From December 1 until December 25, guests at Hyatt Centric Ginza will be able to see the first-ever Christmas tree designed by the social advocacy group HERALBONY. The Light-Hearted ART TREE will welcome guests to the 4F library and lounge area, and the tree lighting ceremony will be streamed on Instagram live.

It’s no surprise that the hotel is collaborating with HERALBONY again–from May to November of this year, the HERALBONY ART ROOM was open for guests to enjoy. This is the first time that the unit is designing a Christmas tree, and the piece is inspired by one of their most iconic pieces of art–Yukihito Okabe’s Hoo! Hey! Visitors of all ages can enjoy this beautiful piece, filled with color and sure to bring joy.

Along with the tree, the showcase and lounge will also be decorated in a number of HERALBONY pieces. Come enjoy the Christmas season in this one-of-a-kind space!

Maholova Minds Miura, a hot spring resort on the Miura Peninsula in Kanagawa Prefecture, celebrated its 30th anniversary in June 2022. Royal Salon Yamato, a popular spot for coffee and parties since its opening, was transformed into the Rita Cafe this summer.

On September 23, Rita Cafe will begin selling its own original cream soda!

Rilakkuma’s Miura Ocean Cream Soda / Korilakkuma’s Watermelon Cream Soda

Rilakkuma Room (Bedroom/Living Room)

To celebrate the special Rilakkuma room and Korilakkuma room, guests can enjoy two new drinks: Rilakkuma’s Miura Ocean Cream Soda and Korilakkuma’s Watermelon Cream Soda. The rooms aren’t too easy to book, but even if you can’t, at least you can see plenty of adorable pictures on social media!

Matsuzaki Shoten will hold a special collaboration event between Ginza’s Matsuzaki Senbei and Cat’s ISSUE starting on August 6, 2022. The Cat’s Festival 2022 will be an incredible event for cat lovers, and guests will be able to grab some special hand towels and bowls produced exclusively for the festival. In addition, there will be an exhibition of works by Ayako Ishiguro, a picture book artist associated with Cat’s ISSUE.

Ginza’s Matsuzaki Senbei x Cat’s ISSUE

This Japanese-style hand towel features illustrations of unique cats based on the concept color of Matsuzaki Shoten, the main Matsuzaki Senbei shop in Ginza.

Ginza’s Matsuzaki Senbei x Cat’s ISSUE

Matsuzaki Senbei’s flagship product has been decorated with cat illustrations, each painted by hand. During the event, customers can choose four of their favorite pieces from a total of nine different patterns and pack them in a box wrapped with beautiful paper with a special design.  Guests can also purchase these goods separately. 

Collaboration with Ayako Ishiguro, a Picture Book Artist Specializing in Monster Art

This comical cat scroll created by Ayako Ishiguro will be on display during the exhibition. Hand towels made in collaboration with Ishiguro will also be on sale. These have previously been sold to huge fanfare.

If you love cats and classic Japanese art, this is the event for you!

On July 18, the upscale teppanyaki and yakiniku restaurant Honten Yamashina opened a new location in Ginza! The hybrid restaurant has taken over the entire top floor of GINZA PLACE, which is directly connected to Ginza Station. Overlooking the Ginza 4-chome intersection, it’s a gorgeous place to enjoy some authentic Japanese cuisine. 

Honten Yamashina mainly uses fully-matured Omi beef, the highest grade available among Shiga Prefecture’s top-tier beef, from Okazaki Farm. The cows are allowed to fatten for a considerable amount of time and live stress-free lives for over 40 months. Less than 1% of all Wagyu cattle are shipped after 24 months of age, and this delectable meat is characterized by its sharp taste and fattiness. 

Luxurious Wagyu and Sea Urchin Sushi

Early Summer Plate to Enjoy with Seasonal Flowers

Selected Extra-thick Beef Tongue Steak Made with Refined Attention to Detail

Grilled Spiny Lobster Made on a Charcoal Grill

The Playful Yamashina Wagyu Slider

Melt-in-your-mouth Sweet Amala Tomato (Vegetable of the Day)

Hand-selected Omi Beef Steak

Truffle Omurice

Japanese-style Teppanyaki

Guests can enjoy authentic Japanese teppanyaki cuisine with a modern twist. While sitting at the contour, visitors will enjoy a live performance by Taku Osada, a teppanyaki chef with over 20 years of experience.  

The wide variety of meat can be enjoyed in a number of different ways, whether it be raw, grilled, stewed, or properly cooked. From tongue and rump to filet and sirloin, you won’t leave hungry. Visitors can also enjoy seafood and seasonal Japanese vegetables along with their meat, and the flowers and leaves that adorn each plate will change depending on the time of year.

In addition to rare teppanyaki dishes like skirt steak and 3cm-thick beef tongue, Honten Yamashina also offers some playful dishes such as sliders. As the temperature differs on different parts of the steel cooking plate, each item can be cooked to a temperature that maximizes its specific flavor. Honten Yamashina also has a massive cellar housin over 1,000 bottles of wine and hard-to-find spirits. 

Japanese-style Yakiniku

For those looking for a more private experience, guests can enjoy yakiniku in a completely separate room. Each private room has a grill that will cook meat to the perfect temperature, and only at Honten Yamashina can you enjoy fully-matured Omi beef. The signature cutlet sandwich is made with chateaubriand cooked at a low temperature and deep-fried in a thin batter, then served on crispy bread with a soft, fluffy interior.

Teppanyaki and yakiniku are typically thought of as meat-based dishes, but the restaurant can accommodate vegetarian guests if contacted in advance. 

When Japan opens up to tourism, will you be visiting this incredible restaurant in the heart of Tokyo?

Netflix will begin streaming the stop-motion series Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure on August 25, 2022. 

The series is a continuation of the 2019 series Rilakkuma and Kaoru, which became incredibly popular around the world. The heartwarming story of the cuddly, lazy bear, the office worker Kaoru, and friends Korilakkuma and Kiiroitori, struck a chord with audiences. The new series will depict a day in the lives of Kaoru and Rilakkuma as they go have fun at an amusement park. Not everything will go according to plan, and the characters get caught up in a number of hilarious hijinks. 

The trailer and key visual for the series have been revealed, highlighting Rilakkuma, who is always completely relaxed no matter what kind of trouble he’s in. The theme song for the series will be Inside Your Pocket by Quruli. Additional cast members include Takayuki Hamada as Hayate and Reina Ueda as a mysterious new character.

The trailer shows the craziness that will be happening during the series, including an epic car chase. Both adults and children are sure to fall in love with this series.

Trailer

Rilakkuma has the power to make anyone feel warm and fuzzy, so be sure to tune in. It will do your soul some good.

The second exhibition for the popular manga, novel, and anime series That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime will open at Matsuya Ginza on July 21. With over 30 million copies in print, the series has become massively popular both in Japan and abroad, and an anime film is scheduled to release this November. 

The exhibition will be open until August 9, 2022, and is then scheduled to begin a regional tour.

Certain scenes from the highly-anticipated upcoming film will be shown exclusively at the exhibition. Those who are having trouble waiting until November won’t want to miss this rare chance!

During the previous exhibition, guests were able to enter a lottery to win a signboard autographed by Miho Okasaki, the voice of Rimuru. Due to the large number of entries, prizes for the second lottery are even more incredible!

The following autographs, which were previously displayed during the last exhibition, will be given away to some lucky fans. More details are available on the official Twitter page!

Signboard autographed by That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime author Fuse / Signboard autographed by Tenchura! That Time I Reincarnated as a Slime author Fuse / Signboard autographed by That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest artist Tae Tono / Signboard autographed by That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Ways of the Monster Nation author Sho Okagiri / Signboard autographed by That Time I Got Reincarnated (Again!) as a Workaholic Slime illustrator Shizuku Akechi / Signboard autographed by The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime artist Shiba

*Prizes are awarded at random. 

In an effort to clean up areas around Japan, everyone’s favorite lazy bear is teaming up with the Social Sports Initiative’s SpoGOMI! Rilakkuma is currently on his own nationwide tour, traveling from the northernmost to the southernmost points in Japan over 18 months. Guests visiting each event will be able to find unique prefecture-based environmentally-friendly merchandise. 

SpoGOMI is an entirely new sport started in Japan, combining a traditional sport with trash pickup! It’s always more fun to turn a chore into a game, and participants compete to see who can pick up the most garbage. 

Merchandise at a Glance

Mug

Pin

Fan

Round Coin Purse

Merchandise (Exclusive to the Hokkaido Area)

T-Shirt

Canvas Tote Bag (S)

Hand Towel (M/L)

Along with the standard rules, a new version of the game inspired by Rilakkuma will be introduced, perfect for both children and adults to enjoy.

After helping to clean up, why not enjoy some delicious local food and sightseeing? Join Rilakkuma in his efforts to clean up Japan and connect local communities. 

©2022 SAN-X CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The SPYxFAMILY pop-up shop, first held inside Tokyo Station’s Character Street in April, will be coming to Matsuya Ginza from June 29 until July 12, 2022. 

Limited edition merchandise will be making a return, each featuring exclusive illustrations that saw huge popularity at the Tokyo Station event. Guests will also be able to purchase eight new items!

The lineup includes a rubber coin case (3 varieties, random), a clear multi-use pouch (3 varieties, random), an acrylic keychain featuring Anya, a Peanuts T-shirt with a new Anya illustration, and a mug. Each item is accented with Anya’s pink hair, adding to the cute factor.

Bonus Sticker

Bonus Cooling Towel

Goods

Customers spending ¥3,300 or more at the pop-up shop will receive a bonus sticker. Those spending ¥5,500 can choose between a mug or a cooling towel!

©遠藤達哉／集英社・SPY×FAMILY製作委員会  

Everyone’s favorite lazy bear Rilakkuma is bringing fans a new merchandise collection! These items show the character and friends in an amusement park filled with sweets, and these goods will be on sale at retail stores nationwide and online in early July.

Everyone would love to visit an amusement park filled with desserts, and these items are sure to add some retro pop flare to your daily life.

Product Lineup at a Glance

Memo Pad: ¥385 (Tax Included)

Memo Pad with Clipboard: ¥660 (Tax Included)

These cute memo pads are available in four designs, and fans can also grab a special set including a colorful clipboard.

Camera Shoulder Strap: ¥2,750 (Tax Included)

Give your camera some extra pizazz with this cute camera strap! Each comes with a decorated synthetic leather pad made to reduce neck and shoulder strain.

Ferris Wheel Cushion: ¥3,850 (Tax Included)

This cushion also includes pockets for small stuffed animals!

These new items were made in conjunction with the Netflix series Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure, scheduled to stream on Netflix worldwide starting August 25, 2022.

©2022 SAN-X CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Everyone’s favorite lazy bear Rilakkuma is turning 20, and to commemorate the big event, Sanrio is holding a special tour that is traveling around Japan. From September 8 until October 31, events will pop up in four prefectures in the Tohoku region–Aomori, Akita, Miyagi, and Iwate. Starting in July, the event will be visiting Hokkaido.

Tohoku Area Exclusive Art♪

The tour will travel from the northernmost to the southernmost points in Japan over 18 months, and guests visiting each event will be able to find unique prefecture-based environmentally-friendly merchandise. Fans will also be able to participate in SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) such as beach cleanups and support for local food banks and social programs.

Come take part in this celebration while also giving back to local areas around Japan!

©2022 SAN-X CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Steiff Japan/MS1880, a top-quality plush toy brand founded in Germany in 1880 and known to the world as the first to market teddy bears, has announced its fourth collaboration with fragment design, a project led by world-renowned creator Hiroshi Fujiwara. Only 1,000 special-edition teddy bears will be available to purchase when sales begin on June 25.

Hiroshi Fujiwara’s fragment design project has teamed up with a number of brands in the past, including Nike, Converse, and Levi’s. In past collaborations with Steiff, fans have been able to grab special keychains, a teddy bear rug, and more. 

My First Fragment: ¥9,900 (Tax Included)

The ‘My First Fragment’ plushie is 26cm tall and is a striking shade of black, symbolic of the fragment design project. The brand’s thunderbolt appears on the bear’s chest and ‘My First FRGMT’ is embroidered on one of its feet. Part of the Cuddly Friends series, this teddy bear is soft to the touch and begging for a hug, making it perfect for babies and small children. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having it on your desk at work as well!

Preorders will be open for those purchasing a bear from Isetan Shinjuku and Hankyu Umeda starting June 22.

Don’t miss out on this unique collaboration! After all, who could have expected a 120-year-old teddy bear company to release an item with so much Japanese streetwear flare?

Everyone’s favorite lazy bear Rilakkuma is turning 20! To commemorate this big event, Sanrio is holding a special tour that will travel around Japan. From July 13 until August 31, events will pop up in three cities in Hokkaido–Sapporo, Obihiro, and Hakodate.

Merchandise

Rilakkuma & Todok Collaboration Cotton Gloves

The environmentally-friendly event will offer locally designed products made from recycled materials. A special Hokkaido Ocean Cleanup will also be held with a group in Sapporo, and those participating in the event will receive a limited edition pair of cotton gloves.

Prior to the start of the event, the official Twitter account of the Rilakkuma tour (@rk_ensembletour) is running a limited-time campaign until May 29. 10 lucky people will win a magnet sticker not available for sale! To enter, just follow the account and retweet the tagged Tweet.