Kobe is filled with famous sightseeing spots like the nostalgic Ijinkan neighborhood and port. The city is packed with fashionable shops and restaurants and is highly regarded for its selection of tasty sweets!

The port city, with over 150 years of history, has fostered a unique and diverse culinary culture.

Recently, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu began starring in a series of promotional videos for the Gastropolis Kobe project. The artist traveled to the city to partake in plenty of delicious treats, and MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON went along for the ride! Here are some of the singer’s favorite spots around town.

Kobe, known as a city where East meets West, is lined with sweets shops that are unique to the area.

The tea salon TOOTH TOOTH Dekoboko Sabo opened in 2019 in the Kobe City Museum and offers a menu that mixes Western food and sweets with tea and ingredients from traditional Japanese cuisine. Kyary ordered the Dekoboko Sabo Afternoon Tea Set, a collection of western sweets blended with the essence of traditional Japanese flavors. Guests are invited to enjoy their tea and sweets in a one-of-a-kind space filled with Meiji period flare and retro Western furniture. Those interested will need to make a reservation, so be sure to remember the next time you’re in Kobe.

TOOTH TOOTH Decoboco Sabo

Address: 24 Kyomachi, Chuo Ward, Kobe (Inside the Kobe City Museum)

Hours: 9:30-17:30 (Last Order at 16:30) 

Closed Mondays

Official Site: https://toothtooth.com/restaurant/decoboco-sabo

The next stop was Kobe Nankin-machi, one of the three major Chinatowns in Japan. Kobe MILK is known nationwide for its Apricot Pudding, which is made with local ingredients. The raw apricot pudding is mixed with milk brought from the foot of Mt. Rokko and other ingredients from Hyogo Prefecture. Of course, Kyary ordered some, and was amazed by its fluffy texture. You can only enjoy it in Kobe–also, the shop sells other puddings mixed with seasonal fruits, so don’t miss those either!

Kobe MILK

Address: Shin-Motomachi Building 1F (1 Motomachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe)

Hours: Weekdays 9:30-19:00 / Weekends 9:30-19:30

Official Site: https://kobe-milk.com

For Kyary’s final stop, the singer visited the Moore House, a cafe located in a building with over 100 years of history. Guests are surrounded by greenery, and the Western-style building is incredibly elegant. The Strawberry Mille-feuille Kyary ordered was created by an expert patissier and based on the strawberry mille-feuille recipe from the legendary French restaurant Maxim’s de Paris in Ginza. A generous amount of custard cream complements the crispy pie crust and enhances the sweetness of the fresh strawberries. We’d recommend it with a glass of champagne–if you’re of age.

Kitano Ijin-kan Moore House

Address: 2-9-3 Kitanocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe

Hours: 11:00-17:00

Closed Tuesdays

Official Site: https://www.kitanomoore.com/cafe/

The streets of Kobe are packed with sweets that you can only enjoy if you visit. Why not come experience these incredible spots like Kyary did?

Kobe Sweets Trailer: https://youtu.be/Sx9B1ZdAvlI

A collection of must-have goods featuring Chiikawa and Sanrio characters has been announced! The items will be available at the Sanrio Online Store on November 24  and Sanrio shops nationwide, including department stores, starting November 25. The popular character Chiikawa, created by illustrator nagano, has been invited into the world of Sanrio, and the results are perfectly adorable. The merch lineup includes 21 items from plush toys to acrylic keychains. Purchase bonuses will also be given to those snagging any of the items on offer.

Goods at a Glance

This marks the second collaboration between Sanrio characters and Chiikawa. Fans will want to grab these limited-edition goods, including fluffy plush toys, a mascot-style brooch set, pouches, tote bags, clear folders, and handy cases perfect for storing small items. These items feature completely original designs. Which one is your favorite?

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the globally popular Naruto anime series, NARUTO THE GALLERY will be held at AKIBA_SQUARE inside Akihabara UDX from December 10, 2022 until January 31, 2023. The gallery will feature collaborations with five animators. 

This will be the first Naruto exhibition held since 2015. The event will focus on the growth of the characters, the bonds they share with their friends, and the many fights that have taken place over the past two decades. 

Iconic scenes from the Naruto anime series will be on display in collaboration with five up-and-coming animators: Ai Niina, Kohei Kadowaki, que, Kosuke Sugimoto, and Kohta Morie. This will give fans the chance to see an unprecedented and unique view of the world of Naruto which can only be seen at the event. 

Admission Bonus: Gemaki-style Card

Goods

An original Gemaki-style Card featuring a newly-drawn visual will be handed out to those visiting the exhibition. 

The first lineup of exclusive event-only merchandise has been revealed and longtime fans of the series won’t want to miss adding some of these goods to their collection. 

Participating Artists / Episode

Ai Niina / Sasuke’s Ninja Way

Kohei Kadowaki / Naruto’s Path

que / The Land of Waves

Kosuke Sugimoto / Sasuke’s Vessel

Kohta Morie / Naruto and Kurama

©NARUTO THE GALLERY実行委員会

Crayon Shin-chan’s 30th Anniversary Exhibition will be held at Ikebukuro Sunshine City starting December 17, 2022. Humorously titled The Adventure in Ass Wonderland, the interactive exhibition will pay homage to the past three decades of the beloved anime series. In conjunction with the event, a key visual drawn especially for this exhibition has also been unveiled.

This special exhibition looking back on the 30th anniversary of the anime series and films will feature many hands-on Crayon Shin-chan projects based on the theme of Shinnosuke’s butt. More details will be announced soon, so stay tuned.

Advance tickets for the exhibition will be on sale starting November 17, 2022. The exhibition is also scheduled to travel to other venues in Japan beginning in 2023. See the official website for more information. 

©臼井儀人／双葉社・シンエイ・テレビ朝日・ADK

A new collaboration store is now open in Akihabara, bringing together the popular YouTuber Sana Natori and everyone’s favorite Sanrio characters. The shop will be open until October 19, and this second collaboration features Halloween-inspired goods.

This time around, seven new goods are available, with 21 designs available in total. The illustrations were drawn exclusively for the collaboration.

Goods at a Glance

Pin (3 varieties)

Acrylic Keychain (3 varieties)

Acrylic Card (7 varieties)

Acrylic Figure Plate (3 varieties)

Sana Natori x Kuromi

Sana Natori x Pompompurin

Sana Natori x Lloromannic

Sticker (Set of 3)

Clear Case

Long Sleeve T-shirt

Purchase Bonus – Postcard (2 varieties)

Sana Natori is a VTuber who has become popular with audiences of all ages. Her aim is to live a proper life online, and she’s known largely for her livestreams, gaming, and music.

Following the well-recieved first collaboration, these spooky designs are sure to be a hit this holiday season. Which goods are you after?

(C) Sana Natori (C) 2022 SANRIO CO.,LTD. APPROVAL NO. L634678

ANNA’S by Landtmann, a cafe located inside +Q Beauty on the 6th floor of Shibuya Scramble Square, has begun selling two Halloween cakes! These spooky sweets will be available until October 31, 2022.

Halloween Mont Blanc

Halloween Poison Apple

Guests will be able to snag the Halloween Mont Blanc and Halloween Poison Apple cakes, available for ¥580 each including tax. The Mont Blanc is filled with pumpkin custard and Chantilly cream. The Poison Apple is a sweet and sour cake featuring a blend of chocolate mousse covered in red glaze and applesauce with apple pulp.

Which of these two adorable cakes would you like to enjoy this autumn?

Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo will hold a special Christmas-themed Sylvanian Families buffet starting November 1, 2022. This is the second Sylvanian Families event following the previous Halloween-themed buffet, which became extremely popular. Some guests even bring their own Sylvanian Families dolls!

Starting in November, visitors can enjoy a full lineup of 20 scrumptious dishes inspired by the cake shop found in Sylvania Village. Some sweets are also inspired by the many beloved characters found in the series, and anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit won’t want to miss this exclusive event. For those without a sweet tooth, some light lunches will also be available.

The restaurant will also erect a decorative display of Sylvanian Families enjoying a Christmas party and a sweet diorama made exclusively of desserts by the pasty chef. Guests can enjoy tea time while getting lost in this magical world, so get excited about the Christmas season!

1. Sweets Inspired by the World of Sylvanian Families

2. Become Enthralled by a Wonderful Winter World of Sweets

3. Exclusive! Sweets Diorama and Sylvanian Families Photo Spot

4. Light Meals Perfect for Winter and Burgers Featuring Original Illustrations

5. A Special Plan to Enjoy the Buffet with Sylvanian Families Babies

From October 21 until November 30, 2022, Hilton Tokyo Odaiba will hold the Touken Ranbu ONLINE Special Buffet ~Black & White~ event! This second collaboration with the popular series will be held Grillogy Bar and Grill on the second floor.

Dessert Menu

Drink Menu

Drink Order Bonus: Original Coaster (8 varieties)

At the buffet, guests can enjoy luxurious dishes inspired by characters from the sword-centered game and anime series. The desserts blend Japanese and Western cuisine, and special cocktails will be available during the first phase, each coming with a special coaster as a bonus! In addition, original goods will be on sale at the venue, so don’t miss it!

From October 1 until October 31, Yokohama Royal Park Hotel will hold a special Halloween Fair at its delicatessen and lounge Coffret. In addition to six playful sweets from the Halloween Frankenstein to the Halloween Mummy, two types of autumn bread featuring pumpkin and purple sweet potato will be available, allowing guests to enjoy the taste of the season!

Halloween Frankenstein

Halloween Cat

Halloween Mont Blanc

Halloween Mummy

Halloween Pudding

Halloween Pound Cake

Pumpkin Cream Fondue / Halloween Anpan

Come enjoy this Halloween with some cute and silly sweets!

The official Chiikawa store, Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station, will open on September 16, 2022 on Tokyo Character Street beneath Tokyo Station!

Chiikawa is a popular character created by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. In December 2020, the character’s official online store, Chiikawa Market, was opened, and the many comics featuring the character posted on Twitter were compiled into a book. Now with a massive fanbase, Nagano’s follower count on social media has reached 1.3 million, and a number of collaboration cafes and exhibitions featuring his characters have popped up around Japan. Chiikawa even has his own anime series broadcast on Mezamashi TV!

Purchase Bonus

One Hologram Sticker included with each purchase.

Manmaru Bottled Water with each purchase of ¥3,300 (Tax Included) or more

Small Plushie Friends (6 varieties) with each purchase of ¥8,800 (Tax Included) or more

Not for Sale / Limited Quantities Available

Chiikawa Land Shopping Bag (4 varieties)

Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station Exclusive Items

Layered Acrylic Stand / Smartphone Ring

Square Magnet

Clear Folder

Washi Paper Sticker in Smartphone Size

Printed Card

Large Face Towel / Bath Towel

Towel (Set of 3)

Large Tote Bag

Cookie Set in Cube Box

Salt (Set of 5)

Japanese Paper-style Pin in Capsule (12 varieties)

Commemorative Opening Stamp

The Harajuku and Umeda, Osaka Chiikawa Land stores, which opened last August, have seen massive success. In June 2022, the Fukuoka PARCO store opened, followed by the Kyoto Shijo Kawaramachi store in July. In August, the limited-time Magical Chiikawa store opened on Tokyo Character Street, and due to its massive popularity, it will now be permanent.

The Chiikawa Land Tokyo Station store features special commemorative products using newly-drawn illustrations, including exclusive purchase bonuses and exclusive shopping bags.

©nagano / chiikawa committee

Gee! Store, a popular series of shops specializing in anime character goods, has announced a collaboration with the series Luminous Witches! From September 9 until September 19, Cure Maid Cafe in Akihabara will be serving up tasty treats inspired by characters from the series. 

Collaboration Menu

Exclusive Collaboration Character Cards (9 varieties)

Preorder Goods

The cafe will offer a number of snacks and drinks, including Eggplant Cheese Pasta, Aira & Eleonore’s Curry, and Moffy’s Parfait. A special drink will be available to order by posting with a special hashtag on social media, so be sure to check back for more information!

©2021 島田フミカネ・KADOKAWA／連盟空軍航空魔法音楽隊
©TABLIER MARKETING INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Tsujiri, a staple of Uji, Kyoto, has announced an exclusive autumn menu! Guests can enjoy the Tsujiri Soft Autumn Parfait, the Kyo Latte Smoothie with Purple Sweet Potato, and the Kyo Latte with Hojicha at the Kyoto location and three other stores starting September 1, 2022.

Tsujiri Limited Time Autumn Menu

These three limited-time items are filled with fall flavors. The Tsujiri Soft Autumn Parfait is filled with Uji green tea carefully selected by tea masters and topped with purple sweet potato paste, sweet potato nectar, and other gorgeous goodies.

The Kyo Latte Smoothie with Purple Sweet Potato features an autumn-only flavor combining purple sweet potato bean paste, cream, and sweet potato nectar with Tsujiri’s matcha green tea smoothie. The Hojicha version is made with luxurious Uji Hojicha and milk for a soothing experience.

Enjoy autumn with these tasty treats filled with seasonal flavors!