Things to do in Tokyo this week

The annual Setsubun holiday is widely celebrated as a time for banishing the evils of the previous year by chucking ‘lucky beans’ at lurking demons. But over in Shimokitazawa, the Sotoshu Daiyuzan Shinryuji temple also takes this opportunity to honour the evil spirits or demons (known in Japanese as ‘tengu’) that guard the temple (from bigger, more evil spirits, we assume).

Leading up to the main event, on the night of January 30, a tengu and his entourage will pay a visit to the neighbourhood restaurants while blowing conch shells and playing drums. This marks the start of the Setsubun Eve Tengu Ceremony at 8pm. Then, on January 31 at 2pm, local shop owners, priests and other temple folks will pay respects to their tengu with a stroll through the streets (yes, while throwing beans) in a festival called ‘Journey to the Heavenly Tengu’.

On February 1, you can take part in a stamp rally by shopping at participating stores, starting from 1pm. You can use the stamps to play a game, where you have to pour the exact weight of soybeans into a bag to win a prize.

There’s no better way to spend a winter evening than sipping on hot sake while savouring some hearty oden. This unique pop-up serves award-winning atsukan (hot sake) from 10 sake breweries across Japan, and oden from event sponsor Kibun Foods. The best part is, you get to enjoy all this on Platform 3 at Ryogoku Station while seated at a nice and warm kotatsu table.

A ticket will get you ten sake tastings, chiichiku fish cakes filled with cheese and a serving of piping-hot oden. Tickets are available for purchase in advance through Peatix (the second batch of sales begins at 12noon on Jan 8) and each time slot is limited to one hour.

Samm Henshaw, the multifaceted singer-songwriter hailing from South London, has confirmed his tour dates across Asia and will be bringing his new album It Could Be Worse to Tokyo first, performing on January 27 at Roppongi's Ex Theater.

Grounded in his gospel heritage, his authentic soul sound possesses a timeless quality that resonates in powerful, emotive waves. His voice is more than a performance; it’s a visceral experience that seems to stir something deep within the soul.

Over the past few years, Hong Kong-based stand-up comedian Jordan Leung – aka 69ranch – has performed for sold-out crowds across the US, Canada, London and Australia, making bellies ache with his signature deadpan delivery. Now he’s making his Tokyo debut at the one and only Tokyo Comedy Bar; expect a low-energy but painfully funny show, and at least one Sushiro shout-out.

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.

What better way to stay toasty in the cold weather than making a stop at Japan’s biggest hot cocktail festival? There’ll be plenty of classics, such as mulled wine, as well as adult versions of beverages like lemonade and hot chocolate.

The venue will also offer an array of festival snacks and meals to accompany the drinks. Entertainment for the day will include a line-up of street performers, dance troupes, DJs and live painting.

You can now purchase starter set tickets in advance online at a reduced price.

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.

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).

Located at the Red Brick Warehouse’s event plaza, this popular and spacious ice skating rink is back for its 21st edition this year. The theme this season is called ‘Left Turn’, with the area designed by illustrator Haruyo Higashi, who has created manga-like illustrations of everyday moments. Admire the continuous artwork as you circle the rink.

A ticket to the rink including skates is ¥2,000 (high school students and children aged 3 and older ¥1,200; Jan 5 onwards ¥1,700 for adults). Make sure to drop by the adjoining Christmas market for some mulled wine and typical German winter food.

Opening hours: November and December: 1pm to 9pm on weekdays; 11am to 9pm on weekends and 11am to 10pm between Dec 20-25; 11am-8pm between Dec 26-30; 11am-7pm on Dec 31.

January: 11am to 7pm on Jan 1-2

Rest of January and February: 1pm to 7pm on weekdays; 11am to 8pm on weekends and holidays.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nearly three decades after it first hatched in the palms of Japanese schoolgirls, Tamagotchi – Bandai’s iconic handheld digital pet – returns to the spotlight with a major anniversary exhibition at the Roppongi Museum. Released in 1996, the tiny egg-shaped device quickly became a global sensation, inspiring devoted caretakers, schoolyard debates and a cultural phenomenon that reached far beyond Japan.

With more than 100 million units shipped worldwide by 2025 and 38 evolving models, from early black-and-white screens to today’s wi-fi-enabled devices, the Tamagotchi remains an icon of playful companionship and digital nostalgia.

The Tamagotchi 30th Anniversary Exhibition invites you to step inside the world of these strange, charming creatures from the distant Tamagotchi Planet. Through immersive installations, historical displays and interactive environments, the show revisits three decades of innovation while exploring the irresistible appeal of a being that needs you to feed it, entertain it, clean up after it – and love it. Exclusive exhibition merch, including artist collabs and limited-edition items featuring the main visual, will of course also be available.

Celebrating the quirky digital lifeform that once demanded the attention of millions, the exhibition offers both a heartfelt tribute to, and a fresh encounter with, a beloved cultural icon. Following its Tokyo run, the exhibition will travel to Nagoya, Ibaraki, Osaka and additional cities to be announced.

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.

Hirohiko Araki began serialising JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1986, launching a saga that has since spanned decades, generations of protagonists and shifting aesthetic paradigms. Renowned for its flamboyant characters, bold compositions and philosophical undercurrents, JoJo stands apart for its synthesis of classical art, fashion, music and pop culture. With cumulative circulation exceeding 120 million copies, the series has become a global phenomenon, while Araki himself has become recognised as a singular figure bridging manga and contemporary art.

From January 8 to June 28, the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage Tokyo Gallery presents this three-part exhibition that foregrounds Araki’s work through the lens of fine-art printmaking. The exhibition has previously been shown in San Francisco and Kyoto, but this marks the first time Araki’s lithographs and lenticular works are displayed in Tokyo.

To allow visitors to encounter as wide a variety of works as possible, the exhibition unfolds in three rotations: Part 1 (January 8–February 23), Part 2 (March 3–April 19) and Part 3 (April 28–June 28). At the heart of the display are nine lithographic prints, produced in 2025 at the request of Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage and representing Araki’s first foray into lithography. Unlike conventional manga printing, which reduces drawings to stark black-and-white data, lithography preserves the artist’s hand with remarkable fidelity. Drawing directly onto metal plates with lithographic pencils and chalk, Araki has embraced the medium’s irreversibility: lines cannot be erased, lending each mark a palpable tension and decisiveness.

The resulting prints, featuring figures such as Jotaro Kujo and Dio, reveal a new intimacy with Araki’s lines, from the controlled force of slow strokes to the rhythmic energy of rapid shading. Each work is produced in an edition of 100, printed by master lithographer Satoru Itazu.

Complementing these are lenticular works depicting protagonists from Parts 1 through 6 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Utilising a technique with roots in early 20th-century optical experimentation, these prints create the illusion of depth and motion, activated only through the viewer’s movement. As one shifts position, time seems to unfold within a single image – an effect that resonates with the manipulation of duration and perspective, a familiar technique in manga.

Together, the lithographic and lenticular works position JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure as an evolving artistic practice – and one that continues to expand the possibilities of manga within the broader history of visual art.

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.

This pop-up collab is the first of its kind and celebrates the upcoming February release of Walpurgisnacht Rising, the long-awaited sequel to the 2013 film Rebellion, which itself is a continuation of the popular animated series Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

The magic starts at Tembo Galleria (Floors 445 and 450), where the entire place has been decked out in décor featuring scenes from the series and films. On Floor 445, you can have a cute little photo op with one of nine Madoka characters. The photographer takes your photo, then edits in the character of your choosing for ¥1,700 per pic.

The Skytree gift shop on Floor 345 features exclusive items with original visuals ranging from acrylic stands and keychains to handbags and hologram badges. Spend over ¥5,000 to receive a special themed shopping bag.

The Skytree café on Floor 340 features a limited-time speciality menu with food and drink items inspired by the Madoka franchise. For a savoury option, try the Kyubey-themed rice gratin with white sauce, or if you’ve got a sweet tooth, go for the sinfully rich Walpurgisnacht-inspired chocolate parfait.

Beverages come in a variety of flavours, from Madoka’s pink strawberry-flavoured Calpis drink to the lemon tea with orange jelly, inspired by Mami Tomoe’s yellow garb. Each purchase of a Madoka-themed café item gets you one of seven free coasters.

On select evenings, the tower lights up in an array of coloured lights corresponding to each magical girl’s outfit, alternating every two and a half minutes throughout the night.

Tickets are ¥3,100 on weekdays (¥2,150 for children 12-17, ¥1,300 for children 6-11 and free for children under five) or ¥3,400 on weekends and holidays (¥2,350 for children 12-17, ¥1,400 for children 6-11 and free for children under five).

By the way, you can purchase a special ticket that includes a 2026 calendar, which you can print yourself at any local 7-Eleven. Special tickets are ¥3,500 on weekdays (¥2,350 for children 12-17, ¥1,450 for children 6-11) or ¥3,800 on weekends and holidays (¥2,550 for children 12-17, ¥1,550 for children 6-11). Special tickets must be purchased at least a day in advance (no same-day tickets available), so plan accordingly.

For info on tickets or photo op and tower light-up times, visit the official ‘Moonlit Waltz’ website.

The Yamatane Museum of Art’s heartwarming winter exhibition celebrates the many forms of love expressed in modern and contemporary Japanese painting. From romantic passion to familial tenderness, and from nostalgia for one’s hometown to affection for animals, ‘Love’ reveals how artists have captured its subject’s diverse and intimate dimensions.

Highlights include Kiyokata Kaburaki’s Light Snow (from the Fukutomi Taro collection), inspired by Chikamatsu Monzaemon’s tragic love story The Courier for Hell; Gyoshu Hayami’s Peach Blossoms, painted to commemorate his daughter’s first festival; and Togyu Okumura’s Rabbit, radiating the artist’s affection for living creatures. Works by Tsunetomi Kitano, Terukata Ikeda and Shoko Kawasaki further expand this exploration of emotion and beauty.

You’ll also encounter Kokei Kobayashi’s eight-panel Kiyohime series, a masterful retelling of a tragic love legend, and selections from the distinguished Fukutomi Taro Collection. Timed with the season of Christmas, New Year and Valentine’s Day, the exhibition invites audiences to rediscover love as a timeless muse for Japanese artists and their poetic visions of life.

All exhibited works are from the Yamatane Museum of Art collection unless specified otherwise.

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.

Johnny Depp may be best known for his eccentric on-screen roles, but long before fame, he was quietly building a collection of artworks. Now, more than 100 of his paintings and drawings – spanning from his early twenties to the present – are on view at ‘A Bunch of Stuff – Tokyo’, held at +Base 0 inside Newoman Takanawa South. 

The exhibition features five themed spaces, beginning with bold calligraphed quotes that hint at Depp’s mindset. Visitors are then led into a bohemian studio-style room filled with the actor’s personal objects and art supplies brought directly from his workspace. 

Other highlights from the exhibition include Depp’s signature ‘Death by Confetti’ series, where celebratory motifs meet skeletons to reflect the pressure of fame, as well as a video work making its Japan debut inside the immersive ‘Black Box’. Projected across a curved screen, Depp’s paintings come to life as he narrates his reflections on art, identity and the highs and lows of his long career.

Hokkaido-born Atsushi Suwa is one of Japan’s foremost contemporary realist painters. Noted for his extraordinary technical mastery, Suwa combines rigorous research with a penetrating gaze, producing works that explore physical likeness and themes such as memory, mythology and the traces of history. His portraits, still lifes and narrative paintings have earned him wide acclaim both in Japan and abroad.

From September 11 to March 1 2026, the What Museum on Tennozu Isle presents the artist’s first large-scale solo exhibition in three years. Encompassing around 80 works, the exhibition spans early creations, intimate family portraits and newly painted still lifes, with nearly 30 of the pieces shown publicly for the first time. At the heart of the display is At the Shore (2025), a monumental painting depicting a human-like figure assembled from objects in Suwa’s studio, reflecting the artist’s pandemic-era withdrawal from portraiture and his gradual reawakening to the human form.

Curated by Takenori Miyamoto, the exhibition unfolds across five themed rooms and is accompanied by a documentary film and a short story by Akutagawa Prize winner Kaori Fujino.

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.

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.