This Weekend: Tokyo Area Events for April 23–24

While many of you may be making plans for the upcoming Golden Week, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy Tokyo and its surroundings this weekend as well! Foodies will be gathering for a gourmet fair at Skytree, kids (and adults) can enjoy a nostalgic circus performance in Chiba, there’s a flower and plant fair in Yokohama, a nude photo exhibition, yet another flea market in Shinjuku, open-air yoga at Tokyo Midtown, and great fun for the little ones in Ebisu, where the one and only Peter Rabbit will come to life with a special recreation of his gorgeous and colorful world! Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!

Solamachi World Gourmet Fair

This is one of the rare occasions in Tokyo when you can have French smoked salmon paté as an appetizer, Japanese yakisoba for lunch, German sausages or a Czech cutlet for a quick snack, and a Belgian waffle for dessert while watching some jaw-dropping acrobatic stage performances. All this, not to mention a great variety of world’s best beer and wine. This is a wonderful event for the whole family to enjoy!

When: Sat, Apr. 23–Sun, May 8, 2016, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Where: Tokyo Skytree Town, 4F Sky Arena, 1-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida-ku, Tokyo

How much: Free!

POP Circus

While not as dynamic as Cirque du Soleil, but this Osaka-born Japanese circus, the name of which stands for “Pursuit of Pleasure,” is a classic, at-home-style entertainment that will certainly bring some of us back to our early childhood days where everything was much simpler. The stage will host acrobatic performances, clowns, juggling, aerial ballet, dog show, flying trapeze and other acts.

When: Sat, Apr. 23–Sun, June 26, 2016. Times vary; see here (Japanese only).

Where: Ario Ichihara Big Top, 4-3-2 Sarashina, Ichihara, Chiba (6-min bus ride from Goi station on the JR Uchibo Line)

How much: Non-reserved seats: ¥2,800 for adults, ¥1,500 for children; Reserved seats: additional ¥800 to ¥5,000, depending on the seat.

Tickets: At the door, at Seven-Eleven or Lawson, or online.

Open the Park Midpark Yoga

Tokyo Midtown is once again bringing the best in the city with its annual Open The Park Golden Week event, including an open-air koi nobori exhibition, an outdoor library, allowing you to enjoy a good book as you lay down on the grass, and an outdoor café for you to relax, highball in hand, beneath the bright sunlight. The highlight of the event, however, is the park yoga, which draws hundreds of participants every year. Choose between morning and evening sessions and enjoy getting healthy—and maybe even making some new friends!

When: Fri, Apr. 22–Sun, May 29, 2016. Morning yoga: 9:30–11 a.m. (reception from 9 a.m.); Evening yoga: 7:30–8:30 p.m. (reception from 7 p.m.)

Where: Tokyo Midtown, Grass Square, 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo

How much: Free!

Peter Rabbit’s Happy Garden

If you’re tired of just reading Peter Rabbit’s tales to your kids before bedtime, here’s a great opportunity to make the story alive for them to explore every depth and detail of it! Starting from this week for a little over a month, the area around Ebisu Garden Place’s famous clock will be transformed into the world of Peter Rabbit just as Beatrix Potter depicted it in her time, including a flower garden, a café, a pop-up store with cute stationery and goods, and even a visit by Peter Rabbit himself. If you get tired of all the fun, though, the adults can always make a quick stop at the Yebisu Beer Museum’s café for a cold one.

When: Now through Wed, May 31, 2016, 12–7 p.m.

Where: Ebisu Garden Place, 4-20 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

How much: Free!

Ryan McGinley: Body Loud!

Sometimes we all need to strip everything we cover ourselves in and just let it all go, as a way to liberate our mind and emotions. This is what American photographer Ryan McGinley’s art is really all about–liberation, natural beauty, and complete control of our lives. “Body Loud” consists of over twenty large-format photographs of non-professional nude models in a variety of natural settings. The images are powerful, surprising and uplifting for men and women alike.

When: Now through Sun, July 10, 2016, 11 a.m.–7 p.m. (closed Mondays)

Where: Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, 3-20-2 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

How much: ¥1,200 for adults, ¥800 for university and high school students

26th Japan Flower & Garden Show

Make your life a little greener with a visit to this large-scale event, featuring around 140 booths of everything you need to know about cut flowers, potted plants, gardening equipment and much more. The event attracted over 50,000 visitors last year, but this year, organizers say it will be even more popular, as it’s being held right in the heart of Yokohama for the very first time in its 26-year history! You won’t regret the visit—there are some unique plants and flowers on sale you’ve probably never even heard of, as well as a special tasting of edible flowers and a flower-burger counter for the curious ones!

When: Fri, Apr. 22–Sun, Apr. 24, 2016, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Where: Pacifico Yokohama, 1-1-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture

How much: Free!

Shinjuku Chuo Park Big Flea Market

This popular flea market hosts over 200 stalls, selling everything from vintage goods to clothes, pottery and interior objects. It’s on again this weekend, and it looks like the weather will be perfect for some outdoor treasure hunting. Don’t miss out!

When: Sat, Apr. 23, 2016, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Where: Shinjuku Chuo Park, at the back of the Metropolitan Government Buildings (near Tochomae Station, Exit 5)

How much: Free!