The fresh juice season is back for spring at Dean & DeLuca cafes in Japan this year where they have a very special selection of drinks and desserts lined up for customers as well as an exclusive tumbler.

Creamy Italian maritozzi

Indulge in a tempting maritozzi this spring season which has a fluffy brioche bun stuffed loaded with fresh cream stuffed with sweet strawberries. This famous Italian delicacy is usually enjoyed in the morning but the addition of milky cream and tangy strawberries makes it a perfect dessert.

Every bite treats the taste buds to a combination of buttery brioche, melt-in-the-mouth cream, and a choice of either fresh cream and strawberries or fromage blanc and sweet and sour apricot jam.

Left: Maritozzi Strawberry ¥410 / Right: Maritozzi Apricot Jam & Fromage Blanc Cream ¥367

Serving: From March 1, 2021 while supplies last

Participating Market Branches: Shinagawa/Yurakucho/Shinjuku/Ebisu/Hiroo/Yaesu/atré Kawasaki/CIAL Tsurumi/Yokohama/Nagoya/Osaka

Participating Cafe Branches: All

A taste of spring with fresh strawberry juice

This year, Dean & DeLuca are serving up the “Strawberry & Fruit Tomato” smoothie which is made with freshly-picked whole strawberries and tomatoes. Tomatoes are generally seen as a summer vegetable, but the most delicious time to enjoy tomatoes grown in Japan is the spring season just like strawberries. The strawberries and tomatoes take on plenty of sugar content during the winter season which brings a rich sweetness best enjoyed right now.

The juice is prepared fresh for every order, with whole fruits put into a mixer and then served.

Left: Strawberry Juice ¥583 / Right: Strawberry & Fruit Tomato ¥605

Serving: From March 1, 2021 while supplies last

Participating Market Branches: Roppongi/Shinagawa/Yurakucho/Shinjuku/Ebisu/Hiroo/Yaesu/atré Kawasaki/CIAL Tsurumi/Yokohama/Nagoya/Osaka/AMU Plaza Hakata

Participating Cafe Branches: All

Spring-exclusive Strawberry Apple Pie

Japanese apple pie chain GRANNY SMITH APPLE PIE & COFFEE is also providing a seasonal strawberry and apple pie filled with in-house custard.

GRANNY SMITH APPLE PIE & COFFEE’s Strawberry Apple | ¥648

Serving: March 2, 2021 – April 30, 2021

Participating Cafe Branches: All (Except Yurakucho LUMINE STREET)

Enjoy spring with a spring-coloured tumbler

Dean & DeLuca’s popular tumblers return in seasonal colours and fitted with an airtight screw cap. They’re available in “Tokyo Pink” and “Charcoal Grey” colours.

Tumblers: ¥3,080 Each

Released: From March 1, 2021

Participating Cafe Branches: All

*Cafe-exclusive, not available for purchase online

Japanese casual brand launched a new collection of merchandise in collaboration with the popular ongoing anime series Jujutsu Kaisen on Friday (March 5) at their stores across Japan and online.

Jujutsu Kaisen is a manga series written and illustrated by Akutami Gege that’s serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump. It has over 10 million copies in circulation. A 24-episode anime adaptation began airing in October 2020.

The merchandise line-up features artwork and anime stills of the series characters.

The Line-Up

Coach Jacket | ¥8,250 (Tax Included)

Designs: 4

Sizes: Medium/Large

Long Sleeve T-Shirt | ¥4,400 (Tax Included)

Designs: 11

Sizes: Small/Medium/Large

iPhone Case | ¥2,200 (Tax Included)

Designs: 7 (iPhone 11 / XR compatibility)

Acrylic Stands | ¥1,650 (Tax Included)

Designs: 5

Mugs | ¥2,200 (Tax Included)

Designs: 5

Face Towel | ¥2,750 (Tax Included)

Design: 1

©芥見下々／集英社・呪術廻戦製作委員会

To celebrate the 85th anniversary of Japanese bag and accessory manufacturer Yoshida & Company, Yohji Yamamoto and PORTER collaborated to release a special bag collection on Friday (March 5) in limited quantities.

2WAY HELMET BAG (Large) – ¥98,000 (Bef0re Tax) / 2WAY HELMET BAG (Small) – ¥72,000 (Before Tax) / 2WAY SHORT HELMET BAG  ¥83,000 (Before Tax) / 2WAY VANITY POUCH ¥69,000 (Before Tax)

The line-up features stylish bags equipped with unique fasteners that cater both function and design. The bags have a ‘thick’ and ‘heavy’ look to them, something that’s distinctively Yohji Yamamoto.

Black is used as the main colour, one that is symbolic of both brands. A deep matte texture is fitted in three layers, while the handles are also a matte black made from steer hide. The removable chain fasteners are a handy addition to let you freely choose their length. Plus, they look super flashy.

Each of the three bags have a removable inside pocket which can be used by itself as a pouch. They are all embroidered with Yohji Yamamoto’s signature logo and branded with PORTER’s brand tag.

Blue Bottle Coffee Japan has announced that its new lounge space The Lounge -Kyoto- will open on the second floor of its Kyoto cafe on March 20, 2021.

An Exclusive Course at The Lounge -Kyoto-

KYO-TO-TO x Blue Bottle Coffee Original Hand Towel

¥1,700 (Exclusive to Blue Bottle Cafe Kyoto)

Blue Bottle Coffee opened its Kyoto-based cafe in March 2018 as its eighth branch. The first by the coffee chain to open in the Kansai region of Japan, the cafe is located near the famous Nanzen-ji Temple. The cafe building itself is renovated from a traditional two-storey Kyoto-style house which has a history spanning over 100 years. Blue Bottle Cafe retained many of the building’s traditional charms like the thick beams and pillars which are both rough yet refined and tasteful.

The Lounge -Kyoto- is also a renovation that maintains the warmth and welcoming atmosphere of the Kyoto-style house. This exclusive area seats just seven people, with seats needing to be booked in advance. Customers can enjoy Blue Bottle Coffee’s new coffee course menu which includes three different freshly-made coffees and two seasonal desserts. The cafe recommends trying each coffee as it is first to enjoy the flavour before customising it.

If you’re heading through Kyoto this spring or in the future, be sure to book seats at Blue Bottle Coffee’s new lounge space.

This November will mark the 10th anniversary of five-member Japanese boy band Sexy Zone. To celebrate, the band released their new anniversary album SZ10TH from Universal Music on Wednesday (March 3).

Sexy Zone’s ninth studio album to date, the 23-track record features selections taken from their discography from their 2011 debut single Sexy Zone to their latest single NOT FOUND which dropped in November last year. It also includes two new songs: RIGHT NEXT TO YOU, which is sung entirely in English and whose music video reached number one on YouTube’s trending page upon release, and Change the world, which the members wrote to express their gratitude to fans.

SZ10TH will be released in several versions. First Press Limited Edition ‘A’ copies are coupled with a Blu-ray featuring the music videos of all of the music videos for the band’s singles. ‘B’ copies include the Change the World music video which is a compilation of the band’s past live performances, as well as other special video content. Limited Pressing Edition copies include a third disc featuring 15 of Sexy Zone’s most popular tracks as voted for by fans.

Sexy Zone 10TH ANNIVERSARY ALBUM “SZ10TH” Digest

Sexy Zone – “RIGHT NEXT TO YOU” (YouTube ver.)

Sexy Zone – “Change the world” 10TH Memorial Music Video (YouTube ver.)

Hot spring chain Gokurakuya is set to host a collaborative event with the TV anime series Attack on Titan on Friday (March 5). It will take place at 32 of the chain’s RAKU SPA venues in promotion of the anime series’ final season.

Check out the promotional videos released for the collaboration.

Hand Towels: Entry Price + Sauna Set | ¥770 (Tax Included)

Merch Line-Up

Acrylic Stands | ¥1,980 Each (Tax Included)

Folders | ¥550 (Tax Included)

Online Shop Exclusives

Tapestry | ¥5,808 (Tax Included)

A1 Posters | ¥1,848 Each (Tax Included) / A2 Posters | ¥1,518 Each (Tax Included)

First-Come, First-Served Free Postcards

Photo Spots

Take a photo against a backdrop of Eren and Levi

Take a photo against a backdrop of Hange

Dishes, drinks, and desserts are also being served until April 11, 2021. Check out the menu below.

Eren’s Bandage Parfait | ¥1,188 (Tax Included)

Mikasa’s Red Tomato Ramen | ¥1,408 (Tax Included)

Armin’s Mushroom Porcini Omurice | ¥1,848 (Tax Included)

Levi’s Triple Hamburgers | ¥3,278 (Tax Included)

Survey Corps Seafood Squid Ink Pasta | ¥1,848 (Tax Included)

Eren’s Strawberry Soda Float / Mikasa’s Lychee Soda Float / Armin’s Mikan Soda Float / Levi’s Grape Soda Float / Hange’s Purple Soda Float | ¥715 Each (Tax Included)

Coasters (12 Designs)

Outfit Rentals

Eren Shirt – ¥330 (Tax Included)

Colossal Titan Suit – ¥330 (Tax Included) *Limited to one person per day, first-come first-served

Birthday Plan

To celebrate Eren’s birthday, the hot springs will also be serving up a special cake limited-time cake and setting up a backdrop for people to take photos with. These will be available from March 24 to April 2.

Eren’s Chocolate & Raspberry Birthday Cake | ¥1,958 (Tax Included)

Photo Spot

Backdrop

(C)諫山創・講談社／「進撃の巨人」The Final Season製作委員会

The Japanese online escape game “Hunter x Hunter: Escape From the Trick Dungeon” released a new collection of merchandise on Monday which fans won’t want to miss out on.

The Line-Up

The new merchandise collection includes a folder and stickers featuring the escape game’s promotional video as well as a pin, and key ring with the characters in chibi form.

Game Kit

This marks the online escape’s game third collaboration with the popular anime series. Players can also buy a special game kit which they can take with them anywhere they go to play offline. The game’s story stars the main cast of characters including Gon, Killua, Leorio, Kurapika, and Hisoka, and is centred on an original story that takes place during the anime’s Hunter Exam arc.

Japanese dance and vocal unit Atarashii Gakkou no Leaders a.k.a ATARASHII GAKKO! released their new song FREAKS featuring Jakartan rapper Warren Hue on Tuesday (March 2). The track is available on all major music streaming and download platforms.

Atarashii Gakkou no Leaders joined 88rising in January to make their international debut under their official new overseas name ATARASHII GAKKO! in January. This saw the release of their first international track NAINAINAI.

FREAKS was produced by American house producer Claude VonStroke. It fuses house, pop, jazz, hip-hop, and rock with the MIZYU, SUZUKA, KANON, and RIN’s punk energy which is an expression of Japanese youth and youth culture.

Sanrio and Warner Bros. Japan have announced the release of the first-ever Hollywood adaptation Hello Kitty movie which will be directed by animation veterans Jennifer Coyle and Leo Matsuda. New Line Cinema and Flynn Picture Company are on board for the film which will be a hybrid fusion of live-action and animation. The film’s title and release date have yet to be announced but it has been confirmed that it will be released worldwide.

Ⓒ 2021 SANRIO CO.,LTD.

Jennifer Coyle and Leo Matsuda are top-class artists and directors who bring their incredible history in and experience working with animation to the project. This marks their first collaboration, both of them beating many other directors to the job.

Jennifer Coyle

Coyle’s early days are rooted in series such as King of the Hill where she was a storyboard artist. She worked as a producer for the HBO Max animated series Harley Quinn and has also directed episodes in the hit animated series Bob’s Burgers, lent her penned her art for The Spectacular Spider-Man, and more.

Jennifer Coyle Photo by Andrew Marlin

Jennifer Coyle | Comment

“This is not only a rare chance to bring a beloved character to life, but also to spread the message of love, friendship and inclusivity that Hello Kitty stands for. The world so needs her brand of joy and happiness.”

Leo Matsuda

Matsuda is a Brazilian director whose career began at Walt Disney Animation. He has worked on films such as Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Ralph Breaks the Internet and most recently Abominable for DreamWorks Animation. 

Leo Matsuda Photo by Peter Lefevre Photography

Leo Matsuda | Comment

“Growing up in Brazil with a Japanese family, I was surrounded by the whimsy of Hello Kitty and it served as a reminder that it’s okay to be different. Along with Jen, FlynnPictureCo. and New Line, I am delighted by this incredible opportunity to work with one of the most universally beloved characters and expand their relatable Sanrio stories even further.”

VTuber group Holostars’ first official program on YouTube will launch on March 4 at 7pm (JST).

The program will treat fans to a whole new side of the members, the likes of which they’ve never seen. The official name and further details of the program will be announced on the first broadcast on March 4 on Holostars’ YouTube channel.

A new Evangelion cosmetic collection is set to launch from March 13 in collaboration with the lottery draw cosmetic series Coffret to celebrate the release of the upcoming anime film Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time.

EVANGELION coffret collection

The makeup palette features designs and colours inspired by the Evangelion pilots Asuka Langley Soryu, Rei Ayanami, and Mari Illustrious Makinami. The collection also includes loose powder based on the A.T. Field, lip gloss inspired by the characters, and a collection of two-coloured face blushes centred on Japan’s Evangelion Store mascot Yurushito.

As part of the lottery draw, those lucky enough to win the “Last One” prize can win a stand mirror with special illustrations of Asuka, Rei and Mari. There is also a chance of winning 3 sets of makeup palettes by joining the “Doubles Chance” campaign that is being held – links below. An original shopper bag will also be gifted for the first 13 people who purchase 5 lottery draws at once.

Enjoy your daily make up with the Evangelion Coffret collection.

(C)カラー

The Japanese character motif sweets series Tabemasu released a new sweets collection inspired by 4 of San-X’s popular Sumikko Gurashi characters on March 2 at FamilyMart convenience stores in Japan.

Tabemasu Sumikko Gurashi Collection: Shirokuma (Strawberry Milk) & Tokage (Peach) / Tonkatsu (Chocolate) & Ebi Furaino Shippo (Banana) | 1 Box 2 Sets – ¥369 Each (Before Tax)

The popular characters Shirokuma and Tokage’s bellies are filled with strawberry milk and peach flavoured sweet red bean paste. The besties Tonkatsu and Ebi Furai are making their first appearance on in the Tabemasu series with tales filled with chocolate and banana flavoured red bean paste. Their cute and plump charms are represented as edible Japanese traditional sweets which are too cute to eat!

The newcomer Tonkatsu represents a leftover piece of tonkatsu and who dreams to be eaten someday… his longtime dream is about to be accomplished with your help! Check out these cute and delicious sweets of Sumikko Gurashi.

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