The exhibition traces the evolution of the white porcelain, revealing its unique circumstances while exploring all there is to know about ceramics.
Sakura Aquarium by Naked
Masters of digital spectacles such as the wildly popular restaurant Tree by Naked, Ryotaro Muramatsu's light-up and projection mapping impresarios Naked Inc are back at Shinagawa's Aqua Park for cherry blossom season. The high-tech aquarium will be glowing in hanami-style pink and white, with different audiovisual programmes played during the day and later in the evening. Your stroll among the jellyfish and stingrays is about to get a lot more seasonal.
Sichuan Fest in Nakano
This festival is a veritable spice feast in the form of all things Sichuan, as chefs from 25 Tokyo restaurants specialising in that mouth-numbing style of Chinese cuisine serve up their signature dishes. You can expect to dine on food from Ginza’s elegant Chufang restaurant, Akasaka's Szechwan Restaurant (whose late founder was called 'the father of Sichuan cuisine in Japan), and the famous Piaoxiang Azabu-Juban. Plenty of dishes are around the ¥500 and ¥1,000 mark, so you'll hardly be breaking the bank either. With performances of Sichuan Opera and traditional Chinese musical instruments, you’ll be an expert in all things Sichuan by the end of the weekend.
Red Bull Music Festival
The Red Bull Music Festival is back again this year for two weeks, with seven different events that span the gamut from a warehouse party in Omotesando to a rollerskating funk jam and a classic club night at Contact. Dozens of performers and DJs will be participating from all over the world, including Dutch-Iranian artist Sevdaliza, American funk musician Dame Funk, plus more from Russia, South Korea and of course plenty of Japanese talents. // !function(d,s,id){var Js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="https://zaiko.io/widgets/all.js.php";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","APEX-jssdk"); // Time Out Tokyo Tickets2019-04-08Sevdaliza's The Great Hope Design @ Spiral HallBUY NOW // !function(d,s,id){var Js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="https://zaiko.io/widgets/all.js.php";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","APEX-jssdk"); // Time Out Tokyo Tickets2019-04-10Red Bull Music Festival Tokyo and 88rising present: Japan Rising @ 渋谷 WWW XBUY NOW // !function(d,s,id){var Js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="https://zaiko.io/widgets/all.js.php";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","APEX-jssdk"); // Time Out Tokyo Tickets2019-04-12Red Bull Music Festival Tokyo × fancyHIM Shibuya Ta
Piranha fishing in Shinagawa
Fishing may not be an activity on many a traveller's Tokyo must-do list – unless it's fishing for piranha in the middle of the city. Of the many popular fishing spots in Tokyo, the Shinagawa Fishing Garden lets brave fishing fans hunt for wild piranha. About 1,000 of the ferocious, flesh-eating creatures are imported from the Amazon River in South America, and you can bait for them until April 21. Bad news for those who hope to take home their catch: you're only allowed to take a photo with your piranha before releasing it back into the pond. Nevertheless, it's probably more thrilling than watching the creatures swim in the city's many aquariums. To help calm your nerves, there will be professionals on site to help you fish safely.
Gotenyama Sakura Moment at the Tokyo Marriott Hotel
Enjoy a limited-time spring luncheon at the Tokyo Marriott Hotel from March 1 until April 26. This Gotenyama Sakura Moment event celebrates the Japanese tradition of hanami, or picnic under the cherry blossoms, with a modern twist on traditional Japanese lunch boxes. While sitting at the Sakura Terrace, an outdoor space evoking Edo-era Japan in full view of sakura-filled gardens, you get to enjoy a special three-layered lunch box filled with dishes such as caviar-topped sushi, grilled bamboo shoots and wine-broiled beef, all washed down with sakura-themed rice wine, of course. This is definitely a more relaxing way to take in the cherry blossom season away from the crowds at the local parks and gardens.
Sumida Aquarium's sakura and jelly fish tunnel
If you’re tired of the usual hanami (cherry blossom viewing) events across Tokyo, then this slimy affair at the Sumida Aquarium might be of interest. The 50m 'jellyfish kaleidoscope tunnel' turns into an interactive spectacle featuring digital images of falling cherry blossom leaves bumping into 5,000 mirrors throughout the corridor. The flooring reacts to your footsteps and creates scattering cherry blossoms, as if you have stepped into a bed of sakura petals. Your one-of-a-kind hanami experience is accompanied by relaxing music and cherry blossom aroma.
Free things to do in Tokyo today
Midtown Open the Park
A popular shopping mall in the city centre, Tokyo Midtown will be hosting a series of activities fit for the entire family. Everyone can enjoy activities such as outdoor yoga in the mall’s grassy central plaza, a tree and bird watching tour in its leafy vicinity, and paper craft workshops. More than 50 designers and 100 artists are also bringing their best works for various exhibitions. For instance, kids can walk through a colourful 25-meter-long tunnel; this will surely be an unforgettable experience for the little ones.