From seasonal sights and arts events to traditional festivals and tech expos, there is a lot happening in Tokyo from late September through to December – making the autumn months a great time to visit.
See the leaves change
Tokyo’s parks and gardens are a treat any time of year but especially when the maple trees turn from green to red in late November. Rikugi-en, Koshikawa Kōrakuen and Hama-rikyū Onshi-teien are some prime spots to lose yourself in a kaleidoscope of colours; Rikugi-en stays open a few hours past dark, turning on flood lights for the occasion. You can also head to the hills to immerse yourself in the autumn phenomenon: Takao-san and Oku-Tama are two popular getaways, an hour and two hours respectively, by train from Tokyo. While the maples are definitely the stars of the show, don’t miss Tokyo’s signature tree – the gingko – whose leaves go gold in early December. From the Royal Garden Café on the appropriately-named Ichō Namiki-dōri (Gingko Street) you can sip a tea and admire them from the terrace
Rake in some luck
Rooster Fairs have been a Tokyo tradition for centuries, held at shrines in November (the month of the rooster according to the Chinese zodiac). Vendors sell kumade (bamboo rakes), that have been so lavishly decorated with symbols for wealth, longevity and happiness as to totally obscure their use. They take place two or three times during the month, on ‘rooster days’.
Art affairs
Roppongi Art Night (late September to early October) is Tokyo’s art scene turned up a notch. Colourful, large-scale installations are set up around the neighbourhood, Mori Art Museum stays open until morning and live performances break out onto the streets. In November, the twice annual DIY art extravaganza that is Design Festa – also known as Asia’s largest art fair – happens in Odaiba.
Go wild for Halloween
For decades Tokyo virtually ignored Halloween but now the city champions the American import. Thousands descend on Shibuya Crossing in costume for one big open-air party – you can elect to arrive in style, in a go kart and dressed as a cartoon or video game character, courtesy of Maricar. Other popular gathering spots include Tokyo’s gay district, Shinjuku Nichōme – start the evening at Aiiro Café – and the rowdy bars and clubs of nightlife district Roppongi. The city of Kawasaki (in between Tokyo and Yokohama) hosts a massively popular, other-worldly parade over the weekend closest to Halloween.
Have a moon-viewing party
You already know about hanami (cherry blossom viewing), now meet its autumnal cousin tsukimi (moon viewing). Full moons in Japan from September to December are big and golden, just like a senbei (toasted rice cracker) hanging in the sky. The traditional day for tsukimi is the fifteenth day of the eighth month, on the old lunar calendar. Every year the garden Mukojima Hyakkaen stays open until 9pm for three days on and around the full moon for a lantern-lit celebration with live koto (zither) music. Yokohama garden Sankei-en hosts a similar event with music and dance staged at one of the garden’s antique pavilions. If you can’t make it to an event, all month you’ll see restaurants offering seasonal moon-themed treats, like tsukimi-dango (rice dumplings). Don’t despair if you’re visiting out of season though, you can get tsukimi-udon, noodles topped with a bright yellow egg yolk year-round.
Catch a show
Over the last week of October, Roppongi Hills rolls out the red carpet for the Tokyo International Film Festival, which includes a mix of Hollywood blockbusters, the latest instalments from Japanese veterans and new pictures from up-and-coming directors around Asia. In November, there’s Tokyo Filmex, another film festival, but with a less commercial focus. Festival/Tokyo is Japan’s biggest performing arts festival, and runs throughout October and into November, with shows taking place in theatres – and on streets – around the city. Some are screened with English subtitles.
Tokyo's autumn foods
After a summer of beer, edamame and kakigōri (shaved ice), Tokyoites look forward to more earthy delights. King among them is the prized matsutake mushroom, which can cost hundreds of dollars per kilo. Look for them on sale at Tsukiji Outer Market. Saba (pacific saury) and sanma (mackerel) are the fish of autumn; both are delicious as sushi or grilled (yaki-zakana) at an izakaya (Japanese gastropub) like Okajōki. Other foods to look out for include: kuri (chestnuts), usually steamed with rice or sweetened and used in desserts; kaki (persimmon); and kabocha (Japanese pumpkin). It’s about this time of year that the yaki-imo (roasted sweet potato) trucks start making the rounds of Tokyo neighbourhoods, selling potatoes hot off the coals (that double as hand warmers).
Geek out
Head to Tokyo Game Show in late September, to try out the latest video games, mingle with fans or pay homage to your favourite character – TGS is known for its cosplay gatherings. CEATEC Japan takes place in early October and is Japan’s biggest electronics trade show; the place to see the latest gadgets and gizmos before they hit the shelves. The last of the big three autumn tech expos, in late November (and on odd years only), is the International Robot Exhibition. This is where you can meet and greet the creations from leading international robotics enterprises – that we are likely to be seeing more of in the future.
Title Image Credit: Simon Desmarais (Image Cropped)