TOKYO MYSTERY CIRCUS, Japan’s first and biggest puzzle-themed theme park, has announced the opening of a new escape game based on the popular manga anime series Chihayafuru which will begin at the site on March 4, 2021.

The immersive story-driven escape game has players take on the role of a member of the Fujiyama High School karuta club. While learning the essential points of competitive karuta from Chigaya Ayase and the gang, they must aim for victory to escape. No prior preparations are necessary – players can book their tickets and just turn up on the day.

This unique escape game takes place in a traditional tatami mat room and combines puzzle-solving skills with competitive karuta in which clues are written on the cards. Fans of the manga and anime series are sure to enjoy this immersive game.

Tickets will go on sale on January 23, 2021 at 12:00 (JST).

©末次由紀／講談社

Creative and sustainable concept store Firsthand released a collection of items in collaboration on Wednesday (January 20) with the TV anime series Kingdom, which is set to begin airing its third season this April, and Japanese artist Kosuke Kawamura. The items are available to buy both online in Japan and at a pop-up store at OPEN STUDIO inside FREAK’S STORE Shibuya.

Firsthand is a Japanese brand centred on upcycling and sustainable production. Fans of the ongoing anime series can get their hands on a range of clothing items, phone cases, and more. If they head to OPEN STUDIO they’ll also find an illustration exhibit, a photo spot, and more. The gallery is also selling posters signed by Kosuke Kawamura.

Will you be watching Season 3 of Kingdom this spring?

FANCL has brought the hot spring experience to its flagship site FANCL Ginza Square for a limited time with a variety of content that makes visitors feel like they’ve come to a Japanese onsen. The experience, named Tabi Suru Square Yu, is running until February 11, 2021.

Café au Lait / Fruit au Lait / Soy Milk Aojiru – ¥300 Each

Reiwa Honzen (FANCL Ginza Square Floor 9F)

Lunch Sana Winter Seafood Bento | ¥3,500

Winter Dinner Seafood Course | From ¥9,000

FANCL BROWN RICE MEALS (FANCL Ginza Square Floor B1F)

Hiroshima Oyster & Spinach Risotto Parmesan Cheese Galette Lunch Set | ¥1,850

Tomato Cream Pasta Lunch Set ¥1,850

Original Hand Towel

FANCL Ginza Square Onsen Essentials Set | ¥3,668

Breathing exercises at SUU-HAKU

At Tabi Suru Square Yu, visitors can enter a room that fully recreates the experience of being in a hot spring. The room is set at the same temperature, is filled with the same aromas, and is decorated in the same way. Visitors sit on one of the relaxation sheets to soak up the experience – effectively getting into a hot spring without having to change their clothes.

A variety of classic drinks and dishes sold at hot springs in Japan will also be sold, and visitors can get involved in the breathing exercises on offer.

CHAVATY, a cafe in Harajuku that serves tea lattes made with high quality tea leaves, is getting ready for Valentine’s Day early with the release of some tasty new desserts which they began serving up on Thursday (January 14).

Valentine’s Set | ¥1,100 (Before Tax)

Valentine’s Scone Set (6 Included) | ¥2,480 (Tax Included)

Raspberry Chocolate | ¥970 (Tax Included)

The Valentine’s Set comes with a cute scone as well as fondant chocolate made with rich, high-grade chocolate from the French chocolate brand Cacao Barry. It also comes with a tea latte of your choice. There’s also a scone set which comes with two each of three different scones for a total of six including the Berry & Cocoa Pink Chocolate, Orange & Chocolate Chip Double Chocolate, and Dried Fruits & Nuts White Chocolate. CHAVATY has also made their own seasonal homemade spread: the Raspberry Chocolate.

Japan is set to get its first ever permanent city cable car in Yokohama on April 22 called the YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN.

The YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN is a cable car system that will offer locals and tourists a chance to enjoy Yokohama from a new perspective whether during the hot summers or during the cool evenings when the city lights wake up.

The system will be connected directly to Sakuragichō Station and Shinko Pier for easy, quick access to enjoy Yokohama Minato Mirai from up high.

If you’re planning a trip to Yokohama at some point, be sure to take a ride on YOKOHAMA AIR CABIN, officially opening on April 22, 2021.

Tokyo Banana World recently added its special Dengeki Box (Electric Box) of Pikachu Tokyo Banana confections to its official website which is available to order in Japan until January 30, 2021 at 17:00 (JST).

Tokyo Banana is Tokyo’s official souvenir sweets brand and it launched its new Pokémon Tokyo Banana series of confections in November last year with the first catch being Pikachu. It subsequently added Eevee to the collection in December. The Pikachu confections are also available to buy at Tokyo Station.

Pikachu Tokyo Banana – Dengeki Box | Box of 12 Packs (24 Confections) | ¥3,456 (Tax Included)

The limited-time addition of the Dengeki Box to Tokyo Banana’s official website means that anyone in Japan can get a taste of the electrifyingly delicious sweet fluffy custard-filled sponge cakes without having to travel to Tokyo.

Waiting inside the Dengeki Box are 12 packages each with two cakes in and each in one of six different Pikachu designs to greet hungry Trainers, all of which are positively kawaii. The box itself also features these adorable illustrations.

Left: Front of Box | Right: Back of Box

The box even has a handle attached to it so you can reuse it after to store all your bits and bobs.

©2021 Pokémon. ©1995-2021 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
Pokémon, ポケットモンスター, and ポケモン are registered trademarks of Nintendo, Creatures Inc., and GAME FREAK inc..

Pokémon Shirts released three new shirt designs on Friday (January 15) of Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble from Pokémon Sword and Shield. These new designs are currently only available in Japan but Pokémon Shirts has stated that they will be made available worldwide at a later date.

Pokémon Shirts was launched back in February 2019 by American custom shirt brand Original Stitch—which offers over one billion design customisations—and the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon Shirts ships worldwide including Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Japanese designer Minami Kitamura designed the Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble shirts, adding her iconic pop colours and style to the line-up.

Have you shopped on Pokémon Shirts yet? Which Pokémon designs are you looking to catch?

Asakusa-based ‘aromatic raw chocolate’ brand MAISON CACAO created a new gin-flavoured white chocolate for Dean & DeLuca which was released in Japan on January 15, 2021.

The “Aroma Raw Chocolate (Gin)” keeps the original flavour of the white chocolate and infuses with a craft gin known as “COMMON” by Toranomon Joryusho.

Aroma Raw Chocolate GIN FOR DEAN & DELUCA | ¥2,592 (Tax Included)

​One bite into a piece of this artisanal chocolate fills the mouth with a tang of subtly fruity chocolate. Then comes the refreshing taste of the gin which complements the sweetness and adds sophistication to the chocolate in an exquisite balance of flavours.

 COMMON gin is fruity and clear

COMMON craft gin has a ‘botanical’ flavour. Its base is a shochu made on the islands of Hachijō-jima and Nii-jima. It also contains soft water taken from Okutama Sawai.

“It has a faint fruity taste that combines with the flavour of the cacao, and he used really delicious white chocolate,” explains Shingo Ishihara of MAISON CACAO who helped in the chocolate’s development. “I hope people indulge in its enjoyable melt-in-the-mouth texture.”

Bandai’s character-inspired Japanese confectionery series Tabemas is releasing two new traditional Japanese wagashi confections inspired by the Peanuts comic series. Snoopy and Charlie Brown will arrive at Lawson convenience stores across Japan on January 19, 2021.

Tabemas Snoopy | ¥264 Each (Before Tax)

The cute confections capture the little details of the iconic characters, from Snoopy’s doggo features and collar to Charlie Brown’s hair and shirt. The Snoopy confection is filled with chocolate bean paste—a nod to his favourite chocolate chip cookies—while Charlie Brown is filled with custard bean paste as a nod to his trademark shirt. The packaging features exclusive art drawn for the Peanuts comic’s 70th anniversary with Snoopy atop his dog house.

© 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

Eggs ‘n Things is set to serve up a special limited-time Valentine’s menu in Japan from January 16 to February 28 including the Torokeru Fondant Chocolate Pancakes and Strawberry & Banana Chocolate French Toast.

Valentine’s Menu

Torokeru Fondant Chocolate Pancakes | Eat In ¥1,480 (Before Tax)

Torokeru Fondant Chocolate Pancakes | Takeout ¥1,080 (Before Tax)

Strawberry & Banana Chocolate French Toast | Eat In ¥1,380 (Before Tax)

Strawberry & Banana Chocolate French Toast | Takeout ¥980 (Before Tax)

Valentine’s Drinks

Strawberry White Mocha | Hot or Iced ¥680 (Before Tax)

Hawaiian Cafe Mocha | Hot or Iced ¥580 (Before Tax)

This lovingly-prepared chocolate and fruit-loaded line-up is sure to get the butterflies stirring hungrily for this year Valentine’s.

Sanrio Puroland opened a special new event last Friday (January 8) called “Sweets Puro” which is themed on strawberry picking.

Characters greet guests in their strawberry-designed outfits

Guests participate in an augmented reality strawberry stamp rally

New character videos play at the illuminations

A strawberry-packed dessert menu

Limited-edition merch

Tables in the food court receive makeovers

Guests can look forward to seeing sparkly new pink-coloured illuminations, snapping sweet photos at the entrance photo spot, getting involved in the AR strawberry picking stamp rally using their smartphones, and more. They can also pay to spend one minute with the park characters who will be dressed in their strawberry outfits, and if they arrive 30 minutes before the first floor character food court opens, they can get the limited-offer morning breakfast “Strawberry Morning Bread Set.” The park will even be serving up seasonal alcoholic drinks like the Sweets Puro Strawberry Peach Sour.

The first day of the event saw the characters come out to greet guests in their adorable strawberry and dessert themed costumes. This was followed by a new illumination show, Puro Sweets Party, which took place at Puro Village, and My Melody sang and danced to the music against the bright and beautiful lights. Guests enjoyed a selection of limited-time food like the Pompompurin’s Croissant Doughnut Strawberry Sandwich and Hello Kitty’s Sweet Strawberry Milk.

©1976, 2009 SANRIO CO., LTD.　©1975, 1976, 1990, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2017, 2021 SANRIO CO., LTD.

The popular wine bar Dick Bruna TABLE, where customers can enjoy a glass of wine with a meal together with illustrations by Dick Bruna, the creator of Miffy, is now selling a batch of Miffy cookies created by the popular confectionery Theo Blom located in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Miffy Cookies & Chocolate | ¥4,000 (Before Tax)

Miffy Cookies | ¥4,000 (Before Tax)

Utrecht is the birthplace of Miffy author and creator Dick Bruna, and Theo Blom is a place that Bruna himself actually often visited. The confectionery is known for its tins which can be reused after the contents are eaten. The cute Miffy tins are definitely keepers.