The Sento no Susume 2021 event being held by BEAMS JAPAN and Cow Brand Soap has now headed to BEAMS JAPAN Shinjuku. As part of the event, Mizuno has held designed a ‘running course’ is collaboration with sento bath house owners who have listed their recommended spots for running.

From Left: Hiroshi Fukui (Managing Director at Cow Brand Soap), Aya Terakawa (Sports Caster), Mari Yamazaki (Manga Author), Ryozo Naganuma (Kotobukiyu’s 3rd Generation Owner), Hikaru Ikeuchi (Chairman of Board of Directors)

BEAMS JAPAN Shinjuku Floor 1F – Sento no Susume 2021 Pop-Up

BEAMS JAPAN Shinjuku Floor 1F – Sento no Susume 2021 Pop-Up

BEAMS JAPAN Sento no Susume 2021 Virtual Venue

For many years, sento public bath houses have been big part of Japanese culture and are located up and down the country. They are places people go to unwind, relax, and destress. However, with times changing, they are because less part of people’s lives, and the facilities themselves are seeing significant wear and tear as well as not having successors to take over the businesses. Sento no Susume aims to revitalise sento and raise their cultural value once again by showing how they can be enjoyed. The first event was held in January and February in 2019.

The event arrived at BEAMS JAPAN Shinjuku on April 26 and  invites manga artist Mari Yamazaki on board who has given the store a makeover with her iconic artwork themed on exercise and bathing. This event combines sento bath houses with sports, and so as well as discovering bath houses to visit, you can learn find out about great running courses at the Sento Run no Susume corner. There’s also a virtual venue accessible on the official website that creates the store in 4K 3D so everyone around the world can get involved regardless of their location.

This year’s Hibiya Festival will take place around Tokyo Midtown Hibiya from April 29 to May 16. Visitors can enjoy free musicals, Japanese dance, opera, and more, all in an open space.

Hibiya Festival main visual

Peter Pan Broadway Musical – Mini Concert & Talk | Thursday April 29, 2021

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Japan’s First Rendition | Sunday May 9, 2021

Hibiya Festival x Hibiya Music Festival Collaboration Stage | Saturday May 8, 2021

Hibiya Outdoor Noh Performance | Thursday April 29, 2021

NBA Ballet | Saturday May 1, 2021

CAT-A-TAC SHOW (CAT-A-TAC) | Sunday May 2, 2021

“Hibiya Ongaku Daigaku” – Shibuya Ongaku Daigaku Open Campas

Hibiya Festival Program

This year marks 40 years since the Peter Pan Broadway musical first hit Japan, and so it will be performed at Hibiya Festival 2021. The hit British musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will also be performed in Japan for the first time with a full Japanese cast. On the music side of things, music producer Seiji Kameda is spearheading the Hibiya Musical Festival. There are around 20 different slots to enjoy at the festival, all of which are free to watch and many which don’t need to be booked in advance. The festival is also producing video content this year for those unable to attend so they can still be part of the fun online.

Golden Week is almost here in Japan, and so Laforet Harajuku is readying itself for its special LAFORET GOLDEN WEEK event which will run from April 24 to May 9.

Around 60 stores inside the Harajuku-based shopping centre are participating in this event where shoppers can get their hands on a new wardrobe full of outfits, a stock of items and accessories, and more. There is also a special item available at Charles Chaton on Floor 4F of Laforet that is made as part of a triple collaboration between the store, DJ and music producer Night Tempo, and Rie Kanou, the author of the manga series Slow Motion wo Mou Ichido. At FRAPBOIS on Floor 1.5F, there’s a selection of t-shirts, shirts, one pieces and other must-grabs created in collaboration with Osamu Goods. And that’s just a taste of the many exclusives to be sold and doesn’t take into account all the other events that will take place at this year’s LAFORET GOLDEN WEEK. Let’s dive deeper.

The Little Cat Shop by MILKBOY | April 30 – May 9 | Floor 1F Entrance Space

The Little Cat Shop by MILKBOY is a cat-themed shop by three brands: MILK, MILKBOY, and LAND. It will incorporate hit motifs from the brands’ past line-ups as well as introduce all-new trends. As well as clothes, there are accessories, sofvi toys, and other items, each woven with each of the brand’s touch. There will also be a raffle to win exclusive sofvi toys made by notable sofvi artists like IZUMONSTER and Konatsuya. Plus, all customers who spend over ¥10,000 will get an original sticker.

Cat eyes dress ¥32,450 / CAT EYES SHIRTS ¥19,250 / CAT TOWER TEE ¥8,800 / MISCHIEF cat Frill TEE ¥13,200 / Ribbon CAT TEE ¥7,920 (Tax Included)

Kuttsuketemiyou Picture Book Pop-Up Shop | May 1 – May 16 | Floor 2F POP UP SHOP SPACE

Kuttsuketemiyou is a picture book by contemporary artist Ken Kagami and it’s getting its first pop-up shop at Lofret Harajuku. The humorous book sees Kagami seeing what would happen if he tried attaching certain things to animals. It’s a work of artistic nonsense enjoyed by children and adults alike, and fans of the quirky story can get their hands on a range of merchandise featuring the cute creatures. Kagami will also be doing signings.

Kuttsuketemiyou Book ¥1,650 / Mug ¥2,750 / Tote Bag ¥4,180 / T-Shirt ¥4,950 (Tax Included)

ABEMA 5th Anniversary Laforet Harajuku Campaign

In celebration of ABEMA’s 5th anniversary, it is holding a limited-time campaign in collaboration with several popular Japanese TV shows such as Koi to Ookami ni wa Damasarenai and Black Cinerella. ABEMA is a Japanese video streaming website. During the campaign, customers who spend over ¥2,000 at select stores will receive a limited-edition Black Cinderella sticker and a ticket to an online event centred on Koi to Ookami ni wa Damasarenai. They can also enter a raffle to win signed merchandise from the shows if they show their receipt and have spend over ¥2,000.

Harajuku Shopping Week 2021 | April 28 – May 7

Shoppers who spend over ¥1,000 at select stores will receive a scratch card that may net them a ¥1,000 coupon.

UNDER GROUND SNAP Photoshoot | April 29 – May 8 @ 12:00-16:00

A photoshoot will take place down on Floor B1.5F. Those who sign up can have their photo taken professionally by Gothic and Lolita Market which will be featured in the early June 2021 edition of Laforet Harajuku’s tabloid as well as on HARAJUKU POP WEB. Info on how to apply can be found on LAFORET GOLDEN WEEK’s official website.

Tennozu Canal Fes 2021 Spring ~WORLD TRAVEL – ASIA~ is set to take place online via CANAL’s official YouTube channel on April 24. The event comes in response to the cancellation of the in-person event due to fears of COVID-19 transmission.

“World Travel” is the theme of Tennozu Canal Fes 2021 with a different region to be chosen each season, allowing for music lovers and concertgoers to enjoy a little bit of something from abroad. The theme for spring is Asian music which focuses on music from around Asia – except Japan. Viewers can tune in to see everything from Indian dancing to classical Chinese opera, Chinese erhu performance, and more. Performances will still take place at Tennozu Canal in Tokyo but will be live streamed.

Schedule

14:00～14:30 coco ayumi & Ethno-Exotica Vaudeville (Indian dance)

15:00～15:30 Kanae Nozawa (Erhu)

16:00～16:30 Shinchou Gekiin (Classical Chinese opera)

17:00～17:30 HamojiN (Acapella)

18:00～18:30 Tsukiko Nakamura (Piano and hand mic)

18:40～19:10 Tsuzu King (Solo singing)

This year’s Earth Day Tokyo will take place at Yoyogi Park from April 17-18 where messages of eco-friendliness, organic products, sustainability, ethics, and inclusiveness will be at the core of various events held as part of the festival.

This year marks Earth Day Tokyo’s 20th run as part of the global Earth Day initiative and brings together environmental NPOs, charities, and locals. Due to COVID-19, in-person events will only take place on April 17 and 18 but the festival will run online from April 17 to 25.

Earth Day Tokyo 2021 Concert

Concerts will take place across the two-day Yoyogi Park festival. Many musicians and guests have committed themselves to the future of the planet at the Earth Day Tokyo’s concerts, with past line-ups including Japan’s King of Rock Kiyoshiro Imawano, UA, BONNIE PINK, and more.

This year will see performances from Itou Seikou ITP, Kenichi Nagira, yae, scoobie do, Taiji Sato, Nozomi Nobody, hachi_Aigoz, tico moon, Rokuta Yanagiya, and Ichido Ryutei.

Market area

Every single product at the market booths has a story, and visitors will be able to hear about them from the makers in-person as they shop. And the items sold at the market will be different each day, stocking something to add a little environmental consideration into our lives.

C. W. Nicol’s “Nicol’s Forest Kitchen” sausages help plant forests

The late Welsh-born Japanese writer, actor, and singer-songwriter C. W. Nicol was the Executive Committee Chairman for Earth Day Tokyo from 2000 until his passing last year. He also launched Nicol’s Forest Kitchen in 2011 which has been a regular at Earth Day Tokyo to help protect Japan’s forests. The food stall will make an appearance this year too.

C. W. Nicol began to wonder how he could help raise people’s interest in forests as well as help revitalise forests that had been destroyed. Nicol’s Forest Kitchen project was his answer: to spread awareness through food, and in doing so, the project could help build up forests.

Visitors separate garbage themselves with the help of volunteers

At the Eco Station, volunteer staff will help direct visitors in separating garbage properly, raising awareness on the proper procedures which they can take away home with them.

Tokyu Musix Challenge is set to take place at Bunkamura Orchard Hall this year on March 7 at 18:00.

2020 saw the cancellation of music events across the world, with Japan being no exception. Shibuya, Tokyo’s hub of countless live music venues and halls, was particularly affected by the effects of the pandemic. But the energy and power that music artists hold is one they can offer to brighten up peoples’ time during today’s times. That’s where Tokyu Musix Challenge comes in, a new kind of music festival that will bring together a multitude of genres, and where better for it to be held than the cultural melting pot that is Shibuya.

This year will be the first run of the festival, where a collaboration between classical music and contemporary pop music will clash at Bunkamura Orchard Hall. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, which is recognised as Japan’s oldest symphony orchestra, will play alongside acts such as Little Glee Monster, Ai Higuchi, Win Morisaki, Meimi Tamura, Kayoko Yoshizawa, ROTH BART BARON, and more. And the line-up is set to grow as more performers will be announced in the lead up to the event.

Comments from the Artists

Little Glee Monster

“We are really looking forward to feeling the fresh breeze of our music colliding with the grand scale of an orchestra. We’ll be sure to play our part so that we don’t lose to the overwhelming performance of everyone in the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, but also so that our music complements theirs. We hope that everyone can have a good time and feel good from the strength that music has.”

Ai Higuchi

“In 2020, we may have all lived kind of complicit with so many options in front of us leading down different paths. A certain friend might have gone to a drinking party, another might not have seen their lover for a long time. What choices do we make? We become darker depending on our choices. In Shibuya, a city that continues to change, I will sing my unchanged songs.”

Win Morisaki

“Over this past year, the respect I have for the position I’m in where I can express myself has really sunk in. I’m so happy I’ve been able to get involved with this challenge. And getting to sing with an orchestra, it’s magnificent. I’m so excited about what’s to come.”

Meimi Tamura

“I can’t contain my excitement at a genre collaboration between classic, which is the foundation of music, and pop which is strongly tied to Shibuya. I think I’m going to start feeling tense at getting to perform alongside everyone in the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and singers of all different kinds of music. We don’t have a lot of freedom today during the pandemic, but I will work my hardest so that I can deliver love through music from the city of Shibuya.”

Kayoko Yoshizawa

“My chest roars and having the opportunity to perform along side Japan’s oldest and longest-running Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra at the legendary Orchard Hall. It’s my first time experiencing singing with an orchestra, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the songs will be structured, and how my voice will sound, when we do it.”

Japanese IRL mystery game production company Haregake is launching a new game in collaboration with Cosmos Hotel Management who are known for managing the apartment hotel chain MIMARU. MIMARU Tokyo Asakusa STATION, a new branch, is set to open on April 22.

This game will take place around Asakusa in Tokyo and can be played by couples, families, and groups. The event is being carried out with all necessary COVID-19 safety measures in place and aims to get people learning more about the wonders of Asakusa with a game that incorporates elements of the district’s traditional buildings, culture, and more. It’s a chance to sightsee around one of Tokyo’s most iconic areas while solving puzzles at the same time.

The game kit can be bought at the vending machine inside MIMARU Tokyo Asakusa STATION when it opens later this month. It includes the story, which you can read below, and everything you need to get yourself started. There’s also no time limit, so players can take as long as they like while they enjoy the sights.

The Game’s Story

“I want you to find the treasure of Asakusa for me.”

So says the request that finds its ways to you – you, who are a detective.

A certain wealthy individual once resided in Asakusa.

He left a letter behind, and now this letter is in your hands.

“This map – perhaps it shows the location of this treasure.”

Will you be able to locate the treasure resting in Asakusa?

Head on out and solve the mystery as you walk around the district.

After the success of the hit Ikkon-Fugetsu event held at Perie Chiba Ekiue Hiroba last autumn, a permanent nihonshu Japanese sake lounge is set to open at JR Chiba Station on April 28, offering the same kind of atmosphere as inside a luxury airport lounge.

CHIBASAKE.COM SHOP with PERIE Onliine SHOP

A sake shop will also open at the same time at the lounge where customers can scroll through different drinks they’d like to purchase using their smartphone or tablet. You can purchase sake that you enjoyed drinking in the lounge as well as pick up exclusive and original beverages available online only at CHIBASAKE, sake from different regions across Japan, and more.

That’s not all for customers’ sake experience however. Umami is a big part of Japanese food culture, and so in order that all who visit can enjoy their drink to the fullest, Japanese wineglass makers RIEDEL, who have been in the business for 260 years, have provided their special junmaishu glasses which were developed over a period of eight years. Food will also be on the menu made with ingredients local to Chiba Prefecture, and more.

Hirado Castle in Nagasaki comes as the first castle in Japan to open as a permanent accommodation site. The service launched on April 1, 2021, at the ancient castle, which was listed as one of the 100 Fine Castles of Japan by the Japan Castle Foundation in 2006.

The Guest Rooms

A breathtaking art piece by Takahide Komatsu decorates the living and dining room

A jewel-inspired design in the living and dining room

Takahide Komatsu’s cherry blossom wall art blooms up the stairs leading to the guest rooms

Hirado Castle was built in 1559 by Matsura Shigenobu, a lord of the Hirado Clan. However, Matsura burned down the castle in 1613 to show his loyalty to the Tokugawa shogunate. The castle was rebuilt in 1718. Its gorgeous decor and incredible surrounding natural environment draw tourists and sightseers every year.

Guests at Hirado Castle will stay on the second floor which was rebuilt in 1977 after being formerly used as a storehouse. The decor is a fusion of the traditional and the modern, expressing not only the Japanese aesthetic but embodying Hirado. With this castle stay, guests can enjoy the cuisine of Hirado, get in touch with the local nature with spots like Hirado Bridge and Hirado Island, enjoy traditional music at the tea ceremony, and much more.

Befco is collaborating its Hoshi Tabeyo star-shaped rice crackers with the lovable Peanuts comic strip to open a themed café at Hotel Nikko Niigata. Named the “Hoshi Tabeyo x Snoopy Café @ Hotel Nikko Niigata,” the café will open for a limited time from April 9 to May 9.“

Snoopy and fans of Japanese snacks can look forward to an original themed menu, with every food item and drink ordered getting them a free novelty. Of course, the café will sell its own original merchandise too. The café will be decorated in all things Peanuts and Hoshi Tabeyo, and there will even be two photo booths for snapping a commemorative photo of your fun day.

The Menu

1. Snoopy Beef Stew: With a juicy meat and bouillon base, this stew is made with beef, onion, and mushrooms, all topped off with a Snoopy made from rice.

2. Snoopy Hamburger Curry: Snoopy’s rice ears are topped with a hamburger, and the curry sauce is made with fruit and vegetables. There’s even a little Woodstock made from cheese.

3. Snoopy Hot Sandwich: There are two different sandwiches, one with ham and cheese and the other with potato salad, and both have a different toasted illustration on them. These come in a free lunch box.

4. Hoshi Tabeyo Shaka Shaka Caesar Salad: A salad served in a cup drizzled in a Caesar dressing and with Hoshi Tabeyo rice crackers instead of croutons.

5. Thick Soufflé Pancake: Fat and fluffy pancakes combined with French meringue and served with a Snoopy cookie and sweet-tasting Hoshi Tabeyo. Enjoy together with the accompanying strawberry sauce.

6. Chocolate Parfait: A towering, chocolate-packed parfait layered with chocolate sauce, chocolate cornflakes, chocolate ice cream, and brownie. This is all topped off with a Snoopy cookie and Hoshi Tabeyo rice cracker.

7. Hotel Original Cookies (Set of 4): Crunchy cookies with various prints of familiar faces like Snoopy and Woodstock.

8. Lemonade: A sweet and refreshing lemonade beverage served with honey.

*Dishes 1-3 come with the Shaka Shaka Caesar Salad

*Ordering anything from the menu gets you one of four possible Hoshi Tabeyo x Snoopy postcards

Merchandise

© 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC（ 短縮形 © 2021 Peanuts ）

The incredible Hoshino Resorts BANTA CAFE, a beachside cafe which offers guests a breathtaking ocean view along the Okinawan coast, has announced the upcoming Beachside Art Festival which will take place from April 10 to May 9. The festival will bring together artwork from a range of artists born and raised in Okinawa and leading the island’s youth culture. There will be a range of events from live painting to workshops, exhibits, and more.

The participating artists have all taken part in personal art exhibits, art events, showcased their work at concerts, and more both inside and outside Japan, but due to COVID-19, many events have of course been cancelled. Beachside Art Festival will serve as a way to display their wonderful works while supporting them at the same time.

The Artist Line-Up

DENPA

nami

HAYATO MACHIDA

Chibana Yukinaga

MACHIDA visiting BANTA CAFE to check the feel of the ocean and their artwork

Vibrant artwork with the ocean as the backdrop

Visitors will be greeted by artwork dotted across various locations around BANTA CAFE. If they follow the top of the cliff down to the beach they will find sofas to sit on which have also been decorated with the artists’ artwork. Then there’s the Goro Goro Lounge with its enormous window that stretches an entire wall and offers a panoramic view of the sea. Here, visitors can look out at the artwork which will look like it’s floating above the horizon. All drinks ordered also come with a free sticker featuring artwork by the four participating artists.

Experience art-in-the-making with live painting

DENPA and MACHIDA will host their own live painting sessions where they will take inspiration from the surrounding environment.

HAYATO MACHIDA @ April 10, 2021 / April 11, 2021

DENPA @ April 18, 2021

Times: 11:00-13:00 / 14:00-17:00

Where: In front of BANTA CAFE on the beach

Price: Free

Have a go at traditional Okinawan bingata dyeing

Visitors can have a go at making their very own coasters from nine different colours using a traditional Okinawan stencilled dyeing technique known as bingata.

Running: April 24, 2021 / May 1, 2021 / May 2, 2021 / May 5, 2021

Times: 10:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 16:00 (Each slot lasts approx. one hour)

Capacity: 4

Where: Iwaba Terrace

Price: ¥2,000 (Tax Included)

Note: Online booking required

Take home a souvenir at the beachside museum shop

A museum shop will be open for the event on weekends and holidays where you can pick up art prints, stickers, postcards, and other mementos.

Opening Days: Weekends & Public Holidays

Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00

Where: Beachside Terrace

Seibu Ikebukuro will pay host to the upcoming ‘PIXAR! PIXAR! PIXAR!’ event which will take place from April 8 to 19 in cooperation with Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Japan. Pixar fans can look forward to viewing a special selection of valuable concept art, buying merch, and more.

A Look at Pixar Animation’s History

Feel Like You’re at Pixar Animation Studios

The event will be a celebration of all things Pixar, from their early animation shorts to their upcoming film Luca. This will include a special area that recreates the real-life Pixar Animation Studios.

Pixar Office Photo Postcards (3 Designs) | ¥220 Each

BnL T-Shirt (One Size Fits All) | ¥3,520

Canvas Panel (29.7cm x 21cm) | ¥3,850

Event-Original Merchandise (Excerpt)

Plates | ¥990 Each

Shopping Bag | ¥880

Pins 8 Designs)

There will also be a trivia quiz to test how much fans know about their favourite films, as well as a special video showcasing the making of the original artwork displayed at the event. Around 200 pieces of merchandise will also be sold.

PIXAR! PIXAR! PIXAR! is a popular annual festival in Japan and a must-visit for any fan of Disney/Pixar.

©DISNEY/PIXAR All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.