From sake ecstasy to Halloween hijinks to gay pride, 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.
Sponsored: Tokyo tipples
The Joy of Sake
The largest sake-tasting event held outside Japan returns to the homeland. Interest is fast growing in the domestic tipple as brewers combine tradition and technology in new and intriguing ways. The Joy of Sake celebrates the dazzling variety of delicious sake being made today with 380+ entries presented alongside appetizers prepared by specialty restaurants ranging from classic sushi to Italian. It all takes place in a spacious penthouse affording views of Tokyo’s skyline from high above Gotanda.
When & Where
- Nov 1
- 6-9 p.m.
- TOC Building, Gotanda, Tokyo - Map
- ¥¥8,500 (¥9,500 at the door)
Monday: Noodling around
Tokyo Ramen Show 2017
The most esteemed noodle makers from across the nation gather in Komazawa Olympic Park again to satisfy every noodle-maven’s dream. Local delicacies and variants of ramen will be on hand, allowing visitors to taste test a range of flavors not often available in the capital. Arrive early for best slurping before the crowds descend on the suburban Tokyo venue.
When & Where
- Oct 30-31
- 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
- Komazawa Olympic Park, Tokyo - Map
- Various
Tuesday: Fright night
Brick-Or-Treat
Families in the Nagoya region looking for some seasonal fun should point their compasses to Japan’s new Legoland, which is holding its first-ever Halloween event. Brick-Or-Treat welcomes kids with new characters making first-time appearances such as Frankenstein and the Mad Scientist. A giant pumpkin graces the main stage and welcomes guests to a Lego-themed Halloween world. Stations throughout the park offer candy to kids, and food and Halloween swag are available at shops and restaurants throughout the park.
When & Where
- Oct 31-Nov 6
- 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Legoland Japan, Nagoya - Map
- ¥5,300 (tax included), adults ¥6,900
Wednesday: Art icon
Hokusai: Beyond the Great Wave
Focusing on the last 30 years of the life of Japan’s most iconic artist, Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), this show produced by the British Museum takes his legendary "Great Wave" as a jumping off point. Hokusai lived to 90 and continued to create outstanding works till his death. The exhibition examines his personal beliefs through paintings, drawings, woodblock prints and illustrated books — many that had never been seen before in the U.K.
When & Where
- Nov 1-19
- 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Abeno Harukas Art Museum, Osaka - Map
- ¥1,500
Thursday: Thinking man’s beats
Stefan Goldmann
DJ, producer and co-owner of the Macro label, Stefan Goldmann believes techno music is about imagining the future and the excitement of change and discovery. Macro has been called “the leading avant-garde techno label,” while Goldmann also has a special relationship with Berlin’s Berghain club since his debut at Panorama Bar in 2006. He opened the legendary club to experimental formats and writes a regular column for its program flyer. He is also a co-author of the Berghain book and his own book 'Presets' was published in 2015, investigating automation and industry aesthetics in digital music production.
When & Where
- Nov 2
- 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Metro, Kyoto - Map
- ¥2,000
Friday: Girls ’n’ guitars
Chicks Riot! 2017
Want to discover some of Japan’s many awesome women bands, but not sure where to go? Produced by rock zine "Vamp," Chicks Riot! is an annual mini-festival devoted to some of the finer female acts on the circuit. This year’s lineup is headed up by the Live
Stompin’ Riffraffs, a retro garage outfit that even features a man among its psycho-billy circus. Also on the bill are Americo, a charmingly Ramones-like trio that pump out the most atavistic of rock ’n’ roll with the cutest of possible voices. Boysorder round up the bill along with a gaggle of DJs.
When & Where
- Nov 3
- 7 p.m.
- Koenji Green Apple, Tokyo - Map
- ¥2,300
Saturday: Creative kids
NonTokoyo: A World for Eternal Emergencies
Last year, students at Tokyo University of the Arts’ Department of Musical Creativity and the Environment declared their “independence” with a project to plan an “autonomous state.” Carrying on the same spirit, this new project is jointly organized with Korea National University of Arts. The project aims to find ways to momentarily break free from the world today, which seems to be in a permanent state of emergency. Following a two-week summer workshop, the students will arrive at an “unworldly” place offering new vistas.
When & Where
- Nov 4-5
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Buoy Arts Center Tokyo - Map
- ¥500
Sunday: LGBTQ solidarity
Kyushu Rainbow Pride 2017
Launched in 2014 by students from University of Fukuoka, the Kyushu Rainbow Pride parade has snowballed into an event that attracts thousands of people, with hundreds marching in the parade alone. The largest LGBTQ event in Kyushu features dozens of LGBTQ-related organizations and LGBTQ-friendly companies sponsoring booths celebrating Japanese LGBTQ culture in a free society. The parade leaves Reisen Park at 2pm and marches to Tenjin and back over the course of an hour.
When & Where
- Nov 5
- 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (parade at 2 p.m.)
- Reisen Park, Fukuoka - Map
- Free
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