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The legacy of the pleasure-loving inhabitants of old Edo, modern Tokyo continues to host an astonishing number of festivals, rituals, observances and celebrations. Starting with the traditional New Year visit to major shrines, to pray for good fortune during the coming year, the Tokyo calendar is full of high days and holidays, from the supremely populist to the positively esoteric. Some events mark a particular anniversary or date in the Buddhist calendar and are restricted to particular neighbourhoods, shrines or temples, while others, such as the spring cherry blossom viewing frenzy, occur citywide. The traditional arts, too, thrive here, with traditional drama, martial arts, the tea ceremony and flower arranging all widely taught and performed. Tokyo is a stop on the touring schedules of many internationally famous music and dance companies, pop groups and art exhibitions, further adding to the vibrancy of the local arts and entertainment scene. The Tourist Information Centre (tel: (03) 3201 3331) has a database of detailed information on the city's festivals and the English-language magazines Metropolis (website: http://metropolis.co.jp/default.asp) and Tokyo Journal (website: www.tokyo.to) publish listings of events, concerts and exhibitions. The English-language booking agencies, Ticket Pia (tel: (03) 5237 9999; website: http://t.pia.co.jp/) and Lawson Ticket (website: www.lawsonticket.com), are the major ticket merchants, with outlets located around the city. Events are regularly sold out and bookings should be made well in advance. |
Music: Lovers of classical music are well catered for in Tokyo. There are five resident symphony orchestras - including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra (tel: (03) 5353 9521; website: www.tpo.or.jp/english), the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra (tel: (44) 520 1511; website: www.tokyosymphony.com/e-tokyo) and the NHK Symphony Orchestra (tel: (03) 3465 1780; website: www.nhkso.or.jp).
Theatre: Of Japan's traditional dramatic arts, kabuki, with its gorgeous costumes, elaborate staging and complex plots, is probably the most accessible. Kabuki-za, 4-12-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku (tel: (03) 3541 3131; website: www.kabuki-za.co.jp), is a beautiful theatre that holds regular performances. English earphone commentary is available.
Dance: Overseas dance companies, ranging from ballet to tango, regularly include Tokyo on their itineraries. Performances are often held at Bunkamura, 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku (tel: (03) 3477 9111; website: www.bunkamura.co.jp).
Film: Tokyo's many cinemas were until recently concentrated in Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro and could be frustrating for foreign visitors. Although blockbusters were shown in English with subtitles, screens closed early and seats were never allocated on purchase, resulting in a serious scrum for good seats. Worse, more tickets were sold than the cinema could seat.
Literary Notes: Tokyo is home to Japanese authors as diverse as Kenzaburo Oe, 1994 Nobel Laureate in Literature, and Banana Yoshimoto, author of the cult novel Kitchen (1993).