"Disney Palooza" is a special event series designed around the joy of having a blast with friends, filled with laughter and play. Kicking off with Minnie Mouse, the series passed the baton to Donald Duck for its second installment.

The highlight of the event is the "Quacky Celebration: Donald The Legend!" entertainment program. Set in Donald's dream city, Duck City, it features a festival-like celebration where Disney characters gather to honor superstar Donald Duck. The performance, a vibrant spectacle of about 35 minutes, occurs once or twice daily along the parade route and in front of the castle (Castle Forecourt).

Transforming for the occasion, the entrance's flowerbed transitions from Mickey to Donald themes, and a Donald Duck monument takes center stage in the World Bazaar, immersing the park in Duck City decorations. Inspired by the world of Duck City, special merchandise and themed menus are available for purchase.

Tokyo Skytree Town® is hosting various spring events until April 7th, featuring cherry blossom decorations throughout to create a springtime feel. At the Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck Floor 350, visitors can find a photo spot designed to simulate the experience of viewing cherry blossoms from above. After sunset, the Tokyo Skytree® lights up with a special lighting display named Mai, turning it into the world's tallest cherry blossom through shades of pink and sparkling whites to capture the beauty of swirling cherry petals.

Furthermore, artificial cherry blossoms set up at Solamachi Square on the first floor enhance the cherry blossom viewing atmosphere. The event also includes cherry blossom-themed limited menus and sweets, Solamachi Bread Marche 2024 featuring around 30 popular bakeries, and YORIMICHI CAFE STREET, where about 25 popular stores from the surrounding Oshiage area gather.

The Maxell Aquapark Shinagawa is hosting a spring limited event, "NAKED SAKURA AQUARIUM", created by the creative production known as NAKED, pioneers in projection mapping.

The concept invites visitors to enjoy cherry blossom viewing in a sea world alongside marine life, starting right from the entrance adorned in cherry blossoms.

Featuring digital art inspired by a spring Japanese garden, "Sakura News" allows visitors to interact with cherry blossom-colored walls where flowers bloom at the touch of a hand.

The event includes immersive experiences like "Dancing Sakura Garden" where fish swim among blossoms and "Spilling Sakura", an aquarium exhibit area themed around Japanese landscapes with cherry blossoms, offering engaging content that captivates all who visit.

Also, a must-see is the "Dolphin Performance Night ver. Sakura Story", where dolphins perform dynamic jumps against a backdrop of a "Sea of Cherry Blossoms".

Sanrio Puroland is launching its first special event themed "Fresh," titled "PuroSpringParty." A highlight to look forward to is the "Ultra FRESH SAKURA PARTY!" where popular characters like Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Hello Kitty, and My Melody don vibrant new costumes in fresh pink and green, inviting guests to actively sing, dance, and enjoy in an interactive show.

Additionally, there will be a limited-time photo spot where pressing a button plays the characters' voices, and the "PuroSpringParty Special Greeting," allowing guests to take photos with characters in their new costumes (this is a paid experience requiring prior reservation). The event will also feature a spring-themed menu, including cherry blossoms made of fish paste and vibrant orange slices.

The Art Aquarium Museum in Ginza presents a spring exhibition that showcases beautiful swimming goldfish with the enhancement of sound, light, and scent. The aquarium area is adorned with cherry blossom-colored lights, scents that evoke cherry blossoms, and cherry blossom flowers for a complete thematic experience.

A standout feature is the "Lanternium," inspired by traditional Japanese festival lanterns, designed to mimic cherry blossoms falling from above. Special attention is given to spheres that act as magnifying lenses, making the goldfish appear larger.

Other exhibits include artworks representing cherry tree-lined paths and "Weeping Cherry × Waterfall," capturing the essence of Japanese spring. The "New Goldfish Evaluation" showcases goldfish with "Sakura" in their names. Additionally, extending business hours until 8 PM on Wednesdays (with some exceptions) makes it a recommended post-dinner destination.

Since 1959, events have been held around Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and various locations throughout the city. The opening event is the "Processional Parade" scheduled for April 14, 2024, starting at 10 AM. Participants, including the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Band, four portable shrines from the city, and groups performing traditional Japanese festival music, will march approximately 1 kilometer from Shimomaruko to the precincts of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine. This year, voice actors from the anime "The Elusive Samurai," airing in July 2024, will also participate.

A must-see is the "Dance of Tranquility" performed at the shrine's dance hall (April 14, from 3 PM). It's a dance dating back to the Kamakura period, performed by Shizuka Gozen, a court dancer, in memory of her beloved Minamoto no Yoshitsune, as ordered by Minamoto no Yoritomo. The dance is accompanied by a Japanese explanation. Additionally, on April 21, from 10 AM to 3 PM, outdoor tea ceremony seats, "Nodate seats," will be set up at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine and Kamakura's Great Buddha Hall, Kotoku-in, where visitors can enjoy matcha on chairs prepared for them.

Originally held as a New Year event at Asakusa Shrine during the Edo period, Taito Ward revived it in 1980 as a tourist attraction. Archers on galloping horses aim and shoot arrows at three sequential targets. The tense atmosphere, with the audience watching as the archers shoot targets from horseback, is truly spectacular. The Kamakura-era hunting attire worn by the archers is also worth seeing.

Viewing the event requires a paid reservation in advance. Before the Yabusame (horseback archery) event begins, a "Kusajishi" (grass deer) archery, where archers shoot at deer-shaped targets made of grass bundles from about 20 meters away and approximately 110 meters high, is also held (free to view). The "Shiroku-no-gi" ceremony rewards archers who hit all three targets, evoking a trip back to the Edo period. The attire of the Kusajishi archers, featuring traditional eboshi (a type of headgear) and hitatare (a type of clothing), is also a highlight.

The Kanamara Phallus Festival, a celebration of fertility, is one of Japan's most iconic festivals and has been popular in the Kawasaki area for centuries. The main parade is held on April 7 in and around Kanayama Shrine, and the event has gained significant attention in the past decade. During the festivities, a mikoshi (portable shrine) is hoisted, which is a surreal sight to behold. It's no wonder that the festival draws around 30,000 international visitors each year, who join the local crowd in the festivities and are probably surprised by all the attention!

Nezu Shrine in Bunkyo Ward hosts a flower event in its Azalea Garden, which is only open during this season. The garden features early, mid, and late-blooming azaleas, which bloom in succession.

No matter when you visit in April—early, mid, or late—you'll find unique charms. Early April showcases the striking contrast between the budding flowers and fresh greenery, with no flowers yet fallen. Mid-April offers the peak viewing period with the most varieties in bloom. By late April, while some flowers have faded, late bloomers can still be enjoyed.

On weekends, food trucks and stalls are available. While the garden can be toured in about 20 to 30 minutes, be prepared for potential waits of up to an hour just to purchase entrance tickets, especially during weekends in mid-April. Please plan your visit with time to spare.

Located on the southern shores of Lake Inba, the Sakura Furusato Square, known for its iconic Dutch windmill, hosts an event where approximately 800,000 tulips bloom, transforming the area into a vast field of tulips. About 700,000 tulips of roughly 100 varieties in colors like red, pink, and orange are planted, including early and late bloomers, ensuring visitors experience different charms whenever they visit.

The event features unique and rare tulip varieties, including fragrant, color-changing, and variegated types, some of which are making their debut in Japan. During the event, visitors can enjoy tulip bulb digging for sale (13 for 600 yen on weekdays during the event period, otherwise 10 for 600 yen), and on weekends, performances by a small street organ that plays automatically when the handle is turned. Food trucks are available daily, and the shop sells tulip-themed souvenirs along with Sakura local souvenirs.

Wisteria flowers typically begin to bloom in late April. These violet flowers are a source of fascination for many Japanese people due to their abundance when in bloom. The wisteria is also a prominent theme in Ukiyoe, a traditional Japanese style of art. The contrast of colors is very striking, as the Wisteria flowers reflect on the water of the pond below. We also recommend experiencing the illuminations at night for an unforgettable viewing experience.

The CRAFT SAKE WEEK at Roppongi Hills Arena is Japan's largest sake event, featuring 120 carefully selected breweries from over 1,400 nationwide. This selection process involves meticulous tasting by experts, including former professional soccer player Hidetoshi Nakata, sake specialists, and top chefs, allowing visitors to sample exquisite Japanese sake from across the country without the need to travel.

In addition, 15 popular restaurants, some of which have earned Michelin stars and are usually difficult to book, will offer specially developed original menus at reasonable prices exclusively for this event.

The venue, designed by one of Japan's leading architects, will be enhanced with music selected by popular DJs, creating an exciting atmosphere. Not just the sake and food, but the event also celebrates Japanese culture with uniquely Japanese sake vessels and dishes used for serving, offering an immersive experience into Japanese traditions.

At the Gyoza Festival, craft gyoza are on full display, showcasing dumplings meticulously crafted at every stage from the dough and filling to the dipping sauce, with each element carefully selected to create a distinctly Japanese twist on the traditional dish.

This year, out of 28 diverse gyoza menu items, 18 are new. The lineup includes not just pan-fried gyoza but also boiled, fried, steamed varieties, and even soup dumplings, bringing together a wide array of gyoza variations. From innovative offerings like "Cheese-topped Burst Juice Round Gyoza" and "Coriander Walnut Gyoza" that challenge traditional gyoza concepts to local ingredient-utilizing varieties like "Little Edo Black Pork Winged Gyoza" and "Tokachi Rich Miso Butter Beef Cutlet Gyoza", each vendor brings their unique twist and dedication to their creations (all priced at 700 yen per plate).

The festival also features festival-exclusive fruit beers such as "Niagara Honey" and "Fuji Sakura Highland Beer Pilsner" among the craft beer selections.

Held once or twice a month at Yurakucho's Tokyo International Forum, this is Japan's largest outdoor antique market. The event began in September 2003 to commemorate 400 years since the establishment of the Edo shogunate and currently takes place on the first and third Sunday of each month. About 250 stores participate, offering a wide range of items from fine art and antiques to everyday vintage goods.

The selection includes Japanese antiques dating back approximately 300 years as well as recent American vintage items, providing a rich assortment that offers a glimpse into Japanese history and culture. Its location is also a draw, being just a crosswalk away from Yurakucho Station and a five-minute walk from Tokyo Station.

The array of events in April this year spans from historic festivals held annually to the latest food festivals and open-air antique markets. Under the gentle spring skies, these events offer plenty of opportunities for enjoyment and relaxation. Be sure to check them out!

(*Note: The information in this article is as of March 2024. Please check official websites or sources for the latest updates.)