Things to do in Tokyo this week

Asakusa's Kappabashi – the famed mecca for Tokyo chefs and homecooks looking to kit out their kitchens – is festooned with vibrantly coloured streamers and decorations during this annual summer festival. Though it runs from July 3 to 7, the best time to visit the Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri is over the July 4-5 weekend, when local businesses put out stalls and hold parades and street performances.

The street parade on July 4 will begin at 1.15pm near the Ueno Gakuen Junior and Senior High School, and slowly make its way through Kappabashi Main Street towards Asakusa. Expect to see a parade of local kindergarteners, police and primary school marching bands, plus special appearances by a local Morioka-Sansa traditional dance troupe and the Metropolitan Police's all-female motorcycle brigade.

On Sunday July 5, Kappabashi will be hosting street performances of all sorts throughout the day, ranging from Sado-Okesa dances from Niigata to Awa-Odori dances from Tokushima.

Based on traditional folklore, Tanabata (Star Festival) is celebrated across Japan each summer between July and August, the actual day of which varies according to region. Marking the earliest possible day of Tanabata (July 7), the shopping arcades of Hiratsuka city near Tokyo are adorned with around 100 giant colourful streamers, which are hung from giant ornamental balls called the kusudama.

The Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival is regarded as one of the top three of such events in the Kanto region, drawing almost 2 million visitors over the three days. Aside from the impressive street decorations, you can expect parades, live performances, vendors selling local products and plenty of technicolour-fuelled buzz over the July 3-5 weekend.

It's not quite a Japanese summer without fireflies. Come see them at Setagaya's very own Firefly Festival which attracts a respectable 25,000 visitors every year. At the heart of the festival is the spectacle of approximately 3,000 fireflies released in a dome tent at the Setagaya Daikanyashiki parking lot. As dusk falls, watch these curious bugs illuminate the evening with their gentle glow.

Eco-conscious Tokyoites descend on Yoyogi Park for the quarterly Earth Garden, which this time will boldly transform into a three-day night market, titled the Stars and Sun Market, a spinoff of the popular seasonal Tokyo Night Market.

As always, the festival will feature a wide array of shopping booths offering nature-inspired crafts, lifestyle goods and more, alongside organic food stalls and hands-on workshops. While details for 2026 are still under wraps, expect flamenco performances, as this year's festival theme is Spain. What's more, the festival's popular freestyle bon odori dance sessions under the stars are set to return, accompanied by live music and performances.

Tokyo instrumental rock outfit Mono are kicking off a world tour for their new album with this July gig. Having lost a longtime creative partner in Steve Albini last year, the new release, Snowdrop, is in part dedicated to the late producer and his contributions to the band over the past two decades.

Following the kick-off at Tokyo’s Spotify O-East, the first leg of the tour will take them to Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore before they return to play the inaugural edition of their new inner-city festival, The Argument, in October. With Mono’s last run of domestic shows selling out, tickets aren’t likely to last long.

Yebisu Garden Place’s annual outdoor cinema returns this summer to the roofed Center Plaza, offering 15 free screenings on astroturf with food trucks on site. Held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until July 5, Picnic Cinema combines film, food and fitness into one ultimate urban picnic experience.

Open-air mobile theatre company Kino Iglu is organising and curating this year’s film selection, offering something for just about every kind of moviegoer. Expect everything from coming-of-age stories like 'Lady Bird' (2017) and nostalgic classics such as 'Melody' (1971), to acclaimed dramas including 'Past Lives' (2023) and 'Still Walking' (2008). There are also crowd-pleasing picks like 'The Truman Show' (1998) and 'Galaxy Quest' (1999), plus action-packed Hong Kong newcomer 'Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In' (2024). While shows start at 7.30pm, we recommend arriving early to secure a good spot to lay down your mat. Check the event website for the full list of films.

Popular restaurants from the Ebisu area – all winners of the local ‘Best Dish to Pair with Yebisu Beer’ gourmet contest – including Japanese comfort food favourite Taishu Kissa Tsubaki, will be setting up stalls at Clock Square for the ‘Foodies’ Picnic’ held alongside the outdoor cinema. Grab a bite and unwind with great food and drinks on the spacious artificial grass lawn at the central plaza. Food trucks serving smaller, easy-to-eat snacks will also be on-site.

For fitness-minded folk, morning and evening yoga sessions are also held on the aforementioned lawn. Slots are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Check the event website for details.

Looking for a weekend getaway to see hydrangeas in nature without leaving Tokyo proper? Check out the hydrangea festival at Wonderful Nature Village next to Tokyo Summerland, taking place from June 6 to July 5. Here, you’ll find a sea of white hydrangeas blooming across the hillsides. This section of the sprawling park alone is home to more than 15,000 hydrangeas, which are expected to reach peak bloom from mid to late June.

Aside from the white Anabelle hydrangea, the park also cultivates beautiful blue hydrangeas Kurohime and Ezohoshino that are indigenous to Japan. These varieties will likely reach peak bloom between early to mid June.

While you’re there for these summer blooms, why not beat the heat with a refreshing splash at nearby Tokyo Summerland? This super popular water park on the fringes of Tokyo boasts a large indoor pool for all weather conditions as well as a 650m-long outdoor pool with flowing water (advance tickets are required for Tokyo Summerland).

To get there, take the Keio Line from Shinjuku to Keio Hachioji Station. From there, hop on a local bus and you'll reach Wonderful Nature Village in about 35 minutes. For more details, including other bus connections from Keio Hachioji and Akigawa stations, see the venue website (in Japanese only).

The hydrangea festival takes place daily from 9am to 5pm.

Yomiuri Land amusement park has been breeding and raising fireflies to help conserve the species since 2009. This summer, you can watch genji botaru fireflies in June and heike botaru fireflies in July illuminate the beautiful Hana Biyori garden after dark, with the display running until July 1.

Hana Biyori is open from 10am, but the fireflies viewing time is from 7.40pm until 9pm (8.30pm on weekdays). 

A Hana Biyori ticket (¥800) and a separate Hotaru Biyori ticket (¥400) are required for admission.

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.

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.

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, visit here.

What began as a picture book has grown into a global phenomenon. After stops in Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong and Paris, ‘The Monsters 10th Anniversary Exhibition’ is finally coming to Tokyo, bringing with it a host of special experiences for Labubu fans.

Held at Azabudai Hills Gallery, the exhibition celebrates creator Kasing Lung’s monster universe and traces Labubu’s journey from storybook character to worldwide sensation. Highlights include the Painting and Sculpture Zone, showcasing Lung’s original paintings and 3D works, the immersive Mirror Room, and the adorable Plush House packed with Labubu plush toys.

Visitors can also experience the world premiere of ‘The Story of Puca’, which brings part of The Monsters Trilogy to life through projection mapping and 3D surround sound.

Naturally, there will be plenty of exclusive merchandise, including 10th anniversary figure sets (available via lottery), as well as tote bags, accessories and other collectibles. Round off your visit at the themed café, where you’ll find food and drinks inspired by characters including Labubu, Zimomo and Mokoko.

When the boundless imagination of Pablo Picasso meets the vibrant creativity of Sir Paul Smith, fireworks follow. Picasso (1881–1973), one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, revolutionised modern art with his radical innovations in form and colour. British designer Smith, noted for his playful approach to tailoring and his masterful sense of colour and pattern, brings his unique sensibility to the table, transforming the NACT’s galleries into a dialogue between art and fashion, and tradition and reinvention.

‘Adventure of Playful Spirits’ offers a fresh encounter with approximately 80 works from the Musée National Picasso-Paris. Following the success of the 2023 Paris exhibition ‘Picasso Celebration: The Collection in a New Light!’, this Japan edition invites visitors to rediscover the painter’s creative evolution from his early Portrait of a Man to the tender Paulo as Harlequin, through Smith’s imaginative spatial design.

From colour-splashed walls to whimsical décor, every element of the exhibition reflects Smith’s joyful spirit and his fascination with artistic play. This meeting of two creative giants – one who shaped modern art and another who redefined contemporary design – conjures up a vibrant, immersive world where curiosity, humour and craftsmanship intertwine.

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.

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.

Window manufacturer YKK AP teams up with a number of prestigious Spanish institutions to highlight a small but crucial detail of Antoni Gaudí’s wide-ranging oeuvre. Zooming in on the role apertures played in the Catalan visionary’s singular architectural language, which was defined by organic forms, intricate ornament and a profound understanding of structure and light, ‘Windows on the Future’ forms part of a wider research initiative examining Gaudí’s creative methods.

Organised to mark the centenary of Gaudí’s death, the exhibition at 21_21 Design Sight shares its concept with a more extensive presentation at Barcelona’s Palau Güell, a UNESCO World Heritage site, adapting it to the design-focused environment of Gallery 3. Through models, research materials and visual documentation, visitors are invited to explore Gaudí’s enduring ideas and consider how his inventive thinking may inspire the windows, and architecture, of the future.

Did you even have a childhood if you didn’t turn the hole-punched pages of The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Originally published in 1969, this children’s classic will be celebrated at the Museum of Contemporary Art, marking 50 years since the book’s Japanese release (Japan was the first place the beloved caterpillar ever appeared in print).

Prepare to feast your eyes upon 180 objects – all bursting with bold bright colours, playful patterns and Eric Carle’s specially curated collages. Over 27 picture books will also feature, offering a deep dive into the ingenuity of Carle’s imagination. The late American author and illustrator was famed for his fresh take on storytelling; simple shapes are layered with textured hand-painted tissue paper, resulting in whimsical works that were deceptively clever and remain iconic to this day.

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).

Step into a world of vibrant chrysanthemums this spring at this free collaborative exhibition between teamLab and Galaxy. Now in its fifth year, the interactive, immersive space at Galaxy Harajuku uses cutting-edge projection mapping to depict flowers caught in an endless cycle of birth and death. Reach out to touch them and they’ll wither; stand still beside them and they’ll bloom more quickly.

Look down and you’ll see flowing currents of gold beneath your feet – traces shaped by your very presence. The movements of others create their own currents, which intertwine and form swirling vortices. The result is a constantly shifting environment where no two moments are ever the same. The Galaxy store also invites visitors to capture these fleeting scenes using the foldable smartphones available at the venue.