Things to do in Tokyo this week

Showa Kigen Park is the most beautiful in autumn, with the maple and ginkgo trees blushing in fiery red and yellow. The Ginkgo trees are the first to turn, usually from the end of October, and you can see a boulevard of them lining the 300m-long street heading towards Tachikawa. The momoji and kaede trees, however, present their signature vermillion hues later in mid-November...

As if you needed an excuse to drink sparkling wine as you dine on fresh seafood – Shinjuku Seafood Mania is giving you one. Held in Okubo Park, the event is particularly focused on celebrating seasonal seafood. Give the autumn timing, this means you can look forward to delights such as hot steamed Sanriku oysters, giant Ise shrimp, fresh salmon and roe, and succulent crab...

Throughout November a variety of events will be held at the base of Mt. Takao at venues including Takao Forest Center, Kiyotaki Station (the cable car stop) and teashop Ju-itchome Chaya on the mountainside. There will be masu-zake (wooden box cups for sake) on sale, performances by the theatre group, Tokyo Kokeshi...

Shinjuku Gyoen is one of the most magnificent parks in Tokyo, and if you need another reason to visit this top attraction, this two-week-long chrysanthemum exhibition is it. Just as cherry blossom is the representation of spring in Japan, chrysanthemum (or kiku in Japanese) is the symbol of autumn. More importantly, it is the ‘royal flower’ of Japan – the Imperial Seal of Japan is also known as the Chrysanthemum Seal. At Shinjuku Gyoen, this annual exhibition (since 1929) highlight the regal blooms under protective awnings...

Whether it’s visual art, fashion, handicrafts or avant-garde performance that gets your juices owing, you’ll nd it at this sprawling cultural jamboree, held at Tokyo Big Sight every spring and autumn. About 10,000 artists are expected to descend on the conference centre, in an event that can be exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure...

Prepare for some cuteness overload at this exhibition where you’ll see pictures of French bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, shitzu and many more flat-snouted dogs. Expect more than 250 photos including your favourite Instagram dogs like Kimchi the pug and Maltese siblings Okayu and Omochi...

A light exhibition directed by Seiichi Saito of Rhizomatiks, an expert of media art and expression through technology. This sparkling display can be seen at Shinko Central Plaza, which is just beside the city’s iconic ferris wheel, Cosmo Clock 21...

Japan’s biggest whiskey festival is being held at Belle Sally Takadanobaba, with over 80 booths carrying a myriad of whiskies, cocktails, beers and cigars, along with pairing food the likes of cheese and ham. The festival will also feature seminars by whiskey experts as well as a free cocktail lesson led by world-acclaimed bartenders...

Throughout the year, Yoyogi Park serves as a gathering point for Tokyo's various ethnic communities and special interest groups. On the first weekend in November, the vegan community gets its moment in the sun. Tokyo Vegefood Festa boasts roughly 100 stalls, ranging from macrobiotic cafés to vegetable vendors to environmentally friendly cosmetics, clothing and other goods...

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...

While most exhibitions are visual, this one invites you to use your nose. Everything from the sweetest scents to the most pungent odors will be featured in this unconventional showcase.  The exhibition has previously attracted close to 190,000 visitors with its lineup of items such as surströmming (fermented herring) and stinky tofu...

Head on over to Ginza Sony Park to celebrate Ghostbusters 35th anniversary with an exhibition showcasing memories from the legendary ghostbusting team that debuted 35 years ago. Revisit your favourite scenes from the movie along with a display of props used in the 2016 film and hands-on activities like the face-changing photo booth and Ghostbusters Rookie Training experience...

Get an up-close look at retro miniatures from the pre-war period. Roughly 1,500 miniature objects made by craftsmen from the Meiji era will be on show. The exhibition will be centered around the Minoru Nakata Collection, which consists of about 800 custom-made miniatures...

This design-focused exhibition features about 50 works from Finland, including homeware and furniture, that represent each period after the country’s independence in 1917. Enjoy a range of creations ranging from those reflecting Finnish lifestyles to industrial designs and objects imbued with humour...

Lightup champions Naked Inc return with a new projection mapping project, that takes you down to the bottom of the sea. At this interactive event you can be surrounded by digital fish shoals; admire digital fluid art of jellyfish, that burst into colour splodges when being touched...

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...

The Oi Racecourse, aka the Tokyo City Keiba, will be lit up during the nighttime races with colourful illumination. What's more, there will be a 'time travel area' featuring designs and artworks from the Edo, Meiji, Taisho and Showa eras, as well as a 100 metre tunnel covered in lights, making it the biggest illumination in the Kanto area...