Laforet Harajuku will host a pop-up shop inspired by the up-and-coming idol group FRUITS ZIPPER from February 1 until February 14! The FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine Pop-Up Shop will be found on the 5th floor MAKE THE STAGE area.

FRUITS ZIPPER debuted in April 2022 and embodies a simple concept: “From Harajuku to the World.” The group’s second single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro exploded in popularity on TikTok, pulling in over 600 million views. In February, the girls will embark on their first solo concert tour in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. This is the first FRUITS ZIPPER-inspired limited-time shop, and during the event, visuals of the group’s members will be displayed in the show windows found on the first floor of Laforet Harajuku.

◆About the FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine Pop-Up Shop

When entering the venue, fans will be greeted by a 5-meter-wide board where visitors can write and attach their messages to the FRUITS ZIPPER members on heart-shaped cards. Costumes that the members have worn on stage will also be on display, allowing fans to see each stitch up close.

Exclusive items featuring new photos of the members will be on sale at the pop-up shop. Fans can enjoy seeing the girls in their own personal style, and these items will only be available during the event! Starting February 4, tour merch for the group’s upcoming solo concert series will also be available for purchase.

◆Collaboration with Fruit Sandwich Specialty Store ‘Fruits Box Daikanyama’

Last year’s popular collaboration with Fruit Box Daikanyama, a well-known fruit sandwich shop, is happening again in 2023! Fans can find the Collaboration Gift Box for sale, including seven baked meringue goods each featuring one of the member’s colors. The box also comes with snapshots of the members, and for a few lucky fans, these snaps might be signed! The idol group and sandwich shop have also teamed up to create the Collaborative Lucky Grab Bag Lottery, including popular FRUITS ZIPPER goods and original items from Fruits Box Daikanyama. The lucky first-prize winner will receive a special set of all available February tour merchandise in all sizes.

◆Member Appearance Planned on Valentine’s Day

On February 14, the final day of the pop-up shop, the members of FRUITS ZIPPER will make an appearance! Guests will be able to participate in the first-ever hands-on event with the members, so keep an eye out for more details!

Stay up to date with the latest FRUITS ZIPPER news at the official Twitter page (@FRUITS_ZIPPER).

FRUITS ZIPPER Pop-Up Shop Exclusive Goods

Random Photo – Valentine pop-up ver. (21 varieties): ¥330 (Tax Included)

Random Pin – Valentine pop-up ver. (7 varieties): ¥500 (Tax Included)

Random Purikura Stickers – Valentine pop-up ver. (14 varieties): ¥600 (Tax Included)

The Winter 2022-2023 issue of the revived fashion creator magazine Zipper went on sale on December 23.

This issue focuses on this winter’s must-know trends and is packed with coordination tips, outfit plans through spring, snapshots, hair and makeup tips, and much more.

Zipper ended its 24-year history in December 2017. In March 2022, ASOBISYSTEM teamed up with DONUTS Inc. to revive the magazine as a quarterly release. The fashion magazine, popular with Gen Z, is known for sharing details aspects of Harajuku culture and will continue to share more from the creative center of Tokyo for years to come.

Standard Edition (Cover: Nagisa Saito)

Another Edition (Cover: FRUITS ZIPPER）

The cities of Hirosaki and Hakodate in Hokkaido have announced that they will team up with Hatsune Miku’s popular iteration Snow Miku to promote tourism in the area this winter. A number of activities will begin in December 2022.

[Snow Miku x Hirohako] Collaboration Project

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Poster Featuring Snow Miku

・Period: Mid-November~February 28, 2023

・Locations: Facilities in both cities, tourist facilities, hotels, shopping areas

■Snow Miku Illustration Contest Exhibition Event

Over 50 illustrations have been submitted under the theme of Snow Miku and Hakodate / Snow Miku and Hirosaki. These will be on display through the winter!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Venues: Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center (Hirosaki)
                    Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse (Hakodate)

■Snow Miku Photo Spot

Snow Miku panels featuring shamisen and apples from Hirosaki will be on display, while the Hakodate version will include references to squid fishing and footbaths. 

・On Display: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: JR Hirosaki Station, Chuohirosaki Station (Hirosaki)
                        JR Hakodate Station, Hakodate Airport (Hakodate)

■Digital Stamp Rally Using the Mikunavi App

A number of panels will be installed at five checkpoints in Hirosaki and Hakodate. A total of 1,000 people–500 in each city–will win original merch including a Snow Miku mask case and decorated masking tape. All you need to do is check in!

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: (Hirosaki) Hirosaki Municipal Tourist Center, Hirosaki City Machinaka  Information Center,

                         Hirosaki Tourist Information Center, Hirosaki Castle Information Center, Tsugaru-han Neputa Village

　　　　　　(Hakodate) Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, Yunokawa Hot Spring Footbath, Goryōkaku Tower,

Hakodate Green Plaza C Block (Hakodate Lumi-Pop), Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

■Hirohako Winter Tourism Campaign Theme Song and Music Video 

The tourism theme song will get a new music video that will be broadcast on YouTube, at local tourist facilities, and on TV and radio!

・On Air: December 1, 2022~

・Theme Song: Mahou no Keshiki (Lyrics/Composition: ryuryu)

■Snow Miku Welcome Announcements to be Broadcast at Tourism Facilities, etc. 

A one-minute welcome announcement by Snow Miku will air at tourist facilities!

・Running: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

・Locations: Tourist areas in both cities

■Snow Miku Filters Using AR

When each barcode is scanned with a smartphone, Snow Miku will appear on the screen! Visitors can take pictures with Snow Miku to commemorate their winter trip to Hirosaki and Hakodate.

・Available: December 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022

The global online fashion brand SHEIN has become wildly popular, shipping goods to over 150 countries. The world’s first permanent brick-and-mortar SHEIN store will open in Harajuku, Tokyo on November 13, 2022, displaying popular styles and items perfect for the Japanese market. All items on display will be available for purchase on the official SHEIN app simply by scanning the QR code on the tag. While items won’t be available to purchase in-store, the location will be a place where curious customers can try things on and explore new trends. The store has two floors and carries women’s and men’s wear, as well as kids’ wear, pet goods, and accessories. In addition to standard fitting rooms, there will also be a photo booth and SHEIN gacha machine!

This summer, the brand held its first pop-up event in Japan, traveling to five cities over two days. In October 2022, the three-month-long SHEIN POPUP OSAKA event invited customers could try on clothes and discover new styles.

 “SHEIN TOKYO is planning to hold a number of events to make the SHEIN brand more familiar to new customers. Please visit us and enjoy perusing our reasonably priced but high-quality items,” an official comment reads. 

Momoko Sakura’s popular series Chibi Maruko-chan is filled with beloved characters, and Coji-Coji has remained a fan favorite for decades. Starting in October 2022, fans will be able to grab goods from the new COJI-COJI BABY brand. 

The made-for-babies merchandise line will feature new artwork. The first theme is ‘outer space,’ and little ones will love the pastel colors and playful illustrations. A promo video has also been posted to the official Coji-Coji YouTube channel.

About COJI-COJI BABY

“A snooze on the moon…

From childhood to the faraway future, 

Coji-Coji is always cozy-cozy.

Such a valuable life.

Grow together with your baby.

Snuggle up with your family. 

Be there to relax with those you love. 

Spend irreplaceable time together.

After all of these desires and thoughts came together,

COJI-COJI BABY was born.”

Product Release Information

Sales of COJI-COJI BABY products began on October 12, 2022 on the official Eightex Japan online store.

Coji-Coji Costume Romper: ¥9,900

COJI-COJI BABY Fair Now Open!

Starting on October 15, the COJI-COJI BABY Fair is being held at Kiddy Land Harajuku and Kiddy Land Osaka Umeda.

During the event period, those who purchase over ¥4,000 (including tax) on COJI-COJI BABY products will receive an original mini shikishi. This is a perfect frame for your baby’s handprint or footprint!

LDFS Co. Ltd., which operates six cafes and brands in Tokyo, has opened a new location! The company currently operates THE GREAT BURGER, a gourmet burger shop in Harajuku, The Little BAKERY Tokyo, and GOOD TOWN DONUTS. Now, they’ve brought the old-school burger store Jennifer Seven to Harajuku!

Jennifer Seven is a combination general store and burger store that sells apparel, kitchen items, and groceries. While it may seem like a general store with a coffee stand at first glance, the back door opens to reveal a secret burger shop! The innovative location will serve simple burgers, not the hearty and massive gourmet burgers available next door at THE GREAT BURGER.

General stores are found in rural America and carry a wide range of daily necessities, much like a yorozu-ya in Japan. Jennifer Seven sells original apparel, sundries, and goods with a vintage flare, as well as tableware and other items from the U.S. In addition, guests can find unique food items like handmade jellies and jams, fresh fruits and local veggies, natural wines, small gifts, and plenty more.

The drive-thru coffee stand attached to the store sells GOOD TOWN COFFEE, and Chinese-American steamed buns are also available at the Harajuku location!

Each classic burger will come with simple and tasty ingredients, including the beef patty, ketchup, mustard, original burger sauce, pickles, and onions. The restaurant’s simple interior features white and vintage wood with blue-grayish green accents and was designed by the owner himself, inspired by diners and school cafeterias in rural America.

Come enjoy a classic burger at this secret burger joint!

HARAJUKU COLLECTION, a Studio Ghibli-inspired apparel collection by popular American counterculture chain Hot Topic, is offering licensed Ghibli goods for fans in the U.S. and Canada. The collection opened its online store for those in Japan on August 10, and a limited time pop-up store has been opened in Harajuku to celebrate the release of this incredible apparel!

Japan Original Items

American Original Items

The store has a colorful exterior that shows Totoro and the Susuwatari playing together. Once inside, guests will be greeted by a massive rainbow Totoro! The shop blends the world of Ghibli with the style of Harajuku.

“If there were colorful and kawaii mushrooms in Totoro’s forest, and if it rained acorns one day, maybe he’d need a mushroom umbrella!” This colorful Totoro was inspired by this adorable thought.

The walls are decorated with artwork drawn by the creators of the original Japanese items, and guests are able to see and purchase the products in this special space. Why not visit?

© 1988 Studio Ghibli
© 1989 Eiko Kadono – Studio Ghibli – N
© 1997 Studio Ghibli – ND
© 2001 Studio Ghibli – NDDTM
© 2004 Studio Ghibli – NDDMT

Last year, Chiikawa Land, the first official Chiikawa shop, opened at the Harajuku and Osaka Umeda branches of KIDDYLAND. Both locations will celebrate the 1st anniversary of the shop’s opening with a special fair on August 5, 2022.

Chiikawa is a popular character first revealed by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. In December 2020, the official online store Chiikawa Market opened, and Nagano released a book compiling the manga panels they drew and posted on Twitter. The characters have become massively popular, with the artist’s social media accounts racking up over 1.1 million followers. From collaboration cafes and exhibitions to a recent anime series, the sky’s the limit for these adorable characters!

Purchase Bonus

「Holographic Sticker (Not for Sale) *Designs will differ between the Harajuku and Osaka Umeda locations.

Holographic Pin (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥3,300 or more (including tax)

Picnic Blanket (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥5,500 or more (including tax)

Mug (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥8,800 or more (including tax)

Limited Edition Chiikawa Land Harajuku x Marion Crepes Collab

Limited Edition Chiikawa Land Harajuku x Marion Crepes Goods

Chiikawa Land Osaka Umeda Limited Edition Goods

Both the Harajuku and Osaka Chiikawa Land locations are visited by fans each day, and each store has developed unique products to celebrate the first anniversary.

The Chiikawa Land Harajuku location will offer products in collaboration with Marion Crepes, while the Osaka Umeda location will sell limited edition products featuring the characters in cute traditional costumes. Special bonuses will also be handed out to guests spending particular amounts, so why not come out and grab some new goods?

©nagano / chiikawa committee

Reebok has appointed a number of popular artists in Japan and abroad to take part in their new campaign titled ‘Life is Not a Spectator Sport -Move, Move!-’ This collaboration started in March 2022.

As a part of this collaboration, Reebok is teaming up with the manga series Eren the Southpaw. Kappa’s popular ensemble drama highlights a number of creators, and has a very poignant tagline: “To all those who couldn’t become geniuses.” Reebok’s brand message matches this and is meant to be a manifesto for life, telling people to never give up, act on their own convictions, and find their own path. 

Reebok Classic Store – Harajuku Interior

Stickers / Pins

Original Scene from Eren the Southpaw 

To commemorate the release of Reebok’s flagship model INSTAPUMP FURY 95 in Sax Blue, a huge piece of window art was redrawn by Kappi. The artist also provided an original manga featuring an entirely new story. Fans can find this at the Reebok Classic Store Harajuku and on the official Reebok Twitter page. The Reebok stores in Harajuku and Shibuya have also been completely taken over by Eren the Southpaw, completely decorated from top to bottom in images from the series. 

Mizu to Takumi, a company associated with the Toyama West Tourism Promotion Association, has teamed up with SKYTREK to offer guests a once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit the area via private jet. Reservations for the incredible experience began on June 17, 2022.

Offering an entirely new tourism experience in Toyama Prefecture, visitors can see the area’s natural wonders from miles above the Earth. The program also aims to share local culture and more about traditional craftsmanship and cuisine.

Toyama Prefecture boasts dramatic topography, from the massive peaks of the Northern Alps and the Tateyama Mountains to the deep waters of Toyama Bay. To better allow visitors to see the sights, these private jet tours will be chartered on special courses different from standard airlines.

After the flights, guests will be welcomed to explore Takaoka’s deep history and culture. Kane no Sanzun, a restored and preserved inn, will welcome visitors, offering a relaxing and rejuvenating time.

Visitors can also book optional excursions to further explore the area, such as a Zen meditation experience at a famous temple in Takaoka, a traditional crafting workshop, and a tour and tasting of the only whiskey distillery in the Hokuriku region.

Come enjoy a trip to Toyama with a whole new perspective!

KAWAII LAB. is a project spearheaded by ASOBISYSTEM with the aim of introducing the world to popular Japanese idol culture. The idol group IDOLATER was born from this idea, and in April, the girls welcomed two new members, transforming it into a fresh new 5-member group. Announced at the group’s solo concert ‘New IDOLATER’ on April 24, Fuuka Oishi and Ririka Satsuki joined the lineup consisting of Ayu Okuda, Kurumi Tsukishiro, and Yukino Fushiki.

A typical idol group is peppy and filled with energy, but IDOLATER is doing things a little differently. What is their appeal? How do they want to shake things up? 

A Group Formed by Finalists from ASOBISYSTEM’s First National Audition

IDOLATER debuted in April 2019. In the spring of 2018, ASOBISYSTEM, the management company behind Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and a number of other popular talents, announced its first large-scale nationwide audition, ASOBISYSTEM THE AUDITION 2018. IDOLATER’s history began with five audition finalists–Fushiki, Okuda, Tsukishiro, and two others. The catchphrase for the audition was fitting for the group: “Seeking the next generation of talents to shape Japanese pop culture and share it with the world.”

IDOLATER Welcomes Solo Singer Ririka Satsuki & Model Fuuka Oishi

Following the departure of two members and intense restrictions imposed on the group’s activities due to the pandemic, IDOLATER continued to operate with only three members. Although they didn’t manage to get a ton of media coverage or appeal in large-scale events, the group continued to pull in new fans and gain recognition in the idol community. After a while, Fuuka Oishi and Ririka Satsuki joined the group, giving a much-needed boost to IDOLATER’s activities and energy.

Ririka Satsuki is a solo artist based in Fukuoka with an incredible husky voice. Fuuka Oishi has previously worked as a model and is popular with creators for her sweet yet listless atmosphere. Despite their incredible confidence, this is the first time either has worked as an idol!

IDOLATER and the Concept of ‘Idols’ 

The word ‘idol’ can conjure plenty of images to mind, but what does the word mean to the members of IDOLATER?

The group’s music blends together elements of city pop, future funk, and house, while still keeping true to traditional J-pop roots. The familiarity of their music makes it easy to approach, and Yukino Fushiki’s powerful voice alongside Ririka Satsuki’s melodies shower fans with some of the best vocals in the idol world. 

The group’s choreography is provided by YU-KA, formerly of TEMPURA KIDZ. Her experience as both a dancer and an idol makes her an asset, and her refreshing moves are a highlight of each IDOLATER show.

A former pattern maker for a Japanese fashion brand designed the group’s costumes. 

If this sounds like the idol group for you, come and check out an IDOLATER event to see the girl’s incredible appeal for yourself.

On June 19, IDOLATER will hold their second regular performance, ‘Camel,’ at Ebisu CreATO. (The title of the show was chosen because it sounded fun, not for any other specific reason.)

Stay tuned for the next report, where we’ll delve a little deeper into the life of each member of IDOLATER!

Airbnb boasts one of the largest travel communities in the world, filled with users offering up lodging and those eager to visit somewhere new. The Japanese subsidiary of the company has revealed the top spots added to Japanese users ‘Favorites (Wish Lists)’ from May 1 to May 17, 2022. Where will travelers in the country be headed this summer?

Golden Week is long gone and users are starting to think about where to visit during the hottest part of the year. This national ‘Wish List’ might make it easier to pick a spot, with many locations highlighting lesser-known areas!

Gujo Hachiman Villa, Limited to 1 Couple Per Day (Gifu)

This completely private rental villa was made for sauna enthusiasts. One lucky pair per day can book this suite along the Yoshida River flowing through Gujo Hachiman, known as the “City of Water and Dance.” Currently booked through the end of August, reservations for September and beyond will be available in early June. Book a stay to enjoy the gorgeous autumn foliage!

A House Surrounded by Lush Greenery in the Countryside (Tottori)

Hosted by a family of musicians and architects, this guesthouse invites guests to enjoy gorgeous Nordic-inspired interiors and the serene quiet of the countryside. For those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, this is the perfect spot.

Hoshina Satomachi, Limited to 1 Couple Per Day (Nagano)

There’s nothing like spending the summer in a traditional Japanese home. Enjoy a barbeque on the terrace and relax on the massive lawn. This is the perfect spot for families with children or pets!

Coastal Cabin (Chiba)

You can’t have summer without a pool. This luxurious coastal retreat boasts a 15-meter pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, bonfire space, and a barbeque. Relax by the pool while listening to your favorite songs or soak in the outdoor bath as you watch the waves crash along the shore.

An Elegant and Peaceful Log Cabin (Nagano)

Located at 1,300 meters above sea level on the Iizuna plateau, this log cabin is situated in the midst of a dense forest. A perfect space for couples, families, or small groups of friends, guests are welcome to enjoy hiking through this gorgeous landscape in the center of Japan!