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Tokyo events for Monday, April 22 to Sunday, April 28, 2019 A good week for festival dining at various food events around Tokyo. Traditional ceremonies and cultural festivals are plentiful, especially on the weekend as Golden Week holidays begin. Toshio Suzuki and Studio Ghibli Exhibition The highly anticipated new Ghibli exhibition is now open. The exhibition focuses on the vital but lesser-known creator at Studio Ghibli—Toshio Suzuki. Off-Broadway Musical: “The Last Five Years” An emotionally powerful and intimate musical about two New Yorkers in their twenties who fall in and out of love over the course of five years. Performed in both English and Japanese. The Raconteurs An American rock band fronted by Jack White of The White Stripes fame, The Raconteurs have been creating their unique sounds since 2006. Nikufes Niku is the Japanese word for “meat”—and a lot of it is what you can expect at this festival. Meat from Japan and abroad will be served up in every form imaginable: kebabs, hot dogs, steak, roast pork, xiaolongbao, and much more. Downtown Drinks #37 Join the TC gang and fellow cheapos for a drink (or few) and casual mingling at Commune 2nd. This is our 37th casual meet-up and all are welcome—from readers to travelers to mysterious strangers. 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. Nakizumo Crying Baby Festival An "only in Japan" type of festival, parents enter their babies in a 400-year-old competition to see which one cries first, indicating the winner. It's based around the saying “naku ko wa sodatsu”, meaning “crying babies grow well”. Kon-Kon Kutsu Ichi (“Shoe Festival”) As a gesture of customer appreciation, local shoemakers gather at Tamahime Inari Shrine every year and sell their goods (shoes, accessories and textiles) for between 60% and 90% off their retail value. Ryogoku Nigiwai Festival Ryogoku, aka “Sumo Town”, holds an annual festival celebrating the sport and the culture around it. Celebrations take place at multiple locations in the area including the Kokugikan (national sumo stadium), the Edo Tokyo Museum and the Sumida Hokusai Museum. Plus lots of food stalls serving chanko nabe (sumo stew). African-American-Caribbean Golden Week Food Festa Head to Yoyogi Park to enjoy this festival showcasing Afro-American and Caribbean culture and cuisine—expect live music, dance and fashion shows and a slew of food stalls. Spring Oktoberfest The spring edition of Oktoberfest will be taking place in Odaiba over Japan’s Golden Week holiday. Entrance is free but food and drink is pay as you go. There will be a plethora of beer stalls, featuring both German and local Japanese brews, and food stands with the usual German fare, like pretzels, sausage, sauerkraut and more. Odaiba Hawaii Festival 2019 This year’s festival will feature Hawaiian music performances by national and international artists, a Polynesian show, Tahitian and hula dance shows, and Hawaiian market where you can pick up goods and snack on tasty Hawaiian food. Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival Meiji Shrine is dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Every spring the shrine holds a week-long event spanning Golden Week that features an impressive lineup of traditional performing arts presentations. Festivities include traditional Japanese music, theater and dance performances and a main Shinto ceremony. Tokyo Rainbow Pride Tokyo Rainbow Pride celebrates Tokyo’s LGBT community with a 3km-long parade on Saturday and Sunday around the Harajuku/Shibuya area. All welcome! Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival Another beloved blossom, wisteria is celebrated at Kameido Tenjin Shrine with food stalls, tea ceremonies and ikebana (flower arrangement) displays. Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival Nezu Shrine’s 300-year-old garden blooms again—with 3000(!) colorful azalea bushes. In addition, there is a plant fair, an antique fair, and many festive stalls.

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