The best things to do in Tokyo this weekend

Heralding the arrival of the summer farming season, the Narita Gion Festival has been a key celebration of Naritasan Shinsho-ji Temple in Chiba prefecture's Narita City for over 300 years. Taking place near the Narita International Airport, this event is held annually to pray for prosperity and good harvest while seeking the blessing of the temple’s main deity, Fudo Myoo. 

On all three days, ten beautifully carved and decorated floats plus one mikoshi (portable shrine) will be taken on a vibrant parade on the city streets, including the area surrounding JR Narita Station and the main road leading to Naritasan Shinsho-ji temple. The festivities begin on Friday July 4 with an opening dance ritual at Naritasan Main Hall at 1.30pm to pray for the safe proceedings of the festival. From there, the floats will begin their procession around town, with each having its own designated route. 

The festival highlights include a large-scale traditional dance performance involving all the floats, set to happen in front of the JR Narita Station on Saturday July 5 at 9am. This event effectively kicks off the festival’s second-day festivities. 

Be sure to stay until the evening on the last day, Sunday July 6, as the festival will reach its climax with floats reconvening on Omotesando road for an energetic race up the town’s main thoroughfare towards Naritasan Shinsho-ji. For this night procession, the floats will be illuminated with lanterns, giving them an even more awe-inspiring and mystical appearance amidst the frenzy.

For the full festival programme, see the event website.

Despite being 80km away from central Tokyo, the Narita Gion Festival is easily accessible as the events are held just minutes away from Keisei-Narita station. To get there, just hop on the limited-express Keisei Line from Ueno or Nippori Station. The journey will take roughly an hour and ten minutes. The trek from Narita Airport is far more convenient, as there is a direct train service running every 15 minutes.

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 4 to 8, the best time to visit the Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri is over the July 5-6 weekend, when local businesses put out stalls and hold parades and street performances.

The street parade on July 5 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 police and primary school marching bands plus a special appearance by the Metropolitan Police's all-female motorcycle brigade.

On Sunday July 6, 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 4-6 weekend.

Legend tells of the star-crossed lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi who, separated by the Milky Way, are only able to meet once a year on the night known as Tanabata. This festival is synonymous with colourful streamer decorations, wafts of romance, and a ritual in which people write wishes on strips of paper (tanzaku) and tie them to bamboo branches.

Zojoji's version of the celebration features a beautiful candle light-up on Sunday and Monday from 6pm to 9pm. Hundreds of washi paper lanterns are arranged in the shape of the Milky Way along the staircase that leads up to the temple’s main hall.

Make sure to write down your wish for Tanabata on a colourful strip of paper, which you can get for ¥200 each. The temple priests will conduct a special ceremony at 5.30pm on July 7, where they’ll bless your wishes. 

For this special occasion, Zojoji Temple is selling a beautiful Tanabata-themed omamori lucky charm (¥3,000). If you’d like to get your hands on one, we recommend buying yours in advance via the temple’s online shop, since quantity is limited. When you’re making the purchase, don’t forget to write your name in the column for additional notes, as the priests will read out your name at a special prayer on the night of July 7. The omamori will be shipped after the event (from July 8).

For more information, see the event website.

Eco-conscious Tokyoites descend on Yoyogi Park for the quarterly Earth Garden, which this time will boldly transform into a three-day night market, joining hands with the popular 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. After sunset, enjoy a freestyle bon odori dance session under the stars, accompanied by live performances from Tsugaru shamisen player Sayo Komada, lo-fi indie pop artist Auto&mst, and Suzumeno Tears, a duo performing traditional Japanese and Balkan folk songs.

The folks behind Shibuya’s Tokyo Comedy Bar are taking their show on the road – well, a couple stations north on the Yamanote Line – with this new weekly stand-up comedy showcase in Shinjuku. Invading Kabukicho’s DecaBar Super every Friday and Saturday night from 8pm, Shinjuku Stage features what for this area counts as wholesome entertainment, in the form of high-energy performances in both English and Japanese. Whether you’re a local looking to tickle your funny bone or a newcomer in need of some good honest jokes in the neon-lit surroundings, this show is likely to fit the bill. Tickets are available via Tokyo Comedy Bar. 

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 6, 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, with the 2025 theme being ‘Open Your Heart’. Reflecting the uncertainty of our times and a growing tendency to shut ourselves off from others, the line-up features emotionally resonant films chosen for their powerful messages and ability to stir the heart. 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 Italian wine bar Il Gentile, 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.

For fitness-minded folk, free 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.

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 to find all sorts of treasures and bargains including crafts and other handmade knick-knacks, jewellery and, of course, secondhand and vintage clothing. For when you’re feeling peckish, the market also features a café as well as a line-up of food trucks.

The Oedo Antique Market, the largest and oldest outdoor market of its kind in Japan, is great for picking up some cool art, unique handicrafts or vintage decorative items. Keep an eye out for real Edo-era (1603-1867) treasures hidden among the heaps of merchandise, which range from ceramics and clothing to ukiyo-e prints. Currently, it's being held on the first and third Sunday of the month at the Tokyo International Forum. You can check the exact market dates updated on the website.

Keep in mind that the market operates weather permitting.

Studio Ghibli’s immersive sculpture exhibition is returning to Tokyo to captivate a new generation of fans. Featuring 3D recreations of iconic scenes from hit animated films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and Porco Rosso, the show is a new and improved version of Studio Ghibli’s first ever art exhibition, held in Tokyo back in 2003. 

Running from May 27 to September 23 at Warehouse Terrada’s B&C and E halls in Tennozu, the exhibition will feature mock-ups of scenes such as Chihiro’s first crossing over the bridge into the bathhouse in Spirited Away, and the thrilling scene from Ponyo where the titular character rides the waves to catch up to Sosuke in the storm. The main highlight, however, is arguably the true-to-size mock up of Porco’s Savoia S-21 seaplane from Porco Rosso.

When hunger strikes, head over to T-Lotus M, a waterfront event space adjacent to the exhibition venue, for some ham ramen inspired by a similar dish in Ponyo. Tickets can be purchased in combination with the Ghibli Museum or in conjunction with hotel accommodation plans.

For more details and ticketing information, check the event website. (Japanese only)

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 7 to July 6. Here you’ll find a sea of white hydrangeas blooming on the slopes of a hill. This section of the sprawling park alone features over 15,000 hydrangeas and they are expected to hit peak bloom around 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 mid- and late June.

While you’re there for these summer blooms, why not beat the heat with a refreshing splash at the 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. (Note: 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.

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. 

From April 26, ‘Tokyo Gundam in the Future’, a brand new projection mapping show featuring a Gundam with a newly reimagined Mobile Suit colour scheme, will begin on weekends and holidays every hour from 7pm (7.30pm from May 10). Be sure to check the event website for more details.

Enjoy a late night stroll under an artificial Milky Way at Tokyo Tower’s main deck. As an alternative experience for astronomy enthusiasts, Tokyo Tower has recreated the Milky Way using 29,000 LED lights, so you can gaze up at the (artificial) stars in the middle of the city.

Every 15 minutes, the blue LED lights that represent the starry sky turn pink and gold, while the Milky Way changes from white to a rainbow of seven colours. This special effect makes the Tokyo skyline look even more mesmerising, as if our beloved city is under a magical starry night.

The event takes place from 9.00am until 11pm.

No trip to Tokyo or Japan is complete without a shopping spree at the iconic Don Quijote. But if browsing the aisles isn’t enough to satisfy your Donki cravings, you’ll want to book a table for this playful Don Quijote-themed afternoon tea at Hotel Indigo Tokyo Shibuya.

Available at the hotel’s 11th-floor all-day dining restaurant, Gallery 11, this fun afternoon tea spread is inspired by Don Quijote’s beloved mascots, Donpen and Donko, with an array of colourful sweets and fun surprises. 

Desserts include unique creations like the passion fruit chocolate and pink pepper marshmallow, honeycomb red velvet cupcake and candy apple filled with a rich caramel – all served on a mini skateboard. You can also enjoy a tastebud-tingling cake made with popping candy featuring images of Donpen and Donko, alongside a savoury herb roast chicken served with lemon and caper sauce.

Time to don those wizardly robes. From April 18 to September 8, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo are bringing the set of 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' to life to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary. The tour will feature recreations of props, costumes and locations from the film, such as the Great Hall, the Prefects' Bathroom and the Goblet of Fire itself. Themed food and merch will be available for purchase.

Times and ticket prices vary, so be sure to check their website for availability, as tickets must be purchased in advance and currently are only available until June 30.

Ukiyo-e superstar Katsushika Hokusai’s legacy continues to ripple through and beyond the art world even today, centuries after his death – the meme-ification of Under the Wave off Kanagawa being only the most obvious example. But what makes Hokusai a standout among the many Edo-period (1603–1867) masters who captured the lives, dreams and landscapes of the city?

This summer, the Sumida Hokusai Museum invites visitors to explore answers to that very question through an interactive exhibition highlighting the craftsmanship of Hokusai and his disciples. ‘Wow, Hokusai!’ encourages close observation, helping viewers notice shared motifs, subtle differences and clever compositional techniques across the artist’s oeuvre.

The show zooms in on key elements in Hokusai’s work – from thunderous skies to bustling riverbanks, from swirling waves to architectural wonders – to provoke moments of discovery. As such, it offers a vivid introduction to ukiyo-e and an intimate look into Hokusai’s genius.

This spring and summer, Japan’s ancient aesthetic heritage meets the cutting edge of animation. On at the Tokyo National Museum from March 25 to August 3, ‘Immersive Theater on Neo-Japonism: From Ancient Art to Anime’ is an ambitious 24-minute visual experience that journeys through 10,000 years of Japanese creativity.

Projected across four massive walls fitted with towering 7-metre screens, the ultra-HD installation explores the evolution of Japanese artistic expression from the clay figures of the prehistoric Jomon period to the ink paintings of the Edo period (1603–1867), culminating in the vibrant dynamism of contemporary anime. Brought to life by the innovative minds at digital art outfits Panoramatiks and Cekai, the experience highlights how Japan’s animist worldview and refined sense of space continue to influence global pop culture.

The exhibition draws poignant connections between ancient scrolls, classical motifs, and works by anime legends like Osamu Tezuka, Isao Takahata and Mamoru Hosoda, serving up a distinctive blend of history, art and imagination.

Step into the masterful world of Japan’s most celebrated woodblock print artist this spring at ‘Hokusai: Another Story’, held at Shibuya’s Tokyu Plaza. Utilising the latest in high-definition imaging, spatial audio and Sony’s state-of-the-art sensory technology, the exhibition promises to bring Hokusai’s iconic works to life.

The main highlight of the exhibition is the vivid scenery of Hokusai's ‘Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji’, with ultra-high-definition visuals and Sony's Crystal LED displays recreating the intricate details of the work. Visualise, hear and feel the sensation of jumping on puddles or walking on dry sand, thanks in part to haptic floor technology developed by Sony PCL. Then, follow a path illuminated by bamboo lights to reach a room where you can browse master replicas of iconic ukiyo-e prints. Each replica is crafted using DTIP (3D Texture Image Processing) technology that scans every fibre of the traditional washi-paper originals to preserve the works digitally. This multisensory experience allows visitors to not only see, but truly feel, the world Hokusai depicted.

Tickets must be purchased in advance through the event website.

Kenjiro Okazaki (b. 1955) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans painting, sculpture, architecture, landscape design and even robotics. His artistic practice defies categorisation, blending visual abstraction with conceptual depth. Internationally recognised, he directed the Japanese pavilion at the Venice Biennale’s Architecture Exhibition in 2002 and collaborated with choreographer Trisha Brown for the performance I Love My Robot (2007).

‘Time Unfolding Here’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art is the first large-scale retrospective of Okazaki’s work in Tokyo. By presenting his interdisciplinary approach, which bridges art, architecture and philosophy, the exhibition seeks to reveal how artistic creation can serve as a method of understanding the world. A must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of art and critical thinking, the show will feature new works as well as landmark pieces from Okazaki’s long career, illustrating the evolution of his exploration of form, perception and space.

Spanish-born Joan Miró (1893-1983) has long been considered one of the most important artists of the twentieth century; revered for his poetic transformation of nature-derived shapes such as the moon and stars into abstract symbols. In this major retrospective, the various phases of Miró's career are presented together in Japan for the first time. Overseen by the Fundació Joan Miró, based in the artist's birthplace of Barcelona, this exhibition sees masterpieces held in collections across the world brought to Tokyo, to form a comprehensive overview of an artistic practice that encompassed painting, ceramics, sculpture and more.

Post-impressionistic early works, such as the 1919 self-portrait, give way to a resolutely surrealist approach as Miró becomes involved in the artistic current then sweeping Paris, where he spent much of the 1920s and '30s. The subsequent three decades then see the artist develop and hone the singular style with which he is most associated, exemplified here by exhibition highlight 'The Morning Star' (1940) and other selections from his 'Constellations' series. Finally, the show highlights how, even in his final years, Miró continued his lifelong search for new modes of expression.

The exhibition is closed on Mondays (except April 28, May 5) as well as May 7.

Few would argue against the late Leiji Matsumoto as one of Japan’s most visionary manga artists. Born in 1938, Matsumoto grew up fascinated by the night sky, a passion that would later shape his iconic stories such as Galaxy Express 999 and Space Pirate Captain Harlock. His work blends space-faring adventure with profound philosophical themes, exploring concepts of life, mortality and human perseverance, and has inspired creatives worldwide, even shaping the dreams of future astronauts.

From June 20 to September 7, Tokyo City View at Roppongi Hills will host ‘Leiji Matsumoto: A Creative Journey’, the first major exhibition dedicated to the prolific career of an artist who left an indelible mark on the world of sci-fi with his rich storytelling and strikingly detailed art. Marking the beginning of a series of events celebrating the upcoming 50th anniversary of Galaxy Express 999, this exhibition will immerse visitors in Matsumoto’s imaginative universe. Featuring over 300 original drawings, including early works, rare materials and never-before-seen sketches, the display offers an opportunity to dig deep into the Fukuoka native’s creative process and experience the timeless magic of his work.

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX -Beginning- marks a bold new chapter in the world-conquering franchise. As the first-ever collaboration between two titans of Japanese animation – Evangelion creators Studio Khara and Gundam’s Sunrise – this highly anticipated production fuses two distinct creative legacies into a dynamic reimagining of the mecha genre.

To celebrate this ground-breaking project, Anime Tokyo Station is hosting an exclusive exhibition from May 24 to August 11. Visitors will be treated to a curated collection of scene stills from the film version, immersive life-size displays recreating pivotal moments, and production materials such as original scripts. Standees of key characters and mobile suits bring the universe to life, while an AR photo zone invites fans to pose alongside motifs from the series for an interactive experience.

With free admission and content tailored for both long-time fans and newcomers, the show offers the perfect opportunity to step into the world of giant robots.

In the news for his role as the designer of the Expo 2025 site, Sou Fujimoto is an architect whose work explores the relationship between nature and architecture. Born in Hokkaido, he is inspired by the natural landscapes of his childhood and seeks to integrate organic forms into the built environment through an approach he calls ‘primitive future’.

This philosophy translates into an exploration of the limits between indoors and outdoors and the natural and the artificial, creating spaces that invite a new experience of inhabiting it. Fujimoto’s residential projects in Japan, such as House N, House O and House T, as well as international projects such as the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London, illustrate this desire to blur spatial boundaries. His work is characterised by the use of simple materials, often only one per project, implemented in innovative ways to create complex and intriguing shapes. The balance between a defined program and the freedom of appropriation by the occupants is at the heart of his approach.

Fujimoto’s first major Tokyo retrospective takes over the Mori Art Museum from July 2 to November 9. The exhibition offers a comprehensive overview of the architect’s journey over the past quarter century, showcasing his achievements. Models, plans and documentary photographs sit alongside life-size models and installations, providing an immersive visual and spatial experience of the essence of his work. The exhibition highlights projects such as the Musashino Art University Museum & Library, the Arbre Blanc in Montpellier, France, the House of Music in Budapest, and – yes – the Expo site on Osaka’s Yumeshima.