From design dreams to pop-punk anthems, there’s something for everyone this week in Japan. If you’re doing something cool, leave us a comment or send us an email to have your event listed here.
Monday: Design dreams
Designart
To help replace the Tokyo Design Week event, DesignArt 2017 is a revolutionary new festival in Tokyo gathering together professionals in design, art, fashion, food, technology and other fields from around the world. Sprawling across more than 70 exhibitions, this pioneering event seeks to “bring emotion into our daily lives.”
When & Where
- Oct 16-22
- Various
- Various in Tokyo
- Free
Tuesday: Baltic reverberations
Tuulikki Bartosik
Virtuoso Estonian accordionist Tuulikki Bartosik debuts in Fukuoka. One of the first people in Estonia to successfully use the free-bass accordion in traditional folk music, Bartosik earned fantastic reviews for her first solo album, "Storied Sounds." She blends Estonian styles with the old Scandinavian instrumental tradition. The event is to be introduced by interpreter Janne Funk, who is involved in cultural exchange between Estonia and Japan.
When & Where
- Oct 17
- 7 p.m.
- Habit, Fukuoka - Map
- ¥4,000
Wednesday: Get arty
Enoura Complex
On a bluff overlooking Sagami Bay in Kanagawa, contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto has finally realized a lifelong dream in the form of his Odawara Art Foundation complex. Including the Enoura Observatory, the complex boasts gorgeous galleries and a theater for presenting both classical and avant-garde stage art; public exhibitions of objects from the Sugimoto Collection and contemporary art and architecture. The stunning new complex is worth a visit just to see the architecture and site itself, even if you don’t “seek out new horizons for human awareness.”
When & Where
- Oct 18~
- November to March, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture - Map
- ¥3,240
Thursday: Scare yourself
Photo: Herbert James Draper. Leeds Museums and Galleries (Leeds Art Gallery) U.K. / Bridgeman ImagesFear in Painting
This exhibition, inspired by the best-selling book "Kowai-e" (“Scary Paintings”) by Nakano Kyoko, picks up “scary” paintings (mainly modern European paintings, including those taken up in the book) and displays them according to subject such as myth, reality and history. Some evoke fear directly through vision, and others terrify you when you learn their backgrounds.
When & Where
- Oct 19
- 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Ueno no Mori Museum, Tokyo - Map
- ¥1,600
Friday: Get 2000s angsty
Photo: Sven MandelSimple Plan
Canadian pop-punkers celebrate the 15th release of their debut outing "No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls" with a nationwide tour of one of their biggest markets. The record was certified double platinum in the U.S. and along with records by Green Day and Avril Lavigne, helped set the tone of the entire movement. A perennial favorite here, Simple Plan donated $10,000 in aid after the 2011 earthquake.
When & Where
- Oct 20
- 7 p.m.
- Zepp Osaka Bayside - Map
- ¥6,800
Saturday: Living magic
Peter Barakan’s “Live Magic”
Noted DJ, TV presenter and rabid music fan Peter Barakan presents the latest iteration of his roots-centric music festival. Familiar talents including Cuban-born composer, bandleader, and jazz pianist Omar Sosa; and funk-jazz super-trio Soulive top the bill. Intriguing supporters include the likes of Celt-grass group We Banjo 3 and Singapore neo-soul outfit The Steve McQueens.
When & Where
- Oct 21-22
- 1 p.m.
- Yebisu Garden Hall, Tokyo - Map
- ¥12,000 (1 day) ¥21,000 (2 day)
Sunday: Sip a cuppa
Photo: GaijinPot TravelTokyo Grand Tea Ceremony 2017
Join a wide-ranging tea ceremony in one of Tokyo’s famous gardens. This annual event brings together a number of tea schools to provide guests from both Japan and other countries with an introduction to tea culture. As well as the conventional indoor tea ceremony, this event features a "nodate" outdoor tea ceremony, in which guests can enjoy a bowl of tea under the autumn sky, not to mention workshops for beginners.
When & Where
- Oct 22
- 9:30 a.m.-4:10 p.m.
- Hama-rikyu Gardens, Tokyo - Map
- Various
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