This year, Golden Week is spread across two long weekends — unless you’re one of the lucky ones to take an extra couple of days off for a full, uninterrupted holiday. Whether you only have a few days or over a week off, here are some unmissable events this Golden Week.

As always, click on the header for more details about each event, and have a great Golden Week holiday!

Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival

Kameido Tenjin Shrine is well known for its spectacular purple wisteria, which blooms in late April. The shrine is home to around 50 blooming wisteria trees which attract thousands of visitors for their beautiful lilac-colored flowers and subtle fragrance. The annual wisteria festival also features food stalls, tea ceremonies and flower arrangement displays to cater to the flocking crowds.

Tokyo Midtown Open the Park 2018

In celebration of Children’s Day, marvel at the Koinobori Collection of unique and colorful carp streamers flapping overhead (April 20th until May 6th) or walk through the “belly” of a giant koi tunnel which is set up on one of the park’s lawns (May 3rd and 6th). The ever-popular free Midtown yoga also returns – no reservations are necessary, just turn up with your mat and water and enjoy stretching underneath the open sky.

Cambodia Festival 2018

Experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of Cambodia at this colorful annual celebration. 2018 marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Cambodia, making this year’s festival extra special. As well as food and goods stalls there will also be a variety of stage performances featuring traditional and contemporary Cambodian dance and music.

Koinobori Now! Installation

This collaborative art installation puts a new spin on the traditional Children’s Day koinobori. Koinobori are the colorful koi carp-shaped streamers hung outside houses to commemorate Children’s Day, in the hopes that the young will grow up strong and “swim upstream.”

Meat Festival – Niku Fes Tokyo 2018

All the meat you could ever want, craft beers, sweet treats and wide array of live entertainment – it’s no surprise this is one of Odaiba’s most popular Golden Week activities! Each day features a different line-up of entertainment and activities, including yoga classes, rap battles, basketball trials and even Big Japan Pro Wrestling.

Tokyo Rainbow Pride – Rainbow Week and Tokyo Rainbow Pride Parade

A series of events celebrating diversity regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity in the week leading up to the Rainbow Pride Parade.  Events include everything from talks, workshops and support groups to book readings, club nights, yoga classes and film screenings.

The end of Tokyo Rainbow Pride Week is celebrated with the popular Rainbow Pride Parade, where supporters proudly march through the streets of Shibuya and Harajuku in a spectacular procession bursting with color.

Meiji Jingu Spring Grand Festival 2018

One of the most popular and well-known shrines in Tokyo, Meiji Jingu will host its annual Grand Spring Festival. The festival celebrates the changing season and features a wide variety of traditional events from solemn ceremonies to lively performances. The main event sees the shrine maidens perform “Urayasu-no-Mai”, a kagura (sacred dance) based on a poem written by Emperor Showa, praying for peace around the world.

Instameet Community JP: April 2018 (Close Focus)

A monthly photography meetup and photo walk with a focus on Instagram snaps. This month’s Instameet focuses on close-ups and macro shots. The group will head out to beautiful Kinchakuda Park to explore the beautiful natural surrounds on a macro scale.

Kawaii Flea Market

This regular flea market in Nakano Sakaue offers a mix of second-hand goods, crafts and collectibles to promote and facilitate recycling culture. Not only kawaii items are sold here – there is a wide variety of items, from unwanted household items and old clothes to antiques, as well as handmade goods.

Bricklive in Tokyo

Lego fans unite and build away to your heart’s content at Bricklive in Tokyo. The British-born event is a celebration of the ever-popular plastic building block that appeals to budding builders of all ages. Immerse yourself in a “Brick Pit,” compete with fellow fans at the “Race Tracks,” join together and contribute to the city “Built Map” or express yourself on the “Graffiti Wall.”