The globally-beloved Pokemon franchise is celebrating 25 years throughout 2021. Throughout the year, the POKEMON COLORS exhibition has opened in cities throughout Japan, bringing a barrage of bright colors, fantastic art, and Pokemon-themed activities to fans nationwide. As guests move throughout the event space, various projections and images around them change, with popular Pokemon characters popping up and flooding the world around them in color. Now, the POKEMON COLORS exhibition is set to open in Osaka beginning September 30. 

Exhibition Preview

Concept Video

COLORS ROAD

COLORS LAKE

COLORS FOREST

COLORS CITY

COLORS CIRCLE

Inspired by the more than 800 Pokemon species in the franchise, the POKEMON COLORS project uses sensors placed throughout the event space to track visitors movements, altering the images, music, and lighting accordingly. Meant to be a combination of pop culture and minimalist digital art, it’s an experience like no other. 

160 unique goods will be available at the exhibition, from apparel and art pieces to cell phone cases and office supplies. Be sure to check it out if you’re in Osaka this fall!

©2021 Pokémon. ©1995-2021 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.

BANDAI NAMCO Amusement is hosting a character pop-up store for anime ‘Kuroko’s Basketball,’ featuring new illustrations of the characters dressed in trad style. The shop will be open from September 16 2021 at the Atre Akihabara Store, stocking original goods using the new artwork.

Kuroko’s Basketball Acrylic Stand trad style ver. (7 types): ¥1,980 each (Tax Incl.)

Kuroko’s Basketball Can Badge trad style ver. (7 types): ¥540 each (Tax Incl.)

Kuroko’s Basketball A4 Acrylic File trad style ver.: ¥550 (Tax Incl.)

Kuroko’s Basketball Cloth Poster trad style ver.: ¥1,800 (Tax Incl.)

Kuroko’s Basketball Spoon trad style ver. (7 types): ¥1,200 each (Tax Incl.)

Kuroko’s Basketball Fork trad style ver. (7 types): ¥1,200 each (Tax Incl.)

Kuroko’s Basketball Acrylic Board trad style ver. (7 types): ¥530 per lottery ticket, A Prize

Kuroko’s Basketball Jacket Style Acrylic Keychain trad style ver. (7 types): ¥530 per lottery ticket, B Prize

Kuroko’s Basketball Can Badge trad style ver. (7 types): ¥530 per lottery ticket, C Prize

Kuroko’s Basketball Die-cut Illustration Sheet trad style ver. (7 types): ¥530 per lottery ticket, D Prize (random)

Be sure to check out this limited shop to immerse yourself in the world of Kuroko’s Basketball!

©Fujimaki Tadatoshi / Shueisha, Kuroko’s Basketball Production Committee 

Hotel New Otani Tokyo has collaborated with PAUL & JOE for the second time to offer a new accomodation plan, which will be available for one-night stays between December 1 2021 and January 4 2022.  The rooms will not be available between December 31 and January 2.

This collaboration room will allow you to surround yourself in the world of PAUL & JOE, a Parisian brand PAUL & JOE that is extremely popular with young women in their 20s and 30s. The initial collaboration was so popular that within just 10 days, all of the available dates within three months were sold out. This Christmas edition will only be available for one month, so be sure to book while you can.

The pink and ivory room features the brand’s icon; Designer Sophie’s beloved cats, Nunet and Gypsy. The decorations also feature Crisantemo flower motifs.

Not only is the wallpaper covered in PAUL & JOE motifs, but even the smaller pieces such as cushions, curling irons, and brushes are themed too. In addition, to celebrate the festive season, the room will include a special Christmas tree, allowing you to enjoy a special Christmas with somebody special, sharing a view of Tokyo Tower.

The second round of cosmetics is focused on the 2021 CHRISTMAS COLLECTION. The ‘Lipstick Treatment’ features adorable cats wearing Santa hats, while the ‘Lipstick Limited’ comes in a luxurious Christmas red – and also features cats in hats! Plus, the new ‘Wrapping Hand Cream’ will wrap your hands in a fresh moisturising texture. In addition, the best-selling ‘Moisturizing Foundation Primer,’ which was renewed on September 1, and the P&J skincare selection (oil, lotion, cleansing), each must-haves for the upcoming dry season, have been miniaturized into take-home samples in a limited edition pouch, especially for hotel customers.

Alongside the limited cosmetic samples, there will be matching pajamas and slippers available for purchase and take home, with a that will take you even deeper into the PAUL & JOE world. While these cat-and-floral print PJs are perfect for a girls-only gathering, a men’s line has also been released due to popular demand, ideal for spending a romantic Christmas in matching pajamas.

Why not spend a wonderful Christmas in this PAUL & JOE room?

The Hot Toys flagship store, TOY SAPIENS Tokyo, will begin hosting a free Back to the Future event titled RETRO SAPIENS starting September 18, and running until October 31, 2021. 

Along with the opening of this exciting event, the TOY SAPIENS Tokyo store is also unveiling its new location. The much larger shop is now an easy walk from Shibuya Station and Harajuku Station!

After the event at the Tokyo location concludes, the event will travel to three more TOY SAPIENS stores nationwide, to allow more fans to see these legendary props in person. RETRO SAPIENS will open in Osaka in November 2021, and in Nagoya in February 2022. 

One-of-a-kind props, clothing items, and set pieces from the Back to the Future film will be on display for the first time ever in Japan during this event. If you’re a fan, be sure to come and enjoy–admission is free! A number of Back to the Future related merchandise will also be on sale, including figures, apparel, and items only available at the RETRO SAPIENS event. These limited-edition products will also be available online at the TOY SAPIENS Official Online Store starting September 21. 

A special Cosbaby Keychain will also be handed out to guests who clear certain conditions while enjoying the event. Those who purchase Back to the Future merchandise will receive a RETRO SAPIENS-themed shopping bag on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Osaka’s Rihga Royal Hotel is collaborating with book direction brand YOURS BOOK STORE to produce a one-room one-day accommodation plan titled “Once in a Lifetime ~ Professionals Choose Your Book~.” The limited-time plan will be available between September 15 and November 30, 2021.

The lounge on the executive floor, known as The Presidential Towers, was reformed in March 2020 to include a library of 1,000 books, with themes including Osaka, refreshing, relaxing, and children’s books. It was then that the room plan collaboration with YOURS BOOK STORE, who was involved in the initial book selection, was proposed.

In the “Once in a Lifetime ~ Professionals Choose Your Book~” accommodation plan, a professional will discuss with the guest to learn more about their taste, with the book director offering 3 personalized book choices per person. The guest can also take full advantage of the hotel library.

Following your trip, a book chosen especially for guests will be sent to your home, with a message card describing how your books were selected. This unique accommodation plan allows you to bask in the afterglow of your trip while waiting to see what kind of book you receive.

Why not check out this unique plan where you can receive your own personalized book recommendation?

Opening in March 2021, Japan’s first luxury lifestyle Hotel W Osaka works with PIERRE HERMÉ PARIS to produce the ‘MIXup’ Art & Pastry Bar, which has unveiled a new Halloween themed dessert course and  à la carte cake, available from September 15.

Pumpkin & Choux Cream / Ghost Montblanc / Frankenstein Cheesecake

Rock’n’Roll

Osaka is said to be the birthplace of Japanese cuisine, and in a similar vein,  this unique  ‘MIXup’ dessert course serves ‘CHEEKY’ sweets which are finished one-by-one in front of the customer. The counter-style serving has proven popular since it began in May of this year, known for the playful presentation and customer participation.

This Autumn, the menu has been transformed into the ‘TRICKY CHEEKY HALLOWEEN’ course, with eight playful new desserts available to try. The desserts feature well-known Halloween monsters, and incorporate the taste of Autumn with pumpkin, chestnut, and pear, among other seasonal flavors.

The take-out Halloween sweets lineup includes a matcha and red bean Frankenstein Cheesecake, a spooky Ghost Montblanc, jack-o-lantern shaped Pumpkin Choux Creams, and more. A limited Halloween variation of the bar’s iconic rose and raspberry Rock’n’Roll cake is also available! The recipe and baking techniques are based on the methods of PIERRE HERMÉ PARIS, with arrangements by The W Osaka.

Try out some scarily tasty sweets this Halloween with The W Osaka and PIERRE HERMÉ PARIS!

A special exhibition titled ‘Japanese Landscapes Discovered: Views from and for the Outside World,’ showcasing a private collection of Meiji era paintings, is now on display at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto until October 31, 2021.

Inside the Exhibit

Inside the Exhibit

This exhibition is designed to take visitors on a journey through the Meiji period (1868-1912), the beginning of Japan’s modern era, through oil and watercolor paintings of the time, and through the landscapes and customs depicted in these pieces of art. During this time, many foreign painters visited Japan, and were inspired to paint the country’s beautiful landscapes and unfamiliar customs, bringing these creations back to their countries of origin. Japanese artists studied these unfamiliar painting techniques, and made their own culturally-inspired paintings, often selling them to foreign visitors as souvenirs.

Many works on display in this exhibition have never been shown publicly, with many being brought back to Japan from locations abroad. These include long-lost oil paintings by Kuroda Seiki and a massive newly-discovered work by Tamura Soryu. Other Japanese artists inspired by Western-style on display include Hiroshi Yoshida, Jirokichi Kasagi, Shotaro Koyama, and Ioki Bunsai.

Also on display are works by foreign artists who visited Japan during this period, including British news painter Charles Wirgman, French news painter Georges Bigot, and British landscape painters Alfred Parsons, Alfred East, and John Varley Jr. These three men in particular triggered a watercolor boom in Japan during the late Meiji period. Vibrant female painters such as British watercolorist Ella du Cane, a lover of Japanese gardens, also make an appearance.

Be sure to see these incredible depictions of Japan before they’re gone.

The Yojiya Café, opened by the Yojiya brand famous for its Aburatorigami, or facial oil blotting paper, will be renewing its menu from September 13. The popular face parfait, which features the logo alongside a Kyoto woman with a mole, comes in three flavors available – Kinako, Matcha, and Milk Tea. Each parfait comes with a sauce, so you can adjust the taste as you eat.

Kinako Parfait: ¥1,200 (Tax Incl.)

Matcha Parfait: ¥1,200 (Tax Incl.)

Milk Tea Parfait: ¥1,200 (Tax Incl.)

The Yojiya Café is currently open in two locations, Gion and Sagano Arashiyama, offering a relaxing space to rest between shopping and sightseeing.

The café has renewed their iconic Kinako Parfait, which combines Japanese Kinako and Western Maple Syrup, along with the Matcha Parfait, which is packed full of matcha ice cream, jelly, and cookies. The Milk Tea Parfait is made with a rich Japanese Tea and Earl Gray ice cream.

Take a trip to Yojiya and find out which parfait is your favorite!

The Nihonbashi ART AQUARIUM will be closed on September 26 2021 to make way for new exhibits and works. The museum is scheduled to be relocated in the first half of 2022.

The ART AQUARIUM Museum opened in Nihonbashi, Tokyo on August 28 202 with the concept of “a museum where life dwells.” This will be the largest renewal in the history of the museum Museum, opened by writer and general producer Hidetomo Kimura, with the addition of more exhibits and new and improved interactive areas.

The Nihonbashi Art AQUARIUM Museum opened alongside the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic, with the expectations that visitors would come from both within Japan and overseas, thanks to the exhibitions which easily explain and represent Japan’s proud traditional culture and performing arts, but due to Covid restrictions, foreign tourists are still unable to enter the country. Despite this, the Museum saw many customers and with the closing of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the museum will be closed in preparation to relocate to the new ART AQUARIUM. If you want to see the Nihonbashi location for yourself then this is your last chance!

In addition, the “ART AQUARIUM” digital tour is being held from September 12, allowing you to appreciate the Museum in a digital format until the reopening.

Make sure to check out the Nihonbashi ART AQUARIUM while you have the chance!

Last year’s Shibuya PARCO Art Week was met with incredible fanfare, and the 2021 event is now set to begin on September 17! This year, acclaimed French artist Jean Jullien is in charge of the main visual for the showing.

The exhibition will be held at NANZUKA 2G, located on the 2nd floor of Shibuya PARCO, as well as within the PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO on the 4th floor.

Shibuya PARCO Art Week 2021 Features

Martin Margiela: In His Own Words

© 2019 Reiner Holzemer Film – RTBF – Aminata Productions

#HotelKawashima

Kensaku Kakimoto Exhibition ‘Devoting Time’ Collaboration with Luke Bubb, Piotr Stopniak

mono100 x Natsuki Kurachi POP UP

Nori Okawa Solo Exhibition ‘Good Boy, More Drunk’

Hikaru Ichijo Exhibition ‘CHIDORI ASHI,’ with a motif of ‘people who are carried away by alcohol’

Mariko Enomoto Solo Exhibition ‘Moments,’ depicting the fluctuations of daily life

Emi Ozaku Solo Exhibition ‘Good something for you’

Exhibition of Tetsuji Aoyama’s works, ‘21XX A Future Odyssey ~Someday in a Hundred Years~

Exclusive collaboration products by VOILLD x FACE on sale

Shun Komiyama Photo Exhibition ‘The Wind Responds,’ by MIDORI.so Gallery

A group exhibition ‘’ DONOKO? ‘’ Portrait series Curated by TOKYO URBAN ART

“Welcome back to your “Home Position” – Selecting art for the interior based on ‘likes’

At ‘WHITE CINE QUINTO’ on the 8th floor of Shibuya PARCO, visitors can see a powerful documentary film about Martin Margiela, Martin Margiela: In His Own Words. Also on the 8th floor, a hands-on exhibition titled #HotelKawashima will feature Akira Kawashima of the comedy duo Kirin becoming the manager of a hotel. The comedian’s voice will also be used for the in-house announcements throughout Shibuya PARCO.

An ART PASSPORT, distributed by the gallery and other stores throughout the complex, contains plenty of information about the events throughout the museum, as well as exclusive special offers. Be sure not to miss the interview with Jean Jullien!

Jean Jullien Exhibition「PAPER PEOPLE」/「POCKET PARENTS」

©Jean Jullien Courtesy of NANZUKA

©Jean Jullien Photo by Shigeru Tanaka Courtesy of NANZUKA

©Jean Jullien Photo by Shigeru Tanaka Courtesy of NANZUKA

Jean Jullien’s solo exhibition “PAPER PEOPLE,” curated by NANZUKA, will be held at the PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO on the 4th floor, and will depict the creative process of the artist through the medium of paper. Jullien, who has a deep knowledge and love of Japanese manga culture, is sure to bring some charm and comedy to the showing, as is typical of his style. The artist, from Brittany in France, has always been inspired by Japan, and also by the natural beauty of his homeland. Each of the nearly 50 works in the exhibition were created during the Coronavirus pandemic, and 25 special screen prints will be on sale via lottery, both at the event and online.

In the “POCKET PARENTS” exhibition at NANZUKA 2G on the 2nd floor of the complex, Jullien’s upbringing and experiences as a parent are expressed in a hilarious story about aging and responsibility. Compared to “PAPER PEOPLE,” this offers a different perspective from the artist, which visitors can learn more about in his interview.

The HOTEL SHE, OSAKA has announced a new form of evening entertainment that allows the guests to take part in their ‘Theatre While You Stay’ performances of The Indigo Restaurant, held between November 11 and 30 2021. Tickets sales start on September 3.

The food and drink menu can be enjoyed from the comfort of your room.

All guest rooms come furnished with a record player.

The boutique hotel brand HOTEL, SHE are leading hotels into the new era with their contemporary services, collaborating with poet Saihate Tahi to create the “Poet Hotel” and live-streaming a performance by artist SIRUP.

The ‘Theatre While You Stay’ is a form of evening entertainment where guests can enjoy and take part in a stage show that is set in the hotel, both planned and produced by HOTEL, SHE.

They were inspired by the “immersive theatre” technique which has become popular in New York’s Broadway, allowing you to freely move around the hotel in your role as you enjoy the show, breaking the boundaries between audience and performer – You aren’t just watching the show, but becoming a part of it.

The term “immersive theatre” was coined in London during the early 2000s and refers to a form of theatre that is based on the audience experience. It breaks down the traditional roles of the audience and performers, creating a new relationship between the guests and the show.

Set throughout the entire hotel building, the lobby, guest rooms, corridors, and courtyard are full of mysterious sounds and lights. The “story experience” starts as you check in, with no set start or end time.  All phones, mobile devices and watches that tell the time are confiscated upon checking in, causing the guests to lose their sense of time and wander the hotel throughout the long evenings. 

After watching, the whole story is gradually revealed by talking about the scenes that each experienced while drinking cocktails in the bar lounge and guest rooms.  We want you to enjoy the limited food menu and sweets based on Asian dishes such as Taiwan.

After the show, you can enjoy cocktails in the bar lounge and discuss the scenes you watched as the story is gradually revealed. The delicious limited-time menu is full of sweet Asian dishes and desserts from Taiwan and beyond.

The RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka has announced a spectacularly limited Halloween accommodation plan, titled ‘A Terrifying Banquet in the Mysterious Lord’s Castle.’ Only one lucky person per day can book the decorated room, which features in-room meals and more treats to discover. Reservations are open through October 28, and the room will be available from September 10 until October 31.

‘A Terrifying Banquet’ Dining Table

Living Room

Skeletons in hotel uniform, ready to greet guests in the front room

This spooky setup will be held in the Fontainebleau suite, themed as a French palace. Guests will enjoy a western dinner course in the comfort (or discomfort) of the room. Decorated with black cats, ever-watchful owls and skeletons, guests can also look forward to taking plenty of photos at a designated photo spot on the sofa.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep people in their homes, the hotel created this room as a way to experience a new kind of cozy Halloween getaway. Visitors will enjoy plenty of other perks, including free parking, soft drink coupons, and breakfast the following morning.

Would you be able to sleep in this room filled with skeletons and specters?