Things to do in Tokyo today

An antiques and crafts market with the theme of ‘old yet new’ is taking place at Coredo Muromachi’s Nakadori Street on February 22 and 23. Expect a large number of shops selling one-off vintage Western goods, old Japanese tools, crafts, dry flowers, antique sundry goods and more.

Setagaya's Hanegi Park is home to over 600 plum blossom trees. These small, pink flowers bloom when the weather starts to warm up and Hanegi Park celebrates with a month-long festival. The Setagaya Plum Festival (or Setagaya Ume Matsuri) celebrates the flowering season with events like mochi pounding, tea ceremonies and traditional music performances. Most of these events take place on weekends and holidays. You'll find the event schedule here (in Japanese only). While you're there, stop by the on-site food stalls for plum jam or plum-flavoured treats like sweet mochi daifuku or baked manju with candied plums and white bean paste inside. 

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.

A popular place for plum blossom fans since olden times, Yushima Tenmangu shrine still draws crowds every year. The plum blossoms might get less hype than the cherry blossoms that follow, but they still make for some gorgeous late-winter scenery. This year marks the 68th run of the Yushima Tenjin Ume Matsuri. The annual festival is one of Tokyo's most popular late-winter events, and it takes place for a month from February 8 until March 8. The shinto shrine is home to about 300 plum trees, and most of them are around 70 to 80 years old. Approximately 80 percent of them produce white plum blossoms.  On weekends and holidays – February 8-9, 11, 15-16, 22-24, March 1 – you can look forward to events such as live shamisen (Japanese lute) and taiko drumming as well as flamenco and belly dancing performances. You’ll also find a number of stalls selling souvenirs from Bunkyo ward as well as local products from Shimane (February 8-9, 11), Aomori (Feb 15-16), Kumamoto (February 22-24), and Ishikawa (March 1-2).

Strawberry lovers won’t want to miss the Yokohama Strawberry Festival, which is celebrating its 12th anniversary this year at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. You can shop for strawberries from across Japan and enjoy the fruit in a variety of desserts and drinks. Look out for free samples as well, plus lots of other strawberry goods to take home. It’s also a photogenic festival with plenty of strawberry decorations around the iconic Red Brick Warehouse buildings. Don’t miss the giant strawberry installation, which is sure to be an Instagram hit. Note: Closed on February 18.

Enoshima’s annual illumination is widely touted as one of the three biggest and most impressive light-up events in Japan, alongside the ones at Ashikaga Flower Park and Sagamiko. There are about 10 illumination spots scattered across the hilly island – including the Enoshima Shrine, Ryuren Bell of Love on Lover's Hill and Nakatsumiya Square – so put on some comfortable shoes as you’ll be trekking a lot. Don’t miss the main attraction located at the island’s iconic Enoshima Sea Candle lighthouse, which is decked out in 70m-long strings of lights stretching from the tip of the tower to the ground, creating a formation similar to the silhouette of Mt Fuji. The Samuel Cocking Garden, where the Sea Candle is located, is transformed into the dreamy Hoseki (bejewelled) Forest, where everything from the ground and the grass to the trees are covered in rainbow-coloured lights. Keep an eye out for the Shonan Chandelier tunnel, all decked out with luxurious crystal beads and LED lights. Most attractions are open from 5pm to 8pm (until 9pm on weekends and holidays). You can see most of the light-ups on Enoshima for free, but you will need a ticket (¥500, children ¥250) to enter the Samuel Cocking Garden. If you're on the island early during daylight hours, head over to Enoshima Iwaya (¥500, children ¥250), as the island's famous cave, created by decades of wave erosion, is bedecked with sparkling lights from 9am to 5pm.

Succulent crab legs, salmon roe rice bowls and uni (sea urchin) croquettes are just some of the mouthwatering bites you’ll find at the Sakana & Japan Festival. Happening from February 21 to 24, this four-day event at Yoyogi Park Events Square is one of Tokyo’s largest seafood festivals, where you can feast on fish, crustaceans and the like to your heart’s content. There’s going to be around 80 stalls offering hot dishes like oyster ajillo, clam and shirasu (whitebait) yakisoba and niboshi (seafood broth) ramen to keep you going on a cold winter day. You’ll also find interesting dishes such as grilled steak topped with uni and black truffle beef sandwich and catfish burger, which will definitely appease serious foodies. Whatever your choice, you can always wash it all down with sake or beer. Entry to the festival is free. You can pay for meals with cash or e-payment options including credit card, Suica, Pasmo and PayPay.

Kameido's charming Tenjin Shrine hosts this annual early spring festival in celebration of the 300 plum trees – 50 koubai red blossoms and 150 hakubai white plum trees – on the premises. The goken-no-ume tree is particularly special as it has both red and white plums blooming on one tree. The flowers usually reach full bloom between the middle of February and early March, while a variety of events will take place throughout the festival period – mainly on the weekends.

UPDATE, January 28: Due to overcrowding, tickets sold online from January 29 onwards will be date designated. The sale of tickets sold on-site may be discontinued without notice during museum hours. Check the event website for updates. *** Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in 2023 aged 71, was one of Japan's most globally influential musicians and composers. He also had a talent for creating multimedia art and became a prominent social activist, concerned with pacifism and environmental issues. For much of the past two decades, Sakamoto focused upon three-dimensional sound installations, and these comprise the bulk of this show. A series of these immersive large-scale works unfolds around the MOT's vast exhibition spaces to mesmerising effect. The outdoor 'Sunken Terrace', for example, plays host to a literal 'fog sculpture' titled 'Life-Well Tokyo', produced in collaboration with artists Shiro Takatani, of Dumb Type and Fujiko Nakaya. Inside several works draw upon the music that Sakamoto created for his 2017 album 'async', a recording that pursued asynchronicity in a bid to create entirely 'untraditional' music. Indoor and out, together these pieces form a poignant tribute to a much-missed member of the creative community. 

The neighbourhoods of Ochiai and Nakai are famous for their traditional dyeing industries that date back to the Edo period (1603-1868). The annual Some no Komichi festival takes place in Nakai, which is affectionately known as the ‘Town of Dyeing’, where over 300 related businesses flourished between the early Showa era (1926–1989) and the 1930s. These days, the area is still home to a few skilled craftsmen, who work tirelessly to preserve the traditional dyeing techniques. For this celebration, dozens of colourful fabrics are strung across the Myoshoji River while you’ll find plenty of noren (traditional shop curtains) being displayed along the local shotengai (shopping street). You can also participate in workshops and watch demonstrations held at the local primary school from 11am to 4pm on February 22 and 23. For a deeper insight into the different dyeing techniques, sign up for the free English guided tours (Saturday and Sunday from 11.30am). Check the festival website for the latest information.