Things to do this week in Tokyo

Monday 13

Erik Satie and His Time
Travel back to 1920's Paris and venture into the peculiar world of composer Erik Satie at Shibuya's Bunkamura. The pianist listed Picasso, Debussy and Cocteau as his drinking buddies, so you know he is going to be a pretty interesting guy. Read more

Tuesday 14

Mitama Matsuri
The festival stalls may have been banned from this year's edition, but the annual Mitama Matsuri, one of Tokyo's biggest Obon festivals, is still worth a look – if only for the 30,000 lanterns that light the way to Yasukuni Shrine each evening. Read more

Wednesday 15

150 Years of Friendship between Germany and Japan
Head out to Chiba's National Museum of Japanese History for a look at the development of Japanese-German relations at this extensive exhibit, which goes way beyond the obvious commonalities of manufacturing prowess, economic growth patterns and World War II history. Read more

The World of Edo Dandyism
Edo's long peace gave birth to more than a little vanity among the weapon-carrying class, with elaborately decorated swords, mountings and other equipment coming into vogue. Review this 'samurai chic' at the Nezu Museum's in-depth exhibition. Read more

Thursday 16

Small Flea Market
Komazawa shop Transit Life is making an excursion to Kichijoji, selling antique furniture, decorative items, secondhand clothing and more at this petite market that showcases both retro Japanese styles and import ware from Germany and the Czech Republic. Read more

Friday 17

Shimokita Night Market
Shimokitazawa's Azuma-dori on the east side of the station gets into a festive mood for this celebration featuring flea markets, street performances, live music, goldfish scooping and rows of matsuri stalls hawking festival snacks. Make sure to wear your yukata for free treats. Read more

International Gourmet Fair
After spring outings in Komazawa Park and at the base of the Skytree, this celebration of 'international' grub now heads to Hibiya Park for more mouth-watering nibbles from all over the world, plus ample varieties of imported beer and wine. Read more

Tabunka Art Platform
Led by Japan-based Chinese artist Lushan Liu, this project aims to discover ways of creating multicultural societies through a series of exhibitions, workshops, talk events and film screenings. Check out the Benin-born 'Video Nomad' project today. Read more

World Highball & Beer Park
The lawn-side area of the Toranomon Hills Café turns into a barbecue beer garden from today, offering no-frills grilled grub plus a number of dishes tuned up with Chinese flavours by chef Koji Azuma. And if you're still hungry afterwards, these noodles are sure to satisfy. Read more

Saturday 18

Ueno Summer Festival
Ueno's natsu matsuri kicks off for real with a parade down the area's central street today, while there are market stalls in the park selling antiques, potted plants and more. You can also look forward to open-air gigs and tasty grub. Read more

Edogawa Goldfish Festival
The Edogawa area has been known for its goldfish breeding since the late 1800s, and this festival also boasts decades of history. Stroll around admiring the shiny specimens, buy some for your own aquarium, or try your hand at goldfish scooping. Read more

Adachi Fireworks
With its origins going back as far as 1924, Adachi's annual fireworks festival kicks off the Tokyo fireworks season. Around 12,000 rockets will be shot up from two locations along the Arakawa – the Nishi-Arai side of the river tends to be the best spot for relaxed viewing. Read more

Nekosen 2015
Does browsing funny pictures of cats online take up a considerable chunk of your time in the office? If yes, you'll love this Asakusa fair featuring artists from all over the country showing off their cat-themed photos, illustrations, paintings, ceramics, tableware and more. Read more

Brazil Festival
Formerly held at the beginning of September, Yoyogi Park's annual Brazilian festival now takes place at the height of the summer – just to ensure maximum sweatiness, we presume. Expect big crowds, exposed midriffs and plenty of hip-shaking. Read more

Bologna Illustrators Exhibit
Held annually since 1967, the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition is one of the world's top showcases for the genre. For those who couldn't make it to Italy for this year's edition, the Itabashi Art Museum now displays the work of 76 winning artists. Read more

Sunday 19

Yokohama Sparkling Twilight
Taking place around the seaside Yamashita Park, Yokohama Sparkling Twilight lights up not only the city but also the sky above it. Popular restaurants and bars set up booths, performances take place on the stages and parades cross through town – and all of this is before the main fireworks event. Read more

Setagaya Firefly Festival
It's not quite a Tokyo summer without fireflies. Come see them at Setagaya's very own Firefly Festival that attracts a respectable 20,000 visitors every year. You'll be also able to see the sagiso – a special type of orchid and the official flower of Setagaya Ward – at the height of its bloom. Read more

Tokyo International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
The summer edition of TIL&GFF is back with a selection of new and interesting films on sexual minorities, including Panos H Koutras's 2014 award-winning road movie Xenia, screened today at Omotesando's Spiral Hall. Read more

Nico Perez: Momentary
Originally from Spain, Tokyo-based photographer Nico Perez is now holding his first exhibition and launching his debut photo book, filled with images showing, simply, 'poetic moments in time'. Take a look at his creations at Ebisu's AL gallery. Read more

Ome Crafts Ippai-Ichi
Held monthly at Ome's Sumiyoshi Shrine, this smallish crafts market is where to buy accessories, ceramics, clothing and more. Open-air concerts featuring everything from taiko performances to Okinawan folk music also take place. Read more

Risaku Suzuki: Stream of Consciousness
Specialising in capturing natural beauty from unorthodox viewpoints, Risaku Suzuki puts on one of the more extensive solo displays for any photographer in Tokyo this year, showing off around 100 prints and three video pieces at Hatsudai's Opera City Gallery. Read more