SHIBUYA MIYASHITA PARK BON DANCE
画像提供:株式会社シブヤテレビジョン | 「SHIBUYA MIYASHITA PARK BON DANCE」 | SHIBUYA MIYASHITA PARK BON DANCE
画像提供:株式会社シブヤテレビジョン | 「SHIBUYA MIYASHITA PARK BON DANCE」

Things to do in Tokyo this week

This week’s hottest events and exhibitions happening around the capital

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When you're spending time in a city as big as Tokyo, it's never too early to start planning for the week ahead. From art exhibitions and foodie events to seasonal festivities and outdoor happenings, you can pack a lot into seven days in the capital.

Wondering where to start? We've sorted through the many events and venues in Tokyo that are still open and running during this time, plus we're keeping an eye on hottest new openings around the capital.  

Best things to do this week

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Shibuya

Get ready to participate in one of the last Bon Odori festivals this summer. Miyashita Park’s very own Bon Odori will take over its rooftop on September 26 and 27. Expect to see folks dancing to the beat of traditional taiko drums as well as contemporary DJ mixes of J-pop and city pop. Everyone is welcome at this communal dance soiree, which will take place around a yagura stage adorned by Japanese lanterns.

Stores and restaurants surrounding Miyashita Park will be setting up stalls at the festival’s outdoor market.

Details have yet to be announced for 2026. Follow the organiser’s Instagram for updates.

  • Art
  • Shimokitazawa

This September, Shimokitazawa welcomes the return of its annual lunar art festival that will coincide with the upcoming autumn moon. Back for its fifth edition, Moon Art Night Shimokita will span several venues in the neighbourhood, including the open plaza in front of the station, Shimokita Senrogai Open Space near Shimokitazawa police box, the rooftop of Higashi-Kitazawa Station, and the Bonus Track complex.

Exhibits include an outdoor moon installation by UK artist Luke Jerram, whose giant floating model features striking details of the moon’s surface as captured by Nasa. This particular installation – titled ‘Museum of the Moon’ – is set to be on show every day at the vacant lot of the Shimokita Senrogai complex. 

The festival is also hosting Tokyo-based contemporary artist Shoei Matsuda, whose giant eight-metre-tall inflatable recreates the iconic 'tears of joy' emoji at the Bonus Track complex. Inspired by the evolution of emoji from a feature of Japanese mobile phone culture into a universal visual language, the interactive installation explores the relationship between the digital and physical worlds. Visitors can also use an AR filter to transform their own faces into the 'tears of joy' emoji and share the results on Instagram, blurring the boundaries between online expression and real-world experience.

Moreover, Japanese sculptor and artist Teppei Kaneuji is participating with an interactive installation titled ‘A Thousand Faces of the Moon’ at the paid Higashi-Kitazawa Station rooftop venue. Inspired by the idea that while there is only one moon, its appearance and meaning can vary depending on where you are and your own perspective, the work invites visitors to throw, roll and photograph a collection of moon-shaped sculptures. Kaneuji will also host a silkscreen printing workshop, where participants can create and take home their own moon-themed artwork.

Aside from the art exhibitions, the festival will feature several immersive theatre performances, live music, video installations and pop-ups. Several shops around Shimokitazawa Station will also offer full moon-inspired food and beverages and limited-edition products during the festival.

Tickets to access paid venues and performances are on sale via the official website.

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  • Things to do

Celebrated since 1968, this two-day festival takes place in front of JR Ikebukuro Station, with dozens of mikoshi (portable shrines) being paraded on the streets in front of Ikebukuro Station's west exit from 5.35pm to 7.30pm on September 28. Sunday's festivities also include a taiko drumming performance (2pm), lion dance and ohayashi festival music performance (2.30pm), plus a selection of singer stage performances from 3pm to 7pm at the nearby open-air Global Ring Theatre.

Expect to see a similarly packed itinerary on Saturday September 27, with performances such as a Soprano singer and choir performance (2.15pm), Hawaiian hula (3.45pm), Cheerleading demonstrations (4.30pm) and belly dance (6.10pm) kicking off the festivities at Ikebukuro's Global Ring Theatre.

  • Art
  • Public art
  • Gotanda

Meguro River is becoming one with art this September, with a four-kilometre stretch of the river transformed into a giant ‘instrument’ on September 4 to 6 and 18 to 22.

At the heart of the project is Kaze – body, a sound installation by artist Ray Kunimoto. Made up of countless metal plates, the installation sits on a boat that travels along the Meguro River, from Tennozu at the river’s mouth to the area in front of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo. Exploring the relationship between invisible forces such as gravity, wind and water and the physical environment, the work turns the energy of the wind into sound, as the metal plates sway and collide with one another.

Kaze – body will operate from 6pm to 9pm on September 4 to 6 and 18 to 22. Designated viewing points include the promenade along the Meguro River and Gotanda Fureai Waterside Square, where visitors can stroll along the riverbank, wait for the artwork to arrive and listen to its sounds.

At Gotanda Fureai Waterside Square, speakers installed on streetlights will play sounds synchronised with Kaze – body. This allows visitors to experience not just the artwork on the boat, but the entire riverside environment – including the time spent waiting for the boat to pass – as one expansive sound installation. On opening day, September 4, a documentary by Kunimoto and Kaori Yamane about the creation of Kaze – body will also be projected onto the riverbank.

Moreover, on September 12, a one-day-only live music performance will take place at Higashi-Shinagawa Kaijo Park. DJs and food trucks will kick off from 3pm on the park side, followed by live performances from 5pm on a special stage set up on a houseboat. Alongside Kunimoto’s work, the performance line-up includes duo Tatsuro Murakami & Shin Araki, and duo Shöka feat. Kei Matsumaru. Meanwhile, DJ Emerald and Grrrden will be spinning DJ sets.

Check the event website for more details.

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  • Shopping
  • Katsushika

Celebrated Japanese sound giant Audio-Technica is bringing back its annual market – a celebration of all things analogue, from records and turntables to handmade crafts and vintage goods. First launched in 2022 to mark the company’s 60th anniversary, the market returns this autumn on a much larger scale, taking over SKAC (Skwat Kameari Art Centre) for a month from September 2 to October 4.

Focused on the act of listening, the event’s main highlights include a listening area inside the VDS record store, which also happens to be the market’s co-organiser. At this listening station, you can try out some of Audio-Technica’s finest products, including high-end wooden headphones, turntables and more.

Meanwhile, at the Skwat Hertz Orchestra Archive, you can listen to and compare seven original recordings made at SKAC. Audio recorded from street pianos placed around the venue, along with ambient sounds – think the rumbling of trains overhead and the occasional sneeze – is mixed together to create original pieces that you can only hear here. This theme of listening (after all, Audio-Technica’s motto is the ominous-sounding ‘Always Listening’) continues in the Listening Room, where you can enjoy music played through omnidirectional speakers.

On the weekends, the creative hub gets a makeover. On September 12 and 13, 24 record stores from across Japan will set up shop in the MM Storage room from 11am to 7pm. On the weekends of September 19-20, 26-27 and October 3-4, meanwhile, expect a flea market featuring artworks, handmade ceramics, vintage treasures, interior design pieces, fragrances, houseplants, wines and more.

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Odaiba

Celebrate all things Mexican at this year’s Fiesta Mexicana, held along the West Promenade outside Aqua City in Odaiba. The annual festival, which is now in its 25th year, brings together the best of Mexico’s long-standing traditions and food culture to commemorate the country’s Independence Day.

Expect about 20 booths offering Mexican food, handicrafts and local specialities. There are fun activities, too, like hitting a piñata, which takes place at 3pm on September 20, 21 and 22 beneath the Yurikamome monorail tracks. Live entertainment is also scheduled over the three-day festival, including a masked Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling performance, so get ready to let your hair down and partake in some live music and dancing.

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  • Comedy
  • Shibuya

Gear up for 11 days of LOL as the Tokyo International Comedy Festival returns with a programme featuring shows by a star-studded cast of comedians, plus international roast battles, stand-up contests, bilingual improv and much more. With shows in both English and Japanese, this comedy extravaganza is for everyone in Tokyo.

The festival takes place across venues including Tokyo Comedy Bar, Mame Romantic, Tokyo American Club and Baird Beer’s taproom in Nakameguro. You can look forward to a diverse line-up of comedians, with a focus on local talents such as Yurie Collins, Shota Saimu, BJ Fox and Pakkun (Patrick Harlan).

  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Monzen-Nakacho

The annual moon-viewing festival at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine returns this September with captivating stage performances, beautiful light-ups and tasty local cuisine.

For four days, the Fukagawa Jugoya Festival will celebrate the harvest moon with a packed performance schedule featuring shamisen and biwa performances as well as Balinese gamelan, Argentinian tango and more.

Besides stage shows, you can also expect food stalls selling Fukagawa-meshi, a local rice dish cooked with clams and broth. Visit in the evening to savour this local dish at the beautifully lantern-illuminated shrine, as this makes for the perfect moon-viewing experience in Tokyo.

For the full schedule, check the event website.

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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Yokohama

The annual moon-viewing event Kangetsukai at Yokohama Sankeien Garden is returning this September to coincide with the garden's Mid-Autumn Festival. This sprawling park is designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Happening from September 25 to September 29, the event will feature free performances of traditional musical instruments such as satsuma biwa (September 25, 6.15pm-8pm), gagaku (Sep 26 6pm-8pm), koto (September 29, 6pm-8pm) and more at the newly renovated Rinshunkaku villa. 

Time your visit to coincide with the full moon on September 27 for the best views.

The event is free but you'll need a park admission ticket (¥900). For more details and schedules, check the event website.

  • Art
  • Installation
  • Kamiyacho

Sound, visual art and site-specific elements blend together in innovative and challenging ways at Ambient Kyoto, a multisensory, immersive exhibition that now makes its first foray into Tokyo, landing at Azabudai Hills Gallery. The display centres on the installation ‘async – immersion’, envisioned by the much-missed Ryuichi Sakamoto and Shiro Takatani of Dumb Type and first presented in Kyoto in 2023.

Inspired by Sakamoto’s 2017 album async, ‘async – immersion’ features visuals by Takatani and spatial audio design by sound engineer ZAK, whose fingerprints are all over many of Sakamoto’s late-career projects. At Azabudai Hills, the work has been reconstructed exclusively for the venue, with the setup including a 26-metre-wide screen for displaying the video elements of the installation.

True to the title of the work, the aural and visual components are aligned but not fully synchronised; their constantly shifting relationship rewards attentive viewing and encourages visitors to approach the work on their own terms.

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  • Art

Inspired by an art-driven vision for urban space and a decade of private sector-led redevelopment that has seen the city of Maebashi in Gunma prefecture grow into an architecture destination, the inaugural Maebashi Biennale unfolds across the city’s central district. Art, architecture, food, music and poetry come together at sites scattered throughout the city centre, weaving walkable art experiences into Maebashi’s evolving urban landscape.

The line-up of some 70 artists and groups ranges from designer-turned-artist Martin Margiela to Mika Ninagawa with EiM, who will unveil a brand-new installation. Other intriguing projects include Food as Art?, curated by Takefumi Hamada, in which internationally acclaimed chefs including Rasmus Munk and Yusuke Takada come together to develop and offer a variety of culinary experiences, and the Tree Hut Project, which will see Tadashi Kawamata build a tree hut in the giant zelkova tree in front of the Arts Maebashi museum. This structure will be accompanied by other tree huts nearby, conceived by local citizens through workshops. The full list of art projects can be viewed on the official website.

Passport Tickets valid throughout the festival period allow for one-time entry to each paid exhibition venue and are available for purchase in advance.

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  • Things to do
  • Shinanomachi

The National Stadium’s swanky next-door park is hosting a summer beer garden and outdoor cinema festival this month from July 17 to September 27. During the event, the park will be transformed into an open-air beer garden complete with tables, tents and plenty of seating. Hosted by Corona, the beer garden will serve favourites such as Corona Extra (¥750), alongside the brand’s non-alcoholic Corona Cero (¥600) and inventive Corona-infused cocktails. New for 2026 is the Corona Sunsets Truck, which will be serving drinks and appetisers designed to pair perfectly with Corona beer every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

While you’re there, don’t miss the free outdoor film screenings taking place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. This weekend outdoor cinema event is one of Japan’s largest, with screenings running for over 70 days. While the cinema line-up for 2026 has yet to be announced, last year’s programme featured Academy Award-winning titles such as Green Book and Top Gun: Maverick, as well as family favourites including Paddington, School of Rock, The Minions and more. Note that most screenings are Japanese-dubbed versions of the films.

While entry to the festival is free, a special reservation is required to enter on August 8, when the nearby Jingu Stadium is hosting the Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival. Capacity is limited to two thousand visitors, so reserve a slot via the official website before it's too late.

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  • Toyosu

One of Tokyo's three German beer fest spin-offs this autumn (including Shiba Park and Tachikawa), Munich Oktoberfest kicks off on September 18 at Urban Dock LaLaport Toyosu. This beer extravaganza at least manages to fall within a few weeks of the original German beer-fuelled festival it's copying, running from September 18 until October 12.

As with all the other Oktoberfests in town, you can enjoy pints of German beer served in glasses that can fill up to a litre, alongside bratwurst and sauerkraut. There will be oompah bands to sweeten the mood.

Entry is free and you can pay as you go. Do note that the event is mostly cashless; you can pay via credit card, PayPay, IC card, QuicPay, ID and other forms of electronic payment.

  • Things to do
  • Food and drink events
  • Shiba-Koen

Nine months into the year and we've already lost track of how many Oktoberfests Tokyo has seen so far. But no matter, the next seasonally inaccurate festival of German beer happens at Shiba Park from September 11 to 23, where you can take in a view of Tokyo Tower while enjoying hefty glasses of beer. 

You can start small with a regular pint, or go straight for a gigantic three-litre glass. As for the beer, expect limited quantities of autumn-exclusive Festbier, brewed to be served at Munich’s Oktoberfest, alongside 11 other brands, including classics like Hofbräu, Paulaner and more. For 2026, you can also expect draft beer from Meissner, the oldest brewery in Saxony, which will be served in Japan for the first time. The food offerings include pub grub favourites like schnitzels, sausages, jerk chicken, cheese fondue and lobster pasta. Everything comes with a side of jazzed-up oompah music to keep you in the mood.

Entry is just ¥500, and you pay as you go. It includes an exclusive reusable cup which you can take home with you. Purchase your tickets here.

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  • Things to do
  • Shiba-Koen

Tokyo Tower’s alternative to the usual summer beer gardens kicks off the outdoor drinking season with a double dose of whisky highball festivals. Head to the terrace at the base of the tower for a wide selection of highballs alongside snacks like karaage and grilled bacon.

There’s also a meatier option on the roof of the Tokyo Tower Foot Town, where the Tokyo Tower Rooftop Highball Garden serves all-you-can-eat jingisukan, the Hokkaido-born lamb barbecue named after Mongol warlord Genghis Khan.

Two hours of all-you-can-drink alcohol and limitless jingisukan costs ¥6,300 (teens aged 13-19 ¥4,300, primary school students ¥3,300, children aged 4-6 ¥2,300, all with non-alcoholic drinks, of course).

The Tokyo Tower Ultimate Kaku Highball Garden at the base of the tower is open until October 12, from 4pm-10pm on weekdays and 12noon-10pm on Sat, Sun & holidays.

The Tokyo Tower Rooftop Highball Garden is open until October 18, from 5pm-10pm daily. Make your reservations here.

  • Things to do
  • Food and drink events
  • Shinjuku

Shinjuku welcomes a brand new Korean pub-style beer garden, located on the rooftop of the Lumine Est shopping complex in the heart of the city. You can choose from four meal plans: the Pocha course (¥3,500), which includes yangnyeom chicken and bulgogi kimbap; the Korean Chicken BBQ course (from ¥4,000), offering chicken marinated in sweet and spicy miso sauce as well as salted green onion sauce; the samgyeopsal and beef galbi course (¥5,000), featuring makgeolli-aged samgyeopsal and seafood pancake; and the premium BBQ course (from ¥6,000), which builds on the samgyeopsal set with the addition of wagyu steak. All four courses come with a two-hour all-you-can-drink plan, with the options including fruit-flavoured soju, makgeolli, highballs, and both Korean and Japanese beers, along with unlimited banchan (Korean mini side dishes), French fries and curry.

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  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Marunouchi

The force behind smash-hit titles including Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, Japanese animation studio Mappa is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. To mark the milestone, the company is hosting its largest-ever exhibition from September 16, bringing together work from 23 titles at the newly opened Yurakucho Museum.

The exhibition features original drawings, large-scale sets and video projections that immerse visitors in the worlds of Mappa shows and films such as Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, Attack on Titan: Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen and more.

At the Chainsaw Man exhibition area, you can feast your eyes on exclusive production materials, including drawings that follow the story of The Movie: Reze Arc, from Denji and Reze’s first encounter and the explosive battle between Chainsaw Man and Bomb to the conclusion of their story. Don’t miss the illuminated life-size figure of Bomb, which is being unveiled for the first time.

The Attack on Titan: Final Season zone features original drawings for key scenes, displays explaining the production process, and original hand-drawn watercolour artwork of the symbolic hill from the story’s ending.

The Jujutsu Kaisen area revisits some of the series’ most iconic battle scenes and memorable moments. Production materials are exhibited in the first half of this zone, including original drawings from Season 1 and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, while the second half features materials from Season 2, Hidden Inventory / Premature Death, Shibuya Incident and Season 3, The Culling Game Part 1.

The exhibition will be held in two parts: the first from September 16 to October 25, and the second from October 28 to December 7. Some exhibits will be changed between the two parts, giving you a reason to plan multiple visits.

Tickets are available for specific dates and time slots. You can currently purchase tickets for the first half of the exhibition via Lawson Ticket, and place applications for advance lottery tickets for the second half (from Aug 22).

  • Things to do
  • Shinjuku

South Korean digital art and design firm D’strict is joining hands with Sanrio to bring a popular interactive exhibit to Japan for the first time after a successful run in Seoul last year. Utilising the latest digital media technologies, the hotel-themed exhibition in Shinjuku’s Tokyu Kabukicho Tower takes you on a photogenic and immersive journey through 11 themed areas in the imaginary hotel, with characters such as Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll and Pompompurin appearing in their own dreamy, fairytale-like rooms.

While the full details are still under wraps, expect to see a plentiful line-up of exclusive Sanrio merch, including Hotel Floria room key charms, hotel sticker sets and travel-themed accessories.

The exhibition space is located on the fourth floor. Tickets are now on sale via Eplus.

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  • Art
  • Shibuya

One of Tokyo’s premier contemporary art galleries, Nanzuka has opened its brand-new flagship space in Shibuya Axsh, marking the gallery’s return to Shibuya after a 20-year absence. The inaugural exhibition celebrates contemporary artist Keiichi Tanaami with his solo show ‘Do Not Bomb’. Spanning works from the 1960s to unreleased pieces made before the artist’s death in 2024, the exhibition explores Tanaami’s memories of war through around 60 works, including silkscreens, collages, paintings, animations, sculptures and videos.

The work closest to the entrance is ‘Do Not Bomb’, created while Tanaami was preparing for a large-scale solo exhibition in 2024. Made against the backdrop of ongoing wars around the world, the piece features a goldfish at its centre, flying towards the viewer like a cannonball.

The exhibition also features Tanaami’s ‘No More War’ series, which connects to ‘Do Not Bomb’. Created in 1967, the series was submitted to an anti-war poster contest hosted by American magazine Avant Garde in 1968, where it was selected as an outstanding work. Influenced by pop art, the silkscreen prints reflect Tanaami’s early interest in reaching a wider audience through reproduced imagery.

The exhibition runs until October 17. Check the gallery website for more details.

  • Art
  • Kiyosumi

Minami Tada (1924–2014) was a quietly radical figure in post-war Japanese art whose practice unfolded across sculpture, relief, lighting and architectural space. Working at the intersection of art, design and emerging industrial technologies, Tada developed a distinctive visual language that embraced transparency, reflection and light – materials and phenomena closely tied to Japan’s rapid economic growth. As a pioneering female artist operating in a male-dominated field, her work anticipated many later conversations around spatial perception and the expanded field of sculpture.

From August 29 to December 6, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo presents the artist’s first solo exhibition in Tokyo in 35 years. This long-overdue retrospective traces the arc of Tada’s career, from early paintings to her most emblematic sculptural works, as well as large-scale pieces created for architectural settings. Drawing on industrial materials and contemporary technologies, her works explore how light interacts with form and space, producing effects that shift with the viewer’s movement.

The exhibition also includes archival materials that shed light on the artist’s process and intellectual context, situating her practice within broader developments in post-war Japanese art and design. At a moment when interest in overlooked modernist figures is growing both in Japan and internationally, ‘Still, shimmering light’ offers a timely reassessment of an artist whose work feels strikingly current. Elegant, experimental and forward-looking, the exhibition reintroduces Tada as a vital voice in the history of contemporary art.

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  • Art
  • Kyobashi

A visionary who worked along the boundaries between art, design and everyday life, Ettore Sottsass (1917–2007) was one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Italian design. Rising to prominence in the 1950s through his groundbreaking work for the typewriter and computer manufacturer Olivetti, Sottsass redefined industrial design by infusing functional objects with emotion, symbolism and wit. His restless creative spirit culminated in the 1981 founding of the Memphis Group, an international collective whose bold colours, playful forms and radical aesthetics came to define post-modern design and reshape global visual culture.

‘Design begins where magic begins’ at the Artizon Museum is the first comprehensive retrospective of Sottsass’s work in Japan. Drawing from the Ishibashi Foundation’s extensive collection, the exhibition brings together 112 works spanning the entirety of its subject’s long and prolific career, from early experiments to later, more philosophical creations.

Through furniture, industrial design and conceptual works, the exhibition traces Sottsass’s lifelong challenge to strict rationalism and his belief that design should reflect the emotional and spiritual dimensions of human life. Humour, colour and sensuality emerge as tools with which he sought to illuminate the lived experiences, desires and contradictions of modern society. Offering a rare opportunity to encounter Sottsass’s work in depth, the exhibition reveals a visionary who insisted that true design begins with imagination and magic.

  • Art
  • Roppongi

Ron Mueck has long been celebrated for redefining figurative sculpture through extraordinary craftsmanship and emotional acuity. After early work in film and advertising, the Australian-born, UK-based artist emerged on the contemporary art scene in the mid-1990s, gaining international attention with Pinocchio (1996) and Dead Dad (1996-97), the latter exhibited in the landmark ‘Sensation’ show at London’s Royal Academy in 1997.

Over the decades, his meticulously crafted human figures, rendered at startlingly altered scales, have probed themes of vulnerability, solitude, resilience and the fragile complexity of existence. With a rare and limited oeuvre of about fifty works, each sculpture distills months or even years of observation and reflection, resulting in pieces that feel at once hyper-real and quietly enigmatic.

From April 29 to September 23, the Mori Art Museum hosts the artist’s first solo exhibition in Japan in eighteen years. Organised in collaboration with the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, the exhibition gathers eleven works tracing Mueck’s evolution, including six making their Japanese debut. Its monumental centrepiece is the Japan premiere of Mass (2016-17), an immersive installation of 100 giant skulls reconfigured to reflect the museum’s architecture. Other highlights include Angel (1997), Woman with Shopping (2013) and the iconic In Bed (2005), each inviting viewers into a deeply intimate emotional space.

Complementing the sculptures, photographs and films by Gautier Deblonde offer a glimpse into Mueck’s studio practice, revealing the quiet rigour behind some of contemporary art’s most affecting works.

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  • Things to do
  • Ariake

This expansive exhibition is the largest in the Doraemon franchise’s 56-year history, bringing together manga panels, animation, sculptures, limited-edition merch and a themed food menu all starring the world’s favourite blue robot cat and his friends. It launched in Hong Kong in July 2024, attracting over five million visitors during its month-long run. Since then, it has continued to captivate fans across Asia, making its way through several cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Bangkok, and Kaohsiung in Taiwan.

The exhibition space contains over 100 distinct Doraemon figures, each with its own expression and costume. In addition to showcasing the content from the previous cities, the Tokyo exhibition also features Japan-exclusive works. Here you can see Doraemon transformed into a shiba inu, a sumo wrestler and a few other forms inspired by Japanese culture, as well as view two original animations not seen elsewhere.

‘100% Doraemon & Friends’ runs until September 30 and is open from 10am to 6pm daily (last entry 5.30pm). Tickets start from ¥2,400 for adults, ¥1,800 for primary and secondary school students and ¥1,600 for children four years old and below – purchase yours here. As an added bonus, upon arrival exhibition visitors receive one of nine Doraemon-themed acrylic pins and one of four promotional cards (both chosen at random).

  • Things to do
  • Exhibitions
  • Ueno

Summer is here, and so is the National Museum of Nature and Science’s ‘Special Exhibition: Super Amazing World of Life’, a big-time showcase created in collaboration with NHK’s long-running wildlife documentary series Darwin ga kita! (‘Darwin Has Come!’). Combining scientific research with spectacular natural-history filmmaking, the exhibition explores the extraordinary ways in which animals have adapted to an ever-changing planet.

Since the birth of the Earth, life has evolved in response to dramatic environmental shifts, developing remarkable physical traits and survival strategies that have enabled species to thrive across diverse ecosystems. Centring on the animal kingdom, the exhibition examines these evolutionary adaptations through the museum’s extensive collection of specimens, the latest scientific findings and immersive audiovisual presentations.

A particular highlight is the partnership with NHK’s acclaimed nature programme, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026. Having documented wildlife in more than 70 countries and captured over 160 world-first observations, the series contributes a wealth of breathtaking footage that vividly illustrates animal behavior in the wild. These films complement the museum’s scientific displays, bringing evolutionary processes and survival strategies to life with exceptional immediacy.

Blending research, museum collections and cutting-edge wildlife cinematography, ‘Special Exhibition: Super Amazing World of Life’ offers visitors of all ages an engaging introduction to the ingenuity of evolution. By revealing the astonishing abilities animals have acquired over millions of years, the exhibition both provides a celebration of biodiversity and encourages a deeper appreciation of the resilience and complexity of life on Earth.

Free things to do in Tokyo this week

  • Art
  • Public art
  • Gotanda
Meguro River is becoming one with art this September, with a four-kilometre stretch of the river transformed into a giant ‘instrument’ on September 4 to 6 and 18 to 22. At the heart of the project is Kaze – body, a sound installation by artist Ray Kunimoto. Made up of countless metal plates, the installation sits on a boat that travels along the Meguro River, from Tennozu at the river’s mouth to the area in front of Hotel Gajoen Tokyo. Exploring the relationship between invisible forces such as gravity, wind and water and the physical environment, the work turns the energy of the wind into sound, as the metal plates sway and collide with one another. Kaze – body will operate from 6pm to 9pm on September 4 to 6 and 18 to 22. Designated viewing points include the promenade along the Meguro River and Gotanda Fureai Waterside Square, where visitors can stroll along the riverbank, wait for the artwork to arrive and listen to its sounds. At Gotanda Fureai Waterside Square, speakers installed on streetlights will play sounds synchronised with Kaze – body. This allows visitors to experience not just the artwork on the boat, but the entire riverside environment – including the time spent waiting for the boat to pass – as one expansive sound installation. On opening day, September 4, a documentary by Kunimoto and Kaori Yamane about the creation of Kaze – body will also be projected onto the riverbank. Moreover, on September 12, a one-day-only live music performance will take place...
  • Art
  • Shimokitazawa
This September, Shimokitazawa welcomes the return of its annual lunar art festival that will coincide with the upcoming autumn moon. Back for its fifth edition, Moon Art Night Shimokita will span several venues in the neighbourhood, including the open plaza in front of the station, Shimokita Senrogai Open Space near Shimokitazawa police box, the rooftop of Higashi-Kitazawa Station, and the Bonus Track complex. Exhibits include an outdoor moon installation by UK artist Luke Jerram, whose giant floating model features striking details of the moon’s surface as captured by Nasa. This particular installation – titled ‘Museum of the Moon’ – is set to be on show every day at the vacant lot of the Shimokita Senrogai complex. Nearby at Shimokitazawa Station Square, you’ll find an installation of phosphorescent cubes that absorb sunlight during the day and release it as a soft glow by nightfall. Produced by Midori Kawano, the installation, titled 'Afterglow', draws on the idea that moonlight is a reflection of the moon as it was 1.3 seconds earlier, offering a literal glimpse into the past. The festival is also hosting Tokyo-based contemporary artist Shoei Matsuda, whose giant eight-metre-tall inflatable recreates the iconic 'tears of joy' emoji at the Bonus Track complex. Inspired by the evolution of emoji from a feature of Japanese mobile phone culture into a universal visual language, the interactive installation explores the relationship between the digital and physical...
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  • Things to do
  • Shinjuku
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government No 1 Building in Shinjuku serves as the backdrop for a jaw-dropping and record-breaking projection mapping show. Covering an area of a whopping 13,905sqm, the after-dark spectacle has been certified by Guinness World Records as the largest permanent display of its kind in the world. The nightly showcase features a range of visual wonders created by a mix of local and international artists. Some shows are inspired by Tokyo’s rich history, while others draw on themes like the lunar cycle.  Currently, on weeknights, you can catch striking visuals synchronised to ‘800’ and 'Zankyosanka' by hit Japanese pop singer and lyricist Aimer as well as ‘Pac-Man eats Tokyo’, ‘Lunar Cycle’, ‘Synergy’, ‘Tokyo Resonance’ and ‘Evolution’. On weekends, you can look forward to the aforementioned ‘Zankyosanka (Aimer)’, as well as ‘Godzilla: Attack on Tokyo’ and ‘TYO337’, a display featuring motifs of traditional Japanese performing arts such as Kabuki paired with electronic beats.  From March 20, Pokémon Trading Card Game ‘Tokyo Luminous Night’, a brand-new projection-mapping show featuring Pokémon cards on a massive scale, has been running on weekends and holidays from 6.30pm, 7.30pm and 9pm. Be sure to check the event website for more details. Shows take place every night at fifteen-minute intervals from 6pm (Mar from 6.30pm, 7pm from Apr, 7.30pm from May to Aug) to 9.45pm. For more details and to check the full programme of daily projection mapping shows,...
  • Things to do
  • pop-ups
  • Harajuku
This September, step into the world of Monsoni!, a music-focused spin-off of the popular Monster Strike mobile video game. Running from September 18 to September 27, this Omotesando pop-up features a purple-coloured menu made with the recently trending ube, or purple yam. Expect ube drinks and ube madeleines, as well as a giant cat paw where you can sit and take photos. The pop-up is mainly themed around Infinity X, a cat DJ and leader of a music group in the game, hence the cat theme. For the unacquainted, ‘Mugen no Nikukyu’ is a popular shop in the Monsoni! universe. Expect a photo-friendly space decked out in Monsoni!-themed details, plus a selection of original T-shirts and manekineko beckoning cat lucky charms to take home. It’s a perfect photo spot worth stopping by on your Omotesando endeavours.
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  • Film
  • Roppongi
Open-air mobile cinema company Kino Iglu is bringing its outdoor film expertise to Azabudai Hills this September for six days, setting up on the spacious lawn at Azabudai Hills Central Plaza. Curated with the theme 'Mystery of Love' for 2026, they’ll be showing one film per day from September 18 to 23 from 6.30pm (6pm on 18th). The screening on Friday September 18 will be the romantic comedy film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018), a sequel and a prequel to the 2008 film Mamma Mia! On the following evening, the multiple BAFTA award-winning 2000 film Billy Elliot will be screened. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) will be shown on Sunday, followed by Notting Hill (1999) on Monday. For the remaining public holidays on Tuesday and Wednesday, expect to see Cinema Paradiso (1989) and Call Me by Your Name (2017), respectively. Before the show starts, stop by the food trucks offering one-hand gourmet dishes such as Cuban sandwiches, hot dogs and wood-fired pizzas.
  • Things to do
  • Markets and fairs
  • Aoyama
The UNU farmers’ market is one of Tokyo’s longest running and best-attended markets. Taking place every weekend in front of the university’s Aoyama headquarters, this one always attracts a knowledgeable crowd. Organic and local fare is readily available every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with the farmers themselves happy to provide details about their wares. Plus, there's always a few food trucks on hand if you wish to enjoy a quick meal.
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  • Things to do
  • Festivals
  • Odaiba
Celebrate all things Mexican at this year’s Fiesta Mexicana, held along the West Promenade outside Aqua City in Odaiba. The annual festival, which is now in its 25th year, brings together the best of Mexico’s long-standing traditions and food culture to commemorate the country’s Independence Day. Expect about 20 booths offering Mexican food, handicrafts and local specialities. There are fun activities, too, like hitting a piñata, which takes place at 3pm on September 20, 21 and 22 beneath the Yurikamome monorail tracks. Live entertainment is also scheduled over the three-day festival, including a masked Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling performance, so get ready to let your hair down and partake in some live music and dancing.
  • Art
  • Roppongi
Daniel Buren has spent more than six decades questioning where an artwork begins and where the surrounding world enters into it. Internationally renowned for his unmistakable 8.7cm vertical stripes, the French artist has transformed this seemingly neutral motif into a rigorous conceptual tool, using it to expose the architectural, historical and symbolic conditions of every site he inhabits. This spring and summer, Scai Piramide in Roppongi presents ‘Situated Works 1966-2013’, a rare survey spanning nearly fifty years of his practice. The exhibition traces Buren’s evolution from his early, radical interventions of the 1960s to luminous optical-fiber works produced in the 2010s. Historical pieces such as Peinture aux formes variables reveal the moment when the striped industrial fabric first became his defining visual language, while the Five Elements paintings, originally created for a 1989 exhibition in Nagoya, demonstrate his persistent dismantling of expressive authorship and painterly convention. In later galleries, Buren expands this inquiry through works integrating LED-lit optical fibers, where colour and light become spatial phenomena rather than fixed surfaces. Their shimmering presence underscores the artist’s long-held conviction that colour is the irreducible core of visual experience. Deeply connected to Japan, Buren here appears as an artist whose disciplined investigations continue to sharpen our perception of space itself.
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  • Things to do
  • Fireworks
  • Yokohama
Hakkeijima Island near Yokohama is bringing back its music-synced pyrotechnic shows this summer, with approximately 2,500 fireworks being launched during a span of 10 minutes. Happening on select weekends and holidays from May 30 to November 22, the fireworks are viewable from the island’s free-to-enter boardwalk area or the paid Hakkeijima Sea Paradise amusement park grounds. Utilising state-of-the-art digital controls, the fireworks are timed to blast with musical beats to the nearest tenth of a second, illuminating the night sky as if the sparks danced to the music. Shows start from 8.30pm (8pm from October onwards) on May 30, Jun 27, Jul 18-19 & 25, Aug 1, 8, 15 & 29, Sep 19-22, Oct 10-11, Nov 21-22 and Mar 20-21, 2027. Check the event website for the latest details.
  • Things to do
  • Yokohama
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 12 five-minute fireworks displays scheduled from April to September. 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 Frühlingsfest (until May 10), the Greenroom Festival (May 23-24) and more. See the event website for updates. Fireworks displays are held on April 4, 5, 11, 27, May 16 and 30, June 13, July 4 and 18, August 9, September 5 and 20 (2026).
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