Tokyo events for Monday, February 13 to Sunday, February 19, 2023.

Love is in the air this week. We show you the main things to do on Valentine’s Day — spoiler: it includes chocolate ramen — as well as the latest early spring flower festivals.

Super Bowl 2023: Where to Watch

Whether you care about the outcome of the Chiefs vs the Eagles or you’re just sticking around for the commercials and half-time show (Rihanna!), then you might want to know where and how you can watch the game this Monday, February 13 at 8:30 a.m. (JST).

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. ...

Kite Market

The second part of the annual Kite Market will commence on February 17. Back in the Edo days, kites were considered lucky charms that help ward off fires, which were rampant at that time. Since then, a Kite Market — where kites are displayed and sold — has been held annually on the Days of the Horse.

Mukōjima-Hyakkaen Garden Plum Festival

Plum festivals in Tokyo come not only with flowers but also with traditional dancing, shows, and ceremonies. The plum festival at Mukojima-Hyakkaen Garden is no different and will have many things to see and do throughout the plum season.

Take a look at all the other festivals on offer in our dedicated plum blossom article.

Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival

Take a day trip to Kawazu Town in Shizuoka Prefecture and get your fill of early-blooming cherry blossoms. To celebrate the blooming of the flower, the town of Kawazu in Izu Prefecture will hold a festival, but this is usually just an opportunity to walk along the town’s river and marvel at the many blooming cherry trees.

There will also be nighttime illuminations from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Don’t get this festival confused with the Miura-kaigan Festival and the Matsuda Festival.

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. 19
Yushima District, Bunkyo-ku
Free
Official website

Sugita Plum Blossom Festival

10 minutes on foot from either Sugita Station

There used to be 36,000 plum trees in the Sugita area of Yokohama. While that is no longer the case, there are still plenty of trees — more than 100 — left to view. There will be traditional dancing, music, and other performances. This is only the second year of the festival and the first time it will be held in person.

Feb. 18–19
Myohoji Temple, Yokohama
Free
Official website

Suggested Activity
Tokyo Sushi Roll Cooking Class with a Visit to Local Supermarket
Shop in a local supermarket and learn how to cook Sushi & Japanese traditional dishes. Offered by MagicalTrip, a top tour operator in Japan with 5000 TripAdvisor reviews.

Valentine’s Day

Menya Musashi are offering a sweet and savory Valentine’s Day treat. | Photo by Lotte

Marketing ploy or not, it is still the “most romantic day of the year”. So if you don’t have any previous plans, why not visit the last of the illuminations, sample some chocolate ramen, visit some flower festivals, and more.

Read more about what to do in our Valentine’s Day article.

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Filed under: Events | Things to do in Tokyo
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