The all new Kirby Star Allies: The Original Art Book will be released on March 16, 2021—the third anniversary since the release of Kirby Star Allies on the Nintendo Switch. Pre-orders opened on Thursday (September 24).

Kirby’s first official art book

Kirby Star Allies: The Original Art Book | ¥2,700 (Before Tax)

In the 28 years since Kirby has been announced, this comes as the first ever official art book in the Kirby’s Dream Land series.

The book will feature over 500 pieces of art beginning from the launch of Kirby Star Allies to its free patches, from character art to backgrounds, rough sketches, key visuals, and more.

The book will also include comments and interviews with the game’s creators. Fans in Japan who pre-order the book from Value Mall by October 3, 2020 will also receive a free gift.

©2018-2020 HAL Laboratory, Inc. / Nintendo
© ambit 2020

The Kirby Café in Tokyo and Fukuoka released three new dishes for autumn last Friday (September 18).

The menu items are made with seasonal flavours like pumpkin, sweet potato, and chestnut.

Filling Autumn Plate – Salmon Cream Pasta & Pumpkin Salad Sandwich | ¥1,480 (Before Tax)

One plate packed with fall flavours including a rich salmon cream pasta and pumpkin salad sandwich. If you look closely, you’ll spot cute pieces of Waddle Dee cheese.

Fallen Leaf Waterfall☆Mont Blanc and Baumkuchen With Friends | ¥1,280 (Before Tax)

Rick, Kine, and Coo feature on this tasty-looking dessert plate which is a baumkuchen piled with a chestnut mont blanc cream.

Kirby’s Hot Sweet Potato Sticks | ¥1,080 (Before Tax)

Crunchy on the outside, hot in the middle, and seasoned with fresh rosemary. Kirby is a pro at inhaling food, but don’t burn yourself with these!

Japanese cosmetic brand Lovisia is releasing three new hand creams with adorable Kirby packaging this autumn. The creams will begin rolling out on Lovisia’s official website, variety shops, and select Lawson stores in Japan at the end of September.

Pink Lush

Kirby’s Dream Land Hand Cream | ¥800 (Before Tax)

“Pink Lush” is the concept attached to the hand cream line-up, which is coloured a cute Kirby pink. There are three different designs: one with Kirby on a flower bed and wearing a flower crown, another with Kirby and Waddle Dee blowing bubbles, and another with Kirby inhaling assorted fruits.

Stay moisturised with Kirby throughout autumn and winter

Made in Japan, the hand creams contain collagen and hyaluronic acid, so your hands won’t be all sticky after applying the cream. Having hand cream is a must during these times when we all need to keep our hands washed, so why not do it in style with this pink line-up?

Three fragrances to choose from

Each cream also has its own combination of scents so your hands are left smelling great too.

01 Floral Shower

Inspired by the smell of flower beds, the base fragrances include musk, amber, and sandal wood. The middle notes are jasmine, lily of the valley, and rose, while the top notes are pear and leaf greens.

02 Pure Fruity

This fruity hand cream has musk, amber, and cedarwood for the base and jasmine, rose and honeysuckle for the middle notes. It’s toped with pear and apple.

03 Fresh Soap Bubbles

The final hand cream also has musk, amber, and cedarwood for its base notes. The middle notes are jasmine, rose, and magnet, and the top notes fresh lemon and green apple.

©Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc. KB20-P2209

Starbucks Coffee Japan has revealed the second beverage in its Artful Autumn @ Starbucks® series of drinks. The “Candied Sweet Potato Frappuccino®” will be released at Starbucks branches in Japan on September 23, 2020.

Candied Sweet Potato Frappuccino® | Tall Size Only – ¥590

Each drink is made using a whole chopped and blended Japanese daigaku imo candied sweet potato to serve those autumn flavours, with its marbled golden colour also reminiscent of the autumn leaves. It’s topped with whipped cream, black sesame seeds, and sweet potato syrup.

Truly the perfect dessert drink to sip on for the changing seasons.

Chun Shui Tang, a chain of Taiwanese bubble tea stores, is adding a new limited-time drink to the menus of all branches in Japan on September 16: the “Tapioca Sweet Potato Milk Tea.”

Tapioca Sweet Potato Milk Tea | ¥650 (Before Tax)

The beverage is made with annouimo sweet potatoes grown on the island of Tanegashima in Kagoshima Prefecture. The potatoes are known for their high sugar content, adding a delicious natural sweetness to the tea. It’s blended with a high grade sugar syrup and topped off with whipped cream and sweet potato chips to create a dessert drink.

Those who order the drink via the Smatapi (スマタピ) app from September 9 can get the drink early before its general release on September 16.

In Japan for the autumn season? Enjoy the tasty autumn flavour of sweet potato with the Tapioca Sweet Potato Milk Tea.

Japanese food company Ninben has announced that it is extending its sales period for its drinkable chawanmushi dessert at Nihonbashi Dashi Bar in Tokyo until September 30.

Chawanmushi is a refreshing Japanese egg custard dessert that’s perfect for cooling down during the summer, and seeing as the summer heat isn’t letting down in Japan just yet, Ninben’s drinkable rendition is now available until the end of September.

Chawanmushi Drink | ¥300 (Tax Included)

The chawanmushi drink is a collaboration between the owner of Suzunari and Ninben’s Nihonbashi Dashi Bar. The drink was created to get more people enjoying the delicious taste of dashi. Exclusive to Nihonbashi Dashi Bar, which is located inside Ninben in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, the drink is being served for takeout only.

Normally, chawanmushi is eaten with a spoon, so using a straw adds an entirely new experience to enjoying the dessert. It’s seasoned with salt from Christmas Island which elevates the flavour of the egg and dashi.

It’s still hot in Tokyo, so if you’re in the city, then why not order one to cool down?

HANABAR, a floral themed cafe and bar in Koenji, Tokyo, released two breathtaking new cream sodas on Friday which capture the sentimental feeling of summer transitioning to autumn.

HANABAR opened in September 2017 as Japan’s “first dried flower cafe.” A sister store, gmgm, opened last year selling gorgeously gourmet doughnuts topped with dried flowers. Both stores as produced by Nana Yui, a dried flower artist.

Lavendel | ¥1,100

Coloured an eye-catching purple, this autumn-time cream soda is made with lavender, butterfly pea, and lime.

Aimatsurika | ¥1,100

A refreshing mix of jasmine, grapefruit, and lemon topped with sweet ice cream that has a citrus fruit aftertaste.

The flowers draped inside the ice are all elderflower which has high nutritional value.

Beat the Japanese heat this summer in Tokyo with one of these tantalising cream sodas.

The rainy season in Japan, known as Tsuyu, is finally coming to a close, which means the real summer is right around the corner. And what better way to stay cool in Japan during the summertime than with a glass of coo, refreshing cream soda?

We’ve compiled a list of 4 must-try cream sodas in Kyoto recommended by Tiara on Instagram, who posts photos on her Instagram of drinks and desserts she tries around the Kanto region of Japan, and who has kindly provided us with photos on this occasion too.

and C Kyoto | Kita-ku

Yellow Cream Soda / White Cream Soda / Red Cream Soda / Blue Cream Soda

and C Kyoto is a stylish bar, cafe, and second hand clothes store located right by Hirano Shrine. They serve four different colours of their cream soda which look super cute when lined up in a row.

and C Kyoto
Address: 30 Hirano Kamihatchōyanagichō, Kita-ku, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 12:00-23:00
Closed: Tuesdays
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andc102/

BABBI GELATERIA KYOTO | Gion Shijo

Mango Passion / Classic Blue / Amaou Strawberry

BABBI GELATERIA KYOTO is located along the Kamo River and is famous for its gelato. They also sell some super refreshing cream sodas topped with their tasty gelato.

BABBI GELATERIA KYOTO
Address: 134 Saitocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 13:00-20:00 (Temporary hours due to COVID-19)
TEL: 075-585-5200
Official Website: http://www.babbi.co.jp/showcase/gelateria-kyoto/

Kissa Zou | Imadegawa

Pudding a la Mode / Lemon Squash & Elephant Cookie

This cute cream soda comes with an elephant-shaped cookie. The custard pudding has a rich eggy flavour.

Kissa Zou
Address: 440-3 Santeichō, Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 (Last Orders 17:00)
No Fixed Holidays
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kissa_zou/

Bread, Espresso & Arashiyama Garden | Arashiyama

Cherry Blossom Cream Soda

This old cafe is renovated from an old family estate which was built at the end of the Edo Period and is designated as a cultural property of Kyoto. This beautiful cafe coincides with the gardens and has gorgeous thatched roofing.

Bread, Espresso & Arashiyama Garden
Address: 45-15 Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 (Last Orders 17:00)
TEL 075-432-7940
Official Website: https://bread-espresso.jp

Tiara has lots of other delicious dessert recommendations over on her Instagram, so be sure to follow her if you’re travelling in the Kansai region and are in need of a sweet treat.

Original Text & Photo: ＠happy_pinkrose_tiara

Translation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

*The information about the items on this list are correct at the time of publishing. For the latest information, please visit each cafe’s official websites and social media pages.

The new “Flower Miffy Juice Garden” opened as a permanent addition to Flower Miffy Asakusa on July 21, 2020. Flower Miffy is a Miffy-themed flower and merchandise shop.

Colourful Jelly Soda – Gerbera/Tulip/Sunflower/Lavender: ¥580 Each (Before Tax)

Four new Miffy drinks are being served for the opening of Flower Miffy Juice Garden. Each is a soda beverage is filled with colourful jelly, elderflower syrup made from real flowers, and a soft, bouncy kind of jelly. Each drink itself looks like a colourful bouquet.

Miffy Cream Soda: ¥680 (Before Tax)

Flower Miffy Juice Garden will also introduce the “Miffy Cream Soda” on Saturday August 1 which is a colourful jelly soda topped with ice cream, a Miffy wafer, and flower-shaped chocolate.

Lemonade: ¥480 (Before Tax)

Apple Juice: ¥480 (Before Tax)

Other available drinks include sweet and sour lemonade made using lemons grown in the Seto Inland Sea, 100% apple juice, and other cute delights.

Gong cha’s limited-time “Houjicha Milk Tea” and “Genmaicha Milk Tea” beverages are popular each year, and they returned once again on June 17.

Japanese Tea

Gong cha’s menu item “Japanese Tea” was released in 2018 exclusively for Japan, and is enjoyed every year during its annual limited-time run. Made using tea leaves from Japan, its authentic taste and aroma has people begging for more when the year’s run is up.

2 Flavours This Year

Houjicha Milk Tea (Regular Size: ¥470) / Recommended Topping: Milk Foam (+¥70) | Serving: From June 17, 2020 for a limited time

The Houjicha Milk Tea is the iconic drink of Gong cha’s “Japanese Tea” series. It’s a blend the best high quality houjicha and kukicha tea leaves, both of which are grown in Shizuoka Prefecture. Roasting and using them together gives a sweet and deeply rich aroma. Add milk foam as a topping and you’ve got yourself a rich milk tea.

Genmaicha Milk Tea (Regular Size: ¥470) / Recommended Tapioca (+¥70) | Serving: From June 17, 2020 for a limited time

The Genmaicha Milk Tea is an original blend of Japanese genmai rice and tea leaves from Shizuoka Prefecture. This milk tea keeps the original delicious flavour of the tea and wafts a fragrant rice aroma.

Devoted to selling authentic coffee, McDonald’s Japan’s McCafé by Barista coffee service is all set for the hot summer days ahead with delicious Hokkaido melon drinks. The Hokkaido Melon and Milk Frappé is making a return to the menu along with the brand new Hokkaido Melon Choco Frappé. The drinks will appear on the menu from June 24, 2020 for a limited period.

Enjoy the luscious flavour and fragrance of Hokkaido melons in the form of a refreshing frappé. Although the Hokkaido Melon and Milk Frappé has returned to the McDonald’s menu year after year since 2018, this year marks the debut of the Hokkaido Melon Choco Frappé.

Hokkaido Melon and Milk Frappé M Size: ¥470, L Size: ¥540

Vibrant Hokkaido melon is pureéd into a fruit sauce (2% fruit content). This is mixed with milk to bring out its full-bodied fragrance. The juicy, melt-in-the-mouth sweetness will leave you wanting more. The whipped cream topping is drizzled with more melon sauce. Mix the drink to enjoy the delicious combination of juicy melon and sweet cream.

Hokkaido Melon and Choco Frappé M Size: ¥490, L Size: ¥560

Enjoy a sweet smoothie of rich and juicy melon punctuated with notes of Belgian couverture chocolate sauce (54% Belgian chocolate) and whipped cream. With 2% fruit content Hokkaido melon pureé as the base of the smoothie, milk is added to create a mellow flavour. Crunchy chocolate Oreo® pieces are sprinkled on top along with a drizzle of chocolate sauce, adding a hint of bitter chocolate flavour.

As the weather gets hotter, make sure to cool down with a refreshing cool drink. If you’ve never tried Hokkaido melon, now’s your chance!

Japanese cosmetic brand Lovisia has shipped over 1.1 million products, including the super popular Pokémon Cosmetic Series which we have covered in detail.

Now, to celebrate the 28th anniversary of HAL Laboratory and Nintendo’s video game Kirby’s Dream Land this year, Lovisia has revealed its new “Kirby’s Dram Land Face Masks” which will go on sale at variety shops, online sites like Tokyu Hands and Village Vanguard, and elsewhere in Japan on June 19, 2020.

“Pink Lush” is the concept behind the cute pink-coloured masks. The masks themselves are like the characters from the game. Lovisia previously released eye shadow, lipstick, and a mirror as part of the same series in April which proved popular amongst fans.

There are three designs in total: Kirby, Waddle Dee, and Meta Knight, all of which are Instagram-worthy and great as a treat to yourself or a gift to friends.

The masks are made in Japan, and contain collagen, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter, all for their moisturising effects. Each has a soap scent, which will leave your skin smelling fresh and looking cute and soft. The perfect accompaniment to enjoy at home right now.

©Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc. KB20-P2210