The real heat of summer has finally hit us. As a result, it is getting harder to resist those delicious ice creams in the convenience store that are so easy to get hold of. Convenience stores are constantly refreshing their frozen dessert flavours and it is just too hard to decide which one to go for.   Wondering what tastes good? Don't break a sweat. Dessert-eating professional Yukko is here to help. Check out her Instagram which has plenty of information on the most irresistible frozen desserts at convenience stores.   CREAM CHEESE MACARON ICE Seven Eleven sells a macaron ice cream sandwich series which is massively popular every year. You just have to head there now to try the Kiri® cream cheese filling macarons which are collaboration-limited!Just by looking at the refreshing colour of the macaron is enough to splash life back into your parched body. Sinking your teeth into the crispy macaron sure is fun.The luxurious ice cream filling is made using 100% Kiri® cream cheese. The ice cream covers a juicy core of passion orange sauce that is thick like treacle. Its sharp, citrusy flavour is bound to instantly revitalise you. The rich cream cheese makes for the perfect balance.    ▼ CREAM CHEESE MACARON ICE  Price: ￥257 (after tax) Available at: Most Seven Elevens countrywide (excluding Okinawa)   Strawberries & Condensed Milk Shaved Ice This is part of Seven Eleven's flavoured ice series. When you open it, you will be instantly hit by the revitilizing red colour of the strawberries. The strawberry sauce is sweet yet sour and the ice is crunchy. Allow it a bit of time to melt first and the texture will turn syrupy.The sweet and sour strawberry sauce is a perfect match with the condensed milk flavoured ice, which is both slightly sweet and refreshing. This is a flavour that adults will love just as much as children.   ▼ Strawberries & Condensed Milk Shaved Ice Price: ￥149 (after tax) Available at: Convenience Store: Most Seven Elevens countrywide.   White Peach Shaved Ice with Peach PiecesThis is yet another dessert from Seven Eleven's ice Series, and this one is bursting with peachy goodness! Despite being just ￥300, it is full of flavour. Open the lid and you will discover that it is full of delicious fruity pieces of white peach. Starting from the top, there are large pieces of peach followed by white peach jelly, white peach shaved ice and then white peach sauce. The peach will immediately melt in your mouth the moment you take a bite. Its juiciness will spread all over your tongue and you will be enlightened with the true refreshing taste of summer.    White Peach Shaved Ice with Peach Pieces Price: ￥300 (after tax) Available at: Seven Eleven   Essel Super Cup Mango Having heard all the stories about just how delicious this ice cream is, I just had to try it for myself. There are four layers to this ice cream. The moment you open the lid, the tropical fruity mango sauce layer will be enough to revitalize you. Once you make it through the mango sauce which is enriched with mango fruit pieces, you will make it to the layer of tofu ice cream. Dig a little deeper and you will arrive at a layer of passion fruit sauce.   If you reach the very bottom, you will hit the mango-flavoured ice cream. If you wait a little while for the ice cream to melt before digging your spoon in, you will be able to truly appreciate the rich-flavoured mango. This ice cream even has a special ingredient; mango pulp. This mango pulp enhances the flavour in an extraordinary way. The discovery of this new flavour will fascinate you to no end. The passion fruit sauce at the bottom has an element of crunchiness to it that resembles sorbet. The mango and mango pulp is an exquisite accent to the flavour, making it deliciously moreish as well as refreshing.    ▼Essel Super Cup Mango  Price: ￥238 (after tax) Available at: Convenience stores and supermarkets across the country.   All these convenience store ice creams are just too delicious to miss out on. There are many frozen desserts that will always be available, however, those listed above won't always be around, so try them while you can!   Mogu Mogu Yukko introduces lots of desserts and sweets that are easily found in convenience stores and supermarkets on her Instagram so please check out her other posts.   Writer and Photographer: Mogu Mogu Yukko

MAISON ABLE Cafe Ron Ron is a popular conveyor-belt dessert cafe in Harajuku. We visited the cafe last year when it had just dropped, so be sure to check out our cover story if you want more information.   The cafe has just announced a night party that is exclusive to those in their 20's. Titled "Cafe Ron Ron 20ty’s Night Party -PINK FRIDAY- supported by MAISON ABLE," the event began yesterday and will run every night up to September 27. Customers can enjoy all-you-can-eat unlimited snacks for just ¥500 with no time restrictions. For an additional fee, you can also pick from the food menu which features 5 dishes and order from the drinks menu which includes alcohol. Everything on the food and drinks menu is ¥500 too, making it a delicious bargain! Desserts are served at varying time slots from 19:00. Depending on what time you arrive or decide to start eating the menu will change which is all part of the fun! The cafe has also teamed up with the fashion rental shop airCloset next door so customers can enjoy dining at Cafe Ron Ron while wearing a yukata. You can even continue wearing the kimono after you've eaten so you can stroll the streets of Harajuku, go to nearby festivals and more for an exciting day out in Japan's youth and culture hub. The yukata can be rented by people of all ages - full details on the websites below.

Character cafés are an exciting experience in Japan which sees a café collaborate with well-known anime series, game series or other franchise by decorating the café interior with designs and illustrations based on them and meals and drinks inspired by them.   Before continuing this article be sure to check out our June 2019 list of character cafés as some of them are still running!    

Sanrio x Ichigo Shimbun Collaboration - Ichigo Shimbun Dinder (July 11-September 30)

Ichigo Shimbun is a monthly magazine published by Sanrio which includes information about the latest character merchandise and much more. Sanrio has opened a café themed on their magazine at EGG & SPUMA which located on the 8th floor of Shinjuku Lumine EST. "Vacation" is the theme of the café where Sanrio fans can enjoy a summery food menu. Enjoy a fun summer together with the Sanrio characters♡   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/230790   ▼Ichigo Shimbun Diner Location: EGG & SPUMA, Shinjuku Lumine EST Floor 8F, 3-38-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo Running: July 11, 2019 – September 30, 2019 Business Hours: Weekdays 11:00-23:00 (Last Orders 22:00) / Weekends & Holidays 11:00-22:30 (Last Orders 21:30) TEL: 03-6273-0255 Website: http://salt-group.jp/shop/egg-spuma/  

AAA CITY SUMMER PARTY - AAA Cafés in Tokyo & Osaka (July 19-September 1)

AAA's collaborative café is themed on midsummer city pop. Their seasonal menu features drinks, desserts and more inspired by each respective colour of the group members. If you dine at the café you'll get yourself a special lunch mat, and if you order a drink, you'll get an original drink coaster. There's plenty of other exclusive AAA café merchandise too, so if you're a fan of the pop group then this is one you won't want to miss out on this summer!   ▼AAA CITY SUMMER PARTYRunning Omotesando (Tokyo): July 19, 2019 - September 1, 2019 Shinsaibashi (Osaka): July 19, 2019 - September 1, 2019   Location Tokyo: OMOTESANDO BOX CAFE&SPACE (Pine Under Flat B1F, 5-13-2 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo) Osaka: Shinsaibashi contact (1-6-24 Kita-Horie, Nishi Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture)   Reservations ・Table reservations for August 1 to September 1 opened on July 12 at 18:00 (JST) ・Reservation Price: ¥650 (Before Tax) *Comes with bonus merchandise AAA CITY SUMMER PARTY Official Website: https://aaa-cafe-2019.jp AAA Official Website: https://avex.jp/aaa/  

Bonobono & Pompompurin's First Ever Café Collaboration (July 11-September 1)

The Harajuku, Umeda and Yokohama branches of the Pompompurin Café have teamed up with the beloved anime character Bonobono to release four menu items themed on playing together at the beach.   Both Bonobono and Pompompurin fans alike won't be able to resist the cute and delicious dishes being served at the cafes this summer.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/231395   ▼Pompompurin Café Harajuku Address: CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU 3F, 1-7-1 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo Opening Hours: 11:00-21:00 (Food Last Orders 20:00 / Drinks Last Orders 20:30) Pompompurin Café Umeda Address: Hankyu Sanbangai South Wing B2F, 1-1-3 Shibata, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi Opening Hours: Weekdays 11:00-22:00 (Last Orders 21:30) / Weekends & Holidays 10:00-22:00 (Last Orders 21:30) Pompompurin Café Yokohama Address: Yokohama Sotetsu Square, 2-1-5 Minamisaiwai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi Opening Hours: 10:00-21:00 (Last Orders 20:30)   Bonobono Official Website: http://www.bonoanime.jp/ Pompompurin Café Official Website: http://pompom.createrestaurants.com©Mikio Igarashi /Takeshobo, Fuji TV, Eiken © 1996, 2019 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO.S601363  

Astronaut Snoopy Soars Up Tokyo Skytree (July 18-October 14)

Tokyo Skytree is now holding the FIRST BEAGLE IN SKYTREE® event in collaboration with the astronaut version of Snoopy which appeared in the original comic 50 years ago.   Every astronaut needs a good meal to keep them going. Head to the SKYTREE CAFE on the Tembo Deck on floor 340F and enjoy a selection of themed desserts, drinks and more. Astronaut Snoopy decorations line the cafe where you can get limited-edition novelties too. Soar into and learn all about space this summer with your pal Snoopy♡   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/232293   ▼FIRST BEAGLE IN SKYTREE® Running: July 18, 2019 – October 14, 2019 Location: Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck and Tembo Galleria *A separate fee must be paid to to enter the Tokyo Skytree Tembo Galleria Tokyo Skytree Official Website: http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/ Snoopy Japan Website: http://www.snoopy.co.jp/©2019 Peanuts Worldwide LLC©TOKYO-SKYTREE  

Gaspard & Lisa x Afternoon Tea TEAROOM (July 25-August 28)

The Koshigaya Laketown kaze, LaLaport Yokohama, Terrace Mall Shonan, and Nagoya LACHIC branches of the Afternoon Tea TEAROOM have joined hands with the French picture book series Gaspard and Lisa to celebrate its 20th anniversary.   The tea shops have been decorated with a special Gaspard and Lisa theme. There are photo spots at each cafe, and in the Nagoya LACHIC branch there is even a book corner with 20 books from the series. This is the perfect place to enjoy a special summer meal with your family, so don't miss out!   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/233786   ▼Lisa and Gaspard Collaboration Running: July 25, 2019 - August 28, 2019 Afternoon Tea Official Website: https://www.afternoon-tea.net/ Lisa and Gaspard Official Website: http://www.lisagas.jp/©2019 Anne Gutman & Georg Hallensleben / Hachette Livre  

Koupen-chan Café in Shinjuku & Shinsaibashi (August 8-September 23)

The baby emperor penguin Koupen-chan, who is often the go-to sticker for many Twitter and LINE users in Japan, is illustrated by the well-known RURUTEA. Many of these social media users turn to the relaxing, soft and cuddly penguin to send soothing words of encouragement and a fuzzy hug to their loved ones. No wonder our adorable penguin has over 300,000 followers on Twitter.   The café returns from 2017 with a refreshed image which plunges deeper into the depths of Koupen chan’s affectionate world. There are even more features packed into this year’s collaboration menu. No matter what you order, your table will be overflowing with adorable penguin love.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/241560   ▼Koupen-chan Café 2019 SummerTokyo Cafe Location: SHIBUYA BOX CAFE＆SPACE (Shibuya LOFT Floor 2F, 21-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya, Tokyo) Running: August 8, 2019 - September 23, 2019   Osaka Café Location: Shinsaibashi contact (1-6-24 Kita-Horie, Nishi Ward, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture) Running: September 5, 2019 - October 6, 2019   Reservation Price: ¥500 (includes a complementary souvenir for making the reservation) *A limit of 4 seats can be reserved through 1 reservation. Official Website: https://koupenchan-cafe2019.jp/©RURUTEA   Did you enjoy this list? Be sure to visit a character café while in Japan this summer.