Japanese IRL mystery game production company Haregake is launching a new game in collaboration with Cosmos Hotel Management who are known for managing the apartment hotel chain MIMARU. MIMARU Tokyo Asakusa STATION, a new branch, is set to open on April 22.

This game will take place around Asakusa in Tokyo and can be played by couples, families, and groups. The event is being carried out with all necessary COVID-19 safety measures in place and aims to get people learning more about the wonders of Asakusa with a game that incorporates elements of the district’s traditional buildings, culture, and more. It’s a chance to sightsee around one of Tokyo’s most iconic areas while solving puzzles at the same time.

The game kit can be bought at the vending machine inside MIMARU Tokyo Asakusa STATION when it opens later this month. It includes the story, which you can read below, and everything you need to get yourself started. There’s also no time limit, so players can take as long as they like while they enjoy the sights.

The Game’s Story

“I want you to find the treasure of Asakusa for me.”

So says the request that finds its ways to you – you, who are a detective.

A certain wealthy individual once resided in Asakusa.

He left a letter behind, and now this letter is in your hands.

“This map – perhaps it shows the location of this treasure.”

Will you be able to locate the treasure resting in Asakusa?

Head on out and solve the mystery as you walk around the district.

The incredible Hoshino Resorts BANTA CAFE, a beachside cafe which offers guests a breathtaking ocean view along the Okinawan coast, has announced the upcoming Beachside Art Festival which will take place from April 10 to May 9. The festival will bring together artwork from a range of artists born and raised in Okinawa and leading the island’s youth culture. There will be a range of events from live painting to workshops, exhibits, and more.

The participating artists have all taken part in personal art exhibits, art events, showcased their work at concerts, and more both inside and outside Japan, but due to COVID-19, many events have of course been cancelled. Beachside Art Festival will serve as a way to display their wonderful works while supporting them at the same time.

The Artist Line-Up

DENPA

nami

HAYATO MACHIDA

Chibana Yukinaga

MACHIDA visiting BANTA CAFE to check the feel of the ocean and their artwork

Vibrant artwork with the ocean as the backdrop

Visitors will be greeted by artwork dotted across various locations around BANTA CAFE. If they follow the top of the cliff down to the beach they will find sofas to sit on which have also been decorated with the artists’ artwork. Then there’s the Goro Goro Lounge with its enormous window that stretches an entire wall and offers a panoramic view of the sea. Here, visitors can look out at the artwork which will look like it’s floating above the horizon. All drinks ordered also come with a free sticker featuring artwork by the four participating artists.

Experience art-in-the-making with live painting

DENPA and MACHIDA will host their own live painting sessions where they will take inspiration from the surrounding environment.

HAYATO MACHIDA @ April 10, 2021 / April 11, 2021

DENPA @ April 18, 2021

Times: 11:00-13:00 / 14:00-17:00

Where: In front of BANTA CAFE on the beach

Price: Free

Have a go at traditional Okinawan bingata dyeing

Visitors can have a go at making their very own coasters from nine different colours using a traditional Okinawan stencilled dyeing technique known as bingata.

Running: April 24, 2021 / May 1, 2021 / May 2, 2021 / May 5, 2021

Times: 10:00 / 12:00 / 14:00 / 16:00 (Each slot lasts approx. one hour)

Capacity: 4

Where: Iwaba Terrace

Price: ¥2,000 (Tax Included)

Note: Online booking required

Take home a souvenir at the beachside museum shop

A museum shop will be open for the event on weekends and holidays where you can pick up art prints, stickers, postcards, and other mementos.

Opening Days: Weekends & Public Holidays

Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00

Where: Beachside Terrace

Seibu Ikebukuro will pay host to the upcoming ‘PIXAR! PIXAR! PIXAR!’ event which will take place from April 8 to 19 in cooperation with Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Japan. Pixar fans can look forward to viewing a special selection of valuable concept art, buying merch, and more.

A Look at Pixar Animation’s History

Feel Like You’re at Pixar Animation Studios

The event will be a celebration of all things Pixar, from their early animation shorts to their upcoming film Luca. This will include a special area that recreates the real-life Pixar Animation Studios.

Pixar Office Photo Postcards (3 Designs) | ¥220 Each

BnL T-Shirt (One Size Fits All) | ¥3,520

Canvas Panel (29.7cm x 21cm) | ¥3,850

Event-Original Merchandise (Excerpt)

Plates | ¥990 Each

Shopping Bag | ¥880

Pins 8 Designs)

There will also be a trivia quiz to test how much fans know about their favourite films, as well as a special video showcasing the making of the original artwork displayed at the event. Around 200 pieces of merchandise will also be sold.

PIXAR! PIXAR! PIXAR! is a popular annual festival in Japan and a must-visit for any fan of Disney/Pixar.

©DISNEY/PIXAR All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

Contents Seed is hosting an event at Yomiuri Land, an amusement park in Tokyo, in collaboration with the popular TV anime series Jujutsu Kaisen which will run from March 27 to May 5.

Solve the puzzle and win an original pin

Amusement park rides take on a Jujutsu Kaisen design

Exclusive merch for fan collections

Pins | ¥440 Each (Tax Included)

Chibi Design Mini Acrylic Stands | ¥660 Each (Tax Included)

Acrylic Figures | ¥1,540 Each (Tax Included)

Long-Sleeve T-Shirts | ¥4,400 Each (Tax Included)

Fans of Jujutsu Kaisen won’t want to miss out on the fun line-up which includes new and exclusive merchandise, a puzzle game, a themed drink, plenty of photo opportunities, and more. They can also get free postcards when they buy any of the merch.

©芥見下々／集英社 ・ 呪術廻戦製作 委員会

Sanrio Harmonyland, the popular Sanrio character themed theme park in Oita, has announced the commemoration of its 30th anniversary with a special event titled ‘HARMONYLAND 30th ANNIVERSARY’ which will begin on April 26. Visitors can look forward to parades, a special night show with fireworks, celebratory merchandise, a special food menu, and more.

Memorial visual created by Japanese manga author and character designer Eisaku Kubonouchi

Harmonyland Parade Parallel 30th Memories

Daniel and Kuromi to make an appearance before the start of the parade

Throughout its 30-year history, Harmonyland has hosted many shows and parades for guests. For their 30th anniversary celebration, a special parade titled Parade Parallel 30th Memories will have three runs throughout 2021 and into 2022 which will feature a set list of nostalgic, old-time show and parade music. Guests will be able to experience what it felt like to be at Harmonyland back when each song was first performed. Check out the song list for the first run below.

Parade Song List

Parallel World 1st (April 23, 2021 – Late August 2021)

1. Hajimaru yo Party from Parade Shiroi Tori Kara no Okurimono (First performed in 1991)
2. Celebration from The Celebration Parade (First performed in 1996)
3. Happiness from Parade Shiroi Tori Kara no Okurimono (First performed in 1991)
4. Hajimaru yo Party from Parade Shiroi Tori Kara no Okurimono (First performed in 1991)）

Parallel World 2nd (Starting Early August 2021)

Parallel World 3rdnd (Starting Early January 2022)

30th Anniversary Night Party

A very special night show will take place which will see appearances from fan-favourites Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi who will be joined by a cast of dancers. Expect new music written just for this show as well as fireworks.

30th Anniversary Merchandise

An exclusive line-up of merchandise will be sold featuring a memorial visual created by Japanese manga author and character designer Eisaku Kubonouchi.

30th Anniversary Menu

Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration without a themed menu either, which will include meals, desserts like an ice cream float and soft serve ice cream, and more.

ⓒ 2021 EISAKU KUBONOUCHI / METEOR STREAMS

ⓒ 2021 SANRIO CO., LTD. TOKYO, JAPAN 著作 株式会社サンリオ

As part of the Ultraman 55th anniversary project TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION, a special VR attraction can be experienced at the “Ultra Heroes Expo New Generation World in Tokyo SolamachiⓇ” event which began on Saturday (March 20).

The VR experience makes use of the wireless ABALⓇ System technology which allows users to “move freely and go anywhere.” Users stand in a 3m x 3m space in real life but are welcomed into a virtual world that can span the size of Tokyo Dome. It can also link up with smartphones to display a 2D video chat which users can read in the virtual space.

International club event organiser elrow opened global applications for its “Up & Coming Talent” DJ contest on Thursday which is set to run until March 14. Anyone around the world who is aged 18+ can submit their applications via elrow’s official website.

Up&Coming Talent | elrow

Application Period: March 18, 2021 – April 14, 2021

Conditions: Aged 18+

Apply Here: https://www.elrowupncoming.com/

The contest’s mission is to find and co-create up and coming talent and help them build their careers so that they can find independent success in the music industry. They are looking to “discover and promote the new headliners of tomorrow.”

Several panels of judges will take part in selecting applicants. elrow is looking for two artists from around the world who have both DJ and production knowledge. Successful applicants will be added to elrow’s roster of artists for a minimum for one year. It’s a must for bedroom artists and dance music-lovers looking to make it in the industry.

If you’re looking to experience Aomori’s culture, then Hoshino Resorts Aomoriya is the hotel to stay at. Every year throughout the year the accommodation hosts many festivals. This summer, guests can look forward to the Goldfish Festival which will run from June 1 to August 31. Inspired by local tradition, the hotel will be decorated with paper goldfish floats—including one towering 3-meters tall—known as kingyo nebuta or kingyo neputa in Japanese. Shaved ice will also be served to help guests cool off.

Kingyo Nebuta goldfish floats, a summer tradition of Aomori

Aomori is synonymous with its myriad of goldfish festivals. The must-have decoration at these festivals are their goldfish floats which are lit up in the evenings. Their origin lies in the tsugaru-nishiki, a species of goldfish found only in Aomori’s city of Tsugaru. People revered them back in the day and so created the floats to showcase that. They are a symbol of summertime Aomori and adored by locals and tourists alike.

Kingyo Sukui Yatai: Challenge yourself to Japanese festival goldfish scooping

A new stall arrives at Hoshino Resorts’ Goldfish Festival this year: the classic Japanese goldfish scooping experience, a common sight at summer festivals. The goldfish you catch can be ‘rented’ and taken to your hotel room. Guests have to meet certain requirements if they want to be able to take the fish home with them. The staff look after the fish every day so guests can rest assured they are treated well. Goldfish scooping will be held with social distancing measures in place, with only one group allowed in the stall per turn.

4 Exciting Things to Look Forward to

Surrounded by over 450 ningyo neputa goldfish floats

Goldfish ice cream made in the form of traditional Japanese amezaiku candy art

Time: 19:00-22:00

Where: Yottemare Sake Bar

Price: ¥900 (Before Tax)

Take your scooped fish to your hotel room

Time: 16:00-21:00

Where: Jawamegu Plaza

Price: ¥500 (Before Tax)

Includes: 2-3 fish, fishbowl, air pump

Over 30 summer yukata to pick from with goldfish designs

Time: 15:00-20:00

Where: Jawamegu Plaza

Price: Adults ¥500 / Kids ¥300 (Before Tax)

Japanese art collective teamLab has announced a brand new digital art experience which fuses art with saunas. Entitled teamLab & TikTok, teamLab Reconnect: Art with Rinkan Sauna, the interactive exhibition will take place in Roppongi from March 22 to August 31. Bookings are now open.

teamLab & TikTok, teamLab Reconnect: Art with Rinkan Sauna Roppongi

“Every Life Survives in Fluctuating Space”

teamLab Reconnect is a new art and sauna exhibition where visitors experience art in their finest mental state. At the event, visitors take alternating hot and cold baths to open their minds and experience an ever-expanding physical sensation, effectively becoming one with the art.

The event will feature numerous exhibits, one which is entitled Every Life Survives in Fluctuating Space, a collaboration between TikTok and teamLab that can event be experienced at home. It makes use of the TikTok app, which is also part of the art and sauna experience at the exhibition, and so your home, or wherever you are based, can become its own art space.

Every Life Survives in Fluctuating Space captures the life cycle of a flower, which grows according to the size of the space displayed through the camera on Tiktok. The size of the flowers is not predetermined; it is instead determined by the size of the space where you are. If you’re outside, the flowers can grow enormously.

If you download TikTok and sign up for a new account you can get a 500 yen discount coupon for teamLab Reconnect. Visit the official website below for more details.

Japanese character goods and toy chain KIDDYLAND is collaborating with San-X, the creators of the iconic Rilakkuma and its friends, to open the Chairoikogumarché, a market themed on Chairoikoguma, at KIDDYLAND Osaka Umeda. It will be open for a limited time this spring from March 11 to 25.

Chairoikoguma is a popular honey-loving bear character created by San-X who lives in the Honey Forest. This year marks the 5th anniversary since its debut.

In 2018 and 2019, San-X opened the limited-time Korilakkuma Meets Chairoikoguma Store which was hugely popular amongst Rilakkuma fans, with repeat buyers returning multiple times. Chairoikogumarché was originally scheduled to open at KIDDYLAND Osaka Umeda in April 2020, but it was postponed and will now open next month. Once they book their attendance, fans can look forward to laying their eyes on original Chairoikoguma artwork coupled with phrases spoken in the Kansai dialect. There will be exclusive items to purchase, merch pre-sales, bonus goodies, and more.

Merchandise Line-Up Excerpt

Charm Set | ¥1,320 (Tax Included)

Mask Case | ¥660 (Tax Included)

Pre-Sale Merchandise

Pre-Sale Release: March 11, 2021

*This product will be released for general sale at Rilakkuma Stores in Japan, excluding the Osaka Umeda branch, on March 13.

Chairoikogumarché & Nakayoshi Plush Toy (Sakuranokorisu) | ¥3,080 (Tax Included)

*Not available at Rilakkuma Store Umeda Osaka. Pre-sale exclusive to Chairoikogumarché.

*Will also be released on San-X’s online shop.

Pre-Sale Release: March 11, 2021

*This product will be released for general sale at all Rilakkuma Stores in Japan on April 3, 2021.

Long Plush Pillow | ¥6,600 (Tax Included)

Mini Shoulder Bag | ¥5,500 (Tax Included)

*Will also be released on San-X’s online shop.

Bonus Items

1. Customers who spend over ¥3,000 (tax included) at Chairoikogumarché will receive a random free zipper case from a possible two designs. First-come, first-served.

*One per person, per transaction. Design chosen randomly.

*Available while supplies last.

*Will be released at all Rilakkuma Stores except the Osaka Umeda branch on March 13.

2. Customers who spend over ¥5,000 (tax included) at Chairoikogumarché will receive a free tote bag. First-come, first-served.

*One per person, per transaction. Design chosen randomly.

*Available while supplies last.

©2021 SAN-X CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A collection of Japanese companies, such as IMAGICA GROUP, IMAGICA EEX, PICS, Robot Communications, IMAGICA Lab., Photron, IMAGICA IRIS, Cosmo Space, and more are coming together to host NEXT VISION JAPAN 2021 XR LIVE (NVJ2021 XR LIVE), an no-audience concert that will take place at the Geo-Cosmos stage at National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Odaiba, on Tokyo. It will be streamed live on  YouTube for free on March 16, 2021 from 20:00 (JST).

NVJ2021 XR LIVE will incorporate the latest in XR technology to create an entirely new online live music and future entertainment experience.

The event has an incredible line-up of artists set to perform including singer-songwriter Sayuri, Cö shu Nie who is known for their themes for the Tokyo Ghoul anime series, ixR from AKB48, ballet dancer Mizuka Ueno, the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra, and more.

According to a survey carried out on July 30, 2020 by CyberZ, OEN, and Digital InFact, it is predicted that the amount of money that will be earned from online live concerts in Japan will grow to 100 billion yen by 2024. It is fitting then that events such as NVJ2021 XR LIVE are working to create more immersive and innovative shows.

National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation | Comment

“Geo-Cosmos is an exhibit that was made to connect lots of people allowing them to see the everchanging Earth from space. It uses several different pieces of scientific data to project the real appearance of the earth and shows the possibilities of 3D visual representation created by scientists and creators. This concert will serve as a new challenge for Geo-Cosmos. We hope you look forward to seeing Geo-Cosmos ‘transform’ on the live stage in this fusion of the real and the virtual.”

Kumamon is a Japanese mascot many are sure to have seen. It was created in 2010 as a way to promote Kumamoto Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan.

Each year, Kumamon brings fans together at an event called “Kumamon Fan Gratitude Festival in TOKYO.” This year, for the safety of fans, it will be held digitally—from Tokyo rather than in Tokyo—with an online stream via Kumamon’s official YouTube channel Kumamon TV on February 12 at 20:00 (JST). Kumamon is currently in the last stages of preparing what is sure to be an equally fun event for fans.

You can follow Kumamon on social media at the links below. Be sure to tune in for the stream this Friday.