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

Ace Hotel Kyoto marked its 1st anniversary on June 11 since opening. In celebration of hitting the milestone, the hotel is collaborating with Japanese artist Yu Nagaba by displaying his work at its gallery until June 30. The works displayed are of the sights and people that Nagaba saw and penned in a memo pad while staying at Ace Hotel Kyoto. All of the illustrations were made for this exhibition and so they are being exhibited for the first time. One of the pieces is also being sold at stickers in the hotel’s shop.

Yu Nagaba‘s work

Yu Nagaba | Comment

“After I heard whispers that Ace Hotel was setting up in Kyoto, I hoped I could do something, so I was happy to take part in this project, but I also spent my time wondering what I could draw, and no ideas came to mind. After pondering I went to find inspiration by deciding to stay at Ace Hotel. I drew what came to mind during my time there as I walked the streets of Kyoto and spent time at the hotel. I drew a total of 49 illustrations in my memo pad. I painted six of my favourites on canvas. I hope people can get a feel for my experiences of Kyoto in these pieces.”

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.

In ART is a Japanese virtual art museum displaying works by a line-up of specially-selected artists. The museum is accessible through VR where users can not only look at art pieces but watch commentaries by the artists as well as shop at the museum store.

In ART has revealed that abstract painter CBA will be the third in a line-up of solo exhibitions. CBA is a graphic designer with over 20 years of experience and is also active as a musician both in Japan and overseas. They changed jobs to become an artist in 2010, and since then, their unique style which breaks language and cultural barriers has garnered them many fans from outside Japan. Most recently, CBA opened a solo exhibition at Franck Muller Boutique in Madrid, Spain. Their work is inherently universal, getting through to people regardless of age, language, or culture, something which is best appreciated when seen for yourself, and is now observable at In ART.

Some of CBA’s works on virtual display

CBA | Comment

-shine on the life-　Pray for better life
“The foundation of my work is built on putting together different elements to create something, just like how you would techno music. Colours and shapes elicit emotions and smells. Abstract painting isn’t just playing around experimenting or taking chances—it’s something that’s formed and composed, and I’d love for people to enjoy that aspect when looking at my work. I urge you to enjoy the colours, shapes, and compositions as you would music.”

In ART opened as a service offering people the opportunity to spend time enjoying art, even alone in their own house, as well as serving as a platform to support artists. Its aim is to make art a normal part of of everybody’s lives, and it does this in the form of a virtual museum which uses 3DCG technology. While it is an art museum, you don’t have to pay to enter. You can enjoy artwork at your leisure on your favourite device, and if there’s a piece you want to buy, then you can.

Don’t miss the abstract work of CBA in their virtual solo exhibition.

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

Sarutahiko Coffee reached its 10-year milestone on June 8. To celebrate, the Japanese coffee chain launched a 10 year anniversary promotion on the same day.

The coffee giant released its 10th Anniversary Mocha No.1 Blend and 10th Anniversary Mocha No.1 Superior Java Blend for its first rollout of the promotion. For its second release, Sarutahiko is teaming up with MEDICOM TOY’s popular BE@RBRICK figure series to release an original model at its Ebisu and The Bridge Harajuku Station branches as well as its online store.

The palm-sized figure is coloured Sarutahiko’s iconic blue colour and features a brown logo on its chest. It’s a simple but cute design and is a perfect gift to coffee lovers.

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.

Tokyo sneaker culture brand atmos is now holding an exhibition titled “First steps with Salomon Presents by atmos” until June 20.

Mt.TAKAO BASE CAMP is a guest house located just 3-minutes on foot from Takaosanguchi Station. Equipped with showers, lockers, and a cafe/bar, it’s a hot spot amongst mountain climbers. It’s there that atmos and Salomon are hosting the exhibition in collaboration with UND, an art duo made up of illustrators FACE and SHINKNOWNSUKE, themed on mountains.

Visitors are made with a giant piece of UND art at the entrance window of two hikers. They iwll also be handed an exclusive zine which includes a map of Mt. Takao.