October 2023 events and festivals in Tokyo

Cosplayers who love dressing up as their beloved anime or game characters – instead of the usual witches, mummies and creepy clowns – will love this massive Halloween party in Ikebukuro on October 29 and 30. Expect more than 20,000 cosplayers parading the streets of Ikebukuro East, an area which is gaining ground as an incubator of subcultures.

If you want to show off your costume, participate in the Cosplayer of The Year competition online and you could become the face of the competition for the following year.

Tokyo's art scene is alive and vibrant, thanks to the ongoing Tokyo Biennale which began on September 23 and runs until November 5, 2023. Building on the success of its 2021 debut, this year's Biennale further establishes its prominence on the international art stage.

The 2023 theme, 'Linkage: Creating Connections', explores the pivotal role of art in nurturing societal relationships. As you navigate the exhibits, you are encouraged to unearth and interpret their 'linkages' or connections.

This iteration of the Biennale presents a rich tapestry of both international and local artistic prowess. A standout piece is Risaku Suzuki's 'Mirror Portrait – Lighting up a Corner', elegantly showcased at the iconic Toeizan Kan'ei-ji Temple. With mirrors as his medium, Suzuki crafts images that transcend time and space. In the same location, Yusuke Nishimura's 'Echo Works' features a pagoda meticulously fashioned from temple soil.

Meanwhile in Nihonbashi, media artist Marco Barotti will be exhibiting sculptures that mimic the behaviour of coral using AI. Through the movement, sound and vibration of this work, you’ll become aware of the climate crisis and its impact on the oceans. This exhibition aims to deepen the relationship between humans and nature.

Some artists are displaying their work across several neighbourhoods, like the Melbourne-based Slow Art Collective led by Chaco Kato and Dylan Martorell. Their art projects often revolve around multicultural coexistence and include elements of public participation.

Many of the exhibitions and events at the Tokyo Biennale are free. However, select exhibitions charge entrance fees ranging from ¥300 to ¥2,500. For those seeking a comprehensive experience, full-access passes are available for ¥5,000 per adult (or ¥4,500 if purchased in advance) and ¥2,500 for students (advance passes ¥2,000). These passes grant unlimited access to all venues during the festival period and include three ¥500 discount coupons applicable to paid events and official merchandise.

For a detailed program and more information, visit the Tokyo Biennale's website.

This super-popular bread festival is returning on October 29 and 30. It’s a gathering of Setagaya ward’s many renowned bakeries and bread shops, with the support of several guest bakers and producers from other parts of Tokyo and the rest of Japan.

The festival will feature around 60 vendors every day. You can sample local delicacies as well as baked goods and pastries from all over Japan. There are even workshops for you to learn how to make your own bread.

Now in its 39th edition, the annual Hello Halloween Pumpkin Parade will be attended by more than 1,000 children under twelve years old, who dress up to form a parade that spans the length of approximately one kilometre along the zelkova tree-lined avenue in Omotesando. 

What’s more, there’s a special Okashi Rally Map, which lists participating shops in the Omotesando and Harajuku area that are giving away free okashi (sweets) to kids. There are also booths for the little ones to partake in fun activities. If you’re looking for a meal, many restaurants and cafés in the area are serving special Halloween-themed menus throughout October.

Get into the Halloween spirit at Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome’s annual pumpkin exhibition, where over 100 pumpkins from Ibaraki prefecture are on display all over the garden. These pumpkins are much larger than the average Japanese kabocha, and can weigh up to 100kg each. Feel free to sit on them, take pictures with them, and even roll them around.

On October 28 and 29, you can participate in an exclusive Halloween flower arrangement workshop and make your own autumn-themed bouquets. It costs ¥2,500 per person with a limit of 20 people per session, so we recommend booking in advance online.

Tsukimi, or moon viewing, has been a popular tradition in autumn since the Edo period (1603-1868). This year, Hamarikyu Gardens is celebrating this Japanese custom with a five-day moon-viewing event between October 25 and October 29.

Go on a nighttime stroll within the lit-up garden, which once served as the residence for the shogun family. Just as in the past, old Japanese court music will be performed live on boats floating on the garden’s pond at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm on October 27-29.

During your stroll, look out for the various garden-themed motifs that are projected onto the walls and shoji sliding doors at the two teahouses. On October 29, you can participate in a tea ceremony at Matsu No Ochaya teahouse. It’s held every 30 minutes from 10.30am to 6.30pm, and you must book in advance via the registration form which will be posted on Twitter.

If you’d like to learn more about tsukimi and Hamarikyu Gardens, join the English-language tour on October 25 at 5pm. It costs ¥500 per person – just sign up at the information centre an hour prior.

Feeling peckish? Order a wagashi (Japanese tea confectionery) and matcha set at the teahouse during the day. In the evening, the matcha will be swapped out for a serving of sake instead. There will also be food trucks offering light bites and souvenirs.

Hamarikyu Gardens is extending its opening hours until 9pm throughout the event.

A total of 325 kinds of roses will be blooming at Shikinokaori Rose Garden in Hikarigaoka from October 7 to November 5. These autumn roses, which thrive from mid-October to mid-November, are known for their long-lasting fragrance and darker colours.

The Shikinokaori Rose Garden has a section called the Kaori no Rose Garden, which is dedicated to six varieties of roses, each with its own distinct scent ranging from fruity to spicy. The Shiki no Rose Garden, on the other hand, focuses on producing a wide variety of colours, all concentrated in one area. Don’t forget to seek out the garden’s exclusive Shikinokaori rose – its unusual pink and yellow marble petals have a refreshing black tea fragrance.

Throughout the Autumn Festival, there will be an outdoor market selling aroma products and exclusive goods by botanist Dr. Tomitaro Makino. The second-floor cafe will be offering seasonal desserts like a Halloween parfait made with layers of pumpkin and sweet potato paste, as well as a rose soft-serve ice cream. These items are available from 10am to 4pm daily.

On October 28, families with kids can participate in a Halloween parade and take photos with Nerima city’s mascot, Nerimaru. On October 29, you can enjoy a free concert featuring Waseda University’s string quartet.

Komazawa Olympic Park is hosting a ramen festival with over a dozen booths serving Japanese noodles from different prefectures. You can go for a simple shoyu (soy sauce) or shio (salt) ramen, or a rich bowl with tonkotsu pork broth, or one topped with generous amounts of beef.

You’ll find every kind of noodle that your heart desires at Tokyo Ramen Festa. Admission into the festival is free while a bowl of ramen costs ¥1,000. Meal tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the venue. 

The festival runs from 10.30am to 8.30pm, with the exception of October 31 and November 11, when it closes at 6pm.

This autumn, The National Art Center in Tokyo is hosting an exclusive retrospective dedicated to the life and work of acclaimed French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. Saint Laurent became a pivotal figure in fashion at just 21, leading the House of Dior before establishing his eponymous brand in 1962.

Crowned the ‘King of Fashion’, Saint Laurent revolutionised 20th-century women’s fashion with iconic creations like the 1965 Mondrian dresses and the introduction of safari pantsuits. This retrospective is the first comprehensive showcase of the designer’s work in Japan, offering insight into his 40-year illustrious career and distinctive style through various artefacts and photographs.

A collaborative effort with the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris, the exhibition showcases around 110 pieces of the designer's seminal work, including garments, accessories and sketches.

A festival dedicated to all things – you guessed it – beautiful and artistic, Designart Tokyo is back this year with its biggest event yet. It's set to take over central Tokyo, with an itinerary that's spread out across 100 venues in major districts including Shibuya, Roppongi and Ginza. 

This multi-location exhibition features works by 300 artists and designers, including Honoka’s innovative use of 3D printing for the 'Tatami Refab Project'. The list of participants has expanded this year to include contemporary craft artists from Bornholm Island, Denmark, who are showcasing their work for the first time in Nihonbashi's K-Five from October 26 to October 28.

Brands like Muuto, Sanlorenzo and the internationally acclaimed Issey Miyake are also contributing to the festival's diverse offerings. The essence of connection and collaboration still remains a crucial element, and with the expansive range of exhibitions, there's something for every art and design enthusiast. 

For the full programme, check out the event's website.

The new Immersive Museum in Tokyo lets you walk into Post-Impressionist paintings

The Immersive Museum reopened on July 7 following the success of its inaugural exhibition in 2022, which welcomed over 200,000 visitors for its mesmerising showcase of Monet’s Water Lilies. This time, the exhibition will feature digital renditions of roughly 80 masterpieces from the Post-Impressionist movement. 

Post-Impressionism diverged from its predecessor's preoccupation with the natural depiction of light and scenes. This era bore witness to artists such as George Seurat, Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh, who ventured towards the unexplored realms of emotive colours, distinctive brushwork and symbolic themes. This shift significantly redirected the trajectory of visual art history.

Inside the museum, visitors can traverse through the transformative landscapes of these visionaries. Immerse in the pointillist precision of Seurat's 'A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte', the revolutionary bridging of Impressionism and Cubism in Cezanne's 'Mont Sainte-Victoire', the rich symbolism and bold hues of Gauguin's 'Vision After the Sermon', and the vibrant empathy and colour of Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' in a wholly new way.

British artist David Hockney has unveiled his first large-scale solo exhibition in Japan in 27 years this summer at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo. The artist, who is regarded as one of the most versatile artists of our time, has spent the last 60 years of his career producing paintings, drawings, prints, photographs and even digital art to explore nature, landscapes, and human relationships.

This showcase features more than 100 of Hockey’s works, making it the artist’s most comprehensive exhibition ever held in Japan. Works range from his early masterpieces painted on the west coast of the United States in the 1960s to a series of large-scale paintings created during the Covid-19 lockdown in Normandy, northern France.

French artist Claude Monet was initially ridiculed for his Impressionism, which consisted of painting thin, rapid strokes using vivid colours. Still, he is now recognised as one of the greatest artists of his time. 2024 will mark 150 years since the world’s first Impressionist exhibition was held in Paris in 1874. This year, Japan is hosting two significant retrospectives dedicated to Monet and his works in Tokyo and Osaka to celebrate the momentous anniversary. The exhibition in Tokyo will be held at the Ueno Royal Museum from October 20 to January 28 2024, and showcase everything from his early portraits to late landscapes, including pieces from his famous ‘haystacks’ series.

Born in Llanelli, Wales, in 1958, Cerith Wyn Evans pursued his artistic education in London, notably at Saint Martin’s School of Art and the Royal College of Art. Initially known for his involvement in experimental filmmaking and assisting famed director Derek Jarman, Evans transitioned into visual art in the 1990s, yet his cinematic roots left an indelible mark. His oeuvre stands out for its exploration of form, be it through photography, neon-lit texts, sound, or video installations. Often invoking post-symbolist and avant-garde literature, his works serve as enigmatic interplays of light and shadow, fact and fiction. 

Evans is celebrated for his nuanced use of light and has carved a niche with his sculptural creations that challenge perceptions, blending the tangible and intangible. His mastery in manipulating neon, sound, photography and glass to shape immersive environments renders a unique sensory experience. With several accolades under his belt, including notable exhibitions at prestigious institutions worldwide, Evans' artworks grace the permanent collections of iconic institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, and of course, the Fondation Louis Vuitton. This Tokyo exhibition, encapsulating works curated before the foundation's opening in 2007, promises an enriching experience of Evans’ unparalleled artistic journey.