Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011

Much has been made of the revival of East Tokyo, the old downtown roughly bounded by Akihabara to the west and Asakusa to the east. Find out if there’s anything to the hype this weekend, when the area’s boutiques and cafes open their doors with special exhibitions and artist meet-and-greets in the three-day event Speak East! The old shitamachi downtown is known for its monozukuri craft traditions, and Speak East! is an attempt to look at a rebirth in the area’s design workshops. To maximize your day, Velo Taxi (www.velotaxi.jp) offers guided tours of participating shops and venues.

Various venues, Oct 21-23. Info: www.speakeast.jp