Shinjuku will soon celebrate the opening of Tokyu Kabukicho Tower, Japan’s largest hotel and entertainment complex. To mark the occasion, Kabukicho district is holding a special festival this April. Kabukicho’s iconic neon sign will be lit up in blue from April 6 to 27, and there will be free live performances outside Tokyu Kabukicho Tower on the weekend of April 15 to 16.
On Saturday April 15 from 1pm to 2.30pm, you can hear live music from Japanese pop stars Charan-Po-Rantan, Appare and Ucary & The Valentine. Between 4pm and 5pm, there'll be a performance by the Soka Renaissance Vanguard marching band. Then from 6pm to 8.30pm, you can watch a live screening of Cinema Paradiso (1988), a coming-of-age movie about a famous film director returning to his hometown in Sicilly.
Sunday April 16 will begin with a traditional parade by Shinjuku Juniso Kumano-jinja Shrine, starting at 12noon from Cine City Square in Kabukicho. At 2pm, there will be a comedy show, followed by live music from Japanese pop stars YuMe, Ichika Hikari and Kimika between 3pm and 4.30pm.
The only event that requires a ticket is the Kabukicho Music Night finale on April 16 at 6pm. You can register for free via Peatix for the two-hour live music show featuring Japanese artists Blue Encount and Soshi Sakiyama.