While we may have to postpone visiting our much-anticipated exhibitions and shop openings till mid-May, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of things to see and do in Shibuya. Mother’s day is May 9th and many of Shibuya’s stores, like Shibuya Parco, are encouraging online shopping with great Golden Week deals. Technology is overtaking the streets with virtual festivals and new apps to keep you busy. On a sadder note, the mini-theatre Uplink Shibuya will close after 26 years on May 20 so get your fill of indie movies before then.

Music and Technology

Pull yourself into the matrix with a virtual music festival

While we may not be able to attend many concerts in person this May, there are still other options. 100 artists will take to Shibuya’s iconic landmarks for You Make Shibuya Virtual Music Live. Enter the online live house, Shibuya Under Scramble, through an entrance in the iconic intersection and be blown away by the music on offer. Everything is free, you only need to download the Cluster app and away you go.

When: Until May 23
Where:
Online

Electric kickboard scooter sharing app launches

Travel in style around the top spots in Shibuya with a futuristic kick scooter. The sprawling landscape of Tokyo can be a little tough to handle on foot. Cars, bike and trains are often too busy, expensive or unsuitable. Enter LUUP, a new app that allows you to borrow a kickboard from within three areas of Tokyo: Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Roppongi (with more to be added in the future). Just pick your kickboard up at any desired port and return it in another.

When: Launched on Apr 23
Where: Shibuya area | Download app for iPhone or Android

Shopping

Gifts for Mother’s Day at TRUNK Hotel

Treat your mother or someone you love with these dried flower gift boxes filled with luxurious creams and organic shea oil. Everything is made from skin-friendly organic ingredients that are designed to pamper and packaged in a personal and unique way with a heartfelt message. Choose from an array of oils: tangerine and lavender, orange and jasmine or sage and basil, and make someone very happy.

When: Until May 9
Where:
Online

Museums & Exhibitions

Kokei Kobayashi, Lotus Flowers. Color on Silk, Showa Period, 1932; Yamatane Museum of Art

A Profusion of Flowers at Yamatane Museum of Art

You will see a vast mosaic of petals and leaves at the Yamatane Museum’s 55th anniversary special exhibition with over 60 works on display. Since ancient times, artists in Japan have loved flowers. Working off of the Chinese-style floral and vegetal art of the Middle Ages, artists after the Meiji Period sought new expressions while still maintaining the aesthetics of the past. This exhibition focuses on such modern and contemporary Japanese painting, like Taikan Yokoyama’s cherry blossoms, Kokei Kobayashi’s lotus petals and Gyoshu Hayami’s camellias.

When: Until June 27 (Closed Apr 26 – May 11)
Where:
Map

© Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (Leiden, the Netherlands)

Discover the secrets of Ancient Egypt

The lives of the ancient Egyptians are undeniably fascinating, and the hunger to learn more about how their culture, politics, religion and medical knowledge is neverending. Taste a satisfying array of information with the illuminating Egypt, Land of Discoveries exhibition at Bunkamura. Over 200 historical artifacts travelled all the way from Amsterdam, home to one of the world’s largest Ancient Egypt collections. Sarcophagi in upright positions to never-before-seen CT scans of mummified bodies are sure to simultaneously enthral and disconcert you.

When: Until June 27 (Closed Apr 25 – May 11)
Where: Map

Restaurants & Dining

Swedish restaurant opens in IKEA

If you are one of those people that venture to IKEA just for the Swedish meatballs then you are in luck. There’s no need to dance around carts with the opening of IKEA’s first urban Swedish restaurant on the 7th floor of the Shibuya branch. The broad selection will include a barrage of vegetarian dishes: plant-derived meatballs (without the meat), keema curry and a vegan apple sundae. Plus, salmon fillet with a lemon dill sauce and more exclusive dishes unique to the store. Visit for an assortment of delicious food with an economic price tag attached.

When: Opened Apr 21
Where: Map

Limited mango sandwich from Fruits and Seasons

Mangoes are in season and where better to eat them than between two slices of soft, creamy bread. Having recently opened in January 2021, Fruits and Seasons holds the accolade of being Japan’s first vegan fruit sandwich speciality store. This summer they will release a juicy sandwich using ripe Miyazaki mangos, known for their sweetness and delicate texture. Perfect as a gift or lunch treat, there’s no resisting the vivid color and intoxicating scent.

When: Until Aug
Where:
Map

Other

 

Total lunar eclipse projection and event at Cosmo Planetarium

Observe the moon hide behind the earth’s shadow in this wonderous event at Cosmo Planetarium. They will hold a viewing party when the actual eclipse will take place on May 26, but you can view a special pre-projection a few days before just in case of cloudy skies.

When: Pre-projection: May 22, 23 (19:00-19:40) | Viewing party: May 26 (18:30-20:30)
Where:
Map | Reserve viewing party here


Know of anything exciting coming up in Shibuya soon? Anything to add to the list? Send us tips at [email protected]

Here’s what’s new in other parts of Tokyo and Yokohama: