Things to do this week in Tokyo

Monday 2

Okinawa Mensore Festa
Ikebukuro's Sunshine City and the surrounding area gets a distinctly Okinawan flavour during this week-long event featuring traditional dances and gigs, as well as plenty of food stalls selling treats like Okinawan doughnuts. Read more

Tuesday 3

Hokkaido Fair at Odakyu
Always popular with Tokyo foodies, the Odakyu department store's Hokkaido Fair ends today. This year's protagonist is the sea urchin, with many seasonal uni goodies like the limited-edition tasting set available only here. Read more

Wednesday 4

Tim Hecker
Ethereal and crushingly dense at the same time, Tim Hecker's is some of the heaviest ambient music around. Fans can now get a taste of Hecker's immersive live show in Tokyo, to where he arrives directly from Taico Club. Read more

Thursday 5

Siamese Cats
Tokyo indie rockers Siamese Cats have managed to rise from the endless sea of local melodic pop bands, emerging as a force to be reckoned with. Check out their psychedelia-tinged tunes at Shibuya's Club Quattro tonight. Read more

Friday 6

PED: Ped Tribe
Spend an artsy Friday in a gallery by the Meguro River, where artist Ped Yoshida will be displaying her imagination in all its complexity, focusing on the theme of a 'tribe' through paintings, weapons and more. Read more

Beer gardens
Summer is here, and so are the beer gardens: opening up all over town on roofs and terraces, these booze heavens offer a variety of all-you-can-drink-and-eat deals. Choose your favourite and start sipping. Read more

The Garden
If you'd rather rock out to some neo-punk than binge-drink in the sun, this Garden might be just what you need: identical twins Wyatt and Fletcher Shears play super-short and aggressive songs that will get your juices flowing. Read more

Saturday 7

Torigoe Matsuri
See the huge four-ton mikoshi (portable) shrine being shuttled through the streets near Asakusabashi at this festival known particularly for its intense fights that invariably break out over who gets to carry the monster. Read more

Tokyo Festival of Modular
This showcase for modular synths is a must-visit for everyone interested in the technology of electronic music. Synth makers, artists and advertisers gather here to sell their wares and perform synth-based music. Read more

Sanno Matsuri
Celebrated since the early 17th century and recognised as one of the three great festivals of Edo, the Sanno Matsuri marks the start of Tokyo's summer festival season. The main parade is next week, but events start from today. Read more

World Press Photo
A panel of judges sifted through submissions from 5,754 photojournalists in 132 different countries to select the winners of this year's World Press Photo Contest, and the best shots will be on display in Ebisu from today. Read more

Spring Rose Festival
Didn't get a chance to see the pretty roses at Kita-ku's Kyu Furukawa Gardens yet? Today's a great day to visit, as the flowers are at their best, the garden is showing its summer colours, and traditional music is being played. Read more

Harajuku Now
'Creative collective' Asobisystem is the force behind many top-selling Harajuku artists, but the trend-setting hit machine is showing its more sophisticated side at this Shibuya night, combining shopping and great music. Read more

Sunday 8

Outlook Festival Japan
Held in Pula, Croatia, the Outlook Festival is known as the top bass music event in Europe. The Japanese version of this famous bash is a somewhat smaller affair, but still very much worth attending. Read more

Balthus: The Last Studies
Balthus or Balthasar Klossowski de Rola is well-known as one of the most controversial artists of the 20th century, but few people are aware that he was also a photographer. Check out his masterful shots from today. Read more