Benzaiten opened its first store in 2019 and since then has opened over 50 branches up and down Japan. The confectionery brand, which specialises in fruit-filled daifuki, has now opened a new store inside Tokyo’s luxury shopping centre GINZA SIX.

Yellow Papaya | ¥950 (Tax Included)

Tayo no Tamago Red Mango | ¥1,500 (Tax Included)

Fig | ¥1,000 (Tax Included)

Kiwi | ¥650 (Tax Included)

Benzaiten has over 10 types of fresh seasonal fruits ordered in from the market every day to make their daifuku with, most of which use the entire fruit. They are very particular about the mochi used to make the daifuku to ensure the original delicious flavour of the fruit is maintained and maximises. They use two layers of high quality white bean paste and habutai to hand-prepare the daifuku every day.

Butter no Itoko and Samantha Thavasa opened their second collaborative store branch in the desserts area of Tokyo Skytree Solamachi last Tuesday.

Butter no Itoko is a Nasa-based confectionery company co-developed by Chus and Shinrinno Bokujo, a company specialising in milk from Jersey cattle. It opened a store in collaboration with Samantha Thavasa last year at Haneda Airport Terminal 2.

Samantha Thavasa Exclusive Butter no Itoko Salted Caramel

Banana Smoothie

Solamachi Exclusive Samantha Thavasa x Butter no Itoko Eco Bag

The new store will sell a whole range of tasty treats including the salted caramel Butter no Itoko which was first released at the Haneda Airport branch, Shinrinno Bokujo’s soft service ice cream, updated 90 Banana Smoothies, and more. There’s also a limited-edition complete box of milk, chocolate, red bean paste butter, and salted caramel Butter no Itoko youc na get your hands on which were first released in April.

If you spend over ¥3,000 on desserts at the new store, you can also get your hands on the exclusive eco bag. These are available on a first-come, first-served purchase.

Hard Rock Cafe Ueno is celebrating the 4th birthday of Ueno Zoo’s giant panda Xiang Xiang with a collection of birthday pins. The limited-edition line-up was released on Thursday.

4th Birthday Pin | 300 Available | ¥2,200

4th Birthday Pin 2 | 500 Available | ¥2,200

The two pin designs are limited in stock, the first featuring Xiang Xiang with her mother and father has 300 available, and the second one has the cute giant panda on an aeroplane branded with her birthday date with 500 available.

Both pins capture Xiang Xiang’s energetic personality and are cute souvenirs to take home after meeting her at Ueno Zoo.

In celebration of Mr. Fullswing‘s 20th anniversary, Animate are collaborating with the manga series to serve up a themed menu at their own Animate Cafe in Ikebukuro from June 23 to July 26. The entire menu including the meals, drinks, and desserts are all inspired by the series, and fans can get their hands on some exclusive merchandise too.

Mr. Fullswing is a baseball manga series written and illustrated by Shinya Suzuki which was serialised in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2001 to 2006. This year marks 20 years since it was first released.

Menu item names have been translated from Japanese.

A peek at the manga-themed menu

Is That Rice? No, It’s Curry | ¥1,000

Rations From Shiba | ¥1,000

Gou’s Secret Batting Form ~Hachiku~ | ¥800

Sei’s Secret Batting Form ~Utsusemi~ | ¥800

Terrible Tatsuragawa’s Glasses | ¥600

A peek at the merch

CoLotta Acrylic Plate Key Rings | 15 Designs | ¥800 Each 

Acrylic Character Key Rings | 14 Designs | ¥800 Each

Acrylic Uniform Key Rings | 14 Designs | ¥650 Each

Campaign to win a free photo card

24 photo cards based on the manga volume front covers

Win a birthday bromide photo

For every ¥2,000 spent at the cafe on menu items or merchandise, customers will receive one free photo card. There is also a birthday campaign being held from July 19 where you can win a free birthday bromide for every ¥2,000 spent.

(Ｃ)鈴木信也／集英社

BEAMS is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. At such an important milestone, it’s important to take a look back at where the brand has come from, and so BEAMS is taking part in the Fashion in Japan 1945-2020 exhibition that opened at The National Art Center, Tokyo, last Wednesday. Followers of the Japanese fashion are able to see their early products when they first opened in the late 1970’s to their Shibuya Casual style, known as Shibu-Kaji, from the late 80’s. It’s an historical, nostalgic throwback across their archive. Exclusive merchandise is also being sold featuring the ‘American Life Shop BEAMS’ logo which they branded upon establishing the brand.

A look at just some of the exhibits on display

BEAMS shopping bag from 1977

Shibu-Kaji outfit from late 1980’s

Exhibition-exclusive souvenir merch inspired by vintage BEAMS

This exhibition follows the unique trajectory of Japanese clothing, especially in post-World War Ⅱ Japan, as seen from both sides: that of designers who transmit culture by creating clothes and ideas, and that of users who receive it by wearing the clothes and at times create era-defining grassroots fashion movements. It offers a comprehensive overview that references the predominant media of each era, such as newspapers, magazines, and advertisements.

In the mid to late 1970’s, BEAMS was at the forefront of spreading casual wear to people, stocking some of the country’s most notable brands and designers. BEAMS opened its first store in Harajuku in 1976 where it sold shirts, shoes, and other items. In 1977 they introduced their own shopping bag, and the following year opened up their first BEAMS F selling traditional men’s style clothing. It was around this time that beams released their POPEYE magazine too. All of this and more is explore at the exhibition along with commentary.

A talk event titled “Lifestyle Tips: POPEYE & BEAMS” will also take place on July 3 at the museum.

HOSHINOYA Tokyo, a ryokan in Tokyo, introduced a new experience for guests last Tuesday which invites them for some early morning kenjutsu sword training atop a 160-meter tall building to refresh the mind and body. This Japanese swordsmanship practice teaches not only the large movements, but the breathing techniques used too. It requires the full use of the entire body coupled with lung-stimulating controlled breathing. Since the practice takes place on a towering site, your vision is unobscured, allowing you to see afar while bathing in the morning rays. You can also spot many famous Tokyo buildings too including Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower.

The area surrounding Otemachi where HOSHINOYA Tokyo is located is mostly made up of office buildings and business skyscrapers in the modern day, but it was formerly home to the daimyo’s main Tokyo mansion where samurais resided during the Edo Period. During the Bakumatsu at the end of the Edo Period, there was an establishment called Edo Sandai Dojo where swordsmen went to train. The town flourished as a site for honing your skills with a sword. HOSHINOYA Tokyo’s sword training experience is a nod back to that time and a chance for people to get their bodies moving in a safe environment during sedentary COVID-19 times.

Early Morning Practice in the Sky

1. An original practice created by HOSHINOYA Tokyo that combines swordsmanship and deep breathing

Participants will be taught by a master of Hokushin Ittō-ryū, a form of ko-ryū old-school sword fighting. They will begin by learning how to hold and operate a bokutō wooden sword as well as foot movements before the proper practice begins. They will learn about being conscious of the tanden, the point below the navel that’s a focus point for internal medatitive techniques, as well as sword techniques such as makkōgiri which is a large slice with the sword from top to bottom, dōgiri which is cutting horizontally, kesagiri which is a diagonal slash, and more. All of this is not only to teach sword fighting, but take relieve tension and stress too by utilising the whole body.

2. Soak up the sights of the cityscape basked in the morning light

The practice takes place on a helicopter landing pad atop an enormous skyscraper. From the building, you can see Akihabra, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and many other areas and districts of modern day Tokyo which serves as an interesting combination while practicing a traditional Japanese art.

Two pop-up shops, the SSSS.DYNAZENON @ Dash Store and SSSS.GRIDMAN @ Dash Store, are now open at Animate Akihabara and Animate Osaka Nipponbashi until June 24. The stores are themed on Tsuburaya Productions and Studio Triggers’ anime series SSSS.DYNAZENON, which began airing in April, and SSSS.GRIDMAN.

SSSS.DYNAZENON @ Dash Store

SSSS.GRIDMAN @ Dash Store

Fans of the series can get their hands on a range of pre-sale and exclusive merchandise. For every ¥2,000 spent, they can get their hands on one of five possible bromide illustrations, and if they spend over ¥3,000, they’ll enter for a chance to win a special poster.

Bromides (5 Designs)

Special Poster

The Line-Up

Dash Store Exclusive T-Shirts | 5 Designs | ¥7,150 Each (Tax Included)

Dash Store Exclusive Bottles | 2 Designs | ¥2,200 Each (Tax Included) (All come with one of 3 possible illustrated cards)

Dash Store Exclusive Metal Sticker Sets | 2 Designs | DYNAZENON ¥1,320 – GRIDMAN ¥880 (Tax Included)

Dash Store Exclusive T-Shirt | ¥2,750 (Tax Included)

Dash Store Exclusive Stainless Thermo Tumbler | ¥2,750 (Tax Included)

Pre-Sale Acrylic Stands | 5 Designs | ¥1,980 Each (Tax Included)

Pre-Sale Tapestries | 5 Designs | ¥3,850 Each (Tax Included)

Pre-Sale Pin Set | DYNAZENON ¥1,320 – GRIDMAN ¥880 (Tax Included)

©円谷プロ ©2021 TRIGGER・雨宮哲／「DYNAZENON」製作委員会
©円谷プロ ©2018 TRIGGER・雨宮哲／「GRIDMAN」製作委員会

SHIBUYA109 Entertainment is set to release The Walt Disney Company’s Pride Collection at SHIBUYA109 and MAGNET by SHIBUYA109 as part of Shibuya Pride Month. The collection will be available from June 18 to July 1.

The Walt Disney Company’s Pride Collection

The Walt Disney Company’s Pride Collection/SHIBUYA109

Free multipurpose case for buyers

SHIBUYA109’s ethos is about making today’s dreamers shine. Their collaboration with Shibuya Pride Month is to spread the positive message of creating a society where people can live however they want to live.

The Walt Disney Company’s Pride Collection is a unisex line-up of original items by five popular brands at SHIBUYA109 and MAGNET by SHIBUYA109 with Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars logos and character designs featuring rainbow colours.

A digital catalogue by creative director Wataru LINDA Igarashi was released showcasing each item in the collection. Special online events by SHIBUYA109 will also take place as part of the Pride celebration. Igarashi also created a collection of bucket hats, hoodies, sweaters, bandanas, stickers, and more as part of The Walt Disney Company’s Pride Collection.

HOSHINOYA Karuizawa has announced a special summer plan for guests called “Mori no Hotori cafe&Bar ~Suijo no Tokutoseki~” (Cafe & Bar by the Forest ~Special Seats on the Water~). The midsummer evening plan is available for one group per day and takes place at the hotel’s cafe and bar which sits by a forest and faces the Kera-Ike Pond. It invites guests to relax under the starry night sky on the water and enjoy the sounds of nature while enjoying drinks and bites to eat.

Japan is known for its summer hot summers. However, Karuizawa enjoys a cooler climate, so evenings dip to around 20°C for a comfortable temperature.

Stargazing on top of the water

HOSHINOYA Karuizawa is connected directly to Karuizawa Wild Bird Sanctuary. At the entrance, by the Kera-Ike Pond, is the hotel’s Mori no Hotori cafe&bar which is open all year. The cafe/bar fusion is surrounded by Karuizawa’s lush forests, and it’s here that guests can enjoy sitting on specially-prepared seats on the water. It will feel like they are walking on water as they approach their seats where they can take their shoes off and sit on the tatami mats to gaze at the stars.

Calm the heart with an enchanting performance

When you walk up the stairs that face Kera-Ike from HOSHINOYA Karuizawa, your ears will be met with the enchanting sound of crystal bowls which add a mysterious depth to the natural sounds of the forest, spiriting guests away to another wonderful world.

Indulgent drinks and food

Guests can pick from a range of drinks and bites to eat scented with fruits, wood, and other natural fragrances of the forest. There arw six drinks to choose from including a gin and tonic made with lindera umbellata, a type of camphor, as well as a whisky made with ripe fruits. Food includes chocolate made from lindera umbellata and kuma bamboo grass, cherry blossom and walut chips, and more.

The The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬ anime series teamed up with THE CHARA SHOP for a special event inside Ikebukuro Marui in Tokyo which is set to run until June 17.

Merch Line-Up

Pins | 6 Designs (Chosen Randomly) | ¥440 Each (Tax Included)

Micro Fibre Clothes | 5 Designs | ¥660 Each (Tax Included)

Key Rings | 5 Designs | ¥880 Each (Tax Included)

Mug | ¥1,650 (Tax Included)

Large Acrylic Stand | 5 Designs | ¥1,980 Each (Tax Included)

Mini Acrylic Art | 5 Designs | ¥2,200 Each (Tax Included)

B2 Tapestry | 5 Designs | ¥3,300 (Tax Included)

Fans of the anime series can get their hands on presales of a collection of ‘school rock’ themed merchandise. And for every ¥3,000 spent on items, you can enter for the chance to win extra free he Quintessential Quintuplets ∬  goodies too.

Marc Jacobs’ iconic The Snapshot Bag has released in two exclusive colours at Shibuya PARCO in Tokyo as well as their Japanese online store, serving early summertime vibes.

The Snapshot | Shibuya PARCO & Marc Jacobs Japan Online Exclusive

Left Photo: Exclusive Models – Both ¥47,300 | Right Photo: 3D Painted Flowers – ¥71,500, Crystals – ¥62,700 (Tax Included)

Arriving first on the 2016 Spring/Summer runway, the Marc Jacobs Snapshot is a collection of cute and compact bag purses made to wear across the body. Each model is kitted out with audacious colours with oversized double-J hardware. All come with a detachable strap.

The new and exclusive duo of blue coloured bags come with webbed straps showcasing the detail that goes into the brand’s craftsmanship. Both models add a sense of freshness to a look. Additionally, the Marc Jacobs Shibuya PARCO store branch also offering their Customization Capsule collection, allowing customers to freely customise their bags.

Ueno Information Center is celebrating the 4th birthday of Xiang Xiang, the giant panda who was born at Ueno Zoo back in 2017, with the release of a merchandise collection. The line-up arrived on Wednesday and is available both at the information center and via their online store.

Although strict measures are in place at the center to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading, celebrations for Xiang Xiang aren’t completely cancelled, as fans of the adorable panda, who has become something of an idol in Ueno, can get their hands on some fun goodies.

Ueno Panda Family Memorial Pins 2021 | ¥2,530 (Tax Included)

Ueno Panda Family Clear Pouch YE | ¥2,200 (Tax Included)

Ueno Panda Family Cooling Lunch Tote Bag | ¥1,650 (Tax Included)

The collection features motifs of Xiang Xiang, her mother Shin Shin, and her father Ri Ri. The pin collection, which comes in a gold leaf-laced box, includes Shin Shin in a tree peony, Xiang Xiang amongst the cherry blossoms, and Ri Ri with lotus flowers.

The pouch sees Xiang Xiang happy and energetic with her parents. It comes in a summery yellow and is made from semi-transparent matted vinyl. Perfect for storing away makeup, stationery, and any other bits and bobs.

The cooling bag is made from aluminium on the inside for keeping your food fresh. It’s big enough for fitting a bento and 500ml bottle, making it handy for taking your lunch out with you.

Happy 4th Birthday, Xiang Xiang!