Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat English-language performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Mar 3-11, various times. ¥9,000 (A)/¥12,000 (S). Tokyo International Forum Hall C, Yurakucho. Tel: HoriPro 03-3490-4949. Nearest stn: Yurakucho. http://meturl.com/joseph
Peter Rabbit and Friends Beatrix Potter’s most famous creation brought to life by the K Ballet Company. Mar 10-13, various times, ¥7,000 (C)/¥10,000 (B)/¥14,000 (A)/¥18,000 (S). Bunkamura Orchard Hall, Shibuya. Tel: 03-3477-9999. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.bunkamura.co.jp
Iron Maiden Veteran heavy metal gods. Mar 12-13, 5pm, ¥9,500. Saitama Super Arena. Tel: Creativeman 03-3462-6969. Nearest stn: Saitama-Shintoshin.
French Window: Looking at Contemporary Art Through the Marcel Duchamp Prize Exhibition surveying the first decade of the prestigious art award. Mar 18-July 3, Open Wed-Mon 10am-10pm, Tue 10am-5pm, ¥500 (MS and under)/¥1,000 (US, univ)/¥1,500 (general). Mori Art Museum, Roppongi. Tel: 03-5777-8600. Nearest stn: Roppongi. http://mori.art.museum/eng
Anime Contents Expo New event showcases cutting-edge animation works and products. Mar 26-27, 9am-6pm, ¥1,500. Makuhari Messe, Chiba. Tel: 03-3248-0510. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari. www.animecontentsexpo.jp
24th Table Tennis Asian Cup Japan hosts the high-profile ping-pong tournament. Mar 26-27, 9:30am. ¥2,000. Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium. Tel: 046-848-7492. Nearest stn: Kannai.
Art Fair Tokyo 2011 Sprawling art event features displays by Japanese and international galleries. Apr 1, 11am-9pm; Apr 2, 11am-8pm; Apr 3, 10:30am-5pm, one-day pass ¥1,500. Tokyo International Forum, Yurakucho. Tel: 03-5771-4520. Nearest stn: Yurakucho. www.artfairtokyo.com/en
Springroove 2011 Japan’s biggest R&B fest with Nelly, Flo Rida and others. Apr 2, 1pm, ¥9,500. Makuhari Messe, Chiba. Tel: Creativeman 03-3462-6969. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari. www.springroove.com/11
Kanamara Matsuri Held annually on the first Sunday of April, this camera-courting festival dates back to the Edo Period, when Kawasaki’s prostitutes visited the Kaneyama shrine to pray for prosperity—and to repel syphilis. Today, the festival is an international event focusing on fertility and AIDS, with fiant phallic portable shrines that are paraded through the streets by men in drag. Apr 3, 10am, free. Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine, Kawasaki. Tel: 044-222-3206. Nearest stn: Kawasaki Daishi or Higashi-Monzen.
Yabusame Edo-era festival where contestant dressed in traditional costumes compete in horseback archery. Apr 17, 1pm, free. Tsuruoka Hachimangu Shrine, Kamakura. Tel: 0467-24-3600. Nearest stn: Kamakura. www.yabusame.or.jp
Kylie Minogue “Dame Kylie” brings her Aphrodite tour through Japan. Apr 23-24, 4pm, ¥8,500. Makuhari Messe, Chiba. Tel: Creativeman 03-3462-6969. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari.
Dokidoki Flea Market Massive bric-a-brac market to coincide with the Golden Week national holidays. May 3-5, 10am-5pm, ¥500. Makuhari Messe, Chiba. Tel: 043-296-9211. Nearest stn: Kaihin-Makuhari. www.makuhari-dokidoki.com
May Grand Sumo Tournament A match-throwing scandal led to the cancellation of March’s basho in Osaka, but hopefully things will be back on track for the May edition. Proceedings start at 9am each day, but the “big boys” don’t come out until around 4pm. May 8-22, ¥2,100-¥14,300. Ryogoku Kokugikan. Tel: 03-3801-2692. Nearest stn: Ryogoku. www.sumo.or.jp/eng
Design Festa This freewheeling biannual arts event makes for an exhilarating—and frequently exhausting—experience, with thousands of artists from all over the world filling the vast Tokyo Big Sight with everything from arts and crafts to live music and performance. May 14-15, 11am-7pm, ¥1,000 (one day)/¥1,500 (two days). Tokyo Big Sight, Odaiba. Nearest stn: Kokusai-Tenjijo. www.designfesta.com
Sanja Matsuri This three-day event is one of Tokyo’s most iconic festivals. Over 100 portable Shinto shrines (mikoshi) depart from Sensoji temple and wind through the streets of downtown Asakusa. May 20-22, free. Asakusa. Tel: 03-3844-1221. www.asakusajinja.jp/english
Green Room Festival Donavon Frankenreiter heads the bill at this annual surfer-friendly music, art and film festival. May 21-22, time/price TBA. Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. Tel: Creativeman 03-3462-6969. Nearest stn: Nihon-Oodori or Sakuragicho. www.greenroom.jp
|
Tickets can be bought from Ticket Pia, the ticketing arm of all-you-need-to-know-about-Japanese-events mag Pia, among other places. Ticket Pia stations are all over Tokyo, and even if you don’t speak Japanese and don’t know how to fill out the form, someone should be able to help you out. Here are some Ticket Pia locations:
Shibuya 1F Bunkamura; Tokyu Dept Store, 10F West Wing; 1F Tokyu Bunka Kaikan; Book 1st; Ticket Port, 2F 109 Bldg; 8F Marui Young; World Sports Plaza, East Branch
Shinjuku 2F Isetan Dept Store, New Bldg; It’s Service Corner; Island Tower;
2F Center Wing; 1F Keio Dept Store; Ticket Port; 5F Seibu PePe; 7F Marui City; 8F Marui Young
Ueno Ueno Remix; CD Garden Flora Ueno; 9F Marui City; ABAB Ueno;
M2F Matsuzakaya
Ebisu Tsutaya Ebisu Garden Place
Ginza B1 Yamano Music Shop;
1F Sony Bldg; Hakuhinkan Ticket Park
|
Last year the sakura cherry trees opened their blossoms on March 21. The most popular spots in central Tokyo to enjoy hanami parties under the trees include: Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, Yoyogi Park, Aoyama Cemetery, Yasukuni Shrine and the Chidorigafuji area near the Imperial Palace. Other locations are along the Tama, Sumida and Meguro rivers, as well as the moat between Iidabashi and Yotsuya train stations. See www.jma.go.jp for the latest forecast.
Four national holidays in just over a week give overworked Japanese a chance for guilt-free time off. This year’s are April 29 (Thu) and May 3-5 (Mon-Wed). Travel out of Tokyo will be extremely heavy on May 1, with many people coming back into town on May 4-5. Expect most businesses to take a week off during this period, perhaps between April 29 and May 5. |
| |
|
