Things to do in Tokyo today

Marine & Walk is a relaxed open-air mall set against the panorama of Yokohama port, with a set of pedestrian-friendly streets winding through a waterfront warehouse district. This year, in collaboration with the Farmer’s Market @ UNU, it’s hosting a series of events on the third weekend of each month. Next up is Baked & Beer, which is one-part market, one-part festival. There’ll be artisan bakers selling baked goods and plenty of craft beer to wash it down. It may be a calories-heavy outing but it's also going to be a fun day out in the sun.

The annual Ukulele Picnic, held along Yokohama’s Osanbashi pier and its Osanbashi Hall, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Look forward to Hawaiian strumstar Troy Fernandez, along with other domestic and international musicians. Swing your hips to the moves of the Hula Tahitian Dance Team, meet famous ukulele makers, shop for goods at the 50 booths, and fuel up on Hawaiian food, sweets and drinks – we hope for some poke or loco moco.

What more could you want out of the quintessential summer matsuri than beer, kakigori, Bon Odori dancing and live performances? Carouse in lively festivities at Yoyogi Park where breweries from all over Japan will be offering nearly 100 different kinds of craft beer. To cool down, check out the kakigori stands where you can get your shaved ice topped with artisanal syrup, tapioca and even alcohol. In true Shibuya fashion, this festival will have its own unique quirks aside from the traditional elements. On top of a long lineup of entertainment including up-and-coming comedy duos and funky DJs, the festival will also feature the Muscle Bon Odori, which is exactly what it sounds like. Whether or not it’s the ludicrous yet intriguing idea of buff, topless men dancing the Bon Odori that draws you to the festival, the three-day event is a perfect opportunity to get your drink on early in the day and bask in the hot weather.

Granted, it's a minnow compared to the Koenji Awa-Odori that takes place a week later, but Shimokitazawa's version of the famed dancing-in-the-streets fest (originally from Tokushima) has a unique charm of its own. Held for the 54th time this year, the Shimokitazawa Awa-Odori sees teams of dancers romp along the neighbourhood's main shopping streets in the evening, then dazzle the assembled hordes with their own special routines later on. Be sure to hang around afterwards, when the area is engulfed in a wave of booze-sodden joie de vivre.

The annual Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, with its massive papier-mâché floats and hordes of haneto dancers, counts among the most popular of Japan’s many traditional festivals. If you can’t make it up to Aomori in August, check out this smaller but wonderfully local version in the Tokyo suburb of Tachikawa. A respectable 160,000 people turn out every year for the Hagoromo Nebuta Festival, which takes over the Higashi-Tachikawa shopping street and its surroundings with colourful parades. It features floats made by artisans from Aomori, edible specialities from northern Japan, and much more.

Marine & Walk is a relaxed open-air mall set against the panorama of Yokohama port, with a set of pedestrian-friendly streets winding through a waterfront warehouse district. This year, in collaboration with the Farmer’s Market @ UNU, it’s hosting a series of events on the third weekend of each month. Next up is Baked & Beer, which is one-part market, one-part festival. There’ll be artisan bakers selling baked goods and plenty of craft beer to wash it down. It may be a calories-heavy outing but it's also going to be a fun day out in the sun.

The annual Ukulele Picnic, held along Yokohama’s Osanbashi pier and its Osanbashi Hall, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Look forward to Hawaiian strumstar Troy Fernandez, along with other domestic and international musicians. Swing your hips to the moves of the Hula Tahitian Dance Team, meet famous ukulele makers, shop for goods at the 50 booths, and fuel up on Hawaiian food, sweets and drinks – we hope for some poke or loco moco.

What more could you want out of the quintessential summer matsuri than beer, kakigori, Bon Odori dancing and live performances? Carouse in lively festivities at Yoyogi Park where breweries from all over Japan will be offering nearly 100 different kinds of craft beer. To cool down, check out the kakigori stands where you can get your shaved ice topped with artisanal syrup, tapioca and even alcohol. In true Shibuya fashion, this festival will have its own unique quirks aside from the traditional elements. On top of a long lineup of entertainment including up-and-coming comedy duos and funky DJs, the festival will also feature the Muscle Bon Odori, which is exactly what it sounds like. Whether or not it’s the ludicrous yet intriguing idea of buff, topless men dancing the Bon Odori that draws you to the festival, the three-day event is a perfect opportunity to get your drink on early in the day and bask in the hot weather.

Granted, it's a minnow compared to the Koenji Awa-Odori that takes place a week later, but Shimokitazawa's version of the famed dancing-in-the-streets fest (originally from Tokushima) has a unique charm of its own. Held for the 54th time this year, the Shimokitazawa Awa-Odori sees teams of dancers romp along the neighbourhood's main shopping streets in the evening, then dazzle the assembled hordes with their own special routines later on. Be sure to hang around afterwards, when the area is engulfed in a wave of booze-sodden joie de vivre.

Bunnies, hundreds and hundreds of them! While the Parco shopping mall in Urawa won't exactly be overrun with these furry creatures during this two week-long exhibition, you can at least look forward to more than 100 bunny-themed photographs, videos, sculptures, T-shirts, mugs, accessories and stationery throughout this cutesy extravaganza. There are even workshops on washi art and miniature gardens. For a taste of things to come, check out the exhibition's website.

Tokyo Midtown gears up for the hot season with a packed programme of summery fun. The complex interior will be decorated with wind chimes, while the expansive outdoor lawn, which will be illuminated at night, is where to dip your feet in a cool stream or sit down for some refreshments at the Roku Midpark Lounge. To top things off, there's a huge art garden, with digital art creating a motif of a Japanese-style rock garden through light and fog special effects, combined with a digital hanabi (fireworks) show.

Featuring 100,000 bright yellow himawari, the Kiyose Sunflower Festival is the closest a Tokyoite can get to frolicking through a flower field. Located an express train ride from Ikebukuro, Kiyose is known for their friendly flowers contrasting with the bright post-rainy season blue sky. Don’t forget to grab a bouquet of just-cut flowers or a basket of fresh farm vegetables to take home. Itching to get that perfect Instagram shot? Luckily, the festival hosts an annual photo contest that anyone can participate in.