Affordable clothing retailer GU is teaming up with top Japanese fashion brand UNDERCOVER for the pair’s second collaboration. The collection will be available at GU stores nationwide and online starting October 29, 2021. 

First Kidswear Product Lineup

Started by Jun Takahashi in 1990, UNDERCOVER blends various aspects of art, music, and subculture into its constantly evolving collections. 

Following the popular Spring/Summer 2021 collection, this new collaboration mixes UNDERCOVER’s unique and original worldview with GU’s concept of ‘freedom.’ Together, they have come up with the keyword ‘FREEDOM/NOISE’ to describe the new pieces. 

This new Fall/Winter collection features original patterns, graphics, and characters created by Takahashi exclusively for GU. Each item was designed with the style of UNDERCOVER in mind, giving more of a streetwear feel. The full lineup includes men’s and women’s seasonal wear, scarves and gloves for fall and winter, and even pajamas and loungewear. This also marks the first time kidswear has been released in a collaboration between the two. 

The Kurobe Gorge Trolley in Toyama will offer a special two-day journey through the fall foliage on October 29 and November 1, 2021. 

Atobiki Bridge

Okukane Bridge

Promenade

Babadani Jigoku

On the day of the tour, guests will enjoy a leisurely journey through nature as a Kurobe Gorge tour guide explains the features of the surrounding environment. 

Wedding venue Applause Square Nagoya will be opening a limited-time restaurant for eight days only during October and will offer some of the most artful desserts you’ve ever seen. The wedding hall is not normally open to the public, so this will be an opportunity to see this incredible mansion up close while savoring some unique fall flavors. 

Jewel Art Topaz Parfait, made with Rum Raisin and Iced Chestnut Mont Blanc with Orange Parfait, and three Chocolate Bonbons

Six hors-d’oeuvres, each a vibrant and unique color

Sea Bream Vapeur with Eggplant and Chips that resemble Autumn Leaves, paired with Hot consommé soup scented with sherry and served in front of guests

Roasted Chita Pork with Tomato Chutney Sauce and Ginger, covered with Brown Mushrooms

Each of the six hors d’oeuvres were inspired by birthstones. Following are a number of luxurious meat and fish dishes, followed by a rich and abundant parfait filled with autumn flavors.

The ‘Shiseido Parlour Ginza Salon de Cafe’ has announced that between October 1 and October 31 2021, customers can enjoy a limited edition Autumnal sweets menu. This year their menu includes the Jersey milk ‘Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc Parfait from Kyushu’ and the ‘Shine Grape Fruit Sandwich.’ There will also be two special additions to the menu to celebrate the 96th Azuma Odori.

Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc Parfait from Kyushu using Jersey Milk: ¥2,500 (Tax Incl.)

Strawberry Parfait using “Koihime” strawberries from Nagano’s Hatake Kobo: ¥2,100 (Tax Incl.)

Weekday / Limited Quantity Products

Shiseido Parlour Story: ¥2,600 (Tax Incl.) (Drink Incl.)

Shine Grape Fruit Sandwich with grapes from Iizuka Orchard: ¥1,700 (Tax Incl.)

Shinbashi Color Ice Cream Soda: ¥1,150 (Tax Incl.)

The Japanese Chestnut Mont Blanc Parfait is made using Jersey milk ice cream, chestnut cream, and fresh cream, along with the “Koihime” Fruit Sandwich, made using Kashu “Koihime” Strawberries are available on both the regular and limited Shiseido Parlour Ginza menus. Meanwhile, the luxurious Shiseido Parlour Story and the seasonal Shine Grape Fruit Sandwich, filled with various Autumnal fruits and centred around the grape, are only served on weekdays and holidays in limited quantities.

In the late Meiji Era, Shinbashi geisha were often seen wearing blue and green kimonos, with the color combination being coined Shinbashiiro (Shinbashi Color.) The elegant and retro Shinbashi Color Ice Cream Soda recreates the iconic look using green apple syrup, lemon, and ginger ale, topped with a traditional vanilla ice cream.

 Immerse yourself in the season with a feast of Fall sweets in Ginza.

Nikko-Yumoto, a hot spring hotel located near the picturesque Nikko National Park, will hold a limited-time event starting October 6. On select nights in October and November, guests are invited to sit around a bonfire and enjoy the full moon, new moon, and meteor showers while learning about astrology!

Harvested throughout the autumn months, Natsuotome strawberries grown in nearby Senjogahara are used to make a hot fruit wine to enjoy while gazing at the night sky. A warm drink will be perfect for cold nights in Oku-Nikko, located over 1,500 meters above sea level. In October, the night temperature can be as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit! For those not wanting something alcoholic, feel free to enjoy some tasty hot cocoa. 

What’s the first thing you think of when you see a bonfire? Roasting marshmallows, of course! During the event, a bag of magical powder will be tossed into the fire, turning the flames into different colors. Don’t worry–the powder itself contains no harmful substances and is safe for both humans and the environment. 

The Kyoto Brighton Hotel is offering a special morning plan that will charter temples and shrines exclusively for hotel guests between November 17 and November 30 2021.

Hougon-in

Anrakuji

Kitano Tenmagu Shrine

Koudaiji

Shisendou

Taizouin

Touji

Even throughout Japan, Kyoto has one of the highest amounts of Autumn leaf viewing spots. This unique viewing plan allows guests to enjoy the vivid autumn leaves by charter, with special permission to visit each spot before it opens to the general public. With this plan, you can experience the wonders of Kyoto in Autumn while avoiding the crowds.

The “Morning Plan” proposed by the Kyoto Brighton Hote offers guests the chance to spend a peaceful time in the fresh, dignified early morning air while avoiding the crowds. This popular plan has been running for 20 years.

Not only is the viewing private, but you will also learn more about the area with guidance from the priests and staff. 

After returning to the hotel, you will be treated to a special “Kyoto Breakfast” which uses local ingredients arranged in both Japanese and Western styles. This breakfast will taste even better following the cleansing of body and mind in the crisp early morning air.

Why not take part in this purifying “Morning Activity” and immerse yourself amongst the Autumn leaves?

Fall is in the air, which means seasonal treats are back at Starbucks! The Sweet Potato Frappuccino will be available at participating Starbucks locations beginning September 22, which also happens to be the first day of autumn. 

The 4th annual Artful Autumn @ Starbucks promotion is back for 2021! This year’s concept is ‘Made by Earth,’ and the lineup of new products features fall ingredients that highlight the bounty of the planet. 

Tall Sweet Potato Frappuccino To-Go: ¥638 / In-store: ¥650

The new drink is filled with the flavor of baked sweet potato, honey, and molasses. Each beverage is made with roasted sweet potatoes that have been cut into pieces, keeping some of their unique texture. Sweet potato flakes sprinkled on top add a bit of crunch!

If you’re in Japan, be sure to grab one before they’re gone!

The permanent museum teamLab Forest Fukuoka is bringing autumn scenery to the virtual exhibition for a limited time only beginning September 18, 2021. A number of animals made of autumn foliage will be roaming through the space, and you won’t want to miss this memorable experience!

teamLab Forest Highlights

Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives – teamLab, 2020

Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives II – teamLab, 2019

Soft Terrain and Granular Topography –  teamLab, 2020

Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life –  teamLab, 2020

The prolific works of the teamLab art collective change with the seasons. In the Forest of Movement, guests can enter the ‘Shifting Valley, Living Creatures of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives’ exhibit, where creatures made of flowers exist in a three-dimensional space. For this fall event, these flowers will be those found in the autumn months. The ‘Soft Terrain and Granular Topography’ will display tons of colorful grains raining down on visitors, while the ‘Flutter of Butterflies, Ephemeral Life’ will change the usual butterflies to have autumn colors as they fly around guests. 

teamLab Forest is a new museum created by art collective teamLab. The museum consists of two sections: the first, ‘The Catching and Collecting Forest,’ invites guests to explore with their smartphone to capture various unique creatures, while the second, ‘The Athletics Forest,’ is a physical creative space which asks visitors to use their body to immerse themselves in interactive areas. 

Would you like to visit this distinctive museum in Fukuoka on your next trip to Japan?

Singer, actor, and model Takumi Kitamura has been crowned Japan’s first-ever ambassador for the Tommy Hilfiger brand. The popular talent is now being featured in promotional content for the FALL 2021 menswear collection.

The Tommy Hilfiger brand has roots in the world of music, and this collaboration is meant to celebrate Takumi Kitamura’s leadership of the popular band DISH//, and his genuine efforts to make a meaningful contribution to his community. Recently, the musician offered his music free to students who had been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tommy Hilfiger brand began a new campaign for positive social change in spring, called the ‘Moving Forward Together’ campaign, and Kitamura embodies the spirit of the new initiative.

Tommy Hilfiger himself commented on the new ambassador. “I’m incredibly thrilled to feature Mr. Kitamura in the FALL 2021 collection. We love Japan, and we love Japanese fans. This collaboration will allow us to pay tribute to Japan’s unique culture, while also expressing Mr. Kitamura’s thoughts on community in a modern way.”

The FALL 2021 menswear collection blends classic American heritage with the great outdoors. The color palette combines amber yellows and bold orange shades with simple neutrals like olive, camel, and heather gray.

Takumi Kitamura is now featured in campaign visuals and commercials in shops around Japan and abroad, as well as on the online store. A special website has also been launched to commemorate this momentous collaboration. New visuals will continue to be released until the end of the season, so be sure to check regularly!

A Twitter campaign will also be held on the official Tommy Hilfiger Japan account, using the hashtag #TOMMYXTAKUMI. By following the account (@TommyHilfigerJP) and retweeting the relevant tweet, five lucky people will win one of the looks modeled by Mr. Kitamura.

Comment from Takumi Kitamura

“I’m Takumi Kitamura, and I’m honored to announce that I have been chosen as a brand ambassador for the historic Tommy Hilfiger brand. While shooting the visuals for the FALL 2021 collection, there were a number of combinations that surprised me! Hopefully, I can convey plenty of Tommy Hilfiger’s character through this collaboration. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”

Be sure to check out Takumi Kitamura rocking these new autumn looks!

Japanese fast-fashion retailer GU is promoting the 2021 Fall/Winter Collection with a new cast and new image. In a fun and goofy web commercial recently uploaded to YouTube, the five faces of the collection are seen rocking some of the new pieces available now.

In addition to Ayami Nakajo and Sota Fukushi, three new cast members–Noritake Kinashi, Chara, and Yutaro–are joining the 2021 Fall/Winter campaign. The commercial highlights GU’s stylish and warm knit cardigans, which are currently a huge trend for autumn.

Using these unique individuals, GU hopes to show that these new pieces can fit anyone of any age, gender, or size. Chara and Noritake Kinashi show that adults can still have fun with their fashion, while Yutaro claims that fashion isn’t just following trends, but accentuating your individuality.

In an upcoming commercial set to air on television in October, Ayumi Nakajo, Chara, and Yutaro will be shown in more trending knitwear, while a November commercial will feature all five cast members in easy-to-wear and stylish winter pants.

Which of these new pieces would you like to add to your wardrobe?

Pokemon Shirts have become massively popular since their release in 2019. A collaboration between American custom shirt brand Original Stitch and the Pokemon franchise, these customized tops now ship worldwide, and have people showing off their favorite characters in and out of the office. Now, 35 new Pokemon patterns are available, meaning that 135 total Pokemon from the Ruby & Sapphire titles are available. This brings the total amount of patterns available to 386.

New Design Preview

The creatures from Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire are being released over four installments, each with a specific theme. The theme of this fourth release is ‘Sky,’ and flying Pokemon are being added to the lineup, including Rayquaza, Latias, Latios, and Deoxys.

The key visual for the new promotion was created by Shiseido’s top hair and makeup artist Tadashi Harada, and was inspired by the dragon Pokemon Rayquaza.

Which Pokemon are looking forward to seeing on a fresh new shirt?

Japanese ladies brand FURFUR has invented its own original characters! The two will be released as plushies on September 8, with preorder sales now open at the FURFUR online store and USAGI ONLINE.

Sousskiss♡: ¥5,940 (Tax Included)

Night☆Tia: ¥5,940 (Tax Included)

Sousskiss♡ is a cute but mysterious girl with an appearance much like a white cat, while Night☆Tia is a mischievous boy who’s able to charm people with his funny smile. The official FURFUR online store and USAGI ONLINE will also feature an original set of illustrations highlighting the two’s story, including why they’re always together. Look forward to it!