From May 20 until June 5, 2022, AppBank is bringing fans of Love Live! Superstar!! a special treat in collaboration with the HARAJUKU app! By launching the app at a check-in spot in Harajuku, users can win a limited-edition Love Live! toy at random, such as acrylic keychains or pins.

App Splash Page

HARAJUKU Map

Random Toy Screen

For those winning a toy, the item can be picked up in front of the CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU Love Live! Superstar!! Wall Panel or at YURINAN Harajuku Takeshita-dori Yu-rin An. In celebration of the event, CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU will be featuring Love Live wall panels during this period, so be sure to go get some great pictures!

Fashion brand XLARGE has announced a new collaboration to commemorate the upcoming release of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero in theaters. The film will see the return of the Red Ribbon Army, which Gohan, Piccolo, and other popular characters will have to defeat. Check out the collection below–is your favorite fighter in the lineup?

Collection

XLARGE×DRAGON BALL GOHAN S/S TEE

XLARGE×DRAGON BALL PICCOLO S/S TEE

XLARGE×DRAGON BALL CAPSULE CORP JUMPSUIT

XLARGE×DRAGON BALL ANDROID18 S/S TEE

XLARGE×DRAGON BALL BULMA S/S TEE

XLARGE×DRAGON BALL TRUNKS S/S TEE

The collection includes T-shirts featuring Gohan, Piccolo, Bulma, Android 18, and Trunks. Items will be available online and in select stores nationwide!

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

Lifestyle brand BAYFLOW has launched a triple collaboration collection! Stores nationwide are now selling items created by the popular South Korean idol group BTS, headwear and fashion brand New Era, and the MLB, the world’s premier professional baseball league.

Dynamite 

Butter

Black Swan 

The designs in this collection incorporate the coloring and artwork found on the covers of the BTS singles Black Swan, Dynamite, and Butter, with the MLB logo. Fans can grab baseball caps, bucket hats, and t-shirts inspired by each song.

BAYFLOW began selling these new items in stores nationwide starting May 13, 2022. In addition, two New Era pop-up shops are open for a limited time at BAYFLOW Kichijoji and AEON Mall Kawaguchi!

Nara-based tea ceremony brand Saron is serving up a tasty treat perfect for the warm weather! White shaved ice with dark matcha topping is now available until mid-September, and guests are invited to adjust the taste by altering the amount of tea added.

Lately, Nara has been experiencing a major shaved ice boom. Inspired by Himuro Shrine, known for housing a guardian deity of ice, the city introduces plenty of created recipes for the summer treats each year. The tea ceremony brand Saron was founded by Nakagawa Masashichi Shouten, in business since the Edo period–so it’s safe to say that the company knows what they’re talking about!

Guests can enjoy shaved ice made from pure Yamato ice, which is frozen for 72 hours, gently shaved, and topped with Nara’s Kasiya sweet bean paste, shiratama, agar, and condensed milk that has been boiled for four hours. 

To finish off this luxurious dish, guests can add koicha, a thick matcha tea with concentrated flavor and incredible sweetness and depth. Polished twice as much as typical matcha, this is a taste you’ll never forget.

Why not come enjoy this traditional Japanese sweet this summer?

Japanese apparel brand Graniph has revealed two collaborative t-shirts inspired by the upcoming Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film! The items are available at the Graniph online store and in select Graniph locations in Japan.

Lineup

‘Superhero’ T-shirt

‘Fusion’ T-shirt

The Dragon Ball Super film series has been a huge hit worldwide. The first film, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, was released in 2018. The upcoming film features a completely new story, in which the Red Ribbon Army is reformed and threatening the world yet again. Can our favorite fighters stop the bad guys before they unveil the ultimate evil weapon? Be sure to check out the film when it releases in June, and grab one of these t-shirts to wear to the theater!

ⓒバード・スタジオ／集英社
ⓒ「２０２２ ドラゴンボール超」製作委員会

Mail order cake shop Cake.jp has unveiled three original cakes celebrating the 30th anniversary of Crayon Shin-chan! The sweets are available to order now.

Crayon Shin-chan Action Kamen Cake

Crayon Shin-chan Shin-chan Family Cake

Crayon Shin-chan: Mononoke Ninja Chinpūden Cake

Crayon Shin-chan is a slapstick comedy series detailing the hilarious daily life of five-year-old Shinnosuke Nohara and his family. 

The original manga series began serialization in 1990 and an anime series began airing in April 1992. 2022 marks the 30th consecutive year of the anime series. 

The original manga series has sold over 134 million copies worldwide, and the anime has been dubbed in 30 languages and aired in 45 countries. Shinnosuke has now become a popular character around the world and one that represents Japan.

Cake.jp is offering three brightly colored cakes, each depicting different aspects of the Crayon Shin-chan anime series and the most recent film. The cakes are packed with strawberries and are perfect for both adults and children to enjoy!

Crayon Shin-chan: Mononoke Ninja Chinpūden debuted in theaters on April 22, 2022.

©臼井儀人／双葉社・シンエイ・テレビ朝日・ＡＤＫ
©臼井儀人／双葉社・シンエイ・テレビ朝日・ＡＤＫ 2022

Last month, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu performed on the Gobi Stage at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States. The singer has now returned to Japan for the second half of her ‘Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 10th ANNIVERSARY JAPAN TOUR 2022 CANDY WAVE,’ seeing the singer performing 30 shows across Japan. The tour will conclude with a solo performance at Budokan in October. 

In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities and has been attracting major attention. Kyary’s newest collaboration in Yamagata has been announced ahead of her concert there on May 13!

The singer will be collaborating with Shelter Nanyo Hall in Nanyo, Yamagata, a small town of only around 30,000 people. The hall is the world’s largest wooden concert hall, made entirely from laminated local cedar. It uses the most advanced fire-resistant technology for wood in Japan and was certified as the world’s largest by Guinness World Records in December 2015. The multi-functional hall can seat over 1,400 people, and the property also features a Japanese-style tea room, meeting rooms, an open tree-growing space, and more.

“I want the local population to be incredibly proud of this magnificent wooden structure,” said Norihito Shimanuki, the hall’s director. “Through this concert hall, we’d like to promote Nanyo and Yamagata Prefecture both domestically and internationally.” 

The collaboration logo for the newest partnership was inspired by the ‘KPP NANDA COLLECTION LIVE in HAWAII’ visual. The one-night-only concert was held in July 2014. Since the main focus of this team-up is ‘wood,’ the visual’s palm tree has been transformed into a cedar tree!

A collaborative T-shirt is also on sale featuring the new logo and the singer’s 10th-anniversary logo. The shirt is available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website for two weeks only starting May 12. Support Japanese businesses and pick one up while you can!

Hat brand CA4LA is collaborating with popular Australian artist MULGA on a new collection! Mulga is celebrating the 10th anniversary of his first solo exhibition. Items from the collection will be available at CA4LA stores nationwide (excluding outlet stores), the CA4LA online store, and ZOZOTOWN starting May 13, 2022.

Lineup

This marks the second collaboration between the two. Items in this collection are perfect for summer, with bright and colorful decorations commonly found in MULGA’s works. Customers will receive a commemorative 10-year anniversary MULGA magnet with each hat purchase. Each magnet was designed by the artist to express his gratitude to his fans for supporting him for the last decade.

The artist will also be holding a canvas exhibition at CA4LA’s Shibuya store from May 13 until May 31, 2022. Those visiting the exhibition will be able to purchase artwork, so be sure to attend if you have the chance!

Italian luxury fashion brand Fendi has teamed up with Harajuku Omotesando Keyaki-kai on a new street art project! ‘TSUNAGU – Omotesando Street Art Project’ was unveiled on April 29, 2022.

The project, which aims to improve the city’s scenery and share positive messages, is on display in Omotesando, a popular area with young people. The canvas is the formal site of the Oriental Bazaar, an iconic part of Omotesando for over four decades. Under the theme of ‘hope,’ three young artists will be displaying their artwork in a massive temporary enclosure on the site. Hopefully, Japan really will open tourism soon so that guests from around the world can enjoy these inspiring pieces!

The first piece of art was unveiled on April 29 and was drawn by Dai Tamura, a young Japanese artist who has attracted worldwide attention after becoming an illustrator for the NBA. The dynamic and powerful compositions vividly depict endangered animals and plants alongside delicate flowers to symbolize hope for the futures of these beautiful creatures. 

Be sure to keep an eye out for the next installation coming soon!

In September 2018, ten incredibly talented artists came together to celebrate BAPE’s 25th anniversary by designing life-sized BABY MILO sculptures. These pieces of art were put on display at Space O in Omotesando Hills. After four years, those sculptures have been reimagined as eight-inch figures in collaboration with BAIT! (Much easier to display at home, right?) 

The participating artists are SK8THING, mankey, Stash, James Bond, Adam Lister, Michael Lau, Eric Haze, Shepard Fairey, Shinsuke Takizawa, and Nishiyama Tetsu.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY ADAM LISTER: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
This design was inspired by the colors of the Earth–yellow for the sun, green for the plants and trees, and blue for water. Using geometric patterns, rigid angles, and bright colors, the final product gives off a peaceful aura.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY SK8THING: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
Reimagining BABY MILK as a haniwa, or a terracotta clay figurine, SK8THING blended elements of Japanese history into his work. Haniwa were used for ceremonial purposes in ancient Japan.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY mankey: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
The artist mankey listed his design concept as “mirror camo BABY MILK.” The finished product is a shiny figure made from reflective material and decorated with BAPE’s classic camo. 

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY MICHAEL LAU: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
The sponges used in the previous ‘WHAT WE WANT’ exhibition were used again to create this BABY MILK sculpture. On the back, fans can find classical Chinese calligraphy.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY TETSU NISHIYAMA: ¥19,800 (Tax Included)
To celebrate BABY MILO’s birthday, Nishiyama Tetsu created his figure based on a chocolate banana, a treat usually eaten during Japanese festivals. Who wouldn’t want this adorable iteration of BABY MILO on their desk?

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY SHINSUKE TAKIZAWA: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
Shinsuke Takizawa aimed to bring a 2D T-shirt design to life with his figure. The design incorporates the black color found in NEIGHBORHOOD goods, SKULL & BONE graphics, and the slogan “No. 1 CRAFT WITH PRIDE TOKYO.” 

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY SHEPARD FAIREY: ¥19,800 (Tax Included)
Shepard’s design concept is to raise awareness about environmental issues, global warming, and oil pollution. The top of BABY MILO features an oil spill and the figure will remind buyers to think about the big picture.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY JAMES BOND: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
Martial artists Chris Haueter and Rob Abeyta, the founders of UNDEFEATED GYM, inspired this design. This BABY MILO loves jiujitsu and wears a traditional dougi uniform.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY ERIC HAZE: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
Eric’s work features freehand brushstrokes to represent the current direction of his artwork. The design is organic and gives off a human touch.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BY Stash: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)
In his early days of using spray paint, Stash painted on just about everything in his local park. The figure is a reinterpretation of his exciting youth.

BABY MILO®️ BY A BATHING APE 10 ARTISTS 8” FIGURE BUNDLE SET: ¥165,000 (Tax Included)

The collection will be available in a 10-piece set as well as individually. Items will be available at the BAPE STORE in Shibuya on May 14. The bundle is only available at the BAPE.COM web store, so check the special page for details.

The final story in the Free! Iwatobi Swim Club’s anime franchise was released in Japanese theaters on April 22. To celebrate this huge event, Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will be offering a buffet inspired by the series from May 12 until July 15, 2022!

Menu

First Half Menu/First Half Dessert Buffet

Second Half Menu/Second Half Dessert Buffet

Drink Menu

Merchandise

The Free! anime franchise, which is loosely based on the High Speed! light novels by Kouji Ooji, began in 2013 and includes three TV series and multiple films. Free!-the Final Stroke- The First Volume was released in 2021. The Second Volume will debut in Japanese theaters on April 22, 2022.

The series follows high school student Haruka Nanase, a gifted swimmer, as he revitalizes Iwatobi High School’s swim team and attempts to be the best swimmer in Japan.

The event will be split into two periods, each featuring different menu items focusing on different characters. Character-inspired cocktails will also be available. The merchandise available will only be up for grabs during the event.

©おおじこうじ・京都アニメーション／岩鳶町後援会2021