takao fire walking festival
Photo by stan chow used under CC

Mt. Takao Hiwatari Festival (March 13): If you’ve ever wanted to try walking over hot coals, now is  your chance. This fiery festival comes around but once a year as a way to purify and cleanse, as well as promote world peace, health and prosperity. No need to sign up, just show up and walk the (hot) walk.

Japan Local Food Festival (March 12-13): Eat your way around Japan at this food festival specializing in local (furusato) dishes. Free entry and it’s right by Yoyogi Park, so you can conceivably take your fare and have yourself a picnic. (Plus, we’ve heard a few cherry trees are already in bloom there, which’ll make for a pretty backdrop.)

Capture the Flag – Urban Edition (March 13): See how well you can navigate the narrow, busy streets of Tokyo—all while defending your territory and outwitting the other team—in this urban edition of Capture the Flag. Participation is free.

Suggested Activity
Get Tickets To the Samurai Restaurant in Shinjuku [10% OFF]
Experience one of the craziest, most colorful places in Tokyo — the all-new Samurai Restaurant, from the creators of the Robot Restaurant. Get your tickets and sit back for a wild show of lasers, lights, samurai, dancers and other uniquely Japanese weirdness. ...

Blossom Blast Art Exhibition (until March 16): Blossom Blast is an art exhibition curated to shine a much-deserved light on emerging female artists in Japan, who oftentimes get overshadowed by their male counterparts. You have until March 16 to pop by and show your support at the UltraSuperNew Gallery in Harajuku.

Pixar: 30 Years of Animation Exhibition (until May 29): Pixar has come to Tokyo for a limited time as part of the animation company’s 30th anniversary celebrations. See over 500 pieces of original artwork from all your favorite Pixar creations.

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