Fashion shows, especially in Japan, have traditionally been carefully guarded. Entry is only available to a few hundred buyers, press people and big spending customers. This has always made the Japan Fashion Week, now called Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, kind of an exclusive event. The public barely noticed it.

Thanks to competition from the Tokyo Girls Collection, fashion blogs and social media this is slowly starting to change. During next week’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, the general public is invited to more events than ever. Shibuya even turns itself into sort of a fashion amusement park during the Shibuya Fashion Festival on Saturday, March 23.

If you live here, or are planning to visit, you want to make some time for these events on your calendar.

SHIBUYA FASHION FESTIVAL — Saturday, March 23

The Shibuya Fashion Festival, popularly known as Shibufes, is held at Tokyo’s Shibuya district and takes a whole day. Over 300 shops in Shibuya and Harajuku offer special events, special discounts and limited edition goods. Especially in the evening during the NIGHT OUT part of the festival the atmosphere is truly festival-like, with people talking and drinking on the street.

Also interesting is a collaborative event between fashion label Mikio Sakabe and idol group Denpa Gumi at the Wall shop inside Laforet Harajuku.

A lot of the action takes place at Miyashita Park. Between 12 PM and 8 PM, there are live concerts by Silent Siren, Vanilla Beans and 7 other bands. There are also sport events, a flea market, a Make-Up Tour and fashion shows by AlexanderLeeChang (opens 2 PM, starts 3 PM) and DISCOVERED (opens 7 PM, starts 7:30 PM). Naturally, there will be countless food stalls as well.

HARAJUKU PROJECT SHOWROOM

The Harajuku Project Showroom is part of roomsLINK, a trade show usually only open to buyers and press. It will be held at Belle Salle Shibuya Garden in Shibuya.

On Wednesday, March 20 (a public holiday!), under the moniker of HARAJUKU PROJECT SHOWROOM, roomsLINK for the first time will open its doors to the public. A rare chance you don’t want to miss.

The event features catwalk and installation shows by fleamadonna, NOZOMI ISHIGURO tambourine, MIKIO SAKABE, Macaronic, Jenny Fax, and Hiro’s new brand LIBER OZ.