Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2012

Now that you’ve got over one new year, it’s time for another. The original purveyors of dragon-time parties, the Chinese, are celebrating the new year of the lunar calendar on the first weekend of February, all over Chinatown in Yokohama. Here are a few fiery fests to give you a February fillip.

Entertainment Show

Chinese acrobats and various dances including, of course, the dragon dance.
Yamashita Park, Feb 4, 11am-noon & 2-3:45pm, Feb 5, 11am-1pm & 2-3:30pm. MAP

Lantern Festival

On the last day of New Year’s, there will be exotic Chinese dance and a display of lanterns bearing people’s written wishes.
Yamashita Park, Feb 6, 5:30-7pm. MAP

Children’s Gallery

Gallery of local students’ New Year-themed drawings.
ChinaTown80, Feb 9-19 (listing).

Two Hundred Selected Masterpieces from the Palace Museum, Beijing

200 masterpieces including Song- and Yuan-dynasty calligraphic works and paintings.
Tokyo National Museum, until Feb 19 (listing).