In promotion of SCRAP’s new Detective Conan themed escape game Escape From the Scarlet Investigation (Blood Task Force), five of the company’s past escape games made in collaboration with the anime series are being revived for a temporary period.

Escape From the Orient Express

Escape From the Magical Castle

Escape From the Black Assassin

Escape From the Final Public Examination

Escape From the Navy Blue Art Museum

Here’s what it’s like to play..

SCRAP’s escape games are made in collaboration with many different series and see players become a character in the story where they must solve puzzles and riddles to find a way out. They have collaborated with Detective Conan since 2013 during which over 1.3 million people have played. The newest entry to the series is Escape From the Scarlet Investigation (Blood Task Force).

Five previous escape games make a return this year including Escape From the Orient Express (2014), Escape From the Magical Castle (2015), Escape From the Black Assassin (2016), Escape From the Final Public Examination (2018), and Escape From the Navy Blue Art Museum (2019). Each features a completely original story set in the world of Detective Conan.

©青山剛昌／小学館・読売テレビ・TMS 1996
©青山剛昌／小学館

First released in 2020, the limited-edition Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012 Yayoi Kusama is set to be restocked in limited quantities. To promote the re-release, three pop-up shops are set to open in Japan: one in Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store from July 28 to August 3, another in Iwataya Mitsukoshi from August 14 to August 17, and another in Mitsukoshi Nagoya Sakae Store LACHIC from August 14 to August 22.

Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012 Yayoi Kusama Gift Box | ¥27,740 (Tax Included)

Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Pop-Up Shop

Iwataya Mitsukoshi Pop-Up Shop

Mitsukoshi Nagoya Sakae Store LACHIC Pop-Up Shop

Yayoi Kusama

The pop-up shops serve as a space to celebrate two revolutionary women: the Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and Madame Clicquot, who led the champagne industry as a female entrepreneur in the 1800s. This includes Kusama’s 2-meter tall sculpture My Heart That Blooms in The Darkness of The Night designed for the collaboration, a replica of Kusama’s Self Obliterated by Dots: Madame Clicquot which she created in 2006 for the Madame Clicquot Art Exhibition charity event, recordings of Kusama reading out poems she created for the collaboration, and more. Visitors to the pop-up shops can also scan a QR code and watch the What makes me Bloom short movie, and more.

The Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2012 Yayoi Kusama Gift Box can be bought at the three stores, and at LACHIC, you can try a glass of the champagne.

Two branches of Animate Cafe in Ikebukuro and Nagoya are celebrating seven manga works of manga artist Arina Tanemura including I.O.N, Phantom Thief Jeanne, Time Stranger Kyoko, Full Moon o Sagashite, Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross, and Neko to Watashi no Kinyōbi.

The collaboration will run from July 28 to August 23. Table reservations must be made for those wanting to dine from July 28 to August 1 as well as on weekends and public holidays. Reservations are not required for all other days.

Arina Tanemura Precious Wedding Party at Animate Cafe

The Menu Line-Up (Excerpt)

Full Moon o Sagashite: Negi Ramen Lunch | ¥980 (Tax Included)

Arina’s Precious Wedding Plate | ¥1,300 (Tax Included)

Phantom Thief Jeanne: Tiramisu | ¥800 (Tax Included)

The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross: Glass Dessert | ¥800 (Tax Included)

I.O.N: Drink | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Phantom Thief Jeanne: Sindbad | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Time Stranger Kyoko: Crystal Stranger | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Full Moon o Sagashite: Honey Hot Milk | ¥600 (Tax Included)

The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross: Espresso | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura: Soda | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Neko to Watashi no Kinyōbi: Curry Soup With Bread | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Free coaster with every menu order

Exclusive Merchandise (Excerpt)

Big Acrylic Stand (Wedding Ver.) | ¥1,600 (Tax Included)

Wedding Card | ¥800 (Tax Included)

CoLotta Acrylic Plate Keyrings | ¥800 (Tax Included)

Big Ribbon Pouch | ¥2,500 (Tax Included)

Stamp Card Campaign

Arina Tanemura made her debut in the shojo manga magazine Ribbon Original in 1996 with her short manga The Style of the Second Love. In 1998, she garnered mainstream popularity when her work Phantom Thief Jeanne began serialisation which has over 5.5 million copies in circulation. Some of her other famous works including Full Moon o Sagashite, Sakura Hime: The Legend of Princess Sakura, and The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross. In 2015, she worked as the character designer for the smartphone game IDOLiSH7.

This marks her third cafe collaboration, and this time it’s themed on a ‘Precious Wedding Party’ with food inspired by the characters from her stories as well as exclusive merchandise.

©種村有菜／集英社

Tokyo Midtown’s annual MIDTOWN ART PALETTE has returned again for the summer, opening on July 16 and running until September 5. This year, the event delivers a Digital Art Garden with gorgeous dream-like digital artwork.

Digital Art Garden

Last year’s event

Experience a distinctively Japanese way to stay cool and refreshed on a wooden veranda with light and mist dancing through the outdoor space inspired by traditional Japanese rock gardens. Find yourself bewitched by an enchanting summer evening as the digital art transforms throughout the day.

This year’s event is being held with all proper social distancing measures in place.

Take digital art home with you with AR fireworks

Locate five QR codes dotted around Tokyo Midtown which when accessed via your smartphone will award you with artistic AR fireworks, allowing you to enjoy fireworks with you wherever you point the camera on your screen, including at home.

Continuing the character park’s 30th anniversary celebrations, Sanrio Harmonyland opened its 30th Anniversary ~Special Summer~ event on July 16 which is running until August 31. There’s a whole bunch of events and shows for Sanrio fans to look forward to this summer.

30th Special Greeting

For the entire duration of the event, lots of characters will come out to greet park guests twice a day. This includes Hangyodon and Tuxedosam, both of who haven’t visited Harmonyland in almost 10 years. Pochacco will be there too in a brand-new costume.

Obake Ondo! DoRoRoNRoN!

The characters will be out dressed in cute summery yukata where they will invite guests to dance Bon Odori with them.

Parade Parallel ~30th Memories~

A special 30th anniversary rendition of the park’s Parade Parallel will take place, taking songs and performances from past runs of this event which has been held since the park first opened.

30th Anniversary Night Party

Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Cinnamoroll, Kuromi, and 10 dancers will host a special anniversary night show to give thanks to guests for the past 30 years.

Running: July 17th-18th, 22nd-24th / August 7th-8th, 13th-15th, 21st-22nd, 28th-29th

Character Menu: Hello Kitty’s Cheese in Hamburger Curry – Cinnamoroll’s Beef Stew Rice – Smiling Pompompurin’s Pork Cutlet Curry | ¥1,380 Each

Wish Me Mell’s Heart Korokke White Sauce Omurice | ¥1,400

Acrylic Stand Keyrings | ¥748 Each

Guests can get their hands on exclusive anniversary merchandise and enjoy some limited-time dishes too.

ⓒ 2021 SANRIO CO., LTD.　S/D･G

Japanese creative company NAKED opened its ‘NAKED SKY CRUISING’ projection mapping performance at Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER’s observation deck on July 1.

NAKED has used its projection mapping technology at towers and observation decks up and down Japan such as Tokyo Tower, Abeno Harukas, and Sapporo TV Tower, combining it with each location’s nightscape and catering each performance to the seasons at various themes. Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER has hosted seven night-themed experiences at its observation deck to date, but NIGHT SKY CRUISING is the first one to be held after the tower underwent refurbishment in September 2020.

Visitors can enjoy a magical projection mapping show on the tower windows with Nagoya’s incredible evening city view in the background.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, two Harry Potter Cafes are set to run for a limited time in Tokyo and Nagoya from July 22 and 23 respectively, serving magical food, drink, and dessert straight from the wizarding world.

Freebies for customers who dine at the cafe or spend a certain amount on merchandise

Gryffindor OBENTO BOX

Slytherin OBENTO BOX / Hufflepuff OBENTO BOX / Ravenclaw OBENTO BOX

Herbology Salad

Shepherd’s Pie

Owl Post Snack Plate

HAPPEE BIRTHDAE Cake

Golden Snitch Parfait

スムージー　グリフィンドール/スリザリン/ハッフルパフ/レイブンクロー/ホグワーツ特急カフェラテ

Hot Tea / Hot Coffee

Lunch Boxes / Teacup

Cafe Original Merchandise

Acrylic Magnets Design A / Folders Design A / Letter Set

Stickers Design A / Acrylic Charms

Eco Bag / Satin Pouch / Bandana Handkerchief

Mirror / Masking Tape Design A / Oversized T-Shirt

Fantastic Beasts Menu & Cafe Original Merchandise

Niffler Orange Tart

Magical Trunk Cake

Stickers Design B / Acrylic Magnets Design B / Folders Design B / Masking Tape Design B

The film series adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter fantasy series ran from 2001-2011 with eight movie total. Fans gather together to celebrate 20 years of movie magic and the release of the internationally beloved series’ first entry, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

WIZARDING WORLD characters, names, and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros.
Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s21)

teamLab Forest Fukuoka is getting a makeover for the summer season from July 17. Look out for seasonal digital installations including a bed of bright yellow sunflowers, animals made of summer flowers walking around, and more.

Summer Digital Artworks

Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives

Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives II

Soft Terrain and Granular Topography, 2020

Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life

For summertime only, teamLab’s Athletics Forest presents Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives – A Whole Year per Year where various animals made from seasonal flowers, such as sunflowers, roam the area. There’s also A Whole Year per Year / Soft Terrain and Granular Topography – A Whole Year per Year where visitors can see varying levels of three-dimensional soft terrain, and Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life – A Whole Year per Year, where butterflies flutter in summer colours.

The teamLab Athletics Forest and Catching and Collecting Forest are new museums by teamLab. In the Athletics Forest, visitors use three-dimensional thinking using the body, while in the Catching and Collecting Forest, they capture the wonder of catching and collecting things as children.

 
teamLab’s artworks are not pre-recorded images that are played back; they are created by a computer program that continuously renders the artwork in real time. As a whole, they are continuously changing, and previous visual states are never replicated. The picture at this moment can never be seen again.

The Hello Kitty media art facility and restaurant HELLO KITTY SMILE on Awaji Island kicked off a summer event on July 1. Titled “HELLO KITTY SMILE Oto-hime Ryugu-jo Beach Summer Festival,” the event is set to run until the end of August.

Digital fireworks set the summer vibe

Catch your own Sanrio figure

Decorate your own Sanrio character ceramic

Children’s meal at the Party Terrace

Hello Kitty afternoon tea at the Party Balcony

Spicy tortilla at the Garden Terrace

The event is themed on Oto-hime, the princess of the underwater palace Ryugu-jo which features in the Japanese folktake of Urashima Taro. It focuses on Hello Kitty and is a celebration of Bon odori, a type of dance that takes place during the Japanese summertime Bon Festival. Hello Kitty performs the dance on stage, and the audience can join in with handclapping, dancing, and waving the free fan they receive upon entering the venue. Visitors can also buy a ticket to meet Hello Kitty, and those who do receive a free plush toy along with a photo with the Sanrio queen herself.

At the event, visitors can enjoy Sanrio versions of all the fun things Japanese summer festivals, or natsumarui, have to offer like catching a Sanrio figure instead of a goldfish, painting ceramics, making vinyl prints, squirting water pistols, jumping on a giant trampoline, and so much more.

Other things to look out for include special screenings at the HELLO KITTY SMILE theatre and the firework projection mapping show. The event also has four different restaurants which are serving limited-time, seasonal summer treats: the Party Terrace, Party Balcony, Restaurant Tamatebako, and Garden Terrace.

Ⓒ2021 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO. L627610

Three cafes in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya are set to collaborate with the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen from July 15.

The popular manga series, serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump, is written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. An anime series began airing in October last year and wrapped up in March. An anime film, Jujutsu Kaisen 0, is slated for release on December 24, 2021.

The collaboration cafe is opening as part of the Jujutsu Kaisen Exhibition which is set to take place across Japan from July 2. The exhibition will be split into two separate periods, the first being themed on episodes 1-13 and the second on 14-24. It will display decorations based on scenes from the series, artwork, and more.

Masatsugu Nagasoe, the videographer who worked on the anime series’ first ending theme, took charge of the art direction for the cafes, eventually deciding on the theme of ‘stylish.’ Fans can enjoy themed food, get their hands on merch, and more.

Yuji Itadori’s Steak Sandwich Plate | ¥1,400 (Before Tax)

Megumi Fushiguro’s Shadow Pasta | ¥1,400 (Before Tax)

The cafe menu is filled with dishes and desserts inspired by the Jujutsu Kaisen characters.

Nobara Kugisaki’s Strawberry Pancakes | ¥1,400 (Before Tax)

Panda’s Panda a la Mode | ¥1,400 (Before Tax)

The fancy food’s plating is all Instagrammable.

Set Drinks (Not Available Separately)

There’s also a collection of drinks you can order as a set with your food or dessert which come with illustrations of the characters.

Acrylic Keyrings / Pins / Folders

Sticker Set / Acrylic Dioramas / Handkerchiefs

Fans can also get their hands on a range of merchandise feature Studio MAPPA’s stylish art as well as other exclusives.

©芥見下々／集英社・呪術廻戦製作委員会

LOUANGE TOKYO has released their ‘SUMMER COLLECTION 2021’ menu line-up of refreshing desserts for cooling down this summer. They are available to enjoy at LOUANGE TOKYO Le Musée in Ginza, Tokyo.

PARFAIT SOFT PISTACHE

PARFAIT SOFT CANECHEE

CRYSTAL MELON

CRYSTAL PECHE (Available from July)

PARFAIT FLAFFY NOOMY CARAMEL ORANGE (Also available online)

PARFAIT FLAFFY NOOMY MIXED BERRY (Exclusive to Cake.jp)

LOUANGE TOKYO Le Musée’s SUMMER COLLECTION 2021 includes a seasonal fruit parfait made by world class baker Koji Fujita, artistic summery ice creams, and more. All the mouth-watering picks are served in delicious luxury.

Benzaiten opened its first store in 2019 and since then has opened over 50 branches up and down Japan. The confectionery brand, which specialises in fruit-filled daifuki, has now opened a new store inside Tokyo’s luxury shopping centre GINZA SIX.

Yellow Papaya | ¥950 (Tax Included)

Tayo no Tamago Red Mango | ¥1,500 (Tax Included)

Fig | ¥1,000 (Tax Included)

Kiwi | ¥650 (Tax Included)

Benzaiten has over 10 types of fresh seasonal fruits ordered in from the market every day to make their daifuku with, most of which use the entire fruit. They are very particular about the mochi used to make the daifuku to ensure the original delicious flavour of the fruit is maintained and maximises. They use two layers of high quality white bean paste and habutai to hand-prepare the daifuku every day.