In the blink of an eye, we’re more first month of the year is over. We hope that 2020 has been good to you cheapos so far.
If you made a New Year’s resolution to go out and explore the city, here’s your handy guide to Tokyo February events. Aside from the festivities listed below, you can also catch the last of the winter illuminations. Additionally, keep an eye out on the plum blossoms—they start blooming in mid to late February, and we’ve got a guide here.
1. Setsubun (Feb 3)
Where: Various temples and shrines all over Tokyo
When: Usually from 12:00 pm onward
Admission: Free
Drive out bad luck and evil spirits in your life, and welcome good fortune with Setsubun, a festival during which people throw soybeans while chanting, “Out with demons; in with good fortune!”
This bean throwing ceremony is held in most temples and shrines around Tokyo—even small ones—but if you want to go big, the following are known to have large-scale Setsubun celebrations:
- Senso-ji (access: Asakusa Station)
- Zojo-ji (access: Daimon, Onarimon, Shibakoen, or Hamamatsucho Station)
- Kanda Myojin (access: Akihabara or Ochanomizu Station)
- Toyokawa Inari Tokyo Betsuin (access: Akasaka-Mitsuke or Nagatacho Station)
- Tomioka Hachimangu (access: Monzen-Nakacho Station)
These temples and shrines often have celebrities helping to throw beans, as well as other activities lined up, including ritualistic dances, performances, and free food and goodies.
2. Tokyo Tower Taiwan Festival (Feb 9-11)
Where: Tokyo Tower outdoor square (access: Akabanebashi or Daimon Station)
Time: Feb 9: 5:00 pm-9:00 pm; Feb 10: 11:00 am-9:00 pm; Feb 11: 11:00 am-6:00 pm
Admission: 500 yen
Celebrating both Lunar New Year and Taiwanese culture is the Tokyo Tower Taiwan Festival. Head over to this event for a taste of Taiwan’s delicious street food and for some stage performances by Japanese and Taiwanese artists. Details are still sparse as of this writing, but the event website says that this festival will also serve as a glimpse of a Taiwanese Lunar New Year celebration, as well as a chance to experience Taiwanese arts and culture.
3. Some no Komichi (Feb 22-24)
Where: Around Nakai Station
Time: Around 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Admission: Free
Nakano Ward may be known for the collector’s paradise Nakano Broadway and the shopping arcade leading to it, but less-known to many are the neighborhoods of Nakai and Ochiai. In the early 20th century, these areas were filled with dyeing factories, which led to this area’s unique heritage and reputation as a hub for traditional dyeing.
Having inherited the craft, descendants of the first dyeing artisans have continued finding ways to keep traditional dyeing alive—and Some no Komichi is one way to spread the word.
During this town-wide event, you’ll see cloth strewn over the river, creating a “river gallery.” Shops will also proudly showcase their noren (Japanese-style curtains), dyed the old-school way. There will be exhibitions and hands-on workshops; in previous years, there were also guided tours in English.
Some no Komichi - Fabric Dyeing Festival
