Tokyo events for Monday, January 6 to Sunday, January 12, 2020

Start the new year on the right foot with a temple-hopping pilgrimage—or by discarding old decorations in a ceremonial fire. Or sample your way through Japan’s regional dishes at the Furusato Festival at Tokyo Dome. Also on this week is the Tokyo Auto Salon, a comedy battle and the Matsuda Wintertree Festival.

Photo by iStock.com/y-studio

7 Lucky Gods Pilgrimage

There’s still time to set off on a Seven Lucky Gods Pilgrimage—a tradition dating back to Tokyo’s Edo period to pray for blessings and wealth for the upcoming year at various temples and shrines. The pilgrimage is usually completed before the 10th of January.

Suggested Activity
Challenge Sumo Wrestlers and Enjoy Lunch
Eat, train, and fight like a real Japanese sumo wrestler during this sumo demonstration and authentic 'Chanko Nabe' (hotpot) meal.

Midtown Ice Rink

The ice rink at Tokyo Midtown is up and running as of the 7th. It’s a fun and seasonal way to work off some of those holiday calories.

Torigoe Shrine Tondoyaki

Did you deck your halls with boughs of holly—or other such end-of-year decorations? Don’t know what to do with said decorations now that the holidays are officially over? Head to Torigoe Shrine to have them burned in a ceremonial fire called tondoyaki. It’s claimed that if you get some of that smoke breeze on you from the fire, you’ll be set for good health in the upcoming year.

Lewis Capaldi Japan Tour

Scottish chart-topper Lewis Capaldi will be performing songs from his “Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent” album at Liquidroom.

Furusato Festival Tokyo

Travel around Japan under one dome! The Furusato Matsuri offers a smorgasbord of regional cuisines hailing from Hokkaido all the way down to Okinawa. And don’t miss the chance to catch renowned cultural festivals that will be recreated (like the famous Aomori Nebuta Festival)—a great experience if you don’t have the funds to actually visit these places throughout the year.

Nerd Nite #40: 20 + 20

Nerd Nite is “the Discovery Channel with beer”, a worldwide monthly event series that mixes presentations, performances, trivia, demos, music, and of course drinking.

Tokyo Auto Salon

Makuhari Messe conference center will be filled to the brim as it hosts the Tokyo Auto Salon, one of the world’s biggest motor shows featuring customized cars and bikes. A great way to spend the afternoon if you love cars or just want to look at some cool stuff you’ll probably never be able to afford.

Your Hood’s a Joke! Tokyo

An international roast battle where rounds consist of two comedians squaring off to rep thier country, town or neighborhood.

Matsuda Wintersweet Tree Festival

See a stunning display of 20,000 wintersweet trees and their yellow blossoms.

National Museum of Western Art – Free Admission Day

Check out the extensive permanent collection at the Museum of Western Art in Ueno Park for free. Works include paintings from the late Medieval period through to the 20th century and modern French sculpture.

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Filed under: Events | Things to do in Tokyo
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