Tonight (Friday the the 9th) and Saturday the 10th sees an evening Bon Dance festival in the very central Hibiya Park. A stone’s throw from the Marunouchi financial district and a short walk from Ginza, this festival will see a diverse range of participants. The dancing and festivities happen around the central fountain from 6pm to 9pm on both days.
From an accessible Bon Dance festival to one of the most accessible and scenic fireworks festivals in Tokyo – the Tokyo Bay Fireworks Festival. The festival starts at 6:50pm centered on the shoreline of the Harumi district to the east of Ginza. Organizers advise to avoid Kachidoki Station as it will be crowded beyond your wildest nightmares. The festival is over the water so there are plenty of places to get a good view.
Comiket – an enormous convention for independent manga artists takes place from Saturday the 10th through Monday the 12th. As with anything manga/anime related, it attracts cosplayers like moths to a flame. Admission is free but you’re kind o expected to buy the catalog. Comiket is open for business at Tokyo Bigsight in Odaiba from 10am to 4pm on each day.
Meanwhile at the Yoyogi Park Events Square there are not one but two completely different multinational festivals on at the same time. The main event area will be taken up by the ASEAN Festival. Ostensibly a celebration of the food and culture of the countries that make up the Association of South East Asian Nations, the entertainment line-up seems to consist mainly of Japanese female “Idol” groups. On right next door will be the Carib Latin American Street festival. Festivities for both will run from about 10am to 8pm on both days. The closest station is Harajuku/Meijijingumae on the JR Yamanote Line and the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Lines.
