Tokyo is so vibrant that it seems there’s never a quiet moment in the city. Every weekend is jam-packed with events, festivals and exhibitions of every kind. This September 27-29 weekend is no exception. In fact, you should brace yourself for a big weekend, as Tokyo is hosting a diverse line-up of festivals from contemporary art to traditional shrine parades. There’s even a rare late-season fireworks festival if you missed any of the summer pyrotechnic showcases a few months back. So get ready to go out and make the most of your weekend in Tokyo.
Roppongi Art Night
September 27-29
Tokyo’s Roppongi district is a contemporary arts hub by day and a party hotspot after the sun goes down. This annual event combines these two facets in a celebration of creativity that takes over art museums, shopping centres and the streets themselves. The 13th edition of Roppongi Art Night comprises over 40 programmes from 30 artists and art collectives, featuring exhibitions, performances, installations, digital works, music and much more.
Alongside major ongoing shows, Roppongi Art Night includes a host of exclusive presentations. Many take place in public spaces, and can be enjoyed without spending a single yen.
Kyota Takahashi’s ‘PongiRing - Parade of Light Flower’ will see a procession of people wearing flower-shaped, glow-in-the-dark rubber rings parade through the streets. Japan’s traditional Bon Odori festival, meanwhile, is reimagined by Electronikos Fantastikos as a hyper-energetic celebration of electricity, set to live music played on household appliances.
Taiwanese-Japanese duo Tsai and Yoshikawa present giant, abstract flower sculptures in fluorescent hues, and an 'urbanised' version of Japan’s fox deity will stand guard in Tokyo Midtown, courtesy of Hiroko Kubo.
Kita Fireworks Festival
September 28
Northern Tokyo’s hanabi kicks off the autumn season with around 10,000 shells of fireworks. Since the hour-long pyrotechnic display takes place behind the old Iwabuchi watergate, get your cameras ready for a magnificent shot, where the vibrant explosions in the sky bring out the bright red hues of the antique dam.
While most of the reserved seats have sold out, you can still purchase tickets for the ‘fan zone’ at ¥3,300 per person via Ticket Pia. There won’t be any chairs, so bring a picnic mat or a small stool that’s no taller than 30cm. Tickets for paid seats on the Kawaguchi side of the river are still available at ¥4,400 per person.
Fukuro Matsuri
September 28-29
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 from 6pm to 7.30pm on September 29. Sunday's festivities also include a fife and drum parade (2.30pm), double-dutch and hip-hop dance performances (3pm in front of the station, 3.30pm at Azalea avenue), taiko drumming (4.30pm), plus a lion dance (5.10pm).
Expect to see a similarly packed itinerary on Saturday September 28, with performances such as Hawaiian hula (3.40pm), Tahitian dance (4.10pm) and belly dance (5pm) kicking off the festivities at Ikebukuro Station's west gate park venue.
For more things to do, see our curated list of Tokyo weekend events.
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