Movie Star Studio is Japan’s first video shooting studio service set to open at Universal City in Osaka on August 11, 2020.

Movie Star Studio is a dream come true for TikTok and Instagram Stories users where they can shoot a full body video and add animation, music, and other features. There are 12 booths in the studio which are fairly spacious and so can be used by groups too.

The studio offers something that a smartphone can’t, and that’s chroma key which lets people use a green screen to add another video behind the person.

There are currently seven different backgrounds people can choose from, each lasting 5 seconds: HEART, PINK, KIRA KIRA, SUMMER, HOLLYWOOD, DINOSAUR, and MAGIC (as of August 8, 2020).

The studio is coloured bright pink with walls plastered with various cute illustrations so it looks like a stylish cafe. Every spot in the studio calls for a photo opportunity. There’s even a space with 25 seats for people to do their makeup.

With just a small bit of ingenuity, turn everyday food into something cute using Kaori’s easy recipe! With a few simple ideas, an ordinary recipe magically transforms into a cute dish.

In this recipe, you’ll learn how to transform a store-bought roll cake into a kawaii Hello Kitty cake which contains gyūhi – a form of traditional Japanese sweet which is a variety of mochi.

Ingredients

50g refined rice flour
100ml water
70g sugar
potato starch
strawberries and whipped cream to your liking
sliced chocolate (for Hello Kitty’s face)

1

First, make the gyūhi by mixing 50g of refined rice flour with 100ml of water. Mix well to avoid lumps.

Once this has been mixed, add 70g of sugar and mix again.

2

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave at 600W for 2 minutes.

3

Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula and microwave again for one more minute at 600W.

4

Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until it clumps together in one piece. Put a large portion of potato starch onto a tray and place your gyūhi on top.

5

Once the gyūhi has cooled, cut it to the size of the palm of your hand and use a rolling pin to stretch it out into a flat shape.

6

Leave your gyūhi to cool. In the meantime, bring out your store-bought roll cake piece and fill the inside with strawberries. When done, top your roll cake piece with whipped cream.

*If your forget to add the whipped cream, the strawberries underneath will be visible through the gyūhi layer!

7

Place the gyūhi layer on top of the roll cake and press the dough together at the bottom of the cake to seal it.

8

Shape two pieces of remaining gyūhi dough into triangles and affix them to the top of the cake to create Hello Kitty’s ears. Use the sliced chocolate to create whiskers, eyes and a nose for Hello Kitty’s face and cut up a strawberry to make her bow.

Once you have finished putting all the decorations in place, you’re done!

Kaori invites you into her world of character-themed food dishes in her recipe series. Be sure to check out her Instagram where she has uploaded many pictures of her character dishes!

Healthy doughnut chain Floresta Nature Doughnuts is cooking up two adorable Pompompurin summer doughnuts this month which will be available to buy at select Floresta shops in Japan and their official website between August 8 and 23.

Pompompurin Summer Doughnuts | ¥450 Each (Before Tax)

Floresta Nature Doughnuts is a doughnut cafe chain that hand-makes doughnuts using organic ingredients, such as wheat flour and soybeans from Hokkaido. This time they are whipping up two doughnuts of Sanrio’s popular character Pompompurin and his friend Macaroon. Both of these cute Golden Retrievers are made from organic chocolate, so you can indulge while being on the healthier side.

The doughnuts will first release at Floresta cafes in Japan on August 8 before heading to their online store on August 10 where you can buy a box that comes with two of each doughnut.

Harajuku’s KAWAII MONSTER CAFE has announced that it is collaborating with YouTuber, model, and MC RinRin Doll to release a new beverage called “Honey Doll” which will be served at the cafe for a limited time only.

Who is RinRin Doll?

RinRin Doll is a Harajuku-style model based in Tokyo. Originally from Los Angeles, California, she is a lover of Japanese fashion and culture and posts videos related to Harajuku-style lolita fashion and makeup on her YouTube channel.

RinRin’s birthday falls on August 2, which in Japanese can be pronounced as hanii or “honey,” and so this day is known colloquially as Honey Day. The “Honey Doll” drink will be served at the KAWAII MONSTER CAFE from August 2 to 31. It has a ginger ale base and is filled with honey flavoured jelly and fruits and is topped with purple cotton candy for a deliciously sweet combination.

The first 15 people to order the drink will receive a special badge featuring the cute character “Honey Bunny Bee” who was created for the RinRin Doll & Ribbonita collaboration.

KAWAII MONSTER CAFE is serving fashion and entertainment while practicing and promoting all the necessary measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Be sure to check out RinRin’s YouTube channel, including her video on the new Honey Doll drink.

Tokyo’s Snoopy themed café PEANUTS Café is now serving up food and drink in a food truck outside of the EST shopping mall in Umeda, Osaka for a limited time until August 16.

Lucy’s Homemade Lemonade | ¥600 (Tax Included)

Cookies | ¥650 (Tax Included)

The line-up includes popular takeout options from PEANUTS Café which is originally based in Naka-Meguro, Tokyo. This is a chance for the people of Osaka to enjoy the Tokyo-based cafe’s cute and tasty food.

[Presale] Key Rings (3 Designs)  | ¥1,100 Each (Tax Included)

The food truck will also have pre-sales of three new key rings not yet available at the PEANUTS Café. Customers can also buy the tote bag which is already sold at the café.

©2020 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

The first trailer for the upcoming TV anime series Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon is here. The anime, which will air from October 3, serves as a spin-off series of the anime adaptation of Inuyasha which originally ran from 2000-2004 and wrapped up with Inuyasha: The Final Act in 2010.

Confirmed cast members for Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon include Sara Matsumoto as Towa Higurashi, Mikako Komatsu as Setsuna, and Azusa Tadokoro as Moroha.

To promote the series, a series of exhibitions celebrating the history of Inuyasha will take place across Japan including Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Niigata—the latter of which is the hometown of Inuyasha author Rumiko Takahashi. Merchandise will also be available for fans to buy.

The main visual for the exhibition

Details on tickets, merchandise, and the full content of the exhibition will be announced in the near future, so stay tuned.

ⒸRumiko Takahashi / Shogakukan・Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation・Sunrise 2009

Mister Donut Japan is releasing recipes over on its official website on August 7 which will show you how to make three of their popular doughnuts. The simple recipes are twists on the “Honey Dip,” “Old Fashioned,” and “Pon de Ring” doughnuts.

The doughnuts can be whipped up for breakfast, as a daytime snack or an evening treat, so customers can enjoy the taste of Mister Donut from the comfort of their own home.

The “Morning Ring Toast” recipe is the perfect wake-up treat made with honey dip, eggs, and ham, all of which complement each other deliciously.

“Old Fashioned Parfait” combines the irresistible crunchiness of the Old Fashioned doughnut with ice cream to create a real summertime dessert.

Finally, “Pon de Agedashi” is an indulgence for after dinner, bringing together Pon de Ring doughnuts with grated daikon radish. It’s a great snack to have with an evening drink.

Mister Donut Japan will release the recipe as well as a how-to-make video over on their official website this Friday, so be sure to try making your own at home.

A colourful line-up of angelic parfaits will be served up at Shiseido Parlour The Harajuku, which is located on the 8th floor of the WITH HARAJUKU shopping centre, from August 18 to October 11.

Made in collaboration with Shiseido Beauty Square, also located in the building, these parfaits are inspired by different popular cosmetic brands.

The parfaits will be switched out every two weeks. The first parfait will be based around the brand bareMinerals. After that it will be NARS, then Laura Mercier, and finally Dolce & Gabbana Beauty. Each sweet treat also comes with samples of cosmetics and fragrances from each respective beauty company.

Lychee Green Beauty Parfait with bareMinerals | ¥1,980 (Tax Included) | Serving: August 18, 2020 – August 30, 2020

The bareMinerals parfait is made with mineral-rich lychee sherbet, healthy ice cream made with tofu, marine blue jelly, ruby grapefruit, orange, mango, and more.

Fig & Berry Chocolate Mode Parfait with NARS | ¥1,980 (Tax Included) | Serving: September 1, 2020 – September 13, 2020

If you’re looking for true dark luxury, then tuck into this devilish layering of Belgian chocolate ice cream, strawberry milk sauce, figs, pione grapes, raspberries and a topping of macaron and chocolate.

Japanese Chestnut Tea Gradation Parfait with Laura Mercier | ¥1,980 (Tax Included) | Serving: September 15, 2020 – September 27, 2020

A delightful gourmet marriage of Earl Grey jelly, houjicha ice cream, and chai sauce which creates a nude lip brown colour. This one’s topped with Japanese chestnuts, blackcurrants, pomegranate, a macaron, and a swirling chocolate stick.

Blood Orange Exotic Parfait with Dolce & Gabbana Beauty | ¥1,980 (Tax Included) | Serving: September 29, 2020 – October 11, 2020

The final parfait is a vivid combination of sumptuously sweet blood orange sherbet, rose jelly, an ‘exotic’ sauce, ruby grapefruit, raspberries, mango, a macaron, and to decorate, a red rose.

*Depending on ingredient stock, the parfaits and serving periods are subject to change

*Photos are for illustrative purposes only

Japanese convenience store chain FamilyMart released cream cheese-filled obanyaki branded with Moomin characters on August 4 in celebration of “Moomin’s Day” which falls on August 9.

Moomin Mochitto Cheese | ¥138 (Tax Included)

The Moomins are the main characters of Tove Jansson’s series of books and comic strips. August 9 is the birthday of the author, and so this date has become known as “Moomin’s Day” amongst fans of the series.

Obanyaki are a type of imagawayaki which are like waffles and are filled with various ingredients, the most popular being red bean paste which can often be found at festivals in Japan. These chewy Moomin obanyaku however are filled with cream cheese and are stamped with the familiar faces of Moominvalley including the titular characters, Snufkin, Little My, and the Hattifatteners.

What better way to celebrate Moomin’s Day than with a delicious treat? If you’re in Japan this summer, head to your closest FamilyMart.

©Moomin Characters™

In an effort to ensure the safety and protect the health of guests and staff, Universal Studios Japan (USJ) introduced strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on June 8, 2020, such as limiting the number of people who could enter the park each day and enforcing thorough cleaning routines. This enabled the park to reopen after its temporary closure. It has since been able to deliver its scope of fun and excitement to guests, albeit in a more structured way.

USJ wants to make wearing masks more fun too, and so it is releasing a range of character-inspired face masks, such as Snoopy, Elmo and the Cookie Monster, on August 7. Part of the money made from sales of these masks will be donated to the USJ Wonder Kids Program which helps support children in need.

Universal Studios Japan original design masks

The masks’ unique designs take the mouths of each character. These can be worn together with each respective characters’ headband which are also sold at USJ. Designs include Elmo, Cookie Monster, Snoopy, Tim, Jurassic Park, and Jaws.

Photos provided by Universal Studios Japan.
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s20)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2020 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
TM & © 2020 Universal Studios.
© 2020 Peanuts
© ’76, ’20 SANRIO
© 2020 Sesame Workshop
TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
TM & © Universal Studios.
TM Universal Studios.

Bandai Candy’s character-inspired Japanese confectionery series Tabemas released a new batch of Minion-themed Japanese wagashi confections at Lawson convenience stores in Japan (excluding Lawson Store 100 branches) on August 4, 2020.

‘Tabemas’ is an abbreviation of the Japanese words taberareru masukotto, meaning ‘mascots that you can eat.’ It is a Japanese confectionery series that combines well-known characters and Japanese sweets made from ingredients like red bean paste, sugar and rice flour.

Tabemas Minions | ¥264 (Before Tax)

The line-up includes familiar faces from the Despicable Me and Minions films, namely the childish Bob, Stuart—who loves a prank—and Kevin who has a leader presence about him. The confections feature all the little details for each character, from the goggles and hair to the colouring.

Each character has its own delicious bean paste flavouring too: Bob is banana flavoured (his favourote), Stuart is strawberry, and Kevin is chocolate. Which do you want to try the most?

© Universal City Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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