This weekend Halloween officially, yet unofficially, takes over Tokyo. While the entire city hosts spooky, fun and at times creepy events, that’s not all that’s happening in Tokyo this weekend. From eye-popping illuminations to chocolate festivals to jazz festivals to traditional Japanese festivals, there is every reason for everyone to get out and get in the festive spirit.
Night Sync Yokohama
Color Kinetics Japan and Kanagawa Prefecture collaborated to produce astounding illuminations and performances using projection sensory and technology. Engage with the interactive lights with your smartphone and see eight buildings surrounding Yokohama’s Shinko Plaza light up with colorful effects and searchlights.
English-subtitled Screening: The Heart
The Kamakura City Kawakita Film Museum is showing this universal masterpiece, in which egoism in human nature emerges, directed by Kon Ichikawa, known for Tokyo Olympiad (1965), The Makioka Sisters (1983), and so on.
Craft Chocolate Festival
In addition to a market featuring craft chocolate producers and luxury sweets from all over the country, the Aoyama Sake Flea is being held simultaneously at United Nations University, so you can try collaborative pairings of cocoa, cacao and liquor curated by the experts.
©Asagaya Jazz Street
Asagaya Jazz Streets 2019
Neighborhood venues, cafes and shops around Asagaya Station and the Pearl Centre Shopping Street host an array of jazz performances this weekend, from world-class musicians to up-and-coming stars and amateur enthusiasts.
Akita Harvest Festival
Discover Akita Prefecture and celebrate the first harvest of the year at this festival in Takanawa, featuring delicacies like kiritanpo nabe (chewy rice cakes formed into cylinders around skewers), Akita’s specialty produce like apples and pears, omusubi rice balls and Junmai sake. During the namahage march performers dress as the Japanese deities who condemn bad behavior, scare away disaster and bring blessings.
Oiso Utsuwa Days
This festival takes place at 50 different venues in the resort town of Oiso, located on the coast of western Kanagawa Prefecture, introducing new artists and connecting people and community through utsuwa, which commonly refers to any kind of cup, plate, dish or pot, though the word creates greater meaning, often referring to the beauty of daily use ceramics that enhance our quality of life.
Tokyo Ramen Show 2019
Japan’s largest ramen event returns to Komazawa Olympic Park for 12 days of top notch noodle action. Sample a wide variety of noodle textures, broths and toppings, as well as regional ramen specialities from Hokkaido, Kyushu and elsewhere in Japan.
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Tokyo Motor Show 2019
Take a test drive, watch some drone racing and check out custom builds, super cars, racing cars, mobility models and so much more at one of the world’s biggest motor shows taking over Tokyo Big Sight and the Odaiba area through November 4.
47th Oedo-Kakki Parade Nihonbashi-Kyobashi Festival
This mammoth parade and festival on October 27 boasts more than 2,000 performers from all over the country dancing, prancing, and shuffling their way down Chuo Dori in Nihonbashi – the heart of Japan.
Kanda Used Book Festival
This corridor of books lining the sidewalks of Yasukuni Street is a sight to behold at this annual festival at Jimbocho in Kanda – Tokyo’s book lover’s paradise. Also see a book fair with rare and valuable books, workshops and special performances.
TCS Improvazilla Show
The professional comedians and actors at Tokyo’s longest-running improv comedy show hosted at Crocodile in Shibuya on October 25 perform hilarious improv staples and embody zany characters based on audience suggestions.
Cirque Éloize: Saloon
Cirque Éloize returns to Japan for the first time in six years. Their Wild West-inspired show, “Saloon,” mixes dance, music, acrobatics and comedy in an incredible 80-minute show at Tokyu Theatre Orb at Shibuya Hikarie.
Benjamin Hosking
Benjamin Hosking – When skin has eyes – Book Launch Reception
Australian architectural photographer Ben Hosking, who has documented both contemporary and modernist architecture throughout the Asia-Pacific region for 10 years, releases his latest publication at BUNKITSU in Roppongi on October 25.
Tokyo Big Band Live @ B Flat with Toshihiro Nakanishi
The 19-piece ensemble’s repertoire includes originals, jazz and pop standards and fresh settings of traditional Japanese songs. The band welcomes dynamic violinist Toshihiro Nakanishi at this special performance on October 25.
SEKINO Yowsaku
63rd CWAJ Print Show
This year’s edition of the internationally recognized exhibition features more than 200 contemporary prints encompassing a wide range of styles, themes and techniques such as woodblock, intaglio, lithography and silkscreen.
Coelho & Ridnell Japan Tour
American guitar player and songwriter Dave Ridnell and Brazilian composer, guitarist and abstract painter Chico Coelho penned their first composition “Sunny Day” nearly a decade ago and continue writing and singing in Portuguese and English. Catch the duo at HOME Shibuya on October 26.
Kichijoji Parco Rooftop Flea Market
Kichijoji Parco resumes it’s rooftop flea market for the autumn season on October 27 with up to 100 sellers offering household items, clothes and handmade goods. The location on top of the eight-story department store attracts an interesting mix of sellers and shoppers, creating a fun and vibrant market.
Fantastical Beast by Leo Sasaki, glass
Leo Sasaki: Fantasy and Reality
Inspired by other people’s conceptual ideas – anything from robots to fictional creatures – artist Leo Sasaki, who launches an exhibition at Gallery Hirota Fine Art in Ginza, aims to give these concepts a concrete representation.
ASEAN Festival 2019 – ASEAN to the World
This celebration hosted by students from ASEAN nations studying in Japan includes the ASEAN Song International Competition, traditional games, cultural performances, a food festival, fashion showcase and more.
The Big Draw Tokyo 2019
The world’s largest drawing festival takes place in over 25 countries, involves over 1,000 events and has encouraged more than 4 million people back to the drawing board. This year Tokyo-based, British artist Divya Marie Kato brings The Big Draw festival to both Tokyo and Kyoto.
