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.

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

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.

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.

Together with soy sauce and miso, mirin is a fundamental condiment in the Japanese kitchen and for many recipes for Japanese food. It’s a sweet rice wine that has lower alcohol content and higher sugar content when compared to sake, adding a sweet flavour to dishes.

Today, we’re taking a look at a recipe that uses “Mikawa Mirin,” a brand of mirin made from high quality rice, to make carrot and cream cheese chawanmushi. Chawanmushi is a savoury egg custard dessert eaten in Japan.

Carrot & Cream Cheese Chawanmushi

Chawanmushi is made using mirin and has a smooth texture to it as well as a subtly sweet flavour. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer’s day.

Ingredients (Serves 1)

●Chawanmushi
60g carrots
240ml dashi
20ml soy sauce
120ml Mikawa Mirin
8g sugar
18g cream cheese
1 egg

●Okra-an
Okra
30ml dashi
0.5g salt
3ml Mikawa Mirin

Method

We will start by making the chawanmushi.

1. Slice the carrots and boil them until they become soft.

2. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and lots of mirin and cook through the dashi.

3. Cook for approximately 20 minutes on a medium heat, then cool with ice. Add the cooled carrots, cream cheese, and 20ml of the dashi into a blender and bend.

4. Add the egg to the mix and steam the mix for 12 minutes on a medium heat.

While the chawanmushi is cooling, we’ll make the okra-an.

5. Mix together the okra-an dashi, mirin, and salt together. Add watered potato starch and thinly sliced okra. Leave to cool in the refrigerator.

6. Add the okra-an to the cooled chawanmushi and tuck into your cute two-layered dessert.

Carrot & Cream Cheese Chawanmushi

The dessert is an enjoyable mix of the sticky texture from the okra-an and smooth chawanmushi. It’s great to have not only at lunch or dinner, but at home parties with friends too.

–How’s the taste?

Misa Kimura: “It works really well with the mirin. The chawanmushi is like a sweet treat. It’s super easy to make too, so I think I’ll be making it at home!”

Mirin is indispensable to any Japanese cupboard and can be used in many ways, whether it be a classic Japanese dish or a dessert like this one.

Mikawa Mirin 700ml: ¥1,122 (Tax Included)

This authentic brand of mirin is made using a traditional method of Japanese brewing which blends in the delicious taste of rice. It’s so delicious that you just want to drink the whole bottle. A high quality mirin, it has a distinct sweetness, colour, and texture. It has a rich flavour, and the taste of the rice elevates the flavours of its ingredients.

Mikawa Mirin Official Website: http://www.mikawamirin.jp/
Official Online Store: http://mikawamirin.jp/product/product_step1.php?m=n
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikawamirin

Recipe

This recipe was conceived by ITEMAE, a famous restaurant serving Japanese cuisine that is listed in the Michelin Guide.

Model: Misa Kimura
Photographer: Haruka Yamamoto

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

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.

Hirakata Park has announced the horror-themed event “Yamibiraki no Yoru” which will be held at the Osaka amusement park during the night from August 26 to September 13.

Two Japanese horror entertainment companies are coming together to set up spooky spots around the park for the event. For the event, visitors will need to clear a mission to reach the goal which will involve the use of a smartphone or tablet.

Yamibiraki no Yoru – Synopsis

“There is a rumour that once a year, Hirakata Park opens up during the middle of the night. And though it’s open in the middle of the night, the only staff that can be spotted around are those with vacant looks in their eyes. What’s more is that there aren’t any visitors around. At some point, this rumour came to be called Yamibiraki no Yoru, ‘Open in Darkness.’ And this summer, an event is being held, on the same day that rumour was named, and with the same name…”

Scary School Stories VR x Real Scary Experience

Hirakata Park is also holding a haunted house event during the daytime from July 17, 2020. Themed on Kokkuri-san, a Japanese supernatural game, the event will combine the use of VR technology and real interactive scares.