Le Cafe de Joel Robuchon, located inside Niponbashi Takashimaya, is now offering a special menu in collaboration with the French children’s book characters Gaspard and Lisa! These items will be available until May 31, 2022.

Collaboration Menu

Gaspard and Lisa Plate

Strawberry Galette with Gaspard and Lisa (Served with coffee or tea)

Exclusive Merchandise

Original Pouch

Coaster

Visitors can enjoy a Gaspard and Lisa plate complete with two adorable mini-burgers served with fries and strawberry panna cotta. Those wanting a dessert can grab a buckwheat flour galette covered in strawberries!

The location will be decorated with Paris-themed illustrations from the Gaspard and Lisa picture books during the collaboration, and customers will receive an original pouch and limited edition coaster as order bonuses. Be sure not to miss this little slice of France in Tokyo! 

©2022 Anne Gutman & Georg Hallensleben / Hachette Livre

The Nakamura Keith Haring Collection in Yamanashi Prefecture will be holding a celebratory exhibition in honor of the location’s 15th anniversary from May 14, 2022 until May 7, 2023.

In April 2007, the Nakamura Keith Haring Collection opened in Kobuchisawa, located at the foot of Mt. Yatsugatake. The only museum in the world dedicated entirely to New York-based artist Keith Haring, Kazuo Nakamura collected the works and acts as the director of the museum. Over 300 works of art are on display along with 500 other pieces, from photographs and videos to merchandise. The new exhibition features approximately 150 works.

Three Lithographs (People Ladder), 1985

Icons (Radiant Baby), 1990

Untitled, 1984

Untitled, 1988

Untitled (Subway Drawing), 1981-1983

The ‘Chaos and Hope’ exhibition was originally held during the museum’s first year of operation and looks back at Haring’s first experiences in New York City in 1978. The artist was present at the dawn of the hip-hop movement and was struck by the clash between typical white art and underground minority artists. In only five years, Haring rose to stardom. Sadly, while traveling the world, he contracted AIDS, passing away at the age of 31. Behind the bright and cheerful artwork he left behind, he hid his inner suffering and desire for hope and freedom.

All Keith Haring Artwork ©Keith Haring Foundation
Courtesy of Nakamura Keith Haring Collection.

Fuji-Q Highland will hold a special collaborative event with the popular smartphone game ‘BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!’ from April 29 until June 29, 2022!’ This is the fifth time the two have teamed up, and seven popular characters are being shown in new illustrations, each representing a particular attraction. Announcements made at the park will be made by characters from the mobile title, and guests can enjoy menu items and merchandise exclusive to the event.

The highlight of this year’s event is the Smartphone Stamp Rally, in which visitors can hear the voices of their favorite characters while exploring the spacious grounds. By scanning life-size panels of the members installed throughout the park with their smartphones, visitors can enjoy the stories of each of the seven members read in their own voices. A gift will be given to those who complete the challenge! 

An original rhythm game will be available for a limited time, and those who complete it and scan the QR code will snag an original collaboration wallpaper. Buses at the resort will also be wrapped in ‘BanG Dream!’ decorations.

 ©BanG Dream! Project　©Craft Egg Inc.　©bushiroad All Rights Reserved.

Peter Rabbit’s English Garden, one of the largest English-style gardens in the Tokyo metropolitan area, will open at Fuji Motosuko Resort on April 16, 2022.

Known for the Fuji Shibazakura Festival, an annual springtime cherry blossom event, Peter Rabbit’s Garden is opening at the resort at the perfect time. The garden will include over 300 varieties of plants, trees, and flowers, and visitors can enjoy a photogenic stroll with popular characters. An on-site cafe will offer a lineup of original items inspired by Beatrix Potter’s classic books, including a colorful afternoon tea set and ‘Flowery Latte’ with petals scattered on top. ‘Mr. McGregor’s Vegetable Garden Salad’ is also a light dish perfect for spring.

Cafe Menu

Take Out Menu

Cafe

Original Merchandise

Photo Spot

Shop & Gallery

Original Sticker

Guests can also enjoy a gallery highlighting moments from the Peter Rabbit picture books, from The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin to The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher, both translated by novelist and poet Mieko Kawakami. The shop will offer original merchandise only available at Fuji Motosuko Resort, including keychains, sweets, and coffee cups. There’s something for adults and children alike, so fans of Peter Rabbit won’t want to miss it!

To commemorate the opening of the garden, a bus decorated with Peter Rabbit and friends will be in operation from April 4 until April 16. This passenger bus will bring visitors from Shinjuku, Yokohama, Shizuoka, and other locations, and those riding will get a special sticker as a bonus.

Come enjoy some time outdoors with Peter this spring!

BEATRIX POTTER(TM) & (C) Frederick Warne & Co.,2022

Cross Hotel Kyoto, a hotel under the ORIX Hotels & Resorts brand, has begun selling two seasonal parfaits at the KIHARU Brasserie Restaurant and Bar. The strawberry desserts will be available until May 5, 2022. 

KIHARU de Parfait – Lady Berry

KIHARU de Parfait – Lady Chocolat

Strawberry and Balsamic Cream Risotto

The Lady Berry is a gorgeous parfait combining strawberry-based sweet and sour sorbet and genoise with yogurt cream and black currant mousse. The Lady Chocolat has a more grown-up flavor and is made with chocolate cream, pistachios, and a rich rum-based mousse that goes well with wine.

The spring menu also includes a unique strawberry risotto, fusing the sweet and sour taste of strawberries and the saltiness of cheese. Other savory spring menu items will also be available for a limited time!

Cafe Toastina, located inside the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay Hotel in Chiba Prefecture, is now offering delicious and very photogenic strawberry sweets and baked goods until March 31, 2022! There are tons of different ways to enjoy the event: the Sheraton Sweets Box is filled with mini-sweets and is available to take with you, and the Friday Sweets Buffet will allow guests to enjoy as many treats as they can! A cute photo wall covered in strawberries will also serve as the perfect photo spot, so visit while you can.

Strawberry Champagne Mousse

Strawberry Mille-feuille

Strawberry Paris-Brest

Strawberry Milk France / Danish with Strawberry & Mascarpone Cream

Sheraton Sweets Box

5-star hotel Aman Tokyo is now offering a strawberry-filled afternoon tea called ‘Strawberry Jewels’ through April 14, 2022. The event is underway at The Lounge by Aman on the hotel’s 33rd floor. From strawberry sweets that look like jewels in a jewelry box to savory items and smoothies, the menu is filled with domestically grown strawberries with both a mellow sweetness and sourness. Guests can also enjoy as much Duval Leroy Brut Reserve Champagne as they like. 

In addition to the original three-tiered black bamboo tray, Aman Tokyo’s special jewelry box containing jewel-like strawberry sweets will be personal-sized this year, and one will be provided to each table. You can enjoy two types of tarts, one with strawberries and cheese, and the other with strawberries and passion fruit. Guests can also enjoy smooth strawberry mousse and fresh strawberries to their heart’s content.

The top of the three-tiered tray includes a waffle and chocolate bowl decorated with strawberry pugs and rich pistachio-flavored cream. Everything from rhubarb tarts to fresh mixed berries and strawberry jellies to macaroons decorate this magnificent tower.

The bottom of the tray includes savory items made with premium ingredients, including pork pastrami and flounder meuniere with scallop mousse. Each item is accented with strawberry powder.

Guests can also choose to enjoy the afternoon tea with unlimited champagne. Which item looks the tastiest? 

Aman Kyoto has started selling the ‘Art of Strawberry’ until April 30, 2022. This year’s eight-layered parfait in a strawberry-shaped bowl was incredibly successful last year, so it is making a triumphant return.

Mini Strawberry Pancakes

Executive Pastry Chef Hiroyuki Matsuo and his team hand-craft each of the delicate candy dishes, and when the lid is opened, fresh strawberries from Kamigamo, Kyoto greet guests. A sweet and sour strawberry compote and a light and fluffy genoise, elegantly sweetened Wasanbon cream, yuzu jelly and jam, and crunchy white chocolate cornflakes will excite the tastebuds. How would you like to try this luxurious dish?

The Nippon Genki Project will be held again this year and it will be available to watch on the event’s official website and on YouTube. The event was created by the late Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto as a way to get people energised and motivated to realise their dreams.

Past Nippon Genki Project events

Nippon Genki Project 2015 Super Energy!! at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

Nippon Genki Project 2016 Super Energy!! at Yoyogi National Stadium

Nippon Genki Project 2017 Super Energy!! at Roppongi Hills Arena

Nippon Genki Project 2018 Super Energy!! at Roppongi Hills Arena

Nippon Genki Project 2019 Super Energy!! at Roppongi Hills Arena

Nippon Genki Project 2020 Super Energy!! Online

The theme of this year’s event is ‘World Heritage Runway.’ The event will be recorded in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, at the foot of the World Heritage Site of Mt. Fuji. The footage will be released as a fashion film on August 21. Designers from across Japan have created a variety of looks for the event, and pieces by fashion schools, fashion universities both in Japan and overseas, and more will also be showcased.

Fuji-Q Highland is set to host a summer event in collaboration with the mobile rhythm game BanG Dream! Girls Band Party from August 7 to September 12.

This marks the amusement park’s 4th collaboration with the game which will see newly-illustrated artwork of the characters decorating the attractions, a special talk show hosted by the voice actresses, limited-time announcements on the attractions recorded by the voice actresses, a themed food menu, original merch, and more.

A digital stamp rally will also take place which will have guests locating life-sized panels of seven characters which they need to scan with their smartphone. This will give them a special voiced story. Those who obtain all the digital stamps by scanning all the panels will receive a free novelty as well as an original voiced guide for boarding the amusement park train. The train too will be decorated in BanG Dream! artwork.

©BanG Dream! Project　©Craft Egg Inc.　©bushiroad All Rights Reserved.

Fuji-Q Highland began its ‘NARUTO x BORUTO Fuji Hidden Leaf Village’ event on Wednesday which is set to run throughout summer until August 29. The event is taking place to celebrate the birthday of the popular character Sasuke Uchiha from the Naruto franchise.

During the event, a keyword rally will take place, and a special menu will be served up.

Keyword Rally

Guests must play and ride six Naruto-themed attractions at the park where they will be able to collect keywords related to the Uchiha family. Those who manage to answer all the questions correctly will receive one of two free exclusive pins. The Sasuke & Itachi design will be available from June 9 to July 22 and the Uchiha Family design from July 23 to August 29. Check out the designs below, both of which are must-grabs for fans of Sasuke and the Uchihas.

Pin Design 1: Sasuke & Itachi (Uchiha Brothers) | Available: June 9, 2021 – July 22, 2021　

Pin Design 2: Sasuke & Sakura & Sarada (Uchiha Family) | Available: July 23, 2021 – August 29, 2021

Special Menu

Guests will also be able to enjoy a special menu line-up including a ramen dish served at Ichiraku, the ramen bar at Fuji-Q Highland which is themed on the same eatery of the same name in Naruto, and two cakes at Fuji-Q Highland’s official hotel resort and spa.

Uchiha Brother’s Spicy Ramen | ¥1,500 (Tax Included)

Uchiha Brother’s Print Cake

Uchiha Family’s Print Cake

ⓒ岸本斉史 スコット／集英社・テレビ東京・ぴえろ

ICHIBIKO is a new strawberry dessert-themed cafe that opened at Tokyu Food Show in Shibuya, Tokyo, on June 1. The shop’s concept is centred on letting people enjoy strawberries all year round served in a variety of sweet and succulent ways.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding | 3 Flavours

The Migaki-Ichigo Pudding is a Japanese-style custard pudding made with a layer of custard and strawberry jam. The jam, which contains fresh juicy pieces of strawberry left over, is made from a type of high quality strawberry called Migaki-Ichigo. These puddings are available in three flavours.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding – Strawberry Custard | ¥432 (Tax Included)

Made with fresh cream and vanilla custard and combined with strawberry jam. Rich and full of fruity flavour.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding – Condensed Strawberry Milk | ¥486 (Tax Included)

Layered with condensed milk instead of custard, lending a refreshing milky flavour to the sweet strawberry and giving a velvety texture.

Migaki-Ichigo Pudding – Strawberry Milk Yogurt | ¥432 (Tax Included)

Made with strawberry sauce-infused yogurt and Migaki-Ichigo jam giving a cool, refreshing flavour.

The new ICHIBIKO store also sells the brand’s most popular beverage, ICHIBIKO Milk, as well as baked confections, and fresh Migaki-Ichigo strawberries sourced directly from farmers.