This year’s Earth Day Tokyo will take place at Yoyogi Park from April 17-18 where messages of eco-friendliness, organic products, sustainability, ethics, and inclusiveness will be at the core of various events held as part of the festival.

This year marks Earth Day Tokyo’s 20th run as part of the global Earth Day initiative and brings together environmental NPOs, charities, and locals. Due to COVID-19, in-person events will only take place on April 17 and 18 but the festival will run online from April 17 to 25.

Earth Day Tokyo 2021 Concert

Concerts will take place across the two-day Yoyogi Park festival. Many musicians and guests have committed themselves to the future of the planet at the Earth Day Tokyo’s concerts, with past line-ups including Japan’s King of Rock Kiyoshiro Imawano, UA, BONNIE PINK, and more.

This year will see performances from Itou Seikou ITP, Kenichi Nagira, yae, scoobie do, Taiji Sato, Nozomi Nobody, hachi_Aigoz, tico moon, Rokuta Yanagiya, and Ichido Ryutei.

Market area

Every single product at the market booths has a story, and visitors will be able to hear about them from the makers in-person as they shop. And the items sold at the market will be different each day, stocking something to add a little environmental consideration into our lives.

C. W. Nicol’s “Nicol’s Forest Kitchen” sausages help plant forests

The late Welsh-born Japanese writer, actor, and singer-songwriter C. W. Nicol was the Executive Committee Chairman for Earth Day Tokyo from 2000 until his passing last year. He also launched Nicol’s Forest Kitchen in 2011 which has been a regular at Earth Day Tokyo to help protect Japan’s forests. The food stall will make an appearance this year too.

C. W. Nicol began to wonder how he could help raise people’s interest in forests as well as help revitalise forests that had been destroyed. Nicol’s Forest Kitchen project was his answer: to spread awareness through food, and in doing so, the project could help build up forests.

Visitors separate garbage themselves with the help of volunteers

At the Eco Station, volunteer staff will help direct visitors in separating garbage properly, raising awareness on the proper procedures which they can take away home with them.

Tokyu Musix Challenge is set to take place at Bunkamura Orchard Hall this year on March 7 at 18:00.

2020 saw the cancellation of music events across the world, with Japan being no exception. Shibuya, Tokyo’s hub of countless live music venues and halls, was particularly affected by the effects of the pandemic. But the energy and power that music artists hold is one they can offer to brighten up peoples’ time during today’s times. That’s where Tokyu Musix Challenge comes in, a new kind of music festival that will bring together a multitude of genres, and where better for it to be held than the cultural melting pot that is Shibuya.

This year will be the first run of the festival, where a collaboration between classical music and contemporary pop music will clash at Bunkamura Orchard Hall. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, which is recognised as Japan’s oldest symphony orchestra, will play alongside acts such as Little Glee Monster, Ai Higuchi, Win Morisaki, Meimi Tamura, Kayoko Yoshizawa, ROTH BART BARON, and more. And the line-up is set to grow as more performers will be announced in the lead up to the event.

Comments from the Artists

Little Glee Monster

“We are really looking forward to feeling the fresh breeze of our music colliding with the grand scale of an orchestra. We’ll be sure to play our part so that we don’t lose to the overwhelming performance of everyone in the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, but also so that our music complements theirs. We hope that everyone can have a good time and feel good from the strength that music has.”

Ai Higuchi

“In 2020, we may have all lived kind of complicit with so many options in front of us leading down different paths. A certain friend might have gone to a drinking party, another might not have seen their lover for a long time. What choices do we make? We become darker depending on our choices. In Shibuya, a city that continues to change, I will sing my unchanged songs.”

Win Morisaki

“Over this past year, the respect I have for the position I’m in where I can express myself has really sunk in. I’m so happy I’ve been able to get involved with this challenge. And getting to sing with an orchestra, it’s magnificent. I’m so excited about what’s to come.”

Meimi Tamura

“I can’t contain my excitement at a genre collaboration between classic, which is the foundation of music, and pop which is strongly tied to Shibuya. I think I’m going to start feeling tense at getting to perform alongside everyone in the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and singers of all different kinds of music. We don’t have a lot of freedom today during the pandemic, but I will work my hardest so that I can deliver love through music from the city of Shibuya.”

Kayoko Yoshizawa

“My chest roars and having the opportunity to perform along side Japan’s oldest and longest-running Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at the legendary Orchard Hall. It’s my first time experiencing singing with an orchestra, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the songs will be structured, and how my voice will sound, when we do it.”

Japanese IRL mystery game production company Haregake is launching a new game in collaboration with Cosmos Hotel Management who are known for managing the apartment hotel chain MIMARU. MIMARU Tokyo Asakusa STATION, a new branch, is set to open on April 22.

This game will take place around Asakusa in Tokyo and can be played by couples, families, and groups. The event is being carried out with all necessary COVID-19 safety measures in place and aims to get people learning more about the wonders of Asakusa with a game that incorporates elements of the district’s traditional buildings, culture, and more. It’s a chance to sightsee around one of Tokyo’s most iconic areas while solving puzzles at the same time.

The game kit can be bought at the vending machine inside MIMARU Tokyo Asakusa STATION when it opens later this month. It includes the story, which you can read below, and everything you need to get yourself started. There’s also no time limit, so players can take as long as they like while they enjoy the sights.

The Game’s Story

“I want you to find the treasure of Asakusa for me.”

So says the request that finds its ways to you – you, who are a detective.

A certain wealthy individual once resided in Asakusa.

He left a letter behind, and now this letter is in your hands.

“This map – perhaps it shows the location of this treasure.”

Will you be able to locate the treasure resting in Asakusa?

Head on out and solve the mystery as you walk around the district.

Akihabara’s premiere maid café chain “@home café” announced last month the opening of a permanent maid café themed on Sanrio’s popular character Pompompurin. The café is set to open along Harajuku’s famous Takeshita Street on April 14, 2021.

 © 2021 SANRIO CO., LTD.  APPROVAL NO. S620028

@home café has collaborated with many of Sanrio’s popular characters in the past at its Akihabara-based café branches such as Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and of course Pompompurin, but this time the collaboration is flying out of Akiba and straight into the heart of Japanese pop culture: Harajuku.

This new Pompompurin Café is themed on Pompompurin throwing a party for everyone—that’s you and your friends. It’s a place for Purin to deliver happiness to all who visit in the form of cute and tasty food.

Of course, the @home café maids will also be present, and all wearing original maid uniforms coloured like Pompompurin.

A little look at some things on the menu

The Food

Soufflé Omurice | ¥1,450

Butter Chicken Curry | ¥1,300

The Desserts

Pompompurin Pudding | ¥700

Chocolate Banana Mountain Waffle | ¥1,200

The Drinks

Custard Pudding Latte | ¥850

Muffin’s Caffe Mocha | ¥850

Take a commemorative photo

For just ¥550, you can take a chekki photo at the café. It comes with café-original stickers and paper. For an extra ¥300, you can take a photo with one of the maids.

Pompompurin Birthday Party

April 16 is Pompompurin’s birthday, so on that day the café will have a special dessert prepared (which you can see below) along with novelties for customers, new decorations, and more.

Pompompurin’s Birthday Dessert

Special Birthday Parfait | ¥1,700 | Serving: April 14, 2021 – April 30, 2021

Birthday Novelty

To commemorate Pompompurin’s birthday and the opening of the café, all visitors will receive the pin below for free.

Pompompurin will visit the café

On the evening on April 16, Pompompurin will visit the cafe for his birthday to celebrate with everyone. Details and bookings can be found here in Japanese.

To commemorate her exhibition “EGO” exhibition currently taking place at Anicoremix Gallery in Harajuku, Japanese illustrator Mai Yoneyama has released a collection of limited-edition t-shirts in collaboration with the sneaker brand atmos. The exhibition, which is showcasing many of Yoneyama’s works, is running until April 14.

Wear Mai Yoneyama’s iconic pop style wherever you go with these limited-edition tees.

The incredible Hoshino Resorts BANTA CAFE, a beachside cafe which offers guests a breathtaking ocean view along the Okinawan coast, has announced the upcoming Beachside Art Festival which will take place from April 10 to May 9. The festival will bring together artwork from a range of artists born and raised in Okinawa and leading the island’s youth culture. There will be a range of events from live painting to workshops, exhibits, and more.

The participating artists have all taken part in personal art exhibits, art events, showcased their work at concerts, and more both inside and outside Japan, but due to COVID-19, many events have of course been cancelled. Beachside Art Festival will serve as a way to display their wonderful works while supporting them at the same time.

The Artist Line-Up

DENPA

nami

HAYATO MACHIDA

Chibana Yukinaga

MACHIDA visiting BANTA CAFE to check the feel of the ocean and their artwork

Vibrant artwork with the ocean as the backdrop

Visitors will be greeted by artwork dotted across various locations around BANTA CAFE. If they follow the top of the cliff down to the beach they will find sofas to sit on which have also been decorated with the artists’ artwork. Then there’s the Goro Goro Lounge with its enormous window that stretches an entire wall and offers a panoramic view of the sea. Here, visitors can look out at the artwork which will look like it’s floating above the horizon. All drinks ordered also come with a free sticker featuring artwork by the four participating artists.

Experience art-in-the-making with live painting

DENPA and MACHIDA will host their own live painting sessions where they will take inspiration from the surrounding environment.

HAYATO MACHIDA @ April 10, 2021 / April 11, 2021

DENPA @ April 18, 2021

Times: 11:00-13:00 / 14:00-17:00

Where: In front of BANTA CAFE on the beach

Price: Free

Have a go at traditional Okinawan bingata dyeing

Visitors can have a go at making their very own coasters from nine different colours using a traditional Okinawan stencilled dyeing technique known as bingata.

Running: April 24, 2021 / May 1, 2021 / May 2, 2021 / May 5, 2021

Times: 10:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 16:00 (Each slot lasts approx. one hour)

Capacity: 4

Where: Iwaba Terrace

Price: ¥2,000 (Tax Included)

Note: Online booking required

Take home a souvenir at the beachside museum shop

A museum shop will be open for the event on weekends and holidays where you can pick up art prints, stickers, postcards, and other mementos.

Opening Days: Weekends & Public Holidays

Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00

Where: Beachside Terrace

Seibu Ikebukuro will pay host to the upcoming ‘PIXAR! PIXAR! PIXAR!’ event which will take place from April 8 to 19 in cooperation with Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Japan. Pixar fans can look forward to viewing a special selection of valuable concept art, buying merch, and more.

A Look at Pixar Animation’s History

Feel Like You’re at Pixar Animation Studios

The event will be a celebration of all things Pixar, from their early animation shorts to their upcoming film Luca. This will include a special area that recreates the real-life Pixar Animation Studios.

Pixar Office Photo Postcards (3 Designs) | ¥220 Each

BnL T-Shirt (One Size Fits All) | ¥3,520

Canvas Panel (29.7cm x 21cm) | ¥3,850

Event-Original Merchandise (Excerpt)

Plates | ¥990 Each

Shopping Bag | ¥880

Pins 8 Designs)

There will also be a trivia quiz to test how much fans know about their favourite films, as well as a special video showcasing the making of the original artwork displayed at the event. Around 200 pieces of merchandise will also be sold.

PIXAR! PIXAR! PIXAR! is a popular annual festival in Japan and a must-visit for any fan of Disney/Pixar.

©DISNEY/PIXAR All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

Contents Seed is hosting an event at Yomiuri Land, an amusement park in Tokyo, in collaboration with the popular TV anime series Jujutsu Kaisen which will run from March 27 to May 5.

Solve the puzzle and win an original pin

Amusement park rides take on a Jujutsu Kaisen design

Exclusive merch for fan collections

Pins | ¥440 Each (Tax Included)

Chibi Design Mini Acrylic Stands | ¥660 Each (Tax Included)

Acrylic Figures | ¥1,540 Each (Tax Included)

Long-Sleeve T-Shirts | ¥4,400 Each (Tax Included)

Fans of Jujutsu Kaisen won’t want to miss out on the fun line-up which includes new and exclusive merchandise, a puzzle game, a themed drink, plenty of photo opportunities, and more. They can also get free postcards when they buy any of the merch.

©芥見下々／集英社 ・ 呪術廻戦製作 委員会

Sanrio Harmonyland, the popular Sanrio character themed theme park in Oita, has announced the commemoration of its 30th anniversary with a special event titled ‘HARMONYLAND 30th ANNIVERSARY’ which will begin on April 26. Visitors can look forward to parades, a special night show with fireworks, celebratory merchandise, a special food menu, and more.

Memorial visual created by Japanese manga author and character designer Eisaku Kubonouchi

Harmonyland Parade Parallel 30th Memories

Daniel and Kuromi to make an appearance before the start of the parade

Throughout its 30-year history, Harmonyland has hosted many shows and parades for guests. For their 30th anniversary celebration, a special parade titled Parade Parallel 30th Memories will have three runs throughout 2021 and into 2022 which will feature a set list of nostalgic, old-time show and parade music. Guests will be able to experience what it felt like to be at Harmonyland back when each song was first performed. Check out the song list for the first run below.

Parade Song List

Parallel World 1st (April 23, 2021 – Late August 2021)

1. Hajimaru yo Party from Parade Shiroi Tori Kara no Okurimono (First performed in 1991)
2. Celebration from The Celebration Parade (First performed in 1996)
3. Happiness from Parade Shiroi Tori Kara no Okurimono (First performed in 1991)
4. Hajimaru yo Party from Parade Shiroi Tori Kara no Okurimono (First performed in 1991)）

Parallel World 2nd (Starting Early August 2021)

Parallel World 3rdnd (Starting Early January 2022)

30th Anniversary Night Party

A very special night show will take place which will see appearances from fan-favourites Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi who will be joined by a cast of dancers. Expect new music written just for this show as well as fireworks.

30th Anniversary Merchandise

An exclusive line-up of merchandise will be sold featuring a memorial visual created by Japanese manga author and character designer Eisaku Kubonouchi.

30th Anniversary Menu

Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration without a themed menu either, which will include meals, desserts like an ice cream float and soft serve ice cream, and more.

ⓒ 2021 EISAKU KUBONOUCHI / METEOR STREAMS

ⓒ 2021 SANRIO CO., LTD. TOKYO, JAPAN 著作 株式会社サンリオ

The beloved takeout bakery The Little BAKERY Tokyo, which is just down the road from another of Harajuku’s popular eateries THE GREAT BURGER, has undergone refurbishment to add a brand new eat-in space. The site reopened on March 22 as a bakery and cafe.

A tasty new eat-in menu

Crushed Avocado Toast | ¥1,250 (Before Tax)

Homemade Maple Granola | ¥1,350 (Before Tax)

New York Pizza (Pepperoni Slice) | ¥1,000 (Before Tax)

Classic Ham, Egg, & Cheddar Cheese Sandwich | ¥1,500 (Before Tax)

Apple Gorgonzola Cheddar Cheese Sandwich | ¥1,450 (Before Tax)

Bread loaves and takeout goodies

Red Bean Paste & Butter Ball | ¥420

Hokkaido Yotsuha Butter Croissaint | ¥260

Custard Pudding | ¥550

Hokkaido Brioche Loaf – Whole ¥580, Half ¥320 / Hokkaido Whole Wheat Loaf – Whole ¥560, Half ¥300 / Hokkaido Milk Loaf – Whole ¥580, Half ¥320 (Before Tax)

The new eat-in menu features a range of irresistibles like vegan-friendly avocado toast, homemade granola topped with fresh fruits and Greek yogurt, a selection of sandwiches made with homemade brioche toast, New York-style, pizza, and more.

Takeout options includes all the classics like bread loaves, sweet custard pudding, soft and crispy croissants, and so on.

There are around 30 baked delights to pick from at The Little BAKERY Tokyo all of which are made using flour from Hokkaido and natural yeast. All items on the menu are made fresh in-house every day, all ingredients from the salt and sugar to the eggs and more are domestic, and all ingredients are sourced sustainably and locally. The bakery also caters to all needs from those with food restrictions and allergies as well as a fantastic vegan menu which replaces animal products like eggs and butter with soy milk and grapeseed oil.

They even sell American-style doughnuts from the doughnut brand GOOD TOWN DOUGHNUTS who are inspired by doughnuts from Brooklyn. There’s around 20-30 to choose from, all colourful and all used with natural ingredients like fruit – none of the bad additives. Of course, there’s vegan doughnuts too, so if you’re struggling to find vegan food in Tokyo, you know where to go.

One worry in the bakery industry is that of leftover stock. But The Little BAKERY Tokyo has a solution for that: by wrapping up their pastries and baked foods and selling them as ‘DAY OLD BREAD’ on their online shop so nothing goes to waste, something which has received huge praise from people across Japan.

As part of the Ultraman 55th anniversary project TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION, a special VR attraction can be experienced at the “Ultra Heroes Expo New Generation World in Tokyo SolamachiⓇ” event which began on Saturday (March 20).

The VR experience makes use of the wireless ABALⓇ System technology which allows users to “move freely and go anywhere.” Users stand in a 3m x 3m space in real life but are welcomed into a virtual world that can span the size of Tokyo Dome. It can also link up with smartphones to display a 2D video chat which users can read in the virtual space.

International club event organiser elrow opened global applications for its “Up & Coming Talent” DJ contest on Thursday which is set to run until March 14. Anyone around the world who is aged 18+ can submit their applications via elrow’s official website.

Up&Coming Talent | elrow

Application Period: March 18, 2021 – April 14, 2021

Conditions: Aged 18+

Apply Here: https://www.elrowupncoming.com/

The contest’s mission is to find and co-create up and coming talent and help them build their careers so that they can find independent success in the music industry. They are looking to “discover and promote the new headliners of tomorrow.”

Several panels of judges will take part in selecting applicants. elrow is looking for two artists from around the world who have both DJ and production knowledge. Successful applicants will be added to elrow’s roster of artists for a minimum for one year. It’s a must for bedroom artists and dance music-lovers looking to make it in the industry.