The Ultimate Tokyo Golden Week Guide 2024

TDC2024 Exhibition

The Tokyo Type Directors Club (TDC2024) is a graphic design award focusing on visual expression of letters and words, now entering its 34th year. This exhibition will showcase around 130 outstanding pieces from its yearbook of 486 award-winning pieces.

Universal / Remote Exhibition

This March, the National Art Center, Tokyo will be hosting an exhibition entitled "Universal / Remote." This exhibition seeks to examine the various phenomena through contemporary art, such as the way we live and work within it and the state of society in the years following the pandemic. Eight solo artists and one artistic collective have come together to explore traditional themes in contemporary art, such as global capitalism and the digitalization of society. Featuring art from all of the world, from Asia to Scandinavia – including some works never before seen in Japan – viewers are invited to decipher post-pandemic society and the state of the individual.

Familiar Strangers Group Photography Exhibition

Ephemere (stylized as ephemere.) gallery presents "Familiar Strangers," an international group photography exhibition and publication. Aptly named "Familiar Strangers," the exhibition and book brings forth a captivating display of diverse portrait styles and perspectives from 150 photographers across the globe. The collection features an eclectic mix of traditional, avant-garde, candid, conceptual, and environmental portraits that offer a multifaceted exploration of the human experience.

Animals, Animals, Animals! Exhibition

The city of Tokyo expanded into a sprawling metropolis during the Edo period, around 400 years ago. This exhibition asks: "How did these Tokyoites interact with animals?" A deep dive of all things feathered and furry, 240 works have been selected from the Edo Tokyo Museum collections. The 100 Animal Views From the Edo-Tokyo Museum Collection showcases a diverse representation of animals through picture scrolls, ukiyo-e prints, and folk toys.

Bleach / Black, Blank & Bleed: Tite Kubo Exhibition at Azabudai Hills

A total of 10 new Bleach artworks created in 2024 are exhibited at at the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage Gallery in Azabudai Hills from March 8 to May 6. The prints in the Bleach exhibition are divided into two categories: the “Real Color Collection” and “The Press,” a monochrome series. In the color collection there are images of Ichigo and friends dressed in kimono, Ichigo and members of the Gotei 13 squads, as well as the Arrancar villains. For the Gotei 13 image, they are dressed in Japanese delinquent-like outfits, while one image of the Arrancars shows them in corresponding white outfits. The monochrome prints show special art from the manga. This is rare opportunity to see high-quality Bleach artwork selected by the manga artist himself, as well as purchase one of the very limited hand-signed prints.

Yokohama Triennale

Yokohama Triennale enters its 8th edition with the theme “Wild Grass: Our Lives.” Artists from Japan and further afield have joined forces to conclude a wide ranging exhibition across five different areas in Yokohama, including BankArt Kaiko and Yokohama Museum of Art.

Ginza Six Mihara Local Market

Enjoy local, artisanal foods and craft drinks made in Japan at Ginza Six. Ladybirds Bottle Shop Tsukiji will present a specially-curated lineup of the finest craft beers from around the country, and edibles like sandwiches and finger foods will be on offer from Ginza's local sellers.

Horinouchi Zine Fair and Flea Market

The community around Myohoji, Koenji's impressive temple, is hosting a Golden Week flea market and zine fair, inviting community members from close by and further afield to join in the fun. It will be held on a side street near the temple, which will be closed to traffic for the day and lined with stalls selling zines and flea market items. Over 40 different zines will be on offer, along with a myriad of preloved items — plus coffee from local cafe Niwatori Coffee and other snacks, including donuts from You And.

Nerima Shiki no Kaori Rose Garden 2024

Carefully managed by dedicated gardeners throughout the year, the Nerima Shiki no Kaori Rose Garden features 337 varieties of roses, including the "Shiki no Kaori" rose, as well as a dedicated fragrant rose garden, featuring scents of damascus and spice. There will also be a "Rose Garden of Color" where a palette of pink and other colored roses bloom, which will be enveloped in a rich fragrance and gorgeous spring roses. This spring, the garden also welcomes Kazutaka Komatsu for a garden concert, as well as rose scent comparison event using roses from the garden.

The Clutch Kickback Spring Fest

The important auto event series returns to Mobara Twin Circuit this spring for its bi-annual music and motorsports festival. All-day access to the track to practice drifting and grip racing for beginners to professional drivers; all wrapped in the energetic atmosphere curated by Tokyo's hottest DJs and performers.

J-WAVE & Roppongi Hills present Tokyo M.A.P.S

Now in its 16th year, the annual free music event run by J-WAVE and Roppongi Hills, M.A.P.S, is back for a Golden Week edition, with Origami Productions in charge of programming. Guests include Sakura Fujiwara and Michael Kaneko.

Asobiza Club Night

Daoko, the Japanese singer and rapper, has hand-selected a range of artists, from producer Taku Inoue to Kyun Desu residents, to play alongside her at Zero Tokyo. She will be performing live on the venue's main stage, while each room will see a wealth of diverse DJs and live acts.

Amp Broken Toys: Gamuso Rocks! Music Event

This April, Amp Broken Toys invites you for an evening of electrifying night of rock and soul at this explosive event: "Gamuso Rocks!" Unleash your inner rockstar and groove to infectious beats with a lineup of talented musicians, including Chikara The Boy, Akito's Way and Brainicide.

Adiel / Mind Off - 10th Anniversary

To mark the 10th anniversary of Mind Off, one of Tokyo's most beloved techno parties, a lineup of exceptional artists is converging on Japan for an exciting celebration, only at Vent. Adiel, a rising star in the techno realm, will make her much-anticipated Japanese debut, following in the footsteps of luminaries like Nina Kraviz and Amelie Lens, both previous headliners at the party. She'll be joined by Haruka and more.

Vital ft. Chloe Lula

Vital welcomes Chloe Lula from Berlin for her first Japan appearance. The Tresor resident DJ and Resident Advisor staffer will play dark electronics alongside a stellar local lineup, including Mayudepth and Akey, at intimate Tokyo club Enter.

Yokohama Marine Tower Golden Week Event

This Golden Week, Yokohama Marine Tower has a fun-packed kids' program. Featuring arts and crafts workshops to make something for Mother's Day and a giant ball pit for kids (ages 3-10) to jump around in, the area is open and ready for business. Adults can get in on the action too, with tickets available for the Yokohama Triennale on the same site.

Tokyo Tower Spring Event

Tokyo Tower's annual spring event is back. An impressive array of 333 colorful streamers will be displayed in front of the main entrance of the first floor, in honor of the height of Tokyo Tower (333 meters). It will make for a fantastic photo opportunity, and come Children's Day on May 6, there will also be various activities on offer in the vicinity.

Ginza Sky Walk 2024

From as early as 2020, there has been talk of transforming the Tokyo Expressway — a short, un-tolled expressway in central Tokyo — into the Tokyo Sky Corridor. This May, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is providing an early glimpse into what this new aerial corridor will look like. Available to 15,000 participants (with a possibility of a second round depending on demand), this new Ginza Sky Walk will offer the public an unobstructed view of the city along this two kilometer walkway from Shimbashi to Kyobashi.

Odaiba Dinosaur Expo 2024

Dinosaur-loving children and adults all over Japan will flock to this year's Dinosaur Expo taking place in Odaiba. It'll open in March and last until after Golden Week. There will be a specialty dinosaur store, Dinosaur Base, offering exciting dinosaur-related products, inspired by the 3D-printed models of the exhibition.

Dino Safari 2024

On Art Tokyo is excited to announce "Dino Safari 2024," an immersive live entertainment experience where lifelike dinosaurs will roam freely across a vast landscape. Built upon extensive research, these mechanical marvels faithfully recreate the ecological dynamics of their ancient counterparts, offering spectators remarkable up-close encounters. There will also be navigators (safari guides) and rangers on hand to ensure both the safety and enjoyment of visitors throughout the experience.

Sagamiko Illumillion 2023-2024

The famous Sagami Lake illuminations return for the 15th time this year. To celebrate the anniversary, in addition to its regular display which uses 6 million LED lights, Sagamiko Illumillion features a Doraemon-themed area for fans of the franchise.