Tokyo Disney Resort® ‘s official hotel Hilton Tokyo Bay will be serving up a strawberry dessert buffet called Strawberry Playroom from December 28 at lounge O. The buffet will be served exclusively on weekends and national holidays excluding New Year’s Day.

 

Hilton Tokyo Bay has tipped over the toy box, creating a dessert buffet which is like the playroom of every little girl’s dreams. The interior decor of the buffet room is a nostalgic throwback to the Vaporwave days of dial-up internet, bulky CRT TVs and retro games, however, everything is transformed with a pop pink filter. 

If you think the decor is playful, just wait until you see the desserts. Slice into the heart-shaped Very Berry Cream Cake and a strawberry and heart-shaped chocolate filling will come bursting out like a jack-in-the-box. This is the dessert to go for if you want a slice of fun.

Delving deeper into the world of toys, you will discover the Berry Brownie Toys dessert, which is garnished with chocolate robot toys. 

The MELTY or NOT Mousse Cake is the only time you won’t feel disappointed seeing a dropped ice cream. This vanilla mousse cake is topped with a “melting ice cream” and is freshly baked from the fantasy oven.

 

When you need a break from all the sugar intake or are looking for a late lunch, make sure to check out the 15 savoury dishes. Some savoury dishes include the Infinite Coleslaw Tower, which is made of purple cabbage and crunchy fried noodles, the Peachy Pink Beetroot Scattered Sushi (Chirashizushi) which is made from purple sushi rice and the Macaroni Gratin Treasure Hunt which challenges you to find the macaroni with a unique shape. 

 

All together, the buffet includes approximately 40 varieties of fun savoury mains and desserts for you to enjoy and are bound to get lots of likes on your Instagram. 

ROLL ICE CREAM FACTORYーan ice cream chain in Japan specialising in ‘rolled’ ice creamーreleased its Christmas menu today.

From Left: Reindeer’s Christmas / Pink Pink Christmas / Blue White Christmas / Royal Pink Christmas

This will be ROLL ICE CREAM FACTORY’s third-ever Christmas menu, which they have made even more fun. There are three festive ice creams to choose from, including two featuring Santa Claus and a reindeer. The ice creams can be served in either their regular cups, or the store’s new “Fuwamoko” snowstorm cups, which looks like snow blowing in the wind. Check out the video below.

Until now, people would take photos of the ice cream being made, but these new cups make for an even more Instagrammable post. Edit in a Christmas song or your favourite music to make your own cute video for your Instagram Stories. The Christmas menu is available until December 25, but these cups will be served until late February 2020. You’ll find the Christmas menu at the select branches and pop-up stores listed below.

HANAGATAYA is a souvenir variety shop that opened in Tokyo Station’s central passage back in July. After over 5 months of sales, the store has revealed its Top 10 most popular products based on sales.

 

The line-up features a selection of HANAGATAYA exclusives, as well as products from elsewhere which have received pre-sales at HANAGATAYA. You will be spoilt for choice with this selection, all of which are perfect for ringing in the New Year when travelling back home. Let’s take a look.

 

1st Place

Banana Custard Cream – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Emblem Design (Tokyo 2020 Official Licensed Product) – Contains 8 – ¥1,134 (Tax Included)

Officially licensed by the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, these chewy cakes are made from domestic Japanese rice, and are filled with deliciously creamy banana custard.

 

2nd Place

Tokyo Banana Butter Madeleine (Tokyo Banana World) – Contains 4 – ¥560 Tax Included)

Exclusive to HANAGATAYA come these all-new butter madeleine’s created by famous confectionery company Tokyo Banana. These baked treats feature a buttery fragrance and taste, and are made with a banana confiture and finished with fresh lemon.

*Exclusive to HANAGATAYA GRANSTA Tokyo Central Street

 

3rd Place

Toro One Press Chocolate Chick (Tokyo Hiyoko) – Contains 3 – ¥648 (Tax Included)

This year marks 107 since the company Hiyoko was established. The “Toro One Press Chocolate Chick” is a new confection from them: an adorable skyward-looking chick made up of three chocolate layersーeach with their own distinct flavour. At the heart of the chick is a moist chocolate paste.

*Exclusive to Tokyo Station

 

4th Place

Cheese Wich – Contains 5 – ¥594 (Tax Included)

These light and refreshing cheese cookies, called Cheese Wiches, are filled with a chocolate-coated melted cheese sauce. Three layers means an enjoyable amalgamation of flavours and textures.

*Exclusive to Tokyo Station

 

5th Place

Chocolate Chestnut Eggs (Ginza Tamaya) – Contains 4 – ¥800 (Tax Included)

“Goma Tamago” is a popular bite-sized egg-shaped confection. This chestnut flavour was created for HANAGATAYA, a mix of dark chocolate and vanilla flavoured chestnut paste.

*Exclusive to Tokyo Station

 

6th Place

Strawberry Cookie Sandwich (Berry UP!) – Contains 8 – ¥1,296 (Tax Included)

Berry UP! is a cute confectionery brand which creates baked strawberry sweets. Keeping with that theme, they have created a crunchy quintuple-layered cookie sandwich filled with sweet and sour strawberry chocolate.

 

7th Place

Shinjuku Curry Ebi (Shinjuku Nakamuraya) – Contains 6 – ¥600 (Tax Included)

If you’re looking for something more savoury, then this one’s for you: Shinjuku Nakamuraya’s light, fluffy and melt-in-the-mouth ebi, coated in curry spices. One nibble is enough to get you instantly hooked.

 

8th Place

Strawberry Polvorón (Berry UP!) – Contains 6 – ¥1,296 (Tax Included)

Another entry from Berry UP!, these polvorón shortbreads are made from lots of fresh strawberries mixed with condensed milk and mascarpone, creating a subtle sweetness that’s enough to have your mouth watering.

 

9th Place

BLUE MELTIN SAND (Tokyo Campanella) – Contains 8 – ¥1,200 (Tax Included)

What if herbal tea and cookies became its own snack? That’s what Tokyo Campanella asked too, and so make it a reality. Their BLUE MELTIN SANDs are cat’s tongue cookies stuffed with a herbal tea sauce that has a natural blue colour.

 

10th Place

Premium Cacao Full Sablé (Mary Chocolate) – Contains 18 – ¥1,350 (Tax Included)

Finally, we have a premium edition of chocolate company Mary Chocolate’s Cacao Full Sablés. This one’s for the adults, a sophisticated combination of bittersweet chocolate and berries.

*Exclusive to HANAGATAYA GRANSTA Tokyo Central Street

 

Did you enjoy this list? Which one takes your fancy the most? Whether as a souvenir for the folks back home, or as a treat to yourself to celebrate 2020, if you’re in Tokyo this year then be sure to give HANAGATAYA a visit.

Shin Kabuki-za is an old theatre in Osaka that has been loved by locals since it opened in 1926. The theatre is set to find new life as Hotel Royal Classic Osaka, a new hotel developed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma which is set to open on December 1, 2019. The MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON editorial team received exclusive access to view the hotel before it opens to report on it and showcase how it differs completely from other hotels with its characteristic charms.

 

Its direct connect to Namba Station means super easy access

Hotel Royal Classic Osaka is situated in the central part of Osaka Minami. Direct access to the hotel from the Osaka Metro section of Namba Station will be made available from March 2020, allowing for easy access and the reassurance that you won’t get lost wandering the streets trying to find your accommodation. Its location means easy access for tourists and travellers with a lot of luggage, working professionals who want to shorten the distance between commutes as much as possible, and pretty much any other scenario where accessibility is a priority.

 

An iconic building exterior combining tradition and modern innovation

Shin Kabuki-za is known by the locals who live in the area for its magnificent karahafu roof gables. The hotel will inherit this symbolic part of the theatre’s design and restore the lower part of the building. The upper part makes use of multiple layers of aluminium to create a dynamic and intricate design, resulting in a unique appearance that fuses both the traditional formation of the original theatre with a modern touch. Thanks to Kengo Kuma’s skillful architectural work, the building merges effortlessly with the surrounding buildings while retaining the local culture.

 

It’s as much of an art museum as a hotel

Olympic Girl 100m by Ay-O (Takao Iijima)

The hotel also stands tall and proud as an art museum. As you walk down its corridors, your eyes will meet a plethora of gorgeous pieces of artwork which serve to lay guests into a sense of calmness and tranquility. These works are scattered throughout the hotel, both at the front desk, guest rooms, and elsewhere, making it feel like you have really stepped into a museum of art. High-class pieces also line the walls nonchalantly, so give yourself time to appreciate the many masterpieces you’ll find there.

  

High ceilings create spaceーspace which is nothing less than relaxing

There are 150 guest rooms in total, consisting of Standard Rooms, Premium Rooms, and Suite Rooms. Not only does each and every room boast a beautiful and panoramic window view of Osaka’s nightscape, they also enjoy high ceilings, creating a sense of space and freedom.

Wood is the base of all the rooms, giving them a natural and relaxed feeling. The furniture is simple which gives the rooms a minimalist design, again adding to the space and sense of luxury. We stayed in one of the Standard Rooms. Don’t let going for Standard make you feel inferior, however, as we felt the room was incredibly spacious with plenty of space to store luggage.

Room lighting is controlled with a tablet located next to the bed. The tablets are compatible in four languages. Each icon on them also has universally easy-to-recognise pictures for easy use.

Also, the bathtubs in Standard Rooms have a little window that looks into the main bedroom. If you’re with someone you’re on good terms with, whether friends, family or a loved one, you can communicate back and forth while you take a soak. (There is of course a sliding door so you can close it off too!)

We were also shown around one of the Suite Rooms which are fitted with a living room and spacious washroom. It really is penthouse-level extraordinary.

The bathrooms have a window that looks out across the city nightscape, allowing for an indulging soak with a breathtaking view. It’s not one we could afford every single time we book a hotel, on a special occasion one time it’s an absolute definite.

 

Amenities galore to pamper your hair and body

The rooms come with a long line-up of fantastic amenities, like comfy cotton PJs, fluffy slippers, and our personal favourite: a compressed bag for your clothing. 

The amenities in the washroom were bountiful too, from shampoo to conditioner, shower gel and body gelーall of which, by the way, are by the Thai organic brand Panpuri. They all smelled incredible and filled the bathroom with their gorgeous scent.

They have all your ordinary must-haves too like a hair comb, cotton buds, toothbrush, and so on.

 

KUMO KUMO: The bar and lounge with comfy sofas

The hotel building has a total of twenty floors. After enjoying our time in the hotel portion, we headed up to the bar and lounge KUMO KUMO on the 20th floor. Inside the elevator, piano music plays while you gaze at the several pieces of art fitted inside. There was even a piece by Yayoi Kusama, so be sure to take a look.

When entering KUMO KUMO, there’s not only seats at the counter, but lots of sofas too with a window view.

Jazz music flowed through the bar and lounge, which is best enjoyed with a cup of delicious sake while staring out over nighttime Osaka.

 

HAFU is a restaurant for guests only that serves breakfast.

Their menu consists of lots of healthy options, from fruits to salads.

The chef will also prepare fresh hotel-grade egg and meat dishes too, amongst other delicious delights. There’s also a range of slim-friendly menu items made with foreign guests in mind. The assortment was truly incredible, we can’t recommend this place enough.

Of course, there’s yogurt, mini sweets and other dessert-like morning treats to indulge in too. It was a breakfast for the gods.

 

YURAYURA: A restaurant that combines Japanese and Western cuisine

The team enjoyed lunch at YURAYURA too, a buffet-style restaurant that also seats non-guests. Their menu is an amalgamation of the Japanese and Western palate, serving carefully-selected ingredients from countries around the world.

They had various foods from around Asia too like nasi goreng from Indonesia, as well as Korean japchae, and more.

Other things we spotted were pincho and small-cut sweets too.

For Japanese food there were things like freshly-fried tempura, and large cuts of roast beef which were cut there and then by the chef.

 

What I was personally happy about was their cafe menu, with things like cafe latte and other hot drinks. It was a satisfying 90-minutes spent, wolfing down food and then enjoying some sweets with a cafe latte.

 

5 spaces that can be used for weddings, parties & more

The hotel building even houses two chapels, as well as banquet halls, which can be used for weddings, parties and more. The chapels have large windows that let in plenty of natural sunlight. The use of natural wood also gives the room a warm feeling to it.

Floor 8’s HANAEMI

There are five banquet halls in total each on a different floor and each with their own concept. Those on floors 7, 8 and 9 even have terraces for parties too. Whether you’re having a party, a wedding, or a conference, there is a room for you.

Hotel Royal Classic Osaka’s speciality is its inclusion of leaving a part of traditional Japan in there while still letting you feel the Japan of today. Whether you’re travelling to Osaka for some sightseeing and fun, or you’re in the business scene and need a regular-use hotel, look no further. We felt connected to Osaka in our experience there, so if you’re planning a trip to Osaka, be sure to book with Namba’s newest landmark.

Sendai is famous for zunda mochi: a traditional dessert that fuses boiled mochi (rice cakes) and zunda (sweet edamame bean paste). The zunda mochi shop Zunda Saryo is collaborating with Nestlé to create a Kit Kat Mini with the regional flavour “Zunda Saryo Shake”, which will be released on December 1 at a number of shops including souvenir shops around Sendai Station and Sendai Airport, and selected KASHO SANZEN shops*

*(Omachi  Hirose-dōri, Koji Matsushima and Monzen Matsushima) 

Zunda Saryo spreads the delicious flavour of zunda across Japan through their variety of zunda-flavoured desserts and drinks. The Zunda Shake is an original drink made by fusing carefully selected milk with vanilla and then blending it with zunda to create an original sweet shake to represent Sendai. Kit Kat’s crispy wafers add texture to the layers of smooth chocolate, producing a divine flavour. Japan is home to more than 40 different Kit Kat flavours which are popular within Japan and overseas. 20 of those are from Japan’s regional flavour series, which is a collaboration with a regional specialty. 

Foreigners and even Japanese visitors from other parts of the country will have never seen this new flavour before. The new Kit Kat Mini Zunda Shake flavour is sure to be the best way to experience the flavours of the region. 

 

The cream filling is kneaded with edamame powder and sandwiched between crispy wafers. The Kit Kat is coated in Zunda shake-flavoured chocolate, creating the perfect Kit Kat flavour.  

 

Whether you’re looking for a small snack or a souvenir, the Zunda Shake Kit Kat is perfect for you.

Looking for Instagram-worthy ice cream in Japan? You definitely need to check out Asakusa Tsuno Koi. Soon after opening in Tokyo’s traditional Asakusa on July 5, 2019, their soft serve unicorn ice cream instantly earned its fame on social media. From November 28 to December 24, the ice cream shop will be releasing a series of Christmas-limited ice creams that are sure to become a hit sensation.

This shop is famous for being the only ice cream shop in the world to make unicorn-shaped cones out of financier cake dough and filling them with a sweet spiral of soft serve ice cream for the unicorn’s horn. This Christmas, the shop is introducing Christmas-limited toppings, flowers and wreaths to the decorations menu, making customising your ice cream more fun than ever before. 

* According to research conducted by Asakusa Tsuno Koi. Protected status has been received for America, Korea and Japan. Applications are still being processed in the EU, Singapore and Mongolia.  

 

For the Reindeer Soft Serve Ice Cream (￥780), each and every single financier cone is baked carefully, but this time in the shape of a reindeer – and it’s chocolate flavoured. Filled with soft serve ice cream, this reindeer is too cute to eat. 

 

The Christmas Tree (￥830) is a soft serve pistachio ice cream made using high-grade pistachos: the reigning queen when it comes to nut varieties. The ice cream is finished with one of Asakusa Tsuno Koi‘s original Christmas trees. 

 

The Santa Claus Soft Serve (￥500) is made using Asakusa Tsuno Koi’s rich-flavoured vanilla ice cream. Young or old, the moment you set eyes on Santa Claus’ face, a smile will automatically appear on yours! 

 

The Christmas-limited toppings include stars, candy, and gingerbread men (￥100 each). Can’t choose? There is set including all three which costs ￥250.

The shop interior is also looking more Christmassy. The interior is a fusion of Asakusa’s traditional heritage and the unicorn motif, which is popular in western countries. A colourful flowery background and Asakusa’s traditional folding fans and umbrellas perfectly finish the western-Japanese fusion scene, which is currently soaking in fame on Instagram.

 

Asakusa Tsuno Koi is serving up a totally unique kind of ice cream that has not been spotted anywhere else in the world. The Christmas-limited ice creams are definitely worth the hype. 

 

* Prices Before Tax

Japanese fruit tart specialist company Qu’il Fait Bon is serving five special tartsーincluding four new onesーat 10 of their branches for Christmas this year from December 20 to 25.

Eight Fruit Tart (New Tart) – ¥968 per piece / ¥9,684 Whole 25cm / ¥5,316 Whole 17cm / ¥3,357 Whole 13cm

Topped with eight kinds of fruit, this luxurious tart is filled with a white chocolate-laced custard cream and sat on a deliciously crunchy base. Each bite fills your mouth with an amalgamation of harmonious fresh fruity flavours.

Strawberry & Berry Cheese Mousse Tart (New Tart) – ¥1,235 per piece / ¥12,355 Whole 25cm / ¥7,322 Whole 17cm / ¥4,897 Whole 13cm

This tantalising tart is made with Le Gall cream cheese and is layered with sponge, cream and shortcake. It’s finished with a topping of juicy strawberries and even more cream.

Sweet and Sour Berry & Chocolate Cream Tart (New Tart) – ¥967 per piece / ¥11,612 Whole 25cm / ¥6,139 Whole 17cm / ¥4,594 Whole 13cm

A more sophisticated tart for the grown-ups, this rich delight is the perfect indulgence for the holy night this Christmas, finished with a glossy sauce and sparkly gold leaf. The smooth bavarian sauce coupled with the sweet and sour berry assortment is a match made in heaven. For texture, there is added crunchy feuillantine made from thinly baked crepe dough.

Two-Coloured Grape Tart (New Tart) – ¥921 per piece / ¥7,369 Whole 21cm / ¥5,892 Whole 17cm

If you love grapes, then this tart is a dream come true: a combination of red and green grapes sat on top of a bed of crème raffinée and a cinnamon-sprinkled base. Enjoy the sweet, sour and juicy flavours.

White Chocolate Cream & Fukuoka Beni Hoppe Strawberry Tart – ¥1,647 per piece / ¥16,470 Whole 25cm / ¥8,138 Whole 17cm

This tart is made with beni hoppe strawberries from Fukuoka which are renowned for their rich taste and balanced sweetness and sourness. This tart is made with only the best selection of these large grapes. Enjoy this simple but extravagant combination of white chocolate custard cream, fresh cream, and light and fluffy sponge.

*Exclusive to the following Qu’il Fait Bon branches: Grand Maison Ginza, Aoyama, Tokyo Skytree Town Solamachi, Yokohama, Fukuoka, Hamamatsu, and Sendai

White Chocolate Cream & Fukuoka Amaou Strawberry Tart – ¥1,762 per piece / ¥17,625 Whole 25cm / ¥8,934 Whole 17cm 

This tart is also made with strawberries from Fukuoka, a type known as amaou. They are juicy, plump, and glossy red. They are paired perfectly with white chocolate custard and fresh cream.

*Exclusive to the following Qu’il Fait Bon branches: Grand Front Osaka and Kyoto

 

These tarts are available for a limited-time only, so treat yourself this Christmasーa time that comes only once a year!

 

*All listed prices include 8% consumption tax. Rate subject to change if dining in at a select branch. Select branches may not serve individual slices.

The Harajuku, Yokohama and Umeda branches of the Pompompurin Cafeーthe cafe chain centred on Sanrio’s popular character Pompompurinーis serving up two cute Christmas menu items this year from December 1 to 25.

*Food names below are translated from Japanese

Hurry Up Santa – Pompompurin Cheese Keema Curry – ¥1,290 (Before Tax)

This rich and spicy keema curry is made with Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and natural cheese. The colourful stars are made from carrot and paprika, while the spiralled Christmas cheese is a combination of spinach and mashed potato. Purin is made of rice and is waiting in anticipation for Santa to deliver his present. You’ll see he’s holding a stocking which is a made from bread and walleye pollack mayo. A hearty dish that is both delicious and adorable

Snowman Pompompurin – Snow Covered Chocolate Tart ¥1,190 (Before Tax)

Pompompurin has turned into a vanilla ice cream snowman and is standing next to a pistachio cream Christmas tree. They are both atop a rich chocolate tart. This cute dessert is like a Christmas garden straight out of a children’s picture book.

If you decide you want to spend your Christmas with Pompompurin this year, then you’ll receive a free lunch mat when you order food and a free coaster when you get a drink. These are both limited in quantity, so don’t miss out!

 

©1996, 2019 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO.S603310

As 2020 is the Year of the Rat in the Chinese zodiac, Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo’s gourmet shop Melissa is ensuring their customers thoroughly enjoy their New Year’s celebration by releasing a roll cake dressed in Japan’s traditional celebratory colours and decorated with 2020’s zodiac theme of the Rat. The cake is appropriately named Akemashite omedetou gozaimouse, which is a play on words with the Japanese New Year’s greeting “Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu”. The roll cake will be sold from December 28 2019 to January 7, 2020 and only 10 will be sold per day.

 

Melissa has been selling Chinese zodiac-themed confections since 2010, basing designs on the animal of the zodiac celebrated in that year. The pâtissiers never fail to produce cute designs full of fun and personality. 2020 will see the release of a strawberry roll cake decorated with the Year of the Rat theme. Pink dough is wrapped around a strawberry and strawberry cream filling. The cake is topped with an adorable chocolate mouse, strawberries, raspberries, red currants, pâte de fruits, and many more delicious toppings. The red strawberries and white cream represent the traditional colours of celebration in Japan.

 

As the Year of the Rat is the first year of the Chinese zodiac’s 12-year cycle, 2020 is a year to start afresh and look forward to a fruitful year. The pâtissiers are putting their heart and soul into each and every roll cake they produce, making this the perfect way to bring in the New Year.

A new character café themed around the sweet and adorable Sanrio character My Melody will open on the 7th floor of HEP FIVE, which is just a three-minute walk from HANKYU Umeda Station in Osaka. The café is set to open on December 5 and will be Japan’s first permanent My Melody Café.

Once you enter the café, you will be immersed in a world of pink, green and white pastel colours. Take a seat in the pleasant British garden-themed café surrounded by roses. Sanrio friends My Melody, My Sweet Piano and Kuromi are relaxing in the garden, enjoying afternoon tea together in the soothing atmosphere. 

 

Food Menu

My Melody European-Style Curry ¥1,490 ＋ tax

Kuromi’s Green Flower Prawn and Avocado Doria: ¥1,390 ＋ tax 

My Sweet Piano’s Fluffy and Foamy Pollock Roe Pasta ♪ ¥1,390 ＋ tax

 

Dessert Menu

My Melody’s Hide-And-Seek in the Strawberry Mountain Parfait: ¥1,690 ＋ tax 

Kuromi’s Tiramisu Flower Pot: ¥1,490 ＋ tax

Giant Blooming Flower Pancake: ¥1,490 ＋ tax

 

The café’s original menu is bursting with the cuteness of My Melody and her friends. You won’t be able to resist posting your photos of the interior and food on Instagram. 

 

Original Merchandise 

Make sure to take a photo with My Melody and friends at one of the photo spots in the café and check out the large variety of My Melody café-limited goods which cannot be purchased anywhere else. The above photo shows just a small selection of the cute goods that are available. 

Customers who enjoy a meal in the My Melody Café will receive a free placemat and sticker. If you order a drink, you will receive a free drink coaster. These are in limited stock so if you want them, make sure to visit the café as soon as you can.

 

©1976, 2005, 2019 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO.S603311

Winter may be cold, but that’s no excuse to stay indoors all day when there’s so many seasonal events and festivals to be enjoyedーespecially in Japan. With Christmas and New Year’s just on the horizon, it’ll soon be time to begin preparations for Valentine’s Day.

 

GINZA SIX is the biggest shopping centre in Ginza, a district itself which prides itself as the high end part of Tokyo. Seeing as Ginza is home to many internationally-known chocolatiers, you can bet that GINZA SIX is sure to deliver when it comes to high-quality Valentine’s chocolates and sweets. And you’d be right in thinking that, because the shopping complex is ready to showcase some of the delectable delights set to pose in all of their delicious glory during the season of love. Whether it’s a treat to some premium chocolate to your special someone, or a bit of self-indulgence, GINZA SIX has you covered this coming Valentine’s Day.

 

But that’s not all, because a string of pop-up shops are going to open too. Let’s take a peek into what’s to come.

 

Premium sweets made with the “4th type of chocolate”

We all know dark, milk, and white chocolate, but many people are still unaware of ruby chocolate. Made from ruby cocoa beans, the chocolate was officially unveiled in 2017, and is marketed as the “4th category” of chocolate. It will come as no surprise then that GINZA SIX will be making use of this still rare chocolate, as well as “blonde” chocolateーyet another unfamiliar type.

Valrhona Blonde Chocolate Plate With Jasmine Scent – ¥1,200 @ THE GRAND GINZA

Blonde chocolate’s characteristic quality lies in its combination of caramel and biscuit. The chocolate artisans over at Valrhona, a Japanese chocolate company savoured by some of the world’s top patissiers, have forged a blonde chocolate dome dessert injected with a raspberry puree and sweet vanilla mousse. The dessert is sat on a bed of crunchy crumble and surrounded with a pool of jasmine-scented blonde chocolate cream. This one’s for the adults to enjoy.

Ruby Saku Langue de Chat (12 Pack) – ¥1,200 @ ISHIYA GINZA

For a limited time only, ISHIYA GINZA’s langue de chat, also known as cat tongue biscuits, arrive in a ruby chocolate flavour. They took their delicious cat tongues and sandwiched smooth and sour ruby chocolate between them.

 

Japanese-style chocolates

These next chocolates are made with the Japanese spirit and palate in mind.

Kurosu Vinegar Raw Chocolate – ¥1,500 @ Shoubunsu Vinegar Brewery

Kurosu vinegar is smooth and doesn’t have a strong flavour or smell. It goes well with these chocolates from the Shoubunsu Vinegar Brewery, including their slightly bitter milk chocolate and white chocolate with soy milk. Each bite offers a sweet, refreshing flavour.

 

Textural chocolates

If you’re here for the texture, then you’ve come to the right place. From a dessert that combines light pound cake with rich mousse to a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate terrine, GINZA SIX has no shortage of sweets with tempting textures.

Rouge – ¥2,315 @ Patisserie Pavlov

This dessert is made with pound cake and rich mousse and is lavish with ganache. It’s covered with a strawberry chocolate coating and finished with an artisanal chocolate decoration.

Chocolate Terrine – ¥6,000 @ FRANCK MULLER GENEVE

Luxurious is the word to describe this chocolate terrine, a heavenly mix of Swiss dark chocolate and tasty cultured butter, resulting in a complex flavour profile of richness and melt-in-the-mouth sweetness.

 

Dine-in Valentine’s menu

Another way to enjoy your time at GINZA SIX for Valentine’s 2020 is to sit down at one of the cafes or restaurants to enjoy one of their exclusive Valentine’s Day menu items, such as an afternoon tea. It’s a great way to spend your time with your loved one or as a get-together for all the singles out there!

La Saint-Valentin Afternoon Tea Sets – ¥4,200 (Serves 1) @ THE GRAND GINZA

“Noir & Blanc” (Black/White) is the theme of these afternoon tea sets, which come in two different colours and are towered with strawberry-packed sweets and savoury snacks. Will you go for the stylish noir, or the sophisticated blanc?

Coppa Valentine – ¥1,819 @ Café Cova Milano

Served in a wine glass, this strawberry dessert is a layered combination of sweet and sour strawberry sorbet, chocolate ice cream, and strawberry sauce. It’s topped with heart-shaped chocolate and a rose bell.

 

Limited-time pop-up shops

CAFÉ COVA (GINZA SIX Floor B2F) 

CAFÉ COVA has lots of incredible surprises for the Valentine’s season next year, including a chocolate box wrapped in beautiful packaging, as well as the above-pictured heart and rose panettone (which, by the way, they’ll only be selling a select few of!)

 

Paul Smith POP UP SHOP (GINZA SIX Floor 4F) / Open November 27, 2019 – January 14, 2020

IDEAS FROM LONDON is a pop-up shop by Paul Smith that’s set to bring ideas from the UK to Japan. See their new fashion collection, special collaborative items, and more.

 

 

This is just a select look at what’s to come when the season of love hits GINZA SIX. Make sure you don’t miss out.

With just a small bit of ingenuity, turn everyday food into something cute using Kaori’s easy recipe! With a few simple ideas, an ordinary recipe magically transforms into a cute dish.

In this recipe, you’ll learn to make cupcakes based on the upcoming Disney film Frozen 2 which is set to hit theatres worldwide on November 22, 2019. These cupcakes are inspired by the Anna and Elsa poster design for the movie. This recipe has parts that are a little more tricky compared to my usual recipes, but put yourself to the test and you’ll end up with something delicious!

Milk Tea Muffin Ingredients (Makes 5)

100g weak flour

70g unsalted butter

50g granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp bottled chestnut syrup

5-6 chestnuts preserved in syrup

50ml milk tea

*To make the milk tea, add one black tea bag into 70ml of milk and draw 50ml from that

 

Bean Paste Ingredients

500g white bean paste (shiro-an in Japanese)

25g unsalted butter (room temperature)

20ml milk

A bit of of vanilla extract

A bit of Wilton White icing colour

1. First, we’ll make the milk tea muffins. Bring the unsalted butter to room temperature and whisk with a hand mixer. Add the granulated sugar and continue to whisk. Whisk the egg fully, and then add slowly to the mixture. Make sure to add the egg slowly so as to not split the butter.

2. Sieve the wheat flour and baking powder and add to the mix. Slowly add the milk tea and continue to whisk to bring the mixture together.

3. Add a teaspoon of the chestnut syrup. Chop the chestnuts and add those too, then mix once again.

4. Add 70-80% of the mixture equally between five cupcake cups. Bake at 170° for approximately 25 minutes.

 

5. Next, we’ll make the bean paste cream. Do this by mixing together the white bean paste, unsalted butter, milk, vanilla extract, and Wilton White all at once. The Wilton White makes the cream turn a pure white colour.

6: Allow the muffins to cool, lather over the bean paste to taste, and finally decorate. All done!

I added colouring to chocolate plastic for the chest part of the dress. Then I cut it up and added it to the cupcakes. I hope you enjoyed the recipe, be sure to try making your own movie-inspired handmade desserts at home too!

The long-awaited sequel to Disney’s blockbuster animated is right around the corner. The first Frozen film touched the entire world with its frosty beauty with both its story and music. Let It Go in particular was a worldwide phenomenon, and was an immense hit in Japan too.

Frozen 2 will see Elsa embark on a dangerous journey with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven as she discovers why she was born with magical powers, the answer to which is threatening her kingdom.

The new film’s main theme, Into The Unknown, captures the complex feelings and emotions Elsa holds as she steps forth, with all her anxieties and hopes, into a new world.

 

Frozen 2 Trailer Japanese Version

The first Frozen film was a widespread global hit and there’s no denying that Frozen 2 will follow in its footsteps. Get together with your family, friends or lover to watch it for the best experience.

 

Kaori invites you into her world of character-themed food dishes in her recipe series. Be sure to check out her Instagram where she has uploaded many pictures of her character dishes!

 

 

©2019 Disney. All Rights Reserved.