You've checked out the websites for traditional Japanese festivals and the like... but your questions about how to spend your evenings go unanswered? Fear not: we have trawled the Tokyo intel for some of the coolest things to do this summer.

This is usually a weekly listings extravaganza but we're a tad busy this summer... so dear readers, here is your summer update for all things excellent in Tokyo til the end of August (after which weekly services will resume). Have a fabulous time. And as ever, email us with any great events you think we should tell everyone about.

Fri 22 July - If you like drawing and burlesque shows, try Dr Sketchy's Anti-Art School to combine them both!

Sat 23 July - It's our favorite comedy night of the month - Comedy Sumo Slam in Roppongi.

Sun 24 - Pirates of Tokyo Bay, apparently Tokyo's only bilingual improv comedy troupe, perform at What the Dickens! in Ebisu.

Fri 22 - Sun 24 - This is your last chance to see the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat musical at Tokyu Theatre Orb.

Wed 27 July - One of the best stand up comedy nights in town at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa. Or go hear cool arty talks at Pecha Kucha.

Fri 29 July - It's our very favorite improv show, Improvazilla!

Sat 30 July - Tonight there's comedy in Ebisu at the Vega Wine Bar. Also tonight or any night until 14 August why not go see Slava's Snowshow. This review from its London run sort of explains what it is...

Sun 31 July - There's a ComicArtTokyo event all day today at 3331 Arts Chiyoda. Of the various arty happenings, Pause Draw sounds particularly fun - but be sure to get an advance ticket here.

Tue 2 Aug - Tonight there's a free new material comedy night in Shibuya at the Double Tall Cafe.

Wed 3 Aug - Stand up comedy night at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa.

Fri 5 and Sat 6 Aug - In their initiative to bring great international comedians to Tokyo, stand up comedy international headliner JR De Guzman is playing at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa. Recommend you buy advance tickets. In Ebisu, it's free outdoor film screening time at Yebisu Garden Palace at 7:30pm, and it starts tonight with the charming film Chef.

Wed 10 Aug - Stand up comedy night at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa.

Fri Aug 12 - Rakugo Without Borders is bringing back their funny storytelling rakugo show with English surtitles after their European tour. This time it's in Shinjuku. I think this is the same show I went to see in July before they left for Europe. Or go to Yebisu Garden Palace to watch an outdoor screening of Moonrise Kingdom.

Sat 13 Aug - Mr Bean is on at Yebisu Garden Palace.

Sun 14 Aug - Tim Burton's Corpse Bridge is on at Yebisu Garden Palace.

Tue 16 Aug - Another free new material comedy night in Shibuya tonight at the Double Tall Cafe.

Wed 17 Aug - Stand up comedy night at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa.

Thu 18 Aug - More stand up comedy in Shibuya, this time at the Hobgoblin.

Fri 19 Aug - Tonight at Yebisu Garden Palace outdoor film screening, it's Vicky Christina Barcelona

Sat 20 Aug - Looks like Yebisu Garden Palace is screening What We Did on Our Holiday. Reviews.

Wed 24 Aug - Stand up comedy night at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa.

Fri 26 Aug - It's the return of our very favorite improv show, Improvazilla!

Sat 27 and Sun 28 Aug - I'm not sure how much I usually like dance but this Japon Dance Project show looks quite cool.

Wed 31 Aug - Stand up comedy night at Good Heavens in Shimokitazawa. Pecha Kucha may be on tonight - they haven't announced at the time of writing this. Check their website.

Advance planning

Tokyo International Players are putting on Avenue Q for one night only, on September 9th. Reserve your tickets here.

The program for Festival/Tokyo performing arts festival taking place in October - December is now out, and tickets go on sale on 11 September.

I have had a rather lovely Tokyo week. Here's what I got up to. Scroll down for next week's listings!

Spoken word
Top spoken word event was Rakugo with English surtitles, which was an unusual treat from the amusingly named Rakugo Without Borders. Rakugo is traditional Japanese comedy storytelling. I loved the Rakugo show we saw in Ebisu a couple of months ago. This one was more formal. One delightful and very funny story concerned marital challenges that was both traditionally Japanese and entirely universal. In general the stories were a mixed bag, but rakugo is definitely an interesting format for anyone who likes funny storytelling. Also, the Za Koenji Public Theatre is a great space. If you missed it, there's a second chance on August 12 - details! Oh, and the weekly Wednesday comedy night at Good Heavens was particularly good this week - and your very own Brit About Town, Layla, got to perform. PS Sorry we didn't get to Apocrypha, the US-style storytelling show last week... we had a schedule clash! But we hear it was great.

Film
I am loving the Rainbow Reel Tokyo International LGBT film festival, but really sorry there are not more people in attendance - so far the theatres have been only half-full. All the films are either in English or have English subtitles. Don't miss it! Schedule.

Cocktail bar finds of the week
After our disappointment last month with Gen Yamamoto not thrilling us, we have been once more on the hunt for outstanding cocktails in delightful surroundings. This week, we loved Ishi no Hana in Shibuya, an almost-perfect cocktail bar if not for the smoking... and at long last,  Land Bar Artisan cocktail bar in Shinbashi/Shiodome, to which we were lured after promises in this Japan Times article that the best gin cocktails in town were to be found. Indeed, they were excellent. We loved the ambience in both these little bars, and were most delighted with the cocktails too. Hooray!

Restaurant finds of the week: 5 new recommendations!
It's been an excellent (greedy) week for new restaurants: five new finds!

• In Koenji, we loved the somewhat obscure but atmospheric Bochi Bochi, home of excellent okanomiyaki in Koenji (though they take much longer to make it than a standard okonomiyaki place - this is a finer dining okonomiyaki experience!)
• In Shinjuku/Yotsuya Sanchome we went to Esperia, a fine dining Italian restaurant of excellent quality. This is a small and formal-feeling restaurant, and the multiple courses they produced for us were universally delicious. They even produced a special vegetarian version for some of us.
  
• En in Shinbashi is a good quality fancy version of an izakaya with great views over Rainbow Bridge from its 42nd floor. I suspect future visitors to our home will be experiencing its delights...
• 5 minutes from Shinjuku Cinemart is Bosphorus Hasan, a rather good Turkish restaurant. Their bread and hummus are particularly noteworthy...
• And finally, Number 4 in Kojimachi. This bakery/cafe/restaurant is part of the Ivy Place etc empire and true to form, it is delicious with the added bonus of being rather hipstery in vibe.

 
Top picks for next week in Tokyo

Fri 15 July - It's another Nerd Night - sciencey talks at Hub Tokyo in Meguro. Or go see a selection of LGBT short films from Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia, or French film Summertime (all with English subtitles).

Sat 16 July - Today you could go for an international LGBT film marathon - there are five films on today! Or you could take a class in theatre production and design with Tokyo International Players.

Sun 17 July - Another LGBT film marathon - another 5 films are on today!

Mon 18 July - It's the last day of the LGBT film festival.

Tue 19 July - Head over for Shibuya's weekly new material night for comedy, improv and more.

Wed 20 July - Pecha Kucha is doing a special free show at the BMW show room in Odaiba tonight on the theme of future mobility. It's free - plus you get a free drink.

Thu 21 July - Stand-up comedy tonight is at the Hobgoblin in Shibuya.

Advance planning

Tokyo International Players are putting on Avenue Q for one night only, on September 9th. Reserve your tickets here.

Greetings Tokyo! I'm back from my Sydney holiday, and while not quite in time to go anywhere exciting (other than the lovely EU Film Days festival where I saw an entirely charming Croatian film called Cowboys at the rather cool National Film Centre), I'm ready with lots of interesting events for you in the coming week. Hope you're ready to be sociable!

Cool things coming up in Tokyo this week

Fri 8th - The Apocrypha storytelling night is on at Bar Gari Gari tonight. Prepare for true stories based on the format of the popular RISK! storytelling show. Or else go see a film at EU Film Days - many have English subtitles and this is the last weekend of the festival.

Sat 9th -  Tokyo's International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Rainbow Reel Tokyo, launches today. From now til the 18th, enjoy lots of great LGBT-themed films in English or with English subtitles. Top pick for today: How to Win at Checkers (Every Time). Plus see another film at EU Film Days.

Sun 10th - A traditional rakugo comedy storytelling show by Master Ichinosuke in Japanese... but with English surtitles! This is a preview before the show goes on tour around Europe and it sounds fab. It's in Koenji. Or you can see the charming-sounding film The First Girl I Loved at the Rainbow Reel festival. This is also the final day of EU Film Days in Tokyo. And the closing day of a photo exhibition about old cinemas in Japan, also at the National Film Centre.

Mon 11th - Tonight at Rainbow Reel, it's Gayby Baby about kids of LGBT parents.

Tue 12th - For some new material in stand up comedy, head to Double Tall Cafe in Shibuya. Or tonight's Rainbow Reel film is Girls Lost, a Swedish film (with English subtitles) about girls who use magic to temporarily become boys.

Wed 13th - It's comedy night at Good Heavens! in Shimokitazawa and Layla's performing with a brand new set. Don't miss it! Also, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat opens tonight at Tokyu Theatre Orb. It's on til the 24th? Is it in English? I think so, but I can't entirely tell...

Thu 14th - Try Paris 05:59 at Rainbow Reel, a French film with English subtitles about two young men falling in love.

Fri 15th - It's another Nerd Night - more sciencey talks, this time at Hub Tokyo in Meguro.