Art Festivals & Events

About Tokyo Festival
Now in its ninth year, Tokyo Festival is a comprehensive urban arts festival held every fall around Tokyo’s Ikebukuro area which aims to connect with the world through Tokyo’s rich and diverse arts and culture scene. While showcasing the appeal of Tokyo’s arts and culture in an easy-to-understand manner, at the same time the festival aims to enhance Tokyo’s own creative capabilities.
Tokyo Festival 2024 will focus once again on the unique appeal of performing arts, an area which generates diverse values when numerous people visit theaters, engage in dialog, and exchange ideas. Under the theme“Transit NOW:Swing by the Stage,”the festival will provide a forum enabling everyone to take part with ease in this celebration of the performing arts.

The Tokyo Festival Executive Committee has announced that it will offer overseas visitors the following special tours in September. The tours are designed to promote the appeal of contemporary performing arts and the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre -- one of Japan's leading theaters -- abroad.

*Advance booking is required for all tours.
1. A guided tour in English by shuttle taxi for Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre’s Kinoshita-Kabuki "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai" (a story about three thieves), taking visitors around famous sites in old Edo where the play is set and which are linked to the play. The tour includes a ticket to performance.

2. Before the following program, there will be a lecture explaining not only the details and storyline of the work but also its background and concept, as well as topics such as the Tokyo Festival and Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. English subtitles are available for the performance.

-Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Presents Kinoshita-Kabuki "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai" / pre-performance lecture in English
-chelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Ensemble Nomad "Metamorphosis of a Living Room" / pre-performance lecture in English
-NORUHA "Virtual Disorder" / pre-performance lecture in English
-CONDORS Outdoor Performance "Let’s Turn the Table" / pre-performance lecture in English, Korean and Chinese

3. Exploration of Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre not only introduces the performing arts but also conveys the appeal of the theater building, designed by leading Japanese architect Yoshinobu Ashihara. The tour will be conducted in English, Korean and Chinese.

[Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Presents Kinoshita-Kabuki "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai" Shuttle Tour (includes ticket to performance) **]

On this tour, participants take a wagon taxi around the famous Tokyo sites providing the setting for “Sannin Kichisa” and the temples linked to the play before watching the show at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. Seeing the play after experiencing the historical context of the work and the cultural background of the Edo period will likely leave a deeper impression.

Monday, Sep.16, 9:00 a.m.* Monday, Sep. 23, 9:00 a.m.* Sunday, Sep. 29, 9:00 a.m.*

[Performance Viewing Tour with Lecture on Highlights **]

Before the performance, a lecture will provide not only the details and storyline of the work but also its background and concept.

- Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Presents Kinoshita-Kabuki "Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai” Tuesday, Sep. 17 12:00 p.m.* Friday, Sep. 20 12:00 p.m.* Thursday, Sep. 26 12:00 p.m.* English
- chelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Ensemble Nomad “Metamorphosis of a Living Room” Wednesday, Sep. 25, Saturday, Sep. 28 Each tour starts at 6:00 p.m.* / English
- NORUHA "Virtual Disorder”
Thursday, Sep. 19 6:00 p.m.* / English
- CONDORS ‘Outdoor Performance “Let’s Turn the Table”’
Saturday, Sep. 21, Sunday, Sep. 22 Each tour starts at 3:00 p.m. * / English, Korean, Chinese

[Explore Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Tour]

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is located in front of Tokyo’s Ikebukuro station. Tour guides and guide-interpreters for each language will walk participants around inside the theater, introducing special features of each hall and the history of the building, as well as inside stories. Join a guide to explore the theater’s varied attractions, which can’t be experienced just by watching a performance from a seat in the audience.

Friday, Sep. 27 2024 4:00 p.m. (JST) - /English and Chinese
Sunday, Sep. 29 2024 10:00 a.m. (JST) - /English and Korean