From August 19 until September 1, a special Chiikawa shop will open on Tokyo Character Street, located inside Tokyo Station!

Chiikawa is a popular character first revealed by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. The artist’s creations have become massively popular, with Nagano’s follower count on social media reaching over 1.2 million fans. From collaboration cafes and exhibitions to a recent anime series, the sky’s the limit for these adorable characters!

Commemorative Stamp

Purchase Bonus: Holographic Card (6 varieties, random) *Not for Sale

Bonus for Guests Spending ¥3,300 (Including Tax): Heart Fan *Not for Sale

Bonus for Guests Spending ¥8,800 (Including Tax): Bath Towel (2 varieties) *Not for Sale
*Available while supplies last.

Exclusive Merchandise

At this limited-time Magical Chikawa shop, fans can find exclusive products featuring new illustrations, as well as special purchase bonuses and commemorative stamps for guests!

©nagano / chiikawa committee

Last year, Chiikawa Land, the first official Chiikawa shop, opened at the Harajuku and Osaka Umeda branches of KIDDYLAND. Both locations will celebrate the 1st anniversary of the shop’s opening with a special fair on August 5, 2022.

Chiikawa is a popular character first revealed by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. In December 2020, the official online store Chiikawa Market opened, and Nagano released a book compiling the manga panels they drew and posted on Twitter. The characters have become massively popular, with the artist’s social media accounts racking up over 1.1 million followers. From collaboration cafes and exhibitions to a recent anime series, the sky’s the limit for these adorable characters!

Purchase Bonus

「Holographic Sticker (Not for Sale) *Designs will differ between the Harajuku and Osaka Umeda locations.

Holographic Pin (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥3,300 or more (including tax)

Picnic Blanket (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥5,500 or more (including tax)

Mug (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥8,800 or more (including tax)

Limited Edition Chiikawa Land Harajuku x Marion Crepes Collab

Limited Edition Chiikawa Land Harajuku x Marion Crepes Goods

Chiikawa Land Osaka Umeda Limited Edition Goods

Both the Harajuku and Osaka Chiikawa Land locations are visited by fans each day, and each store has developed unique products to celebrate the first anniversary.

The Chiikawa Land Harajuku location will offer products in collaboration with Marion Crepes, while the Osaka Umeda location will sell limited edition products featuring the characters in cute traditional costumes. Special bonuses will also be handed out to guests spending particular amounts, so why not come out and grab some new goods?

©nagano / chiikawa committee

Art collective teamLab will open a permanent nighttime exhibition at the Nagai Botanical Garden in Osaka starting July 29, 2022. On-site video footage shows off several new works, such as Sculptures of Dissipative Birds in the Wind, a digital work impacted by the environment. Birds flying around the work and the wind’s strength impact how the art moves.

Life is Flickering Light Floating in Darkness – Sunflowers

In summer, 20,000 sunflowers bloom in the Life Garden, where seasonal flowers are transformed into an interactive space filled with illumination. This was opened to the public for a limited time to celebrate the exhibition’s opening and will be open until August 5.

The Nagai Botanical Garden covers 240,000 square meters and is home to roughly 1,200 species of plants. teamLab has transformed the space, with the digital art pieces changing according to the behavior of guests. 

In the future, teamLab plans to introduce seasonal works, making use of plants that bloom in spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Resonating Microcosms in the Common Camellia Garden – Liquified Light Color, Sunrise and Sunset

Floating Resonating Lamps on Oike Lake

teamLab’s art project Digitized Nature explores how nature can become art. The concept of the project is that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it.

Field of Light Color – Muhlenbergia Capillaris

teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka is a botanical garden by day and an art space by night. The art space transforms interactively, influenced by wind and rain, as well as by the behavior of the people and birds in it. People become a part of the artworks along with nature, and a part of the long continuity of time. The artworks, people, and nature; the self and others; the past, present, and future; all form a continuity without boundaries.

Come soothe your soul in the heart of Osaka.

©チームラボ

Reebok has appointed a number of popular artists in Japan and abroad to take part in their new campaign titled ‘Life is Not a Spectator Sport -Move, Move!-’ This collaboration started in March 2022.

As a part of this collaboration, Reebok is teaming up with the manga series Eren the Southpaw. Kappa’s popular ensemble drama highlights a number of creators, and has a very poignant tagline: “To all those who couldn’t become geniuses.” Reebok’s brand message matches this and is meant to be a manifesto for life, telling people to never give up, act on their own convictions, and find their own path. 

Reebok Classic Store – Harajuku Interior

Stickers / Pins

Original Scene from Eren the Southpaw 

To commemorate the release of Reebok’s flagship model INSTAPUMP FURY 95 in Sax Blue, a huge piece of window art was redrawn by Kappi. The artist also provided an original manga featuring an entirely new story. Fans can find this at the Reebok Classic Store Harajuku and on the official Reebok Twitter page. The Reebok stores in Harajuku and Shibuya have also been completely taken over by Eren the Southpaw, completely decorated from top to bottom in images from the series. 

Art collective teamLab will open a permanent nighttime exhibition at the Nagai Botanical Garden in Osaka starting July 29, 2022. Tickets for teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka are on sale now at the official website, and a new group of exhibits take full advantage of the beautiful setting. In summer, 20,000 sunflowers bloom in the Life Garden, where seasonal flowers are transformed into an interactive space filled with illumination. As the flowers change each season, so will the art.

Resonating Microcosms in the Common Camellia Garden – Liquified Light Color, Sunrise and Sunset 

Life is Flickering Light Floating in Darkness – Sunflowers

Other works on display include Life is Continuous Light – Bald Cypress and Life is Continuous Light – Crepe myrtle, both taking advantage of the natural environment. The 240,000 square meter park will be completely transformed, with the digital art pieces changing according to the behavior of guests. More exhibits will be added in the future.

Crepe myrtles at Nagai Botanical Garden

Nagai Botanical Garden opened in 1974, and had its reopening on April 1, 2022 following extensive efforts to create an environment where plants can thrive and grow into the future, involving tree thinning, replanting of trees in anticipation of root growth, and soil improvement.

Nagai Botanical Garden’s Bald Cypress

teamLab’s art project Digitized Nature explores how nature can become art. The concept of the project is that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it.

Floating Resonating Lamps – One Stroke

Universe of Fire Particles – Secondary Forest

teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka is a botanical garden by day and an art space by night. The art space transforms interactively, influenced by wind and rain, as well as by the behavior of the people and birds in it. People become a part of the artworks along with nature, and a part of the long continuity of time. The artworks, people, and nature; the self and others; the past, present, and future; all form a continuity without boundaries.

Come visit another dimension right in the heart of Osaka!

©チームラボ

The Hololive Summer event, first held in the summer of 2019, will return this year! 

A ton of new content and special panels will be shown at the 2022 event, so check the official Hololive Production Twitter account often for more information!

Hololive will also have a booth at this year’s Comiket on August 13 and 14! A number of exclusive commemorative Hololive Summer 2022 goods will be on sale.

The back cover of the Comiket 100 catalog, on sale July 16, shows the official Hololive Summer 2022 key visual. Be sure to keep an eye out for more details!

The Toy Story Aliens Cafe will be opening for a limited time in Tokyo starting July 23, in Osaka on July 27, and in Nagoya on August 4. Fans of the film series will remember the adorable Alien characters, originally shown as prizes in a crane game. This pop-up cafe will feature themed dishes and merchandise, and Pixar fans should be sure to attend!

Menu

Food

Space Curry

Green Pasta

Alien Burger A (Teriyaki Soy Meat) / Burger B (Tomato Soy Meat) / Burger C (Chicken & Potato)

Moon Landing?! Potato & Bread

Kids Plate

Fruit Bread

Drinks

Alien Smoothie

Space Soda

Melon Milk

Space Crane Game Cider / Grape Juice

Hot Tea / Hot Milk

Goods

The food menu includes a tasty black curry, a green pasta featuring broccoli, edamame, spinach, and snap peas, and three types of alien burgers featuring either teriyaki soy meat, tomato soy meat, or chicken and potato. Even the drinks stick to the Alien theme, and the menu includes an Alien Smoothie with a tasty banana yogurt flavor. 

Guests will also be able to purchase event-exclusive merchandise from keychains and stickers to tote bags and letter sets. 

©Disney/Pixar

A special event is coming to Tokyo and Osaka this summer to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Kuroko’s Basketball anime series. Fans will want to visit Tokyo in July and Osaka in September.

Kuroko’s Basketball is a manga series by Tadatoshi Fujimaki which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump until 2014 and tells the story of a high school basketball team trying to make it to the national tournament. The anime adaptation began airing in April 2012.

Kuroko’s Basketball ~A Miracle One Day in the City~

Kuroko’s Basketball ~ Kyoto Exhibition

Gallery Corner

Voice Guide

Admission Bonus – Invitation Card (9 varieties)

Exclusive Goods – F6 Character Board

Goods

Acrylic Stand (9 varieties)

Mini Acrylic Charms 1 (Random)

Mini Acrylic Charms 2 (Random)

Pin (9 varieties, random)

Purchase Bonus – Shopping Bag

The event will feature exhibits highlighting the history of the series and will feature a special voiceover. Exclusive merchandise will be on sale and guests will be welcomed by Kuroko and his friends at the entrance, all wearing special costumes drawn for the event.

Are you a Kuroko’s Basketball fan?

© 藤巻忠俊／集英社・黒子のバスケ製作委員会
© 「黒子のバスケ」アニメ10周年プロジェクト

From July 22 until August 21, fans of the adorable character Chiikawa will want to visit Shizuoka PARCO! The Chiikawa Chinese Restaurant and Drink Stand will be offering up some themed dishes for a limited time.

Original Menu at a Glance

Cream Soda with Winning Lottery Number

Otter’s Iced Cocoa

Hot Spring Style Hot Apricot Milk with Marshmallows

Chestnut Manju Alcohol-Free Drink

Chiikawa Meat Bun

Bonus for Drink Orders: Original Cafe Coaster (17 varieties)

Original Goods at a Glance

Mini Glass

Clear Folder

Acrylic Smartphone Ring

Silicon Ice Tray

Drawstring Bag

T-Shirt / Meat Bun

Goods Purchase Bonus

The Chiikawa Chinese Restaurant is a collaborative cafe project featuring a Chinese-inspired menu and newly-drawn illustrations. This cafe was a huge hit in Tokyo in the past, and those who missed out will have another chance to enter the world of this popular character!

The collaboration menu includes three kinds of cream soda with a winning lottery stick, iced cocoa similar to a strawberry parfait, and other items to enjoy the world of Chiikawa. Guests can also purchase goods featuring illustrations of Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi in Chinese costumes.

Come have a tasty snack and a refreshing drink while you grab some limited Chiikawa merch!

©nagano / chiikawa committee

The Toshio Suzuki and Studio Ghibli Exhibition finally opened on July 1, 2022 at Warehouse Terrada in Shinagawa, Tokyo. 

First held at Kanda Myojin in 2019, the reception for the exhibition was incredible, and after popping up in Nagasaki and Kyoto, the newest Tokyo exhibition will be the first held in three years. It features significantly more exhibits and content, so Ghibli fans won’t want to miss it. 

Toshio Suzuki, a producer at Studio Ghibli, has worked with both Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata on a number of beloved masterpieces. The exhibition will feature a large bookshelf housing 8,800 of Suzuki’s publications. Many of these were published before Suzuki joined Studio Ghibli, and guests are invited to see how the producer was inspired to join the legendary studio.

This exhibition was realized after Suzuki himself proposed the idea of exhibiting his books for the first time following the 2019 event. The giant bookshelf containing 8,800 tomes was based on a brick-and-mortar store that once served as Suzuki’s ‘hideout.’

The Massive Abura-ya Annex

Chihiro’s Bathhouse – Chilled Footbath

No-Face AR

As a limited event, the Tokyo exhibition will also feature the Abura-ya Annex, a huge space that recreates the world of Spirited Away. Visitors can transform themselves into No-Face using AR or enjoy the Chilled Footbath after getting their fortunes told at the Yubaba and Zeniba Luck and Love Fortune Telling Corner. 

8,800 of Toshio Suzuki’s Favorite Books

Valuable Documents, Behind-the-Scenes Details, etc. 

No-Face perches atop one of the many bookshelves at the exhibition, lost in a tome of his own. All 8,800 books were read by Suzuki, and all of them influenced the creator’s decision to join Studio Ghibli. The wallpaper was designed by William Morris, a favorite of the producer since his youth. Some of the books can be picked up and enjoyed, so be sure to flip through some of these inspiring pages!

Rare materials and copy that led to many of the studio’s blockbuster hits are all on display, and visitors can trace the secret story behind the establishment of Studio Ghibli and how the company created everything from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind to their latest release Earwig and the Witch. Suzuki is known for his incredible scripts, such as the many lines he wrote for the title character in The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

On June 30, an opening ceremony was held with Suzuki in attendance. “I’ve stored away so many items that have been important to me in my life, and while it can be somewhat embarrassing to have them on display, I’m glad that so many can appreciate them,” he said. “My dream was to collect all the books I’ve read over the past 70 years and display them in one room. I was so happy when I realized that we could fit all 8,800 books in one space. I hope as many people as possible come to enjoy the exhibition.” 

The Peter Rabbit 120th Anniversary Exhibition will be offering some exclusive original merchandise. The event will be held at the Abeno Harukas Museum in Osaka from July 2 until October 4, 2022, so fans of the adorable picture books will want to make a pilgrimage. 

Goods

Stuffed Animal

Brass Brooch

Brass Necklace – Gold

Brass Necklace – Silver

T-Shirt – Grey

T-Shirt – Blue

Peter Rabbit is a mischievous rabbit who has been loved by audiences around the world for decades. The first picture book in the series, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was published by Frederick Warne in 1902, celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2022.

To celebrate this special occasion, this exhibition will look back on Peter Rabbit’s journey over the past century. Over 170 items will be on display, including rare original color drawings. 

Kirby Cafe TOKYO and Kirby Cafe HAKATA will begin selling special summer-themed food and drink items on July 7. The Kirby Cafe Summer 2022 event will introduce seven peach-themed goodies to the menu through September 11. 

Menu

Transform! Carby Cake ~WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD!~

Kirby’s Peach♡Peach Parfait

Summer Souvenir Parfait Glass

Awoofy’s Footsteps in the Desert Pizza

Waddle Dee’s Friendly Rice Croquettes

King Dedede’s Full Tummy! Massive Beast King Plate

Rolling ♪ Peach Soda

(Includes Summer Souvenir Parfait Glass)

Rolling ♪ Summer-Colored Pineapple Soda

Summer Souvenir Acrylic Muddler (3 varieties)

Visitors to the two cafe locations can enjoy peach-flavored treats like Kirby’s Peach Parfait and an adorable cake based on the pink puffball’s Carby form seen in the new game Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Those wanting something more savory can enjoy Waddle Dee’s Friendly Rice Croquettes and the absolutely huge King Dedede’s Full Tummy! Massive Beast King Plate. 

Come enjoy the warmer months with Kirby and friends!

Story

Summer is returning to the Kirby Cafe. Thinking of the warmer months, Chef Kawasaki has created a special menu! As a Waddle Dee, filled with great excitement, wandered through the forest…it saw tons of lush, ripe peaches. 

“Huh? That pink, round peach reminds me of something…” 

Then came Kirby, who was looking forward to the summer menu more than anyone else. 

“Ah, that’s right! The peach looks just like Kirby!”

Happy to have solved the riddle, Kirby smiled brightly at Waddle Dee. Gazing at this glorious summer scene with tons of juicy peaches ready to be eaten, he couldn’t help but imagine tons of tasty treats! Peach parfait, sparkling soda, blue jelly sparkling like the ocean…not wanting to forget these ideas, Kirby and Waddle Dee gathered the peaches and began cooking.

Please come and enjoy this summer with Kirby and his friends under the dazzling sunshine!

©Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc.