There are plenty of events going on in Tokyo to celebrate the holiday season, but this one might be the most peculiar. Elemis, a skincare brand from England, has teamed up with bus operator Upstar for Japan’s first bus tour featuring afternoon tea! This extremely limited event will drive guests around the city to see some of the most impressive Christmas lights in Shibuya, Roppongi, Omotesando, and other spots. Only 60 seats are available each day and the bus will run from December 1 until December 25, 2022.

5 Unique Features of the Elemis Special Christmas Afternoon Tea Bus Tour

① Enjoy a Special Christmas Afternoon Tea Menu by Elemis

A special Christmas menu will be available on board, including a Santa Claus shortcake and a party popper-inspired sandwich. 

② Travel on a Bus Filled with Elemis Christmas Decorations

Inside the bus, guests can enjoy fir trees and original decorations inspired by the Elemis holiday collection!

③ Best-Selling Elemis Goods will be Gifted to Guests!

Guests will receive a trial size of Elemis’ best-selling Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm as a Christmas present!

④ A Special Gift Campaign will run from November 15 until December 25

Prior to the start of the bus tour, a campaign will be held on Instagram and Twitter. Winners will snag tickets for the bus tour and an Elemis makeup set worth over $12,000!

⑤ Travel on a Special Route to Enjoy Tokyo’s Christmas Lights!

The bus tour will take visitors to some of Tokyo’s best Christmas locales, from Shibuya and Omotesando to Keyakizaka and Roppongi. The 90-minute journey starts and ends in Omotesando.

How would you like to enjoy Tokyo’s Christmas lights on a British bus enjoying some of the best beauty products on Earth? Get into the holiday spirit with this unusual and unique tour!

The historic Nagoya Castle will hold a special nighttime viewing event for 14 days only, from November 25 until December 8, 2022. During this period, Honmaru Palace will be open to the public at night, and the Chrysanthemum Corridor inside will be open to visitors for the first time. 

The Ninomaru Garden will also be illuminated and will transport guests to a different place and time by showing a space only possible during dark hours.

Inspired by the relationship between light and shadow, this event focuses on changes that occur over time and the creation and emergence of new ideas and things.

Honmaru Palace, Typically Closed to the Public, to be Open at Night

Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace was completed in 1615 and served as the primary residence of the Lord of the Owari Domain and as the Domain’s government office. The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated with paintings and other art pieces and was praised as a masterpiece. Sadly, it was destroyed by an air raid in 1945. Restoration work began in 2009 and was completed in 2018 with unparalleled accuracy. The Honmaru Palace gives off a completely different aura at night. 

First Public Viewing of the Jodan-no-ma in the Joraku-den

The Joraku-den was added to Nagoya Castle to accommodate the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on his way to Kyoto. It is the most luxurious of all the Honmaru Palace buildings, and this event marks the first time that the Chrysanthemum Corridor on the north side will be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to admire the golden-blue paintings as they stroll through the historic site.

See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room

During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.

[Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing] 

~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord’s Garden through a Spacial Presentation~

Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.

Hoshinoya Tokyo, a Japanese-style inn in Otemachi, Tokyo, will offer a strawberry-filled afternoon tea set from January 7 until May 31, 2023.

Fragrant Strawberry Afternoon Tea

The Fragrant Strawberry Afternoon Tea is a modern-day expression of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. A major part of Edo culture, guests can enjoy small dishes, sweets, and more. All 10 dishes are made with seasonal strawberries and fermented foods. Visitors can enjoy a plethora of unique textures and flavors, from a French cake with four layers of strawberry sauce to a strawberry confiture in dough kneaded with amazake.

Enjoy Unique Pairings

Dim sum, sweets, and dried goods will each be served with a proper pairing. The oshizushi is paired with a sparkling sake that perfectly matches the seasonal ingredients, and accompanying the main sweets is original coffee brewed in a French press. This coffee was developed exclusively for the afternoon tea set by the specialty coffee shop Sarutahiko Coffee. 

Original Box

Since ancient times, the fuchidaka has been used as a sweets dish to accompany stronger tea. This afternoon tea will be served in an eye-catching original decorated stacked box decorated with jewel beetles. Come enjoy this elegant treat with a loved one to celebrate the new year!

Creative company NAKED is currently holding the NAKED FLOWER TOWER AUTUMN event at the Chubu Electric Power Company MIRAI TOWER Sky Deck in Nagoya until December 2, 2022. 

The historic MIRAI TOWER, formerly the Nagoya TV Tower, opened in 1954. On October 12, 2022, the tower was registered as a tangible cultural property, and many companies have collaborated with the structure over the years. Now, NAKED’s digital art is creating a new night experience for visitors and residents of Nagoya!

The NAKED FLOWER TOWER event which began this summer invited guests to enjoy Nagoya’s evening views with all five senses. The tower’s Sky Deck was decorated with fresh flowers, given that Aichi Prefecture is the nation’s largest flower producer. It was also brought to life with a special projection mapping performance, and guests could enjoy original drinks as they gazed out at the illuminated city.

This event has now been reimagined for autumn, with fall flowers and grasses brightening the space. During the projection mapping show, a massive full moon is projected on the glass. You won’t want to miss it!

The #KuromifyTheWorld campaign is already one year old! Created to share the adorable Sanrio character Kuromi with the world, fans will be invited to celebrate this milestone from October 20 until October 31 with special events in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. 

Kuromi’s Drink Stand will be open for a limited time in Tokyo and Osaka. Customers will be invited to choose the color of their drink according to their mood, and will also be able to customize it with tags, acrylic stands, and stickers! An original photo spot will also be set up beside each drink stand, and those wanting to attend can enter the lottery to win tickets now. 

Sanrio’s first and largest Kuromi ad truck will also be driving through the streets of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka during the event week. 

Kuromi will also be teaming up with (G)I-DLE, a popular five-member global idol group from South Korea. Campaigns are planned to appear in Hangzhou, Suzhou, Taiwan, Korea, North America, and Europe.

Kuromi ranked in the top three in this year’s Sanrio Character Awards, and her popularity is steadily growing with Gen-Z. Keep an eye out for more Kuromi-inspired events in the future!

BTS fans will want to head to Nagoya! The TinyTAN Licensed Product Special Exhibition is now open at Nagoya Kintetsu Pass’e until October 2, 2022. Tons of new products inspired by Butter are available at an on-site pop-up shop!

The exhibition opened on September 17, and fans of the BTS song Butter are flocking to the event to snag some adorable new merch. In addition to new interior goods being unveiled for the first time, popular products have been released with entirely new designs. 

Many other world premiere products will also be available, including the 4 Season Blanket decorated with TinyTAN characters and inspired by spring, summer, fall, and winter. This will be available in limited quantities, so don’t miss out!

During the month of October, Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo will be offering a special Autumn Afternoon Tea. Inspired by Halloween–and particularly black cats–Lounge Momiji on the first floor will invite guests to devour some tasty treats. 

This year’s Halloween theme is ‘black cats,’ which are said to be the messengers of witches. Guests will be able to enjoy Halloween-specific sweets and afternoon tea to fully enjoy the flavors of autumn.

In addition to sweet and sour macaroons filled with blackcurrant with a black cat motif, visitors can enjoy a bat-themed purple sweet potato Mont Blanc and cream puffs made with pumpkin. The black cat cookies are also perfect for posting to Instagram, so come enjoy lots of sweet and savory goods made with autumn fruits and vegetables such as grapes, persimmons, and figs.

Come enjoy afternoon tea and get into the Halloween spirit this October!

Art Grace Wedding Hills, a wedding venue in Kyoto, will be offering a ghostly Halloween Afternoon Tea experience in September and October!

Mischievous Ghost Halloween Parfait *Sample Image

Sweets *Sample Image

Savory Dishes *Sample Image

Adorable ghosts and Halloween-inspired sweets made with autumn flavors such as pears, apples, chestnuts, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes will be on the menu. The Mischievous Ghost Halloween Parfait has a refreshing finish with blackcurrant mousse and blood orange jelly. The marshmallows, made to look like ghosts wearing witch hats, are perfect for posting on social media.

How would you like to spend a sweet time in Kyoto this Halloween season?

From September 1 until October 31, the District Brasserie, Bar, and Lounge at the Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo will be offering a spooky Halloween-themed afternoon tea set. The tasty treats won’t be the only scary thing on the plate–the event will incorporate AR technology! By holding up your phone, you’ll be able to see monsters moving around on your plate.

The goodies will also be available for take-out, making them perfect for souvenirs or at-home Halloween parties! Nine types of Halloween sweets, six small dishes, and two tea sachets will be included. Why not spend Halloween in a more elegant way in 2022?

Matsuzakaya Nagoya will hold an exhibition for the popular manga series Chihayafuru from August 10 until August 29. The manga concluded on August 1 after 15 years of serialization and tells the story of Chihaya, a girl aiming to become the greatest competitive karuta player in Japan. Karuta is a Japanese card game, requiring players to memorize a collection of 100 classical poems in order to play. Generations of readers have been sucked in by the inspiring and romantic tale, and the series has grown to include an anime adaptation and a live-action film. The story has now reached its inevitable climax, and fans are saying farewell to Chihaya, Taichi, and Arata. 

Works on Display

Original Exhibition Goods

Daddy Bear Plush / Snow-maru Plush

Maki-e Nail Clippers by Hashimoto Lacquerware

Goshuin-cho (Shrine and Temple Stamp Book) Set

The exhibition will feature over 500 original drawings and will offer a look back at the series as a whole. Guests will also be able to see new drawings made exclusively for the event. In addition to valuable setting materials and research notes, the exhibition will also go behind the scenes, and a video of the elaborate production process and the creator Yuki Suetsugu’s thoughts on the work will be shown. If you’re a fan, you shouldn’t miss it!

©末次由紀／講談社

From August 3 until August 30, VTuber group NIJISANJI EN fans won’t want to miss two unique collaboration cafes coming to Ikebukuro and Nagoya! The cafes are being held at Animate Cafe and a number of themed dishes and goods will be available for purchase.

Menu

Pomu, Selen, and Reimu’s Favorite Things Plate

Ike, Shu, and Luca’s Favorite Things Plate

Pomu, Selen, and Reimu’s Favorite Sweets Set

HOW CAN I WORK PLEASE! Cake Set by seisoxiem

Big Powerful Pomu Energy Drink

Mango Cider That Won’t Make You Blackout

Miso Soup & Toast

fika time

Super Popular Taiyaki Drink

C&C (Cookies & Cream) Frozen Drink with Cheddar Cheese Flavored Thing

Goods

At the collaboration cafe, limited-edition goods featuring entirely new illustrations of the members will be on sale. Pomu Rainpuff, Selen Tatsuki, Reimu Endou, Ike Eveland, Shu Yamino, and Luca Kaneshiro are waiting for you!

©ANYCOLOR, Inc.

Matsuzakaya Nagoya will hold a special collaboration pop-up between the popular manga Chainsaw Man and the fine jewelry brand Tasaki from July 27 to August 2, 2022. Fans of the series won’t want to miss seeing these exquisite pieces in person! The event is also celebrating the launch of ‘danger,’ one of Tasaki’s new iconic items. 

At the venue, guests can peruse a selection of Tasaki’s fine jewelry, including the new ‘danger’ collection which was inspired by the beauty of insectivorous plants. This is a perfect mix with Chainsaw Man, which has captivated audiences around the world with its unique plot, savage content, and one-of-a-kind characters. Fans won’t want to miss out on these manga-inspired pieces perfect for everyday wear. A special visual for the pop-up was drawn by the original author of the series Tatsuki Fujimoto. 

Also on display at the venue will be a special Pochita figure, whose chainsaw will be lavishly set with pearls.

Chainsaw Pendant & Ear Cuff (One Ear)

Chainsaw Man Pendant

Pochita Pendant

Pochita Pendant

Power Necklace

These collaboration jewelry pieces inspired by characters and motifs from Chainsaw Man will be available in limited quantities at the venue, so don’t miss it!

©TASAKI