To promote the upcoming 3D CG anime film Stand By Me Doraemon 2, USJ is opening its second-ever Doraemon themed XR ride on August 4 which will run until January 6, 2021.

Doraemon fans will be able to get their hands on a whole range of exclusive merchandise as well as tuck into themed food.

STAND BY ME Doraemon 2 XR Ride

The Stand By Me Doraemon 2 XR Ride will be a high-speed sensory explosion that makes use of VR technology to send riders on a VR coaster time travel experience through the past, present, and future. The ride will feature a completely original story that ties into the upcoming movie. Park guests will board the Time Coaster to travel through time and chase after Nobita-kun.

Doraemon Plate Set | ¥2,100 (Tax Included)

A special food menu inspired by the new movie will be served from August 4 for a limited time. The “Doraemon Plate Set” will have you salivating for the roast chicken topped with a demi-glace sauce and mushroom sauce and surrounded with a bed of vegetables and potato wedges. The plate is also appropriately topped with characters from the movie.

Doraemon Kid’s Set | ¥1,200 (Tax Included)

Doraemon’s Pass Loop Cake | ¥800 (Tax Included)

The Doraemon Kid’s Set features nods to the robot cat’s secret gadgets, like the Take-copter and Time Cloth, while the adorable Pass Loop Cake is inspired by Doraemon’s Pass Loop.

Popcorn Bucket | ¥3,800 (Tax Included)

The Popcorn Bucket is fun to look at and even better to eat from, featuring a special Anywhere Door mechanic. Dorayaki is Doraemon’s favourite food, and guests can enjoy dorayaki flavoured popcorn.

Doraemon Dango | ¥650 (Tax Included)

Doraemon Frozen | ¥900 (Tax Included)

Guests can also get their hands on a range of drinks and desserts too.

T-Shirts (Navy/White) | Folder Set | Mug
Sold At: Space Fantasy Station

A range of Doraemon merchandise will also roll out from August 28, including ticket holders, key rings, plush toys, and more. Pre-orders are available at Space Fantasy Station from August 4 to 27.

Follow Doraemon on an exciting journey on the STAND BY ME Doraemon 2 XR Ride!

©Fujiko Pro/2020 STAND BY ME Doraemon 2 Film Partners

Hotel New Otani Osaka released introduced its new “NIGHT POOL & RESTAURANT PLAN ~SWEET or BITTER~” plan on July 18 which is set to run until September 13. The plan is a set that combines the hotel’s night pool with a dining experience at its restaurant.

The pool, named “The Water Terrace,” remains open into the night every summer at Hotel New Otani Osaka and has done so since 2015. This year, the number of people allowed in the pool is being limited as part of measures against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SWEET PLAN: Tuck into specially-made pancakes

Hotel New Otani Osaka’s all-day dining restaurant “SATSUKI” are serving up their famous fluffy pancakes for the “SWEET PLAN.” These fluffy delights are served with ricotta and are made with cascara powder, which is known as a superfood. Enjoy a ‘sweet’ night with a serving of pancakes and a dip in the night pool.

BITTER PLAN: Grown-up nighttime fun

For the “BITTER PLAN,” guests can head up to the rooftop sky lounge where they can order a drink from the bar, whether it be one of the 18 different kinds of beers, cocktails, high-balls, and more. They also serve food like roast pork and appetisers. Gaze out across and spot Osaka Castle sat beneath the starry night sky as you enjoy your meal.

The hotel’s poolside restaurant “LAGOON” will be joining the fun too, serving soy meat burgers, a soy chocolate parfait that can be shared amongst friends, and more.

sequence MIYASHITA PARK is a new mixed-use hotel set to open inside MIYASHITA PARK on August 1, 2020.

sequence’s concept is to connect the people with the city. It offers a space for everyone whether they want a quiet time alone, whether they are sightseeing, having a work-do, celebrating a party or festival, and more. This is centred around the hotel’s three notions: “SMART,” “OPEN,” and “CULTURE.”

The hotel is inspired by the local concept of “PARK MIND” which offers guests a place to relax after a long, busy day, like in a park. It has collaborated with Tokyo-based designers and creators to bring this to life in room designs. Furniture and fittings are simple while still being of high quality.

The fourth floor entrance connects seamlessly to Miyashita Park and is home to a lobby lounge as well as the new VALLEY PARK STAND cafe and bar. Up on the fifth floor is the breakfast dining restaurant Dōngxī Restaurant & Sakaba. Up on the 18th floor, guests can enjoy a panoramic view of Shibuya, as well as dine at the entertainment restaurant SOAK whose design and concept mixes together history and the future, the West and the East. There is also art from artists coordinated by The Chain Museum.

Nestlé Japan is opening a new branch of KitKat Chocolatory inside Shibuya’s new shopping mall Miyashita Park on August 4, 2020.

KitKat Chocolatory is a direct-to-consumer chain, serving premium, handcrafted KitKats made with top quality ingredients and production methods under full direction by Takagi Yasumasa―the owner and chef of LE PATISSIER TAKAGI. Its product line-up features a range perfect as gifts to friends, family and co-workers, or as a treat to yourself.

Japan is home to eight KitKat Chocolatory branches. The new Miyashita Park Shibuya branch will open as the fourth in Tokyo, as well as the first where you can create your own KitKat products.

My KITKAT: ¥2,000 (Before Tax)

“My KITKAT” comes as the world’s first KitKat service where consumers can create their own original chocolate bars.

KitKat Waffle: ¥1,000 (Before Tax)

KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Soft Cream: ¥630 (Before Tax)

KitKat Chocolatory Miyashita Park Shibuya will also sell a variety of unique and exclusive KitKat desserts, like luxurious soft serve ice cream topped with couverture chocolate. It will also offer a cafe menu created by Nespresso, where customers can pair Chocolatory desserts with seasonal coffee menus, and more.

Shibuya-esque wall art will decorate the interior of the shop, making for plenty of photo opportunities.

Japanese food and confectionery company Bijuu is opening a new restaurant called Tsurigitsune inside Osaka International Airport’s North Terminal on August 5, 2020. The restaurant will specialise in inari sushi, a type of sushi packed into pouches of deep-fried tofu.

Bijuu is known for producing and selling such products as Kyoto’s famous coarse sweet red bean paste-filled yatsuhashi otabe crackers.

Tsurigitsune will serve “Kyo Dashi Oinari,” a type of inari sushi made with fried tofu Saga Tofu Morioka—a long-standing tofu shop in Sagano, Kyoto—soaked in lots of sumptuous Kyoto-style dashi. The restaurant will also serve a special type of sweet otabe cracker which cannot be eaten anywhere else.

Kyo Dashi Oinari (Includes 15) | ¥3,240 (Tax Included)

The dashi that the Kyo Dashi Oinari are soaked in take up all the delicious flavour of kombu, sababushi smoked mackerel, iwashibushi pilchard, and katsuobushi dried bonito, all of which serve to add that authentic Kyoto flavour.

Tanto Otabeyasu | ¥930 (Tax Included) *Served 6:30-10:00

As well as Kyo Dashi Oinari, Tsurigitsune’s menu includes a line-up of dishes that celebrate the flavour of dashi, including soba, dashimaki tamago omelette, and more.

If you’re travelling to Osaka, why not get an authentic Kyoto experience too by dining at Tsurigitsune?

Everybody’s favourite sister quintuplet is set to roll up to an all-new, revamped exhibition this summer. The Quintessential Quintuplets Exhibition MAKEOVER will take place at Tokyo’s Sunshine City World Import Mart Bulding in Ikebukuro from August 15 to 30 and subsequently Osaka’s Nanko ATC Museum from November 26 to December 6.

The exhibition is taking place to promote the upcoming season season of The Quintessential Quintuplets and will feature a whole new merchandise line-up, new displays, and more. Series creator Negi Haruba has also illustrated a new visual for the exhibition.

The Quintessential Quintuplets is a manga series written and illustrated by Negi Haruba. The story follows high school student Futaro Uesugi who becomes a private tutor for the sisters of the wealthy Nakano family, all of whom have no interest in study or grades. It’s up to Futaro to change their minds.

A second season of the anime series is set to air in January 2021. A mobile game is also in the works. The game is a romance comedy puzzle game whereby the player deepens their bonds with the five sisters. Players take the role of the series protagonist Futaro through an original story with new voice acting recorded for the game.

©Negi Haruba・Kodansha

Starbucks Japan is opening a new branch in MIYASHITA PARK on August 4, 2020. Set to be Starbucks Japan’s fifth “park” branch—opening inside a park—the new coffee shop is being produced by Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment brand.

MIYASHITA PARK is a shopping complex filled with shops stocking high quality products, and stands as a new landmark of Shibuya. On the rooftop is the newly-arranged park area which has its own skate park, bouldering wall, and more. It’s home to all-new facilities, and there’s also the actual park where events can take place.

Starbucks Coffee Miyashita Park offers a new style of Starbucks conceived from the mind of Hiroshi Fujiwara. Glass doors are fitted on both the front and back sides of the cafe, allowing for a full-open design. The flooring is coloured green, making it feel as if it has become one with the green outdoors of the park, and the same mesh used inside Miyashita Park is used for the ceiling.

The cafe’s design was conceived to be a unique standout in the park, specifically with the image in mind of countries outside Japan where you walk along a lone road and eventually come to a gas station.

Starbucks Coffee Miyashita Park will also sell a range of merchandise at the back of the shop, as well as Starbucks coffee beans. There’s also a glass table in the middle of the cafe which slots in nicely with the overall aesthetic. The fun design together with the expanse of the park outside adds for an enjoyable combination that makes it a pleasant stay as you sip your beverage.

The regular line-up of merchandise sold at the Miyashita Park branch, such as the tumblers, are all produced by Hiroshi Fujiwara’s Fragment brand. Items are branded with the word “MYST” which lets you know it’s from this particular branch, as well as Fragment’s logo.

Discover a new Starbucks experience at Miyashita Park.

Shibuya PARCO has a packed showcase for summertime this July and August, with pop-up shops, events, exhibitions, new products, and much more. The YUI ARAGAKI NYLON JAPAN ARCHIVE BOOK 2010-2019 photo exhibition, which sold out tickets, was posted as an online exhibition. The popular curry house Good Luck Curry, originally located in Ebisu, has moved to Shibuya PARCO. Let’s take a deeper look at the line-up.

4F PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO Relics of Kanto Through Time

Running: August 1, 2020 – August 16, 2020 | Entry Price: ¥700

New York City-based American artist Daniel Arsham is teaming up with Pokémon for a special exhibition centred around Arsham’s concept of “Fictional Archeology.” Visitors can enter for a chance to win a “Crystalized Pikachu” as well as get their hands on a variety of exhibition products. A two-meter tall Pikachu made from bronze will also be put on display on the first floor of Shibuya PARCO.

Details: https://art.parco.jp/museumtokyo/detail/?id=425

B1F GALLERY X YUI ARAGAKI NYLON JAPAN ARCHIVE BOOK 2010-2019 PHOTO EXHIBITION

Running: July 16, 2020 – July 27, 2020 (Online Exhibition) | Price: ¥300

This exhibition is centred around Yui Aragaki’s photo book YUI ARAGAKI NYLON JAPAN ARCHIVE BOOK 2010-2019 which compiles her work features in the fashion magazine NYLON JAPAN between 2010 to 2019. The book celebrates Aragaki at the age of 31, and was so popular at the time of its release that it sold out.

Details: https://art.parco.jp/galleryx/detail/?id=424

B1F Good Luck Curry

Good Luck Curry is a curry house managed by the chefs of Ata, a bistro in Daikanyama. Originally situated in Ebisu, the restaurant has been revamped and moved to Shibuya PARCO where they are serving a range of delicious spicy curries topped with a colourful array of vegetables.

B1F GAN-BAN FUJI ROCK COLLECTION “CREW NECK T-SHIRT” Limited Edition Sale

The “FUJI ROCK COLLECTION” of T-shirts are always so popular that their stock never fails to sell out. The new crew neck version is now available at the official FUJI ROCK shop and are being sold at Shibuya PARCO.

B1F Mirai Nihonshu-ten & SAKE BAR “Summer Sake Cocktails”

For this summer only, Mirai Nihonshu-ten and SAKE BAR are serving up two refreshing cocktails.

Left: Hakuju Salty Lemon | Right: Suzu Sweet Green

The Hakuju Salty Lemon is like a Salty Dog cocktail. It has notes of citrus and a salty sea salt bite. The Suzu Sweet Green is made with a sake known as “Kubota Suijyu” which is mixed with cocoa vinegar. It has a subtle sweetness.

To promote the upcoming release of the Given anime film adaptation, Tower Records Shibuya is opening an official “Given Gallery” which will take place on the store’s 8th floor from August 8 to 23.

Given is a popular boys-love (BL) manga by Natsuki Kizu that is serialised in Shinshokan’s Cheri+ magazine. An anime adaptation aired Fuji Television’s noitaminA programming block from July to September last year.

At the exhibition, fans will find a collection of coloured illustrations by the manga’s author Natsuki Kizu, display panels from the anime series, raw images taken from the upcoming film, and more.

Given x Tower Records Merchandise

Natsuki Kizu Illustrated Merchandise

Fans of the series can get their hands on a collection of exclusive merchandise at the Given Gallery.

Backstage Pass Design Postcard

Standing Panel A / Standing Panel B

Available on a first-come, first-served basis, visitors will receive one of nine possible postcards for free, each of which is designed in the style of a backstage pass. And for every ¥4,000 spent on the merchandise sold there, they will get a lottery ticket for a chance to win one of the life-sized standing panels of one the characters from the series which will be displayed at the event. Details will be announced at the event and on Tower Records Shibuya’s official website.

Quiz Postcard

Original Postcard

All visitors will be handed the “Given Gallery Quiz” when attending the event. If they answer all the questions correctly, they’ll receive a free postcard. Participants must be following Tower Records Shibuya (@TOWER_Shibuya). If you download the official Tower Records app and sign up as a member, you can get another original Given x Tower Records postcard too.

Though the Given Gallery is only taking place at Tower Records Shibuya, other branches of Tower Records will still be selling Given x Tower Records merchandise. You can find the branch list below.

Japan’s popular confectionery souvenir shop Tokyo Banana is collaborating with Disney for one week from July 29 to August 7 at the Hankyu Umeda branch of Tokyo Banana in Osaka.

Officially named the “Disney SWEETS COLLECTION by Tokyo Banana,” the line-up brings together the iconic Disney characters and centres them around the company’s brand concept which is to bring happiness to all who see and taste their products.

Mickey Mouse Pancake Sandwich: ¥1,080 for 4 / ¥1,382 for 6 (Tax Inclusive)

A box of “Mickey Mouse Pancake Sandwiches” contains baked, deliciously fluffy treats filled with soft cream. They come in two shapes: Mickey’s face and the iconic Tokyo Banana. The Mickey ones contain caramel cream and roasted almonds while the Tokyo Banana designs are filled with banana milk cream and chocolate chips.

Mickey Mouse Chocolate Sandwich: ¥1,080 for 12 / ¥2,160 for 24

The “Mickey Mouse Chocolate Sandwich” are crunchy cat tongue biscuits which have Tokyo Banana’s distinct milky flavour. They are made to be like a delicious banana milkshake you can eat and contain rich chocolate.

 © Disney

The Tokyo and Osaka branches of Pokémon Café have revealed a new limited-time menu they are introducing which is inspired by the free-to-play puzzle video game Pokémon Café. It will be served from August 8 to November 23.

Vulpix’s Burnt Caramel Sundae: ¥1,298 (Tax Included)

This gateau chocolate, vanilla ice cream, and fruit-filled sundae is drizzled in burnt caramel that has been scorched by Vulpix’s Ember.

Gossifleur’s Salad Plate: ¥1,848 (Tax Included)

Salad, soup, and plenty of veg fill this healthy late.

Sneasel’s Pickle Burger: ¥1,848 (Tax Included)

The combination of the tartar sauce, teriyaki chicken, and cheddar cheese is pure perfection. Served with pickles and a side of salad, this makes for a healthy and filling meal.

Additionally, if customers own the Pokémon Café Mix and show their in-game meal list on their console screen to the staff, they can receive the following special menu items.

Buneary’s Nutty Frappe: ¥1,188 (Tax Included)

Exclusive to those who have cleared up to Order 21.

Yamper’s Hide & Seek Bolognese: ¥1,848 (Tax Included)

Exclusive to those who have cleared up to Order 31.

The more orders you clear in-game, the more special and exclusive menu items you can receive.

bibbaR, a cafe in Osaka, is currently celebrating the launch of children’s author Tomonori Taniguchi’s new picture book Kamereon no Kakigooriya (The Chameleon’s Shaved Ice Shop) with a special line-up of shaved ice recipes inspired by the book which are currently being served until August 31, 2020.

The colourful and fruity collection is the number one way to cool down this summer in Japan.

The shaved ice line-up is based on the colourful chameleon’s shaved ice that he sells at his shop. It’s a full realisation of the character’s shaved ice creation come to life which can be topped with various sauces and fruits.

Rainbow Shaved Ice (5 Sauces): ¥1,500 (Before Tax)

Ordering this gets you all five of the sauces: soda, honey & lemon, strawberry, kyoho grape, and melon. Create your own rainbow of flavours.

Sun – Honey & Lemon Sauce With Mixed Juice Foam: ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

Sea Breeze – Soda & Salted Vanilla Cream and Foam: ¥1,100 (Before Tax)

The “Sun” shaved ice is a combination of everybody’s favourite honey and lemon as well as mixed juice, while the “Sea Breeze” mixes salt with vanilla and soda.

Sunset – Apple Sauce & Strawberry Foam: ¥1,300 (Before Tax)

Dawn – Fresh Kyoho Grape Sauce & Blueberry Sauce: ¥1,500 (Before Tax)

Forest – Fresh Melon Sauce & Lime Mint: ¥1,500 (Before Tax)

Order the red “Evening” for a refreshing and sour mix of apple and strawberry, the “Dawn” which is topped with lots of grape sauce, or “Forest” for a summertime blend of ripe melon, lime, and mint.

Beat the summer heat this season with one of Chameleon’s shaved ice recipes.