Asahi Soft Drinks has announced the release of a new drinks series called Calpis Soda Shifuku no Jikan (“Blissful Time”) with the first flavour, lemon, to hit shelves in Japan on January 26, 2021.

The new milky, carbonated soft drink series is aimed at grown-ups looking to wind down and relax with a nice chill drink. The lemon flavour is made with lemon peel extract, adding a citrusy refreshing kick to the bubbly and smooth experience.

If you’re in Japan then be on the lookout for this blissful new beverage.

“カルピス,” “カルピスソーダ,” and “CALPIS SODA” are registered trademarks of Asahi Soft Drinks Co., Ltd.

The Kirby Café in Tokyo, which is based entirely around the popular Kirby video game series, will release a new limited-time menu on January 15 called ‘Chocolate de PUPUPU’ which will be served until February 28. The fruit and chocolate-packed line-up features three items. Item names are translated from Japanese by MMN.

The ‘Chocolate de PUPUPU’ Menu

Kirby Café’s Stovetop Dessert Pizza ~Looking Out the Chocolate Train Window~ | ¥1,380 (Before Tax)

Waddle Dee Also Loves Chef’s Chocolate Pan Stew! | ¥1,480 (Before Tax)

Old Odyssey | ¥780 (Before Tax)

Which of these delightfully cute treats do you want to inhale?

Japanese women’s fashion variety store ITS’DEMO is collaborating with Kirby to release a new merchandise collection on January 19, 2021.

Kirby’s Dream Land x ITS’DEMO star flower Items (Excerpt)

Kirby’s Dream Land x ITS’DEMO pupupu gift Items (Excerpt)

Inspired by the video game Kirby’s Dream Land, the merch collection features two different designs: the springtime floral ‘star flower’ and the gift-perfect ‘pupupu gift.’ The former captures the feeling of the spring season while the latter is littered with love hearts. The collection will also included stationery, towels, snacks, and more. Even more items will be added to the line-up on February 9, 2021.

©Nintendo/HAL Laboratory, Inc.　KB21-P2687

The Kirby Cafe in Tokyo has announced a seasonal dish for the new year as part of the cafe’s “Sweet NEW YEAR 2021” celebration which it will begin serving from January 1, 2021.

Kirby Burger & New Year Dessert | ¥1,980 (Before Tax)

The dish comes with a miniature version of Kirby Cafe’s popular burger on a teeny-tiny plate measured at just 10cm in circumference.

The mini dish looks super cute lined up next to the cafe’s plush toys.

The plate that the food is served on comes as a free souvenir which you can take home with you after eating. These will be limited in stock so will be available while supplies last for the New Year.

Tully’s Coffee Japan is adding a new seasonal drink to its menu on December 26: the “Brown Sugar Syrup & Soy Flour Matcha Latte.”

Brown Sugar Syrup & Soy Flour Matcha Latte (Hot/Iced) | Tall ¥520 (Before Tax)

Matcha beverages at Tully’s Coffee are all made with Uji matcha from Kyoto. The powder is prepared in-house at Tully’s Coffee, ensuring that the original taste and fragrance of the matcha is fresh. Their new seasonal beverage takes their classic Uji Matcha Latte and sweetens it with brown sugar syrup and Hokkaido soy flour.

Brown Sugar Syrup & Soy Flour Matcha Suwakuru® (Frozen) | Tall ¥540, with tapioca +¥100 (Before Tax)

Adding tapioca pearls creates a perfect combination with the syrup and soy flour, creating a taste and texture that’s like the traditional Japanese confection warabimochi.

Uji Matcha Kouign-amann | ¥290 (Before Tax)

Tully’s Coffee is also baking up some seasonal treats, like a Japanese-style Kouign-amann and red bean paste-filled doughnuts.

Milk Red Bean Paste Doughnuts | ¥300 (Before Tax)

The doughnuts are also made with milk from Hokkaido.

2021 Year of the Ox Mug | ¥1,500 (Before Tax)

And to celebrate the upcoming Year of the Ox, the coffee chain is also rolling out a cute ox-themed mug.

The popular chilled coffee beverage Mt.RAINIER Caffè Latte is teaming up with the popular anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion to release limited-edition coffee cup designs from December 15, 2020.。

Mt.RAINIER launched in February 1993 as a pioneering brand of chilled coffee in a cup. Since then, the company has introduced countless flavours which retain the authentic quality of a drink you would sip on in a cafè.

Neon Genesis Evangelion is a mecha anime series that was first broadcast in 1995. The latest entry to its film franchise, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, will be released on January 23, 2021. The franchise’s collaboration with Mt.RAINIER serves as promotion for the highly-anticipated film.

The collaborative coffee cup designs will feature on three different beverages: the Mt.RAINIER Caffè Latte, Mt.RAINIER Caffè Latte Espresso, and Mt.RAINIER Caffè Latte Non-Sugar, all of which have two designs each for a total of six possible designs.

Mt.RAINIER is hosting a special campaign over on its Japanese website where 1,995 Evangelion fans can win some exclusive merchandise.

Sarutahiko Coffee released a Christmas-exclusive seasonal flavour of its popular Jellatte dessert drink on Tuesday (December 1) which it’s calling the “Maroron Merry Pudding Jellatte.”

Maroron Merry Pudding Jellatte | ¥750 (Before Tax)

The beverage is the second in this year’s Christmas themed drinks to be released by Sarutahiko Coffee. It uses a coffee jelly base made from Ethiopian coffee beans and contains layers of mascarpone cheese from Italy, a chocolate sauce made from Cacao Hunters chocolate, milk pudding, four kinds of mixed berry jellies, pistachio milk pudding, milk foam, and to top it all off, chocolate pieces and pistachios.

The pistachio and mascarpone bring a richness to the dessert drink which blends deliciously with the freshness of the berries and full-bodied coffee for a combination that’s like a warm and cosy Christmas hug.

Taiwanese cheese tea shop machi machi is releasing a new drink in Japan this holiday season on December 1: the ‘Flurry Strawberry Milk With Crème Brûlée.’

machi machi is an extremely popular cheese tea chain in Taiwan that has been called the ‘king of cheese tea’ by Taiwanese news outlets. Each and every cup poured is made fresh with tea from Taiwan to which rich cream cheese is added for a salty kick, creating a new kind of dessert drink.

Flurry Strawberry Milk With Crème Brûlée | ¥750 (Before Tax)

The new Christmas beverage being served in Japan uses fresh strawberries which adds a delightful sweetness to the milk. It’s topped with crushed Oreos and combined with crème brûlée for a variety of layered flavours. The Oreos add crunch to the dessert drink so that it’s a delicious experience down to the last sip.

If you’ve never had Taiwanese cheese tea, and are in Japan this Christmas, don’t miss out on this seasonal drink, available for the whole month of December.

Pikachu Sweets by Pokémon Cafe in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, is adding the new “Caramel Pika Pika Frappe” to its menu this holiday season from December 5, 2020 to January 15, 2021.

Caramel Pika Pika Frappe | ¥700 (Before Tax)

The adorable beverage is based on the Japanese custard pudding known as purin. It’s laced with caramel sauce, closed off with a squirt of whipped cream, and finished with a sprinkling of chocolate chips for accent.

Pikachu Sleeves

The drink also comes with one of four possible Pikachu sleeves which feature designs in promotion of the upcoming animated film Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle (also known as Pokémon the Movie: Coco) which will be released in Japan on December 25, 2020 and in the US in 2021.

© 2020 Pokémon.©1995-2020 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
Pokémon, ポケットモンスター, and ポケモン are registered trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and GAME FREAK inc.
© Nintendo･Creatures･GAME FREAK･TV Tokyo･ShoPro･JR Kikaku
© Pokémon © 2020 Pikachu Project

Starbucks Coffee Japan has revealed that its second instalment of its limited-edition holiday season 2020 beverages will be the “Matcha x Matcha White Chocolate” and “Matcha x Matcha White Chocolate Frappuccino®” which customers can order from November 24. A new batch of festive Starbucks merch will also hit Japanese branches on November 30.

A harmonious fusion of matcha and sweet white chocolate

Matcha x Matcha White Chocolate Frappuccino® Tall ¥590 (Tall-size only)

Matcha x Matcha White Chocolate: Short ¥450 / Tall ¥490 / Grande ¥530 / Venti® ¥570 (Hot option only)

Matcha is one of Starbucks Japan’s signature flavours and just to happens to have been in the spotlight in last year’s holiday season drinks. This year sees marbling mixture of of rich matcha sauce and sweet white chocolate syrup with the Frappuccino®, finished with a squirt of whipped cream, brownie bits, and snowy powdered sugar. The hot version comes as a marriage of matcha and white mocha mixed together with steamed milk to warm the cockles of hearts during the cold months.

New holiday season merchandise

The theme of the second batch of merchandise is “Brilliant Season” which capture the bright and sparkly vibe of winter like with the snowflake-covered stainless steel bottle, a glass mug with beads in it that move around when shaken, a snow globe, and more. The perfect line-up for capturing the holiday season mood during your coffee break.

Starbucks Japan is currently serving the Berry x Berry No-Bake Cheesecake Frappuccino® and Berry x Berry White Mocha holiday season drinks for the holiday season until November 24 when they will be replaced by the Matcha x Matcha White Chocolate and Matcha x Matcha White Chocolate Frappuccino®. It is also serving the Starbucks® Christmas Blend, Gingerbread Latte, and Macadamia Toffee Latte until Christmas Day.

A Kirby pop-up shop opened up inside the EKI MARCHÉ OSAKA shopping mall in Osaka on Friday (November 6) where it is set to stay until December 10.

Kirby fans can expect to get their hands on a whole range of merchandise from stationery and plush toys to key rings and more.

Original Postcard

Customers who spend over ¥2,200 at the pop-up shop will receive an original postcard too. These are limited in stock.

If you’re in Japan this autumn and winter then be sure to grab some of these wintery Kirby goods.

The chilly winter season is on the horizon, but Kirby Café Tokyo and Kirby Café Hakata will keep customers warm with their new winter menu which will be served from November 11, 2020 to February 28, 2021.

Kirby Café Winter Menu

Food

Winter Kirby Burger & Clam Chowder Pasta | ¥2,680 (Before Tax) *Comes with souvenir plate

Mogu Mogu Kirby’s Poka Poka Pie Stew | ¥2,680 (Before Tax) *Comes with souvenir cup

Kirby is staying warm and cosy with his scarf on the burger and clam chowder pasta dish. For the stew, Kirby’s entire face is made from pie.

Kirby’s Hot Crumble Bowl | ¥1,980 (Before Tax)

This hot crumble is served in a cute Kirby bento box which you can take away with you.ス

Desserts & Drinks

Ice Dragon☆Pastel Cream Anmitsu | ¥880 (Before Tax)

Kirby Café’s Authentic Oven Baked Pizza ~Berries and White Chocolate~ | ¥1,480 (Before Tax)

The Ice Dragon☆Pastel Cream Anmitsu is a Japanese-style dessert while the pizza is a dessert pizza perfect for wintertime.

Kirby Fighters 2 Menu

Wrestler Kirby Burger | ¥1,580 (Before Tax)

King Dedede & Meta Knight’s Tag Dessert | ¥1,480 (Before Tax)

The cafe is also serving up a meal and dessert in collaboration with the new Nintendo Switch title Kirby Fighters 2.

Kirby Café Original Merchandise

Postcards | ¥150 Each (Before Tax)

Winter Blanket | ¥2,700 (Before Tax)

A selection of exclusive and seasonal Kirby Café merchandise.