Ghibli Park Phase 1 will open to the public on November 1 in Nagakute City, Aichi Prefecture at Moricoro Park within the Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park. Ahead of the exciting day, fans are getting their first glimpse at the Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse area!

For those looking to immerse themselves in the world of Ghibli, look no further. Phase 1 will see the opening of a theater, a shop, a cafe, and three unique exhibits. 

Cinema Orion

The theater will screen ten short films that were previously only available to watch at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo. 

Trio of Special Exhibitions

The Famous Scenes Exhibition will invite guests to pretend to be a character in their favorite Ghibli films, stepping directly into recreated scenes. In addition, due to how often fans claim that food in Ghibli films looks exceptionally tasty, a special exhibition from the Ghibli Museum is also coming to Ghibli Park featuring these delectable-looking treats. 

The on-site store and cafe will also be selling original products only available at the park. A new trailer has been released for the park as well, showing what fans can look forward to in November. Tickets for Ghibli Park will go on sale on the 10th of each month and are reservation-only, with a date and time assigned for each area. Lottery sales for December admission will run from September 10 until September 21 at 23:59.

© Studio Ghibli

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu inspired music lovers around the world in April when she performed at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals on Earth. The second half of the singer’s 10th anniversary nationwide tour 31-show has begun, gaining even more momentum following the announcement of a solo concert at Nippon Budokan in October. In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities. As with past concert locations, a new collaboration has been announced ahead of Kyary’s June 19 performance in Aichi Prefecture. 

Since its opening in 1916, Myokoen has been providing high-quality tea leaves to tea lovers around Japan. The store is known for its hojicha, or roasted green tea, which is made by roasting the leaves over a gentle flame. With a particular focus on aroma, taste, and color, this secret blend of tea leaves is selected by tea masters from all over the country. 

Kyary’s collaboration with Myokoen draws inspiration from the singer’s 6th single Invader Invader (2013), in which a fashionable alien played by Kyary seeks to take over the world. The tea shop’s logo has been transformed with a bit of pop flare.

Myokoen (Aichi Prefecture) x LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project ‘Invader Hojicha’: ¥1,200 (Tax Included)

The special product released for the new collaboration is the Myokoen and LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project Invader Hojicha. The recipe for the tea has remained unchanged for over six decades and this blend focuses on the golden color of fresh green tea after it has been roasted. This release features new packaging, and those interested can purchase a package at all Myokoen shops and on the company’s online store. Limited quantities will also be sold at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater’s Main Hall starting at 2:00 on June 19, 2022.

Myokoen (Aichi Prefecture) x LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project T-shirt: ¥3,300 (Tax Included)

A collaborative T-shirt is also on sale featuring the new logo and the singer’s 10th-anniversary logo. The shirt is available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website for two weeks only!

Cafe Accueil Ebisu is currently offering a limited Sakura-themed menu featuring pancakes, afternoon tea, and drinks until April 10, 2022.

Sakura & Strawberry Pancakes

Sakura Afternoon Tea

Special Latte with Cherry Blossoms

The seasonal menu includes Sakura & Strawberry Pancakes with pale pink and strawberry red accents, and savory items such as a croissant with cherry cheese cream. Guests can also enjoy Sakura Afternoon Tea, a colorful 12-item menu featuring cherry and strawberry delights. Come enjoy the coming of spring at this gorgeous Tokyo cafe!

The NFT platform ‘Adam by GMO’ will offer the creative company NAKED’s first piece of NFT art. Sakura Ousai has been featured in the hands-on art exhibition NAKED FLOWERS held in Nihonbashi, Nijo Castle, Hong Kong, and Korea. The NFT will be available in late March and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to support Ukraine.

Since its establishment in 1997, NAKED has constantly produced incredibly unique art installations to fit with the times. Starting with the projection mapping of Tokyo Station in 2012, the company has created unprecedented art and entertainment experiences by combining real space with virtual experiences. The current theme is ‘borderless creativity,’ and creating NFT art fits into this vision.

NAKED FLOWERS, one of NAKED’s signature events, has been held since the New Year 2016. The NAKED FLOWERS experience has now been converted into a piece of NFT art for the first time, and buyers can enjoy these cherry blossoms no matter their location!

People flock to Kanda Myojin to pray for good luck at the start of the new financial year, surrounded by beautiful pink blooms. The shrine offers beautiful sights during the day, and this year, it’s collaborating with digital art collective NAKED to host a beautiful light-up event every evening from March 26 until April 10, 2022.

Kanda Myojin is a hidden cherry blossom viewing spot in Tokyo. This spring-only event is held in the hope that people will pray at Kanda Myojin, one of the most popular power spots in Tokyo, for a great start to the new year.

Guests will be able to see cherry blossom trees lit up in iridescent lights with pink petals projected on the ground. Some of the digital sakura are interactive and change shape and color when you’re nearby. Digital art is even incorporated at the hand sanitizing station, where you’ll see vivid pink sakura projected onto your palms. Visitors will also be handed a special Naked Distance Lantern, which naturally creates distance between others as you hold it up.

Lake Biwa Canal, one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in Shiga, will be completely illuminated each night from March 25 until April 10! The nearby Onjo-ji Temple will also be lit up during the duration of the event.

Lake Biwa, Otsu Spring Illumination – Cherry Blossoms on the Lake Biwa Canal

The Lake Biwa Canal carries water from the biggest lake in Japan to Kyoto and was built during the Meiji era using the best civil engineering technology of the time. Both sides of the bank are lined with almost 200 cherry trees, making it one of the most beautiful cherry blossom viewing spots with a spectacular view leading to Onjo-ji Temple.

Onjo-ji Spring Illumination 2022

Over 600 lights will be set up around the temple grounds to illuminate the cherry blossoms. The national treasures and designated cultural properties will be completely open to the public for nighttime viewing.

Wishing you could be in Japan to see the cherry blossoms? The Cherry Blossom Drone Project on March 27 will be live-broadcasting some of the most beautiful blossoms in the country to viewers around the world. 

Incredible 4K aerial footage will be available to watch on YouTube LIVE for free from 12:00 until 19:00 on March 27, 2022. No matter where you are, you’ll be able to lose yourself in the feeling of spring. 

Three Best Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots Chosen by Sakura Enthusiasts

Breathtaking Mountain Cherry Blossoms at Mount Yoshino in Nara

The First New Sakura Species in Over 100 Years Found in Wakayama Prefecture

A Sea of Cherry Blossoms at Takato Joshi Park in Ina, Nagano Prefecture

McDonald’s Japan will start selling the new Sakura Mochi Pie starting March 23, 2022 for a limited time only.

The new pie is inspired by sakura mochi, a traditional wagashi sweet popular during spring. 

Sakura mochi is typically made from mochi rice cakes filled with a sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf. The McDonald’s pie is filled with azuki red bean paste and a chewy, sakura-flavored mochi that features bits of pickled sakura leaves.

The packaging will also feature spring designs and each pie costs just ¥150. They will be available until mid-April. 

Creative company NAKED has opened its popular annual spring event NAKED Sakura Aquarium at Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa until April 17, 2022. 

Since winter 2015, Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa and NAKED have held a number of collaborative events each season based on blending the concepts of sound, light, images, and living things. The centerpiece of this spring event is the immersive area titled ‘Patterns.’ The walls of the aquarium are decorated with fluttering cherry blossoms as petals dance across the ground, pulling guests into a virtual Japanese garden. 

The Garden of Dancing Sakura

Fluttering Sakura

Flower Lantern

Nighttime Dolphin Performance ‘Sakura Story’

NAKED Tsukubai – Sakura Version

Guests can also enjoy a cherry blossom version of NAKED Tsukubai, a virtual hand-washing experience. Why not come experience spring in a whole new way?

Flower Miffy Juice Garden, a drink stand featuring Dick Bruna’s popular character Miffy, is now offering a limited-time cherry blossom beverage at its Asakusa location!

Strawberry

Green Apple

Cherry Blossom Season with Miffy

The Slightly Sakura Drink is inspired by springtime and features a sweet whipped topping with cherry blossom-colored copeau de chocolat. The base of the drink is sakura-colored milk available in green apple and strawberry flavors. Each beverage comes with a Miffy cookie for added cuteness!

A Cherry Blossom flower arrangement is also available for purchase at the Flower Miffy online store. 

Illustrations Dick Bruna Ⓒ copyright Mercis bv,1953-2022　www.miffy.com

Hoshino Resort Aomoriya, an inn where visitors are invited to fully enjoy Aomori’s culture, will begin its Hanami Kotatsu event from April 1 until May 31, 2022. Guests can enjoy local sake while warming themselves beneath a cozy kotatsu. In the chilly Aomori spring, a kotatsu) will be set up beneath the blooming trees for visitors to comfortably view the cherry blossoms. Hot-water bottles will also be available for rent if guests can a little too cold!

April in Aomori is spring according to the calendar, but it’s still quite chilly. Nevertheless, the people of Aomori look forward to flower viewing to overcome the cold winter and enjoy the long-awaited arrival of spring.

Three Fun Additions to Make Cherry Blossom Viewing More Fun

1  A Traditional Umbrella with a Sakura Pattern

Next to each kotatsu is a row of Japanese umbrellas with cherry blossoms painted on them, spreading the pink cherry blossom imagery all around. When opened, the umbrellas are covered with cherry blossoms, making you feel as if you are under the cherry blossoms in full bloom.

2 Choose a Local Sake and Sake Cups for a Flower Viewing Sake Tower

Choose your favorite local sake and three sake cups to make a sake tower! Guests can choose from 10 Aomori sake brands, each with unique aromas and flavors. 

3 Cherry Blossom Patterned Cotton-Filled Hot Water Bottle for Extra Warmth

To keep extra warm beneath the kotatsu, a cotton blanket with a cherry blossom pattern and a hot-water bottle are available for rent. Doesn’t it sound heavenly?

Toyokawa Inari in Aichi Prefecture will be taken over by NAKED projection mapping and events with a spring theme from March 22 until April 3, 2022. 

NAKED Tsukubai – Spring Ver.

NAKED Distanced Lanterns – Spring Ver.

Projection-Mapping ‘Sakura Pilgrimage’ *Spring Exclusive

‘Sando Illumination – Rim of Light’ Spring Ver.

NAKED Flower Fortune Telling – Spring Ver.

The Tokyokawa Inari x NAKED YORU MO-DE is being transformed as spring approaches, and popular NAKED attractions are being reimagined with cherry blossoms in mind. The popular NAKED Tsukubai, in which guests have their hands purified with art, will show cherry blossoms blooming. The NAKED Distanced Lanterns, made to encourage social distancing, will also feature a sakura theme.

Visitors can also participate in Flower Fortune Telling, which has been very popular across social media. Why not come see the temple illuminated with cherry blossoms?