There’s plenty to keep you occupied in Tokyo this week, including a Gundam Factory Winter Illumination, Tokyo Comic Con, a Thanksgiving dinner event, art exhibitions and more.
1. Tokyo Beyond Festival 2022
The Tokyo Beyond Music Festival is a two-day showcase festival that brings together over 50 independent and small-label artists from both Japan and overseas. It takes place across several venues in Shibuya.
The independent festival is grassroots and organically run. It is based on the collaborative efforts of independent artist managers, live music venues, small to mid-size labels, community event coordinators and other interested supporters. It’s a partnership of artist manager Apryl Peredo, band leader Naoki Kaneko and Kenji Miyauchi.
When: Nov 26–27 | See more information about this event
2. Tokyo Comic Con 2022
After a two-year break from hosting and three years from hosting a real-life event, the sixth Tokyo Comic Con is now officially back. In addition to exhibitions and Hollywood guest speakers, there will be photo and autograph sessions with celebrities ranging from the Marvel cinematic universe actors to Stranger Things stars.
Tickets are already on sale, including special tickets to meet the stars.
When: Nov 25–27 | See more information about this event
3. Gundam Factory Yokohama Winter Illumination
Gundam, the world’s biggest robot, lights up in a new way this season at Gundam Factory Yokohama. A special winter production named “GFY Winter Illumination 2022 featuring Mobile Suit Gundam Mercury Witch” will be held daily from November 24 (at 3:20pm-3:45pm, 5:20pm-5:45pm and 7:20pm-7:45pm). Yoasobi’s song “Blessing” will also be played.
For five minutes from 6pm and 7pm there will be a different illumination event that is part of Yokohama’s grand winter illumination coordination. This ends on January 3, 2023.
When: Nov 24–Jan 9, 2023 | See more information about this event
4. Thanksgiving Dinner Event by More Than Music
Sundays are for winding down after a hectic week and sometimes an even more hectic weekend. More Than Music (MTM) loves organizing the occasional Sunday dinner combining tasty food, great live music and amazing people to bring forth the atmosphere of a family Sunday dinner.
The next dinner event is a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner with live music by Josiah Hawley.
When: Nov 27 | See more information about this event
5. Naked Star Aquarium Illumination
A one-of-a-kind Christmas-decorated space, the theme at Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa’s seasonal event is a “Sea of Stars.” Digital technology is used to create an exciting Christmas space that fuses images of stars and ornaments with living creatures. This year, visitors can enjoy a “Dolphin Performance” that depicts different Christmas moments during the day and night, an aquarium exhibit that links to the constellations, a café bar that looks like a gift box and other Christmas-inspired content throughout the venue.
When: Until Dec 25 | See more information about this event
6. Expat Expo 2022
The only exposition of its kind to be held in Japan, Expat Expo Tokyo returns on a much larger scale for its third year, once again to help international residents live their best lives in the nation’s capital. There are foreigner-friendly vendors focusing on education, healthcare and relocation services as well as dining, travel, shopping and much more. Go home laden with free goodies and new information that will change your Tokyo experience for the better.
This year’s expo offers two new attractions. At the world food fair, attendees have the opportunity to experience food cultures from all over the globe while the expat travel fair showcases attractions from a variety of destinations throughout Japan.
When: Nov 25–26 | See more information about this event
Roppongi Hills Christmas 2022 Keyakizaka Illumination Lighting Ceremony
7. Roppongi Hills Keyakizaka Illuminations
Approximately 800,000 LED lights illuminate the 400-meter-long Keyakizaka Street near Roppongi Hills this holiday season. The illuminations at Roppongi Hills are cool-toned blue and white lights which enhance the trees to look as if they are covered in sparkling snow.
When: Until Dec 25 | See more information about this event
8. Kisuiiki: 4 Exhibitions Exploring the Legacy of Oi Katsushika
ONA project room — a Tokyo-based initiative supporting artists who identify as female — presents the exhibition series “汽水域 Kisuiiki.” This project explores the life and work of Oi Katsushika, daughter of ukiyo-e master Hokusai Katsushika , through the work of four contemporary artists: Yulia Skogoreva, Yumi Arai, Aduki Kon and Hanna Saito.
The project is curated by Ewelina Skowronska, co-founder and director of ONA project room and is supported by the Sumi-Yume Art Project.
This weekend, the third exhibition “Robe of Night” by Aduki Kon takes place.
When: Nov 25-26 for “Robe of Night” | See more information about this event
9. The In-Between: Art Exhibition by Johnna Slaby
This series of traveling paintings by Johnna Slaby, based on her time working in New York and her recent visit to Europe, encourages her audience to look at the in-between moments in life while paying attention to found objects, poetry and colors. The series of paintings encapsulates the artist’s current lifestyle as she searches for stories and anecdotes.
When: Until Nov 23 | See more information about this event
© Shinya Fujiwara
10. The Eyes of the Prayer: Photographs and Works by Shinya Fujiwara
After traveling across Asia, Shinya Fujiwara made waves in the art world with his photographic masterpieces displaying vivid landscapes and people. The trip resulted in the publication of his book, Wandering in India, a year after his return to Japan. This exhibition introduces Fujiwara’s pictorial travelogues, which depict his unique social views. He is showcasing approximately 200 of his most notable works.
When: Nov 26–Jan 29, 2023 | See more information about this event
