This Week(End): Tokyo Area Events For Apr 28-30
Flowers, Festivals, And Fun In The City
Golden Week Part I is right around the corner, so get your pen and weekly diary out and take note of these exciting events happening over this week(end). From Meiji Shrine's Grand Spring Festival and Ramen Girls Expo to a major flower festival and a sumo event, Tokyo and its surrounding cities will be steaming hot this week! Enjoy!
The Best Of Sumo
Ryogoku Nigiwai Festival
While Japan’s traditional sport is in a lot of hot water now due to recent scandals, this event is worth attending to see the best sights and tastes of the sport’s good ol’ days. Organized by residents living in Ryogoku, Tokyo’s sumo mecca, this event is a must-see for any sumo lovers. Stop by for a taste of chankonabe, the staple sumo dish served by wrestlers, a free tour inside Kokugikan, the sumo arena, various food and drink stalls, and a number of great workshops and events for the whole family. The festival is divided into two areas, the Kokugikan street and the nearby Ekoin Temple, where you can also watch monks perform drumming and chanting, and so much more.
- Date
- SAT, APRIL 28 - SUN, APRIL 29, 2018
- Time
- 10:30 A.M. - 4 P.M.
- Location
- Ryogoku Kokugikan, 1-3-28 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo and Ekoin Temple, 2 Chome-8-10 Ryogoku, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
- Fee
- Free!
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: FAMILIES, FRIENDS, TOURISTS, SUMO LOVERS
Parenting Tips
Seminar: Raising Bilingual Children in Japan
Mary Nobuoka, a foreign mother of a bilingual 14-year-old child raised in Japan, will talk about the benefits and challenges of raising a bilingual child in Japan based on her experience as a mother and educator in Japan. If you're a parent of a bicultural child or are thinking of raising your children here in the future, stop by at this event!
- Date
- Sat, April 28, 2018
- Time
- 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
- Location
- Tokyo Children's Garden, 5-11-1-101 Higashi Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
- Fee
- ¥4,000/person
- Info
- Recommended for: Bicultural families, Couples (who want to raise kids in Japan), Educators
Fool For Fun
Akabane Baka Festival
Akabane Baka Festival is for sure an event with an unusual name, as the word “baka” stands for "fool" in Japanese. But despite the name, the entertainment is pretty conventional, including popular dances, such as samba, yosakoi and awaodori. The “fool” part of the festival is explained by the unique costumes participants wear during performances — it's fun to watch! Besides dance and music, there will also be plenty of food stalls with delicious Japanese snacks and even a flea market. On Sunday, the last day of the festival, a flamboyant parade will also take place at 12 p.m. Don’t be a fool to miss this one!
- Date
- SAT, APRIL 28 - SUN, APRIL 29, 2018
- Time
- 10:30 A.M. until late
- Location
- Akabane Station, 1-1 Akabane, Kita-ku, Tokyo
- Fee
- Free!
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: FAMILIES, FRIENDS, INSTAGRAMMERS, TOURISTS, FESTIVAL LOVERS
Flower Carpet
Showa Kinen Park Flower Festival
Tachikawa's Showa Memorial Park is a heaven for family outings: there's flower viewing, picnicking, playing sports, barbecuing, water play, and so much more. The park is currently hosting its annual Flower Festival, which includes hundreds of hectares of beautiful spring flowers of all colors and kinds. This weekend, enjoy the splendid sights of some 230,000 tulips in full bloom, the blue, blue nemophila and other spring blossoms. The perfect venue to get away from the crowds of Tokyo and enjoy a day in the park!
- Date
- NOW THROUGH SUN, MAY 27, 2018
- Time
- 9:30 A.M.–5 P.M.
- Location
- 3173 MIDORI-CHO, TACHIKAWA-SHI, TOKYO (CLOSEST STATION: NISHI TACHIKAWA)
- Fee
- ¥410 (ADULTS), ¥80 (ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS)
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: FAMILIES, COUPLES, SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
Spring Traditions
Meiji Shrine Grand Spring Festival
One of the largest annual events in the capital, the Meiji Shrine Grand Spring Festival offers plenty of opportunities to experience traditional Japanese culture. There will be several important Shinto ceremonies, including sacred dances, prayer offerings, performing arts such as Bugaku (ancient imperial court music), Hogaku and Hobu (classical Japanese dance), and Noh and Kyogen (classical Japanese theater). The perfect event for those in need of a cultural boost!
- Date
- SAT, APRIL 28 - THU, MAY 3, 2018
- Time
- Various (depends on events). Most events start from 10 a.m.
- Location
- Meiji Shrine, 1-1 Yoyogikamizonocho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
- Fee
- Free!
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: FAMILIES, FRIENDS, COUPLES, TOURISTS, INSTAGRAMMERS, INFLUENCERS, JAPANESE CULTURE LOVERS
All That Jazz
Jazz Auditoria
Get your groove on at the highly anticipated three-day jazz celebration. Every year, Jazz Auditoria, the most popular jazz festival in Tokyo, celebrates the International Jazz Day for four full days. Swing dance on live performances by Blue Note Tokyo All-Star Orchestra, Takuya Kuroda, Mommy FUNK!, Naoko Terai Quartet, Fox Capture Plan and many other passionate artists from the capital and beyond. Best thing? You can get full on all that jazz for free!! See program schedule for specific times.
- Date
- FRI, APRIL 27 - MON, APRIL 30, 2018
- Time
- VARIOUS
- Location
- Waterras, 2-101 Kanda-awajicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
- Fee
- Free!
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: COUPLES, FRIENDS, JAZZ LOVERS, MUSICIANS
The Perfect Cheat Day
BBQ & Beer Festival
This festival brings together two joys of life — BBQ and booze for a whole three-day-long weekend! Imported and Japanese beer will be available for you try, as well as plenty of food, including a wide selection of barbecued world cuisine, from Spanish fried meat to Jamaican jerk chicken. If you need a break from all the eating and drinking, you can enjoy the live entertainment, including live music, DJs and dance shows.
- Date
- FRI, APRIL 27 - SUN, MAY 6, 2018
- Time
- 12 A.M.-10 P.M. ON WEEKDAYS, 11 A.M.-10 P.M ON WEEKENDS
- Location
- Odaiba Symbol Promenade Park Yume no Hiroba, 1-3-12 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
- Fee
- Free entrance!
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: FRIENDS, FAMILIES, MEET & BEER LOVERS
Beer & Sausages
Yokohama Frühlings Fest
Frühlingfest is a German festival, held to, as its name suggests, welcome spring. Come taste over 200 kinds of German food and beer, see great performances, enjoy fun events with the kids, and buy yourself some unique German omiyage for back home.
- Date
- FRI, 27 APRIL - SUN, 6 MAY, 2018
- Time
- 11 A.M. - 9:30 P.M.
- Location
- Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, 1-1 Shinko, Naka-ku, Yokohama
- Fee
- Free entrance (The rest depends on you!)
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: FAMILIES, COUPLES, FRIENDS, GERMAN FOOD AFICIONADOS
A-men!
Ramen Girls Festival 2018
Even though ramen—the high-calorie, late-night noodle bowl or quick lunch choice—is usually associated with Japanese salarymen, this festival is targeting the female lovers of this Japanese soul food. The Ramen Girls Festival offers a wide selection of the best female-friendly noodle bowls in Japan — and no, we don't only mean low calories and low carbs. Men can also join, but may feel a bit out of place — women are in the spotlight here.
- Date
- Part I: THU, APRIL 26 - MON, APRIL 30, 2018
- Time
- 11 A.M. - 9 P.M. (WEEKDAYS), 10 A.M. - 9 P.M. (WEEKEND)
- Location
- Free entry, ¥900 per noodle bowl
- Fee
- Nagano Shiki no Mori Park, 4-13 Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: WOMEN, RAMEN LOVERS, FEMALE INFLUENCERS
Meet Your Favorite Characters
Pixar The Friendship Special Event
Come meet your favorite Pixar characters at this special event for kids and adults. Take photos with the characters at photo booths, buy fashion and stationery items inspired by Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and more. Held for the first time, Laforet will be full of cute and scary monsters this time, so make sure to stop by with the kids!
- Date
- Now through SUN, MAY 13, 2018
- Time
- 11 A.M.-9 P.M.
- Location
- LAFORET MUSEUM HARAJUKU, LAFORET HARAJUKU 6F, 1-11-6, JINGUMAE, SHIBUYA-KU, TOKYO
- Fee
- ¥1,200
- Info
- RECOMMENDED FOR: KIDS, FAMILIES, PIXAR FANS
Attending any of these events? Send us your best photos through Facebook or Instagram for a chance to be published on the site. #SavvyTokyo
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