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.

Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, is also called the birth place of Japanese culture, with a history spanning 1,200 years. Today, we’re going to take a look at a number of upcoming events and seasonal items on sale in Kyoto for autumn 2020.

Celebrating 300 years of Tango Chirimen

This year marks 300 years since Tango Chirimen was established, a company located in Tango in northern Kyoto that specialises in a Japanese textile of flat woven silk known as ‘chirimen.’ There are many local chirimen brands around Japan, but it is the chirimen from Tango that has stood above the rest these past 300 years. The brand is now looking to the start of a new era for itself during its triple century milestone.

LIFE WITH THE QUALITY

Tango Chirimen is currently displaying a collaborative art exhibit at NEWoMan Shinjuku in Tokyo. This includes the entry display made in collaboration with Japanese artist Saki Tanaka, wall art made from woven fabrics, and more.

Running: Until September 30, 2020

Location: NEWoMan Shinjuku

Lineup: Display in collaboration with Saki Tanaka, wall art, and more

United Arrows x Tango Chirimen

United Arrows is also collaborating with the brand and incorporating their logo mark “TANGO OPEN” on a new men’s t-shirt.

Product Name: BY Tango Broad Wide Form Tapered Shirt
Buy Here: https://store.united-arrows.co.jp/shop/by/goods.html?gid=52838245
Sold at: BEAUTY & YOUTH UNITED ARROWS stores and their official online store

Taste tea from Uji on Japanese Tea Day

It is generally considered that the first tea of the season in Japan is best enjoyed from the end of April and during May, but in fact Japanese tea is the perfect season to enjoy Japanese tea, specially since the country celebrates Japanese Tea Day (Nihoncha no Hi) on October 1 and 31.

Ujicha, or tea from Uji in Kyoto, boasts some of the most famous kinds of teas in Japan. This includes matcha, sencha, and gyokuro, all of which were first grown in southern Kyoto. Because of this, it is said that Ujicha marks the origins of Japanese tea. So when you visit Japan during autumn, why not celebrate Japanese Tea Day with some authentic tea from Uji?

Ujicha Tea Murie Online Course

The Ujicha Tea Murie Course has been held since 2015 in Kyoto, and this year, the course is heading online for the first time as a result of the pandemic. Learn how to make and serve Uji tea from a professional tea instructor as well as its history and more.

Running: Session 1: September 15, 2020 / Session 2: October 2, 2020 / Session 3: October 17, 2020

Book: Online
Requirements: Download and install Zoom
Official Website: https://www.pref.kyoto.jp/yamashiro/ocha/

Certified Ujicha tea cafes for an authentic experience

Tsujiri Rihei Ginza | Tsujiri Rihei Senju

Nakamura Tokichi Ginza

Tsujiri Rihei Ginza, Tsujiri Rihei Senju, and Nakamura Tokichi Ginza are all cafes in Tokyo that are officially recognised for serving authentic Ujicha tea which also includes proper preparation as well as teaching the history and culture behind the tea. These three cafes are also holding an Ujicha tea stamp rally as well as a Twitter hashtag campaign.

CAFETEL Kyoto Sanjo for Ladies, a hotel in Kyoto exclusive to female guests, is offering a new Halloween room plan between October 1 and November 1. There is just one room and it can only be booked for one day between that period. This plan was offered last year and was a resounding success amongst guests.

Last year’s Halloween room took on a more cute and bright theme, but they’re going for something darker this time. The theme this year is “The Secret Witches-Only Get-Together,” with all ideas and designs conceived and handmade by the hotel staff themselves.

Guests will find decorations all around the room, such as bats on doors and walls who will listen in on the witches’ gossip to creepy crawly spiders in the bed. Candles are provided in the room to set the Halloween mood, and there’s even witch and devil costumes and props for guests to dress up in.

Free goodies for the witch get-together

Guests can enjoy a gorgeous view of the Kamogawa River from their room. They are also presented with a free Halloween drink exclusive to those who stay in this room.

Tokyu Land Corporation are set to open the new hotel “nol kyoto sanjo” in central Kyoto on November 1, 2020. The hotel is just a 5-minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station.

A place where you can be yourself

Hotels in Japan are more and more catering to a wide variety of guests’ needs as well as not only providing convenience and being affordable, but creating a space that really places importance on peoples’ stay experience. And nol kyoto sanjo follows suit, allowing people to both let their hair down where they can be themselves as well as enjoy the local area. This comes in response to peoples’ desire to have a stay experience that feels like it’s their own home.

Clad in Kyoto, living in Sanjo

The concept for the hotel’s design was conceived by Kyoto Vintage. Sanjo-dori is connected to Kyoto’s main street, making it a convenient location for reaching the city centre. It’s also home a variety of architectural examples from old, ancient buildings to more modern ones built during the Meiji Period. Surrounding the hotel is a whole selection of cafes famous for their breakfast menus, restaurants that use local ingredients, long-standing stationery shops, and more. The hotel sits in the perfect spot for coming in contact with the local people and city.

The hotel lounge built from an old townhouse

The hotel site is renovated from a townhouse that was built during the Edo Period. It was formerly used as a place for selling Kinshi Masamune sake. To ensure that old, quaint charm was preserved in the refurbishment, the hotel hired a Japanese designer and planner who is known for renovating these kinds of townhouses in Japan.

The entrance to the hotel greets guests with the lounge which gives people a chance to kick back and relax in this authentic building. Guests are even given some Kinshi Masamune sake as a welcome drink.

High grade guest rooms for medium to long stays

There are three kinds of guest rooms including 2-people rooms, 4-people rooms, and rooms with an additional Japanese-style room attached to it, for a total of 48, all of which face the hotel gardens. The rooms were designed by Yukio Hashimoto who has made sure to preserve both the townhouse and feel of the materials which have only ripened with age while adding a high grade feel to them. The scent of hinoki leaf invites you to relax in your room. All rooms are equipped with microwaves, washing machines, and mini kitchens too, making it perfect for guests looking to stay a while. Pick up some local ingredients from town and get cooking.

Old-time Kyoto served in a new style

Old townhouses used since ancient times are on the decrease in Kyoto. By renovating and reusing, new life can be breathed into them while promoting that ancient culture. If you’re planning a trip to Kyoto, be sure to check out nol kyoto sanjo, opening November 1, 2020.

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.

MICASADECO&CAFE KYOTO had to shorten its menu due to the effects of COVID-19. Their legendary parfait too was taken off the list, but now has finally returned, and even more delicious looking than ever.

MICASADECO&CAFE KYOTO has tried to make the parfait as breathtaking as possible, and they’ve certainly captured that. It’s vivid like the furisode long-sleeved kimono worn by the maiko of Kyoto, beautiful and dignified.

Uji Matcha Pudding & Raspberry Parfait | ¥1,250 (Tax Included)

This towering parfait is made up of many layers, one of which is a homemade Japanese-style pudding made with high quality matcha from Uji, Kyoto. It has a subtly sweet and deep flavour, and is taken to the next level with the matcha sauce it’s served with.

The homemade raspberry jam brings a delightful sweetness too as well as adds that eye-catching aspect they’re going for. As you spoon your way through, your taste buds are treated to an amalgamation of indulging flavours.

The lid that’s sat on top of the parfait is actually a tuile biscuit. The best way to go about beginning your feast is to break the biscuit and then pour the matcha sauce inside.

Hidden within the parfait are also pieces of homemade matcha brownies made with lots of top grade matcha.

These parfaits will be served from September 14 but are limited in stock, so if you’re in Kyoto this month, make sure you don’t miss out.

eXcafe Kyoto Arashiyama is collaborating with Kyoto Neko Neko to release a new breakfast menu order on September 15, 2020.

eXcafe Kyoto Arashiyama sits in an alley off the main street of Arashiyama, one of Kyoto’s most famous sightseeing spots. The cafe is home to a spacious 400㎡ modern Japanese garden.

Hoku Hoku Dango Set

The cafe is open from 10am-6pm and is so popular that it’s common to always see a line of people waiting to go in. Some of their most popular dishes include the “Hoku Hoku Dango Set” which has you frying your own dango using a traditional Japanese shichirin BBQ, and the “Kuromaru Roll” roll cake.

Ikusu Cafe Breakfast | ¥1,280 (Before Tax)

The cafe’s collaboration with Kyoto Neko Neko comes with cute thick-cut cat-shaped bread that you fry on a charcoal shichirin.

Toast toppings include red bean paste, butter, whipped cream, and fruits which you are free to use to create your own topping combination. The breakfast also comes with two mitarashi dango for dessert.

Kyoto City and Art Aquarium are set to host Art Aquarium Castle -Kyoto・Kingyo Dance- this year at the World Heritage Site of Nijo Castle from October 14 to December 7.

Art Aquarium is an art, design, and entertainment fusion created by aquarium artist Hidetomo Kimura, who opened the first ART AQUARIUM MUSEUM in Nihonbashi, Tokyo back in August.

Art Aquarium Castle -Kyoto・Kingyo Dance- will be the first outdoor exhibition by Art Aquarium, vividly portraying the Japanese world of goldfish and carps through traditional Kyoto-inspired works.

Exhibition Concept

Nijo Castle has a rich history. Constructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu in the early days of the Edo Bakufu, it is a striking symbol of the Edo Period. It will play as the stage for the exhibition, which will be themed on goldfish—which first arrived in Japan in the Muromachi Period and became a boom during the Edo Period—and carp, which were propagated to Japan in the Edo Period.

Displayed artwork will be inspired by the castle’s Ninomaru Palace and sliding door artwork, the season flowers that bloom in the Ninomaru Palace Gardens and castle grounds, and more. It will be a marriage of both historical art and contemporary art that captures the beauty of Japan.

Lotusrium: Its first exhibit in western Japan

The design motif based on the lotus, a flower whose name is a seasonal haiku word for summer. Lotus plants require thick, muddy water in order to make the large, beautiful flowers bloom, despite the hardship and difficulty they must overcome to do so. This art piece imbibes a worldview of grace and splendour that interweaves the lotus, a symbol of beautiful and painfully ephemeral things, with the kingyo, an elegant fish that swims beautifully.

Sakurarium: A flower symbolising Nijo Castle

Combined with the cherry blossom shape of compound works. Swimming freely under the shining of the cherry blossoms, those are goldfish bearing “Sakura” such as Sakura Nishiki, Sakura To Nishiki and Sakura Ryukin,

Taisei Hokan Kingyo Large Byobu: A large-scale piece capturing Nijo Castle’s history

The huge fish tank with a length of 5.4 meters and an expansion of 18 screens projected beautiful paintings like splash-ink art through light and shadow. Countless goldfish swim among them, interpreting the changing process of Japanese art history in the scattered lights.

Even more new artworks are scheduled to be displayed. If you’re in Kyoto this autumn, don’t miss Art Aquarium’s first-ever outdoor exhibition.

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?

Though autumn is not far off, the summertime heat of Japan has yet to let up, and so what better way to keep cool than treating oneself to a parfait? Here are 5 must-try parfaits that are popular in Kyoto, with photos and descriptions provided by Instagrammar Tiara who posts and reviews desserts around Japan’s Kansai region.

CAFE YAMANEKO / Ryōan-ji, Kyoto

Orange Parfait

CAFE YAMANEKO is located along Kinukake-no-michi, a road that connects the Kinkaku-ji, Ryōan-ji, and Ninna-ji temples. Their Orange Parfait is made with a delicious jam that uses all of the orange right down to the peel, and is topped with a Japanese-style pudding, vanilla ice cream, and orange and caramel sauces.

▼CAFE YAMANEKO
Address: 39-6 Tōjiin Kitamachi, Kita-ku, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 11:00-17:30
Official Instagaram: https://www.instagram.com/kyoto_cafe_yamaneko/

CAFE attmos. / Shichijo

Ichijiku Parfait

CAFE attmos. serves super sweet desserts made with choice seasonal fruits. I ordered the ‘Ichijiku Parfait’ which is made with lots of figs harvested in Kyoto. It was really delicious.

▼CAFE attmos.
Address: ELLA490 1F, Shimoumacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafe_attmos/

Chocolat BEL AMER Kyoto Villa / Sanjo Sakaimachi

Peach & Chocolate Parfait

This kawaii parfait has a whole mix of ingredients from peach to white chocolate ice cream, sweet white bean paste mousse, crunchy meringue, and more♡ The meringue really adds something different to the parfait.

▼BEL AMER Kyoto Villa
Address: 66 Sanjodori Sakaimachi Higashi Iru Kitagawa Masuyacho, Nakagyo-Ku, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 10:00-20:00

Official site：https://www.belamer-kyoto.jp/

• Related Article: Chocolate-Piled Shaved Ice & Other Summer Season Delights at BEL AMER Kyoto Villa

La Klassique / Demachiyanagi

Cherry Glass Dessert

La KLASSIQUE is a cafe close to Shimogamo Shrine. Their “Cherry Glass Dessert” parfait is loaded with ingredients, including cherry sorbet, whipped cream, milk ice cream, fruity red wine sauce, cinnamon crumble, rosehip, blood orange, cherries, meringue, red bean paste, and more. The red wine sauce makes this one for the grown ups to enjoy.

▼La Klassique
Address: 13-9 Shimogamo Morimotocho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laklassique/

These parfaits are available until the end of August and are limited to 15 servings per day. Visit the cafe’s official Instagram to find out about reservations.

For more recommendations on desserts to try around the Kansai region of Japan, follow Tiara over on Instagram.

Original Japanese Text & Photos: @happy_pinkrose_tiara

*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.

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.

McDonald’s Japan has announced the release of four limited-time drinks which will be sold at McCafé by Barista branches of McDonald’s from September 2. The line-up includes the ‘Houjicha Frappe Shiratama Kuromitsu Kinako,’ ‘Houjicha Frappe,’ Matcha Frappe Shiratama Kuromitsu Kinako,’ and ‘Matcha Frappe.’

The beverage lineup is the perfect pink for an autumn-time dessert drink, each made with authentic flavours from Japan.

Houjicha Frappe Shiratama Kuromitsu Kinako | Regular ¥490, Large ¥530 (Tax Included)

Made using 100% Japanese houjicha powder and delicious milk, this houjicha frappe is topped with soy flour, sweet brown sugar syrup from Okinawa, chewy rice flour dumplings, and a squirt of whipped cream. This is the ultimate McDonald’s Japanese dessert drink, laced with fragrant houjicha tea with a creamy texture.

Houjicha Frappe | Regular ¥450, Large ¥490 (Tax Included)

Houjicha frappe is used as the base for this one, and if inished with whipped cream and a dusting of houjicha powder. The subtly sweet houjicha and creaminess of the whipped cream is a deliciously perfect match.

Matcha Frappe Shiratama Kuromitsu Kinako | Regular ¥490, Large ¥530 (Tax Included)

Just like the houjicha variant, except this time it’s a latte made with matcha and matcha powder from Uji, Kyoto. A truly all-star Japanese dessert drink.

Matcha Frappe | Regular ¥450, Large ¥490 (Tax Included)

The matcha frappe too is sprinkled with matcha powder from Uji, combined with full-bodied milk, and topped with whipped cream.