Things to do in Tokyo today

It's one of the most popular spots in the whole of Tokyo for autumn leaves: the 4km stretch of road leading from Hachioji's Oiwakecho to the foot of Mt Takao is lined with over 700 ginkgo trees (known as icho in Japanese), and they look rather splendid at this time of year. The autumnal colours provide an excuse for all kinds of activities at the annual Hachioji Ginkgo Festival, which is returning for its 39th edition this year, ranging from a classic car parade to music and yosakoi dance performances. The wealth of kid-friendly attractions make it a good option if you're looking for something to do with the family, and naturally there'll be plenty of food stalls to keep everybody well sated.

Attention, sake lovers: Aoyama Sake Flea is back for their biannual nihonshu bonanza. Started four years ago, this tasting event that takes place as part of the UNU Farmer's Market has proven very popular with a wide range of imbibers, and keeps on growing each edition. Over 30 breweries from across the country will be hawking their wares this time; if you ask nicely, they'll be able to tell you loads about the brewing process too. Grab a 'starter set' (sake cup and tasting tickets) at the entrance and sip away, or book tickets online if you're absolutely sure you want to get sloshed – you're allowed to take last event's cup with you too instead of buying a new one.   Keep an eye on their Facebook page for the latest updates; previous events have included anything from a 'sake-hopping' tour to a crash course in nihonshu knowledge by four of Tokyo's most legendary sake bartenders. 

The ginkgo and maple leaves turn beautifully yellow and red at Showa Kinen Park, with the 300-metre stretch of ginkgo trees lining the street toward Tachikawa going first (usually from the very end of October). The momiji and kaede maple trees in the Japanese garden take on a fiery appearance from around the middle of November, so head on down to the park for a relaxing walk under the colourful autumn leaves before winter takes over.

A horror event isn’t the first thing you’d expect to see at a relaxation spa, but this is one scare fest you can experience lying down. Raku Spa Tsurumi is challenging participants to be restrained and strapped onto a bed as test subjects for a ‘clinical trial’ of fear. The producers of this haunted house experience haven’t revealed much about what exactly you’ll witness – just that the faint-hearted are advised to wear diapers. Don’t worry if the experience gets too scary to handle; there’s an ‘emergency’ call button for a nurse to release you.

Various happenings will be taking place around Mount Takao in November, including kokeshi doll demonstrations and sales of masuzake, the curious boxed beverage (on weekends and holidays). The main attraction is of course the autumn foliage, with the maple trees around the area turning fiery red and yellow. Primary event locations include the Takao Forest Center at the foot of the mountain, Kiyotaki Station and the Ju-Itchome tea house on the hillside. Check out the official website for further details, and consider heading over by train – finding parking here can be a nightmare.

This festival begins as autumn turns the surrounding icho (ginkgo) leaves yellow. Adding to the event’s popularity are temporary stalls selling noted products from different regions of Japan – the food and drink stalls will be set up around the Jingu Gaien softball stadium and training grounds.

The risquely named Sagamiko Resort Pleasure Forest will be again be pulling out all the stops for its winter illumination show: the Illumillion supposedly uses the largest amount of lights in the entire Kanto region (around six million LEDs). The production has once again been renewed and features a wide range of colours, accompanying music, and light constructions that take advantage of the fountains and lush greenery of the park. Visitors can also use the amusement park rides (including the ferris wheel) at night, so take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy the sparkling forest scenery from a different viewpoint.

Time Out in association with Le Cordon Bleu Japan Step into the world of Japanese rice wine together with certified sake expert Sebastien Lemoine. Taking place in the Tokyo outpost of French elite cooking school Le Cordon Bleu, this one-day course (held in English) teaches you everything about the history and brewing techniques of sake, its different types and labels, how to serve and store this alcoholic gem, and what kind of food pairs perfectly. Participants even have the chance to test their newly acquired knowledge by sampling twelve different kinds of sake to discover the distinctive characteristics of each. The ¥35,000 fee may sound a bit pricey, but if you take into consideration that this fee includes all study materials, the sake tasting session and, upon successful completion, the Le Cordon Bleu Sake Basic Certificate, we think it’s a great deal to enhance your know-how about this important component of traditional Japanese cuisine. Make your reservation here. (Note that participants must be at least 20 years of age)

It's one of the most popular spots in the whole of Tokyo for autumn leaves: the 4km stretch of road leading from Hachioji's Oiwakecho to the foot of Mt Takao is lined with over 700 ginkgo trees (known as icho in Japanese), and they look rather splendid at this time of year. The autumnal colours provide an excuse for all kinds of activities at the annual Hachioji Ginkgo Festival, which is returning for its 39th edition this year, ranging from a classic car parade to music and yosakoi dance performances. The wealth of kid-friendly attractions make it a good option if you're looking for something to do with the family, and naturally there'll be plenty of food stalls to keep everybody well sated.

Various happenings will be taking place around Mount Takao in November, including kokeshi doll demonstrations and sales of masuzake, the curious boxed beverage (on weekends and holidays). The main attraction is of course the autumn foliage, with the maple trees around the area turning fiery red and yellow. Primary event locations include the Takao Forest Center at the foot of the mountain, Kiyotaki Station and the Ju-Itchome tea house on the hillside. Check out the official website for further details, and consider heading over by train – finding parking here can be a nightmare.

This festival begins as autumn turns the surrounding icho (ginkgo) leaves yellow. Adding to the event’s popularity are temporary stalls selling noted products from different regions of Japan – the food and drink stalls will be set up around the Jingu Gaien softball stadium and training grounds.

This Shiodome shopping complex always puts a lot of work into its Christmas light-ups, and this year is no exception: for this year, the Caretta Illumination will have a 'Princess Story' theme inspired by Disney and Pixar films like 'Tangled' and 'Frozen'. It's blatantly commercial, sure, but still worth a quick look on a dark winter evening. Just like last year, the illumination display will stay up until Valentine's Day. Also, from November 21st, as they'll have a special light up dedicated to 'The Incredibles' at 5pm each day. 

Marunouchi Naka-dori, always one of the most popular Tokyo illumination spots, will be lit up with countless champagne-coloured, extra-low energy LED bulbs this year too, making for a display that's as environmentally friendly as it is stylish. Just strolling down the glittering street, which is lined with fancy boutiques and cafés, makes for a nice post-dinner date option.

One of the top illumination events in Tokyo in terms of scale, and boasting hundreds of thousands of LEDs strung all around the complex, Tokyo Dome City’s light-up has an ‘Edo Elegance Japanese Beauty’ theme this winter inspired by traditional Japanese crafts. You can also look forward to Edo Kiriko transformed into a kaleidoscope, glowing origami cranes and other quirky contraptions, while the restaurants and cafés around the facility offer special candy-themed menus.

An annual wintertime display at Yebisu Garden Place, this one incorporates a Baccarat chandelier that's 5m tall and 3m wide – making it one of the largest chandeliers in the world – and decorated with 250 lights, 230 of which symbolise the number of years from the company’s establishment to the construction of the chandelier in 1994. In total – including lesser displays in areas such as the Entrance Pavilion, Clock Plaza, Promenade, Center Plaza and Glass Square – the venue makes use of almost 100,000 lights. The festivities are kicked off with a lighting ceremony on November 3.

Held every autumn since 2011, Yokohama's Smart Illumination show makes use of the latest in energy-efficient lighting technology to turn the city's waterfront areas into a sea of colour. Workshops and interactive installations complete the lineup, so make sure to head south to Yokohama in late autumn and see this spectacle light up the evening. Note that although the main festival takes place from October 31 to November 4, the illuminations will remain in place until December 31.