Tokyo events for Monday, February 20 to Sunday, February 26, 2023.
An important holiday is coming up this week, and we don’t (just) mean the Emperor’s Birthday on February 23. While Cat Day on February 22 doesn’t mean a day off work, it’s still 24 hours to soak in all of Japan’s feline-centric places — we recommend visiting Gotokuji Temple or checking out some of the events below.
There are plenty of flower festivals still ongoing, such as those featuring plum blossoms or Kawazu-zakura early-blooming cherry blossoms.
Kawaii Monster Party
The Kawaii Monster Cafe may be gone but the party is back, baby! In this fantastic new show experience, you’ll get to see dancers, drag queens, DJs, and — of course — Monsters give vibrant performances as they represent Tokyo’s most dynamic neighborhoods: Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku Ni-chome. This is the first party of 2023, and there’s plenty more coming up. Watch this space!
| Advance sales: ¥3,600 | ||
Ashigakubo Icicles Illumination
From early January to late February every year, icicles and other interesting shapes appear in Yokoze, Saitama. On Fridays, weekends, and holidays, the area will also be lit up, creating an eerily beautiful frozen wonderland. It takes around 1 hour and 25 minutes to get there from Ikebukuro Station.
| Advance sales: ¥500 | At the door: ¥500 | |
Some no Komichi (Fabric Dyeing Festival)
“Some no Komichi” is a festival highlighting the art of dyeing and screen printing in the Nakai/Ochiai area of Shinjuku ward. Traditionally, dye producers were located along the banks of the Myoshoji River which runs through the area. On clear days, colorful kimono fabrics were hung out to dry outside the factories. As an artistic tribute to this heritage, long pieces of kimono cloth will be draped on wires above the river as a “River Gallery.”
Doll Floating Ceremony
Hinamatsuri (“Doll Festival”) is an annual event in Japan to celebrate the good health of girls. It’s typically celebrated by arranging dolls on a red carpet. However the source of this celebration is actually a ceremony in which people floated dolls on boats down rivers to carry bad luck away. This custom is continued in Sumida Park on the Asakusa side of the river near Azumabashi bridge.
The Pirates of Tokyo Bay Bilingual Improv Show
The Pirates of Tokyo Bay is a short-form improv comedy group in Tokyo. A similar style to “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, this show will be in both English and Japanese, so there’s something for everyone.
| Advance sales: ¥2,000 | At the door: ¥2,000 | |
Cat Holiday Exhibition Winter 2023
Did you know that Cat Day in Japan is celebrated on February 22? So why not celebrate the cute fur balls with this joint photo exhibition featuring Instagram stars, craft stalls, and more! Popular cat creators will gather together to sell handmade goods and show of their amateur and professional photography. The stalls include shops with feline pottery, miniature displays, postcards, and stickers.
| At the door: ¥700 | ||
Sakana and Japan Festival 2023
Load up your plate at this year’s Sakana and Japan Festival. Happening over the course of four days, this is a chance to sample some of Japan’s best sakana (fish). This is a sister event to Hibiya Park’s Fisherman’s Festival in November.
The 16th Cat Festival in Yushima
If you are feeling feline, this popular event held twice a year sees the district of Yushima in Bunkyo Ward comes alive with furry fun — the family-friendly kind. There will be talks about cats, a shrine celebrating cats, exhibitions with cat trinkets, and local restaurants and shops will also participate in the cat madness.
Feb. 15–Mar. 19Yushima District, Bunkyo-ku
Free
Official website
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