PLAY! DIVERSITY SHIBUYA and Airbnb launched a new website on July 2 which lets people experience Shibuya tourism and all things Shibuya online.

The online project comes in response to the economic slump that Shibuya has faced as a result of COVID-19 which has meant less tourism. The website will feature a host of unique content that captures the essence of the Shibuya experience.

The first entry to the website will see KABA taking users on a virtual walk through the city of Shibuya. KABA, an activist for the LGBTQ community in Japan, was appointed as an official Tourism Ambassador of Shibuya this year. As well as this, the energetic Akkun, another Shibuya Tourist Ambassador and influencer amongst Shibuya’s youth, will also be hosting a “Shibuya Sake School.” There is much more content to enjoy right now too, and the website is set to expand even more.

Other features include the “WANDER COMPASS” which lets users learn about Shibuya’s history and visit local spots through a virtual tour, and Shibuya TSUTAYA O-EAST’s own DJ Bar “AZUMAYA” is showcasing how to make Japanese cocktails using various Japanese ingredients and spices.

Visit Shibuya from the comfort of your own home using Airbnb and PLAY! DIVERSITY SHIBUYA’s special new website.

New York-based ramen bar Kuro-Obi has announced that it’s opening it first Japanese branch in the food hall of Shibuya’s new shopping centre RAYARD MIYASHITA PARK on August 4, 2020.

Kuro-Obi was established in New York back in 2014. To date, it has opened 6 branches across the US as well as one branch in Singapore. It specialises in “tori paitan”, a silky chicken-base broth. The new Japanese ramen bar will serve many different tori paitan ramen dishes takeout style, which is common in the US. All ramen served here is served in paper cups rather than bowls, so it can be eaten both in the food hall or taken away.

Added to the rich soup broth and noodles is moist chicken char siu, soft-boiled egg, negi spring onion, and fried onion chips. The black pepper used adds a kick to the overall flavour. Thick noodles are also used.

“Ramen is Freedom” is the theme of Kuro-Obi’s brand in Japan, with which they aim to challenge the new possibilities of ramen.

LEGS COMPANY has announced that it will open three cafes based on the popular Japanese character Hamtaro in Tokyo and Saitama on July 30 and Osaka on July 31.

Hamtaro is a manga and storybook series created and illustrated by Ritsuko Kawai. The series began serialisation in 1997 and an anime adaptation first broadcast back in 2000. More than 20 years later, Hamtaro continues to enjoy much popularity in Japan.

Hamtaro Cafe 2020 will be themed around sunflowers and the sea, and will serve up a fun experience perfect for the hot summer. The Ham-Hams have come out of their Clubhouse to pay a visit to the seaside and enjoy the sun. There will be sunflower and ocean themed food, drinks, and desserts for everyone to munch on.

Yakisoba On Beach Hut Sunflower Bread: ¥1,499

A plate of yakisoba and egg arranged to look like a sunflower, with Hamtaro sat right in the middle.

Cone Cappy Hide and Seek Ice Cream Parfait: ¥1,399

Cappy is wearing a cone on his head and is hiding amongst the ice cream, chocolate banana, and fresh mint.

Ham Ham Glass Drinks: Drink Only – ¥789 Each / With Glass – ¥1,789 Each

There are two drinks to choose from: the orange flavoured Hamtaro and the yogurt flavoured Bijou.

Vinyl Pouch: ¥1,300

Mascot Keyring Hamtaro: ¥1,550

The cafe will also sell a range of exclusive merchandise too, which is scheduled to be available for online purchase as well in Japan.

Ham-Ham Fans (14 Designs)

Original Coasters (15 Designs)

Those who dine at the cafe will receive a free Ham-Ham fan, and if you order a drink you’ll get a coaster too.

©Ritsuko Kawai / Shogakukan

Japanese watchmakers MARUZEKI released a new collection of Hello Kitty wristwatches as part of their KAORU model series on June 27, 2020.

KAORU x Hello Kitty Sweets Collaboration: ¥4,180 (Tax Included)

MARUZEKI’s “KAORU” watches are inspired by aromatherapy, implementing a world-first concept that lets the wearer enjoy their favourite fragrances on the go. Designed and created with Japan’s state-of-the-art materials and technology, the Hello Kitty collection of 3 watches come with vanilla, strawberry, and coconut scents.

The ‘Vanilla White’ fragrance is like a waft of sweet candy. It’s a popular scent seen in products, and uses a mix of aroma oils and perfumes to create the uplifting fragrance. The watch face has an illustration of Hello Kitty enjoying a cup of tea.

‘Strawberry Pink’ is inspired by strawberry milk and strawberry shakes. They recommend this one if you’re wanting a change of pace. This clock face has Hello Kitty enjoying some apple pie and talking on the phone.

‘Coconut Mint Green’ is a relaxing blend of coconut and passion fruit. Hello Kitty is dressed adorably as a mother making an apple pie for this design.

The watches are packaged in special boxes with a cute pop-up Hello Kitty inside like that of a picture book. This itself serves as kawaii decoration, and makes for a great gift to someone (or yourself!)

The sunflower season is set to bloom on Soleil Hill, a park in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, from mid July to late August where approximately 10,000 bright yellow sunflowers will shine across the 5,000㎡ rolling expanse. And it’s free to enter.

Yokosuka Soleil Hill

Soleil Hill is a slightly elevated mass spanning 24.6 hectares which faces Sagami Bay in the Miura Peninsula. It’s a comprehensive park home to the Miura Peninsula farm as well as a host of hands-on activities. For example, you can experience picking the vegetables planted there, make your own bread, craft your own crafts, and more. You can also come into contact with various animals such as capybara and alpaca, go go-karting, sledding, and more.

Soleil Hill’s Sunflowers

Mid July to late August is the best time to see Soleil Hill’s sunflowers as this is when they are in full bloom. This period can change however depending on the weather. The spectacle of the beaming yellow flowers beneath the blue summer sky attracts over 130,000 visitors every year, making is a popular sightseeing spot. On a good day when the weather is clear, you can even see Mount Fuji and Sagami Bay.

The park has an atmosphere and aesthetic similar to Provence in southeastern France with its array of terracotta and brick buildings. In fact, the word “soleil” means “sun” in French, making it a fitting name for the sunflower fields of Soleil Hill. As well as there being plenty of photo opportunities there this year, the park will also be holding a stamp rally. Collect all of the stamps around the park and receive a prize. They even have sunflower-inspired food too.

Kyoto-based chocolate bar BEL AMER Kyoto Villa is serving up the perfect line of new chocolatey bites for summer 2020.

The entire line-up is a delight to look at, from a mountain of chocolate piled on top of shaved ice, a summertime mango and melon dessert, and more.

Chocolate Noir Shaved Ice x Matcha: ¥1,540 (Tax Included)

Shaved ice is the quintessential summertime dessert in Japan, and since this one is being served at a shop specialising in chocolate, what better way to serve it than drizzled in a mountain of the stuff? The shaved ice is covered in rich chocolate cream and chocolate sauce and is topped with chocolate nibs. It’s also served with a side of matcha sauce which you can pour over yourself, creating a delicious harmony of flavours.

Mille-Feuille au Chocolat Exotic With 196℃ Chocolate Ice Cream: ¥1,650 (Tax Included)

This summertime dessert is made with lots of mango and melon. In the centre of it all is even more mango, as well as pineapple and coconuts, for a flavourful layered experience. Served on the side is ice cream made from BEL AMER Kyoto Villa’s own original couverture chocolate.

Summer Pavlova: ¥1,320 (Tax Included)

This piece of art of a dessert is a must for lovers of matcha and melon. It’s made from fluffy meringue topped with white chocolate, matcha mousse, and chocolate cream, which itself is then topped with refreshing melon and grapes for a refreshing kick.

Chocolate Croquette Sandwich: ¥990 (Tax Included)

BEL AMER Kyoto Villa is also serving up a very unique dish indeed which mixes together chocolate and croquette—a flavour that actually works, combining sweetness and bitterness. The croquette is made from potatoes. The brioche sandwich also contains cheese and bacon.

These are just some of the delights on show at BEL AMER Kyoto Villa this summer. If ever you’re in Kyoto, be sure to stop by, especially in the summer.

The cheesecake—a popular dessert with a flavour that is both rich and refreshing. The number of shops in Japan specialising in cheesecakes has been on the rise recently, all of whom are baking up their own unique versions. Here are three summertime cheesecakes available online in Japan from three popular cheesecake shops.

Mr. CHEESECAKE

This summer, Mr. CHEESECAKE has whipped up a seasonal “Hirami Lemon” flavoured cheesecake which they are selling in limited quantities via their official LINE account from July 12 to 19. The cheesecake is packaged in a special box featuring an illustration of the summertime ocean.

Made with refreshing hirami lemons, the cheesecake has a sour and slightly bitter kick to it. By combining Japanese sansho pepper and olive oil, the sourness of the hirami lemon is elevate to new heights. Mint is also added to up the refreshing flavour, and salt from Okinawa heightens the sweetness of the cheesecake.

Mr. CHEESECAKE hirami lemon

Price: ¥5,400 (Tax Included)
Official Website: https://mr-cheesecake.com/

Neko Neko Cheesecake

Neko Neko Cheesecake, a cheesecake shop which opened in Tokyo in May, serves cat-shaped cheesecakes. This summer-only cheesecake is made using setonai lemons. It was released on Friday and will be sold in limited quantities only.

​The cheesecake has lemon jelly in the middle and is topped with sliced lemons grown in the Seto Inland Sea area that are baked together with the cake. It’s finished with a smear of lemon jam and cream, making for a real summertime treat.

Neko Neko Cheesecake ~Setonai Lemon~
Online

Release Date: July 1, 2020

Price: Single ¥3,800 / Lemon & Plan ¥5,980

Online Store: https://hbantique.official.ec

In-Store

Release Date: July 3, 2020

Price: Single ¥2,200

Available: Neko Neko Cheesecake in Jiyugaoka, Tokyo

LeTAO

Confectionery shop LeTAO has released their popular “Melon Double” cheesecake again this summer.

A popular cheesecake released every year by LeTAO, the Melon DOuble is a sweet baked cheesecake made with individual layers of melon puree and mascarpone cream cheese. The refreshing sweetness of the melon goes hand in hand with the cheese.

Melon Double ~Hokkaido Melon~
Price: ¥1,728 (Tax Included) *Shipping fee ¥890
Available: Until August 31, 2020
Product Details: https://shop.letao.jp/item/F695.html

TNM & TOPPAN Museum Theater—a theatre set up by Tokyo National Museum, The National Center for the Promotion of Cultural Properties, and Toppan Printing where visitors can experience cultural assets in virtual reality—had to temporarily closed due to the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, they their Secrets of Screen Paintings: Wind God and Thunder God and Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn exhibition can finally go ahead in the VR experience which will run from July 1 to October 4.

Additionally, Tokyo National Museum will display Japan’s painting and cultural property Wind God and Thunder God in Room 7 of the main building from July 21 to August 10.

The Secrets of Screen Paintings: Wind God and Thunder God and Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn online exhibition speaks for itself: it is a VR recreation that looks into the secrets behind two screen paintings and cultural properties—Wind God and Thunder God by Ogata Kōrin and Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn by Sakai Hōitsu.

VR “Secrets of Screen Paintings: Wind God and Thunder God and Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn”

There’s something hidden behind Kōrin’s byōbu screen painting Wind God and Thunder God. Incredibly, it’s Hōitsu’s masterpiece Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn. Kōrin’s screen painting belonged to Hōitsu’s family. Hōitsu long admired Kōrin and considered him his mentor.

The exhibition will dive into this secret story behind Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn, the famous painting of rain-drenched and wind-battered flowers.

The ancient paintings brought to life

The two folding screen paintings have been separated and safely stored since 1974 to ensure their preservation. The VR experience recreates the paintings’ original back-to-back form.

Understand the secrets

Wind God and Thunder God was painted on the front of the folding screen while Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn was painted on the back. By looking at both, we uncover the deeper story behind these ancient paintings.

See the folding screens in the right light

Thanks to VR technology, the folding screens can be made bigger to look at all of the little details and in the right light.

The new wine bar Dick Bruna TABLE is set to open in Kobe, Japan on July 17, 2020 at 11:00am (JST) where customers can enjoy various wines from around the world. Reservations are already open for both the bar and cafe tables, and if you book by July 16, you’ll get an original coaster.

Dick Bruna TABLE KOBE is themed around the popular children’s author and graphic designer Dick Bruna (1927-2017) who is known for his popular character Miffy. This will be the first bar of its kind centred on Bruna.

The bar has 4 floors which include a takeout counter, merchandise shop, cafe, wine bar, and event space. Dick Bruna TABLE will also be opening an online store for merchandise in the near future. It’s a must-visit for any fan of Miffy and Dick Bruna’s works.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s new release Ninja Re Bang Bang Steve Aoki Remix hit download and streaming services on June 25 (June 24 local time in Europe and the US). The track was released from twice Grammy nominated international celebrity DJ Steve Aoki’s label Dim Mak as well as the prominent label Smash the House which plays host to the Belgian dance music festival Tomorrowland.

This song is the first from a Japanese female artist to be released from these two international music labels. Right now, the track is enjoying much attention across major music streaming services, making it onto popular playlists including the ‘Tomorrowland Official Playlist’ which boasts 1.2 million followers, as well as ‘Friday Cratediggers’ which is a collection of weekly dance and electronic music picked up by producer, DJ, and remixer Bassboy. Kyary has also featured as the profile picture on Electropolis, which curates artists at the forefront of Japan’s dance music scene, and Kira Kira Pop Japan, which brings together pop numbers in Japan that are able to develop independently from ordinary pop music.

Moreover, the remix was released as part of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s collaboration with the Nintendo Switch™️ title Ninjala. As of June 30, Ninjala has already sold over 2 million copies. Future in-game collaborations are also set to be held with Kyary.

Spotify Playlist Links (Excerpt)

Tomorrowland Official Playlist

Smash The House Radio

Friday Cratediggers

Steve Aoki’s Neon Future Playlist

Electropolis

Kira Kira Pop: Japan

Japanese rock band flumpool have released a music video for their song Chiisana Hibi (“Tiny Days”) taken from their newest album Real which hit shelves on May 20, 2020. The album was the band’s first in four years following EGG back in 2016.

Chiisana Hibi is used as the opening theme for the TV anime series Kakushigoto: My Dad’s Secret Ambition which finished airing last month.

flumpool vocalist Ryuta Yamamura wrote the lyrics about the little everyday things that bring us joy in our lives. The music video is shot with a monochrome filter which gives it the effect of liking like a story taken our of a movie.

fumpool – “Chiisana Hibi” Music Video

The digital version of band’s album not includes all 13-tracks on the album, but three of their singles from their last record EGG too including FREE YOUR MIND, Last Call, and Toutoi.

flumpoo’s 10th tour which was scheduled to begin this month to promote Real has had select dates postponed. A new tour schedule has been posted on their official website.

Japanese “hybrid” bookshop honto, which is co-managed by Junkudo and 2Dfacto, has used its online and physical book sales data to rank the top 10 manga series of the current 2020 summer anime roster. Their ranking was released on July 2.

Ito (PR, honto) | Comment

“The 2020 summer anime roster is about to start. With people staying at home right now, there is more opportunity to watch anime, so there must be a lot of people looking forward to the new series coming. So we are releasing our own ranking of manga and light novels from the anime series that are airing this summer. Let’s peruse series that are in the spotlight right now by dividing the ranking and the differences in age of people buying the books.”

*Data is based on the sales taken from the first half of 2020

The Top 3 Series

The slapstick love comedy Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Volume 4) by Take clocks in at number one. The series has sold over 1 million copies in Japan. The data shows that the series is most popular with people in their 30’s, who rate at 41.2% of the sales. Will they be watching the anime adaptation too?

In 2nd place is Fire Force (Volume 22) which is serialised in Weekly Shonen Magazine. This series is most popular with those in their 20’s. Season two of the anime series will premiere on July 5.

And in 3rd place is Sword Art Online (Volume 24), a series loved by fans the world over. This hugely popular series has sold over 20 million light novels, and is popular in all age groups, with the biggest percentage of sales going to those in their 40’s at 28.2%. The first season of the anime adaptation aired back in 2012. The second half of the War of Underworld will begin on July 11.

Full Top 10 List

1st Place: Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Volume 4)
2nd Place: Fire Force (Volume 22)
3rd Place: Sword Art Online (Volume 24)
4th Place: Kanojo, Okarishimasu (Volume 14)
5th Place: Baki Dou (Volume 5)
6th Place: Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World (Volume 22)
7th Place: Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater (Volume 6)
8th Place: My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected (Volume 14)
9th Place: Super HxEros (Volume 9)
10th Place: A Certain Scientific Railgun (Volume 15)

*According to honto