Last autumn, Universal Studios Japan released a video showcasing youngsters in enjoying their youth in the park, and it blew up on Japanese social media. The park released a new version of the video online on January, and it will hit television in the Kansai area on February 1.

The video’s theme is “Youth is a moment; youth is infinite.” We see five NMB48 membersーCocona Umeyama, Rei Jōnishi, Suzu Yamada, Ayaka Yamamoto, and Haasa Minamiーenjoying themselves in their private time at USJ. They play the part of five friends about to graduate from high school, and like them, the lighthearted nature of the video makes you want to make some memories at the park with your friends too.

The video is saying to all young people that they hope they can make special memories at USJ, deepen their bonds with their friends, and continue their friendships after graduating.

We get to see the five NMB48 members enjoying the park to the fullest, wearing park merchandise like their cute headbands and pouches, riding the attractions with smiles on the face, snapping photos, and eating food. The song that plays during the video is LILLY by Osaka-born three-piece rock band Hump Back.

USJ is set to hold numerous campaigns for students entering the park, beginning in February, including student discounts.

This year’s Universal Cool Japan finally opened at Universal Studios Japan on Tuesday, where it is set to run until June 28, bringing together the ‘cool’ aspects of Japan enjoyed by the rest of the world. Four internationally beloved franchises take the spotlight for 2020: Attack on Titan, Monster Hunter World, Detective Conan, and Lupin III.

A host of lucky guests were able to experience the attractions before anyone else. Today, we hear their review and comments of the all-new rides, attractions, live shows and restaurants centred around the four big contenders which serve to fully immerse fans in their incredible worlds.

Attack on Titan’s first XR ride

The Attack on Titan manga series has celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. For this year’s Universal Cool Japan, the internationally-acclaimed series welcomes its first ever XR ride, as well as its own “Survey Corps Diner.”

Guests wear VR goggles that transport them into a 360° rendering of the world of Attack on Titan, with life-size Titans appearing before their very eyes. Guests ride a roller coaster and fly alongside the Survey Corps. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to soar up high with ODM maneuver gear, now’s your chance. The Attack on Titan XR Ride offers a thrill like no otherーone so tense you’ll be left wondering whether you will survive.

■Guest Comment

“It was so much fun! The visuals are breathtaking and connect superbly to the ride’s movements. I was completely immersed in the visuals; it really felt like I was riding a wagon. Eren and the Survey Corps members were so cool, and even the horses looked realistic. It was amazing!” (Woman, 20/Osaka Prefecture) *Translated from Japanese

The themed restaurant, “Attack on Titan Survey Corps Diner,” is so realistic to a quality you wouldn’t believe, with the Survey Corps members’ weapons and personal belongings left casually around the place. Guests can feel immersed as they listen to the conversations between the characters will chowing down on their meal, take a photo with life-sized versions of Levi and Hange, and more.

Detective Conan World’s two new attractions with Shuichi Akai have fans screaming

At Detective Conan World, fans can expect to see the appearance of the hugely popular character Shuichi Akai who is set to star in the upcoming animated film Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet (releasing April 17, 2020). Four rides and attractions can be enjoyed at Detective Conan World, including the manga series’ first-ever story-packed roller coaster named Detective Conan x Hollywood Dream: The Ride.

Guests can also look forward to joining Conan solve cases in Detective Conan: The Escape ~The Scarlet Bullet~, an escape game featuring an original story and a live performance by a real cast. Participants will make use of AR technology and solve the cases within the time limit to escape. Expect appearances from familiar faces too like Rachel Moore, Richard Moore, and others.

In Detective Conan x Hollywood Dream: The Ride, you’ll be placed in the passenger seat with Akai on the wheel who will use some extreme driving techniques to shake off the criminal. Look forward to plenty of thrills in this immersive experience.

■Guest Comment

“Not only do you solve cases, there’s also a gaming aspect to the challenges which require the use of the AR terminal. It’s also a team game where you work with others, so I enjoyed it with everyone else. A lot of characters make an appearance too, it was so cool.” (Female, 20/Osaka Prefecture) *Translated from Japanese

There’s also the Detective Conan Mystery Challenge in which guests take a hands-on approach to solve various incidents around the theme park. Harley Hartwell, Kazuha Toyama, and Tomoya’s love rival Momiji Ooka are also present in this game with in the form of a real-life cast.

Fans can also tuck into some mystery-themed food at the Detective Conan Mystery Restaurant which combines food and live entertainment. Fans reacted overwhelmingly to the appearance of Masumi Seraーthe sister of Akai. There’s also appearances from Amuro Tooru and Serena Sebastian too.

Lupin the Third: The Live

Witness a live cast playing the roles of the popular Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, Goemon Ishikawa XIII, Fujiko Mine, and Koichi Zenigataーthe latter of which is trying to chase down Lupin. It features live entertainment by real cast members who will perform right before guests. The reaction to this live show has been overwhelming as guests feel like they are running through Delancey Street in New York with Lupin in this interactive story.

■Guest Comment

“I was amazed to have been able to see such an amazing show right in front of me. Lupin and the gang came from above, below, left, and right. There were too many good moments. I didn’t have enough eyes! <laughs>” (Female, 20/Hyogo Prefecture)

Last year’s Lupin III restaurant, Ristorante Amore, has received an upgrade for 2020. Experience being served by Lupin himself, with his gentle approach and know-how when it comes to getting with the ladies, and Goemon Ishikawa XIII, who is aloof and has terrible romance skills. They are serving up authentic Italian cuisine.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne XR WALK

The Monster Hunter video game franchise is loved the world over, and is appearing once more at Universal Cool Japan after two years. Use interactive VR technology and go hunting in the world of Iceborne, the hit expansion to Monster Hunter World, in an experience so immersive you’ll forget about the real world.

©Hajime Isayama・Kodansha / “Attack on Titan” Production Committee

©2020 Gosho Aoyama / Detective Conan Production Committee

© CRAP All rights reserved.

©Monkey Punch / ＴＭＳ・ＮＴＶ

©CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

書・SISYU

TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

Osaka-based theme park Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has announced special discounts on its “Universal Annual Pass” tickets for students which will be available from February 1, 2020 to March 31, 2020. All university students, graduate students, junior college students, vocational college students, high school students, and junior high school students can get their hands on the discount by simply showing their student ID when purchasing the pass.

The pass enables the guests to enjoy the host of exciting seasonal events and attractions throughout 2020 at USJ. The park will also offer exclusive campaigns for students during the graduation and spring break seasons.

Don’t miss this chance to experience USJ’s world-class entertainment at a discounted price. Reap all the benefits of student life!

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is set to open at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in 2020ーthe year of the Tokyo Olympicsーas the world’s first theme park area centred on the world, games and video game characters from Nintendo.

What is “SUPER NINTENDO WORLD”?

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD will be the first-ever multilevel Nintendo-themed area at USJ, and the first of its kind in the world. Fans of the internationally beloved games can expected to see a whole host of rides and attractions dedicated to their favourite characters, from Mario Kart to Yoshi and beyond, as well as themed restaurants, merchandise shops, and more.

Power Up Band

Guests at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD will be able to feel like they are in a Mario video game with the Power Up Band, a purchasable wristband which works in connection with the USJ app for smartphones., which enables them to collect digital coins and compete with their friends for the highest score on the scoreboards.

Hit question blocks to collect coins

Just like Mario does in his quest to save Princess Peach from Bowser, guests can collect coins by hitting Question Blocks with their Power Up Bands. They will feel like they are competing in a video game, in real time, with the other guests in the park. The Power Up Band has numerous features, including the ability to obtain collectable items like Mario character stamps by completing various conditions listed on the app.

Battle bosses with friends

Additionally, guests can collect ‘Keys’ in a new attraction called ‘Key Challenges’ with which they can unlock various gameplay opportunities including ‘Boss Battles.’ They will be able to battle bosses together with their friends.

Charli XCX & Galantis drop music video to promote the park’s grand opening

To promote the opening of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, USJ dropped a music video entitled WE ARE BORN TO PLAY on their official YouTube channel on Tuesday in collaboration with Swedish electronic DJ duo Galantis and English singer-songwriter Charli XCX. The music video merges the real world with the world of Mario, with Charli hanging out with Toad on top of Peach’s castle and people stomping on digital Goombas. The song features original music mixed together iconic leitmotifs from the Mario games.

We look forward when SUPER NINTENDO WORLD finally opens and will most definitely cover it once it does.

Kiyomizu Cheese Kobo opened in Kiyomizu Gojozaka, Kyoto in July this year as the first place in Kyoto to specialise in “bottled cheesecakes.” This month, they are releasing four new products to continue the cheese craze right to the end of 2019.

The first is a revamp of their number one most popular soft serve cheese ice cream: the “Chocolate Mont Blanc Cheese Soft.” The soft serve ice cream is a mix of refreshingly sweet milk and rich cheese topped with a full-bodied mont blanc-style chocolate—a welcome addition during the winter months when you want to stay in and indulge in some chocolate. The ice cream is finished with crushed chocolate pieces and a crowning raspberry to create a chocolate cake in a cone. You’re sure to become a frequent customer after a bite of this.

And for the Christmas season only, between December 18th-25th the shop is also selling another special soft serve that’s made to look like a Christmas tree. The cheese soft serve is covered with a sprinkling of Uji matcha powder and adorned with chocolate pearls and stars.

Kiyomizu Cheese Kobo is also releasing hot versions of its “Kiyomizu Cheese Drink” and “Matcha Cheese Tea,” the iced versions of which were greatly enjoyed in summer. The Matcha Cheese Tea can also now be ordered with tapioca topping, creating a delicious combination between the expertly crafted rich matcha cheese tea and the chewy and sugary tapioca pearls.

Also released this month is the “Homemade Matcha Tiramisu” when is served in a traditional masu box and served only on the second floor eat-in section. This irresistible delight is made with flavourful mascarpone cheese and bitter Uji matcha from Kyoto to create a dessert that’s perfect during a trip or day out in Kyoto. Because of the hard labour that goes into creating this dessert, only 5-10 are served per day, so be sure to arrive early to not miss the opportunity.

Starbucks Coffee Japan is celebrating Christmas 2019 with two new delicious beverages: the Matcha White Chocolate Frappuccino🄬 and Hot Matcha White Chocolate, both of which will be available to order between December 19 and 25 for this year only.

Both versions of this delightful holiday season drink are the perfect accompaniment to the winter days, combining richly fragrant matcha with smooth white chocolate. The Frappuccino🄬 enjoys the addition of maple syrup for a distinct sweetness which mixes gorgeously with the matcha and milkiness of the white chocolate.

The hot version is made with foamed milk which too is soaked in the full-bodied kick of the matcha. The fluffy texture of the foamed milk together with the sweet taste and velvety white chocolate is a combination sure to get you addicted.

If you’re in Japan for Christmas this year, be sure to stop by Starbucks for a cup of Matcha White Chocolate.

GODIVA Japan released two new chocolate products at the Daimaru Kyoto branch of ATELIER de GODIVA, a chocolate shop which combines GODIVA’s skilful craftsmanship with chocolate artistry. Named “ATELIER Christmas Showpiece Santa Claus” and “ATELIER Christmas Showpiece Snowman,” the two chocolate artworks were released on Wednesday and are available until December 25.

Each and every one of these chocolate sculptures are handmade in-store by the shop’s chefs. They are exclusive to ATELIER de GODIVA Daimaru Kyoto and the perfect Christmas treat to adorn any Christmas party this holiday season.

These cute Christmas-exclusives not only taste delicious, but are fun to look at. Santa is sat in a chimney ready to deliver the presents while the snowman is sat next to a Christmas tree looking warm with its scarf.

Both of these are limited in stock and won’t be available ever again after they sell out, so don’t miss out.

With just a small bit of ingenuity, turn everyday food into something cute using Kaori’s easy recipe! With a few simple ideas, an ordinary recipe magically transforms into a cute dish.

In this recipe, you’ll learn how to make Santa Rilakkuma cookies 

1: Ingredients: (For 10 Rilakkumas)

Unsalted butter: 55g

Icing sugar: 25g

White sesame seeds: 30g

Weak flour: 75g

2: Leave the unsalted butter out for a while until it reaches room temperature and then mix until smooth. Next, mix in the sugar, sesame seeds and then flour in that order. 

3: Next, split the dough into portions. To make one cookie, you need 15g for the face and 1g of dough for each ear. Arrange your face and both ears as shown in the photo below. 

Top tip: Rilakkuma’s face is oval-shaped so don’t make it circular.

4: After you’ve formed all your Rilakkumas, bake them at 180℃ for 15 minutes.

5: Please refer to the video below to decorate Rilakkuma’s face:

Before the cookies get cold, coat them in icing sugar, using a small brush to dust off the excess. Then, wait for the cookies to cool completely before decorating the face. Place a Meiji Apollo Strawberry Chocolate on Rilakkuma’s head for the Santa hat and you’re done. 

This is the perfect way to contribute to your next Christmas potluck and it is a flawless plan to impress all your friends.

Kaori invites you into her world of character-themed food dishes in her recipe series. Be sure to check out her Instagram where she has uploaded many pictures of her character dishes!

Now it’s December, we can unleash our festive spirits without anyone telling us “it’s too early”. The streets are glistening with Christmas decor and Christmas dinners, drinks and desserts are around every corner. Every year, Starbucks never fails to hype us up with their Christmas drinks and so without a moment to waste, I headed over to check them out. 

For many, the excitement of Christmas starts to unfold at one moment: opening the stocking. Starbucks has hit home once again with the Santa Boots Chocolate Frappuccino®, which not only takes on the appearance of a stocking stuffed with treats, but tastes as jolly as one too. The Frappuccino® was released on December 4, 2019 and is enough to leave you with a very merry belly. 

Once you place your order, you will be handed a sealed straw transformed with Christmas magic to become an edible cookie straw. This drink is the first of its kind for Starbucks and is on a whole new level of excitement. Just holding the straw in your hand waiting for your drink will have your heart racing in anticipation.

Here it is:

The small, bright red baubles of chocolate will immediately catch your attention. The Christmassy cup is literally a stocking packed with a range of delicious flavours and textures.

Now it’s time to insert the straw. You will be surprised at just how strong and sturdy it is. Alternating between a few refreshing gulps and an odd chomp on the crispy straw creates a new kind of flavour experience. Rest assured that you are also provided with a regular straw so no need to worry about devouring the straw before finishing the drink.

The frappuccino® base contains a rich chocolate sauce and is sprinkled with crispy potato chips. There are also some potato chips on top of the drink to moderate sweetness and add texture. 

Not only will this fill your stomach, but just seeing the jolly drink will leave you fully topped up with the festive spirit. Sales will end once stock is depleted so make sure to try it asap if you are interested. 

Have a jolly Christmas filled with excitement and love. 

If you’re a Peanuts fan, you can’t miss out on the gorgeous Christmas menu which will served up at the PEANUTS Cafe Nakameguro, PEANUTS DINER Yokohama and PEANUTS DINER Kobe from December 2 – 25. 

Order the Christmas Dinner course for a large angus beef steak drizzled with a sweet and tangy sauce made of berries and raspberry vinegar.

After your dinner enjoy the luxurious Christmas desserts plate of bite-sized treats such as a soft and tender canelé and sweet madeleine. The plate is decorated with a Christmas Snoopy pick where Snoopy’s face can be seen peeking through a wreath. 

You don’t have to book in advance but we recommend you do. This can be done via the links in the information section below.

Order the Salmon Cheese Gratin Christmas Plate for a luxurious course of mains, salad and dessert all on one tray. The sautéd salmon is the steal of the show as it sits in a bath of creamy stew and is topped with a generous layer of cheese. This is served alongside fluffy bread branded with Christmas designs that will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit. A Snoopy pick replaces the traditional cherry on the sundae that will leave you with a sweet aftertaste after your meal.

The White Hot Chocolate is the perfect way to ward off the cold of winter. Like a white blanket of snow, white chocolate milk fills the cup and is topped with the traditional colours of Christmas. Allow yourself to be soothed by the drink’s mild sweetness.

Make the most of your Christmas with Snoopy and friends. 

© 2019 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

ROLL ICE CREAM FACTORYーan ice cream chain in Japan specialising in ‘rolled’ ice creamーreleased its Christmas menu today.

From Left: Reindeer’s Christmas / Pink Pink Christmas / Blue White Christmas / Royal Pink Christmas

This will be ROLL ICE CREAM FACTORY’s third-ever Christmas menu, which they have made even more fun. There are three festive ice creams to choose from, including two featuring Santa Claus and a reindeer. The ice creams can be served in either their regular cups, or the store’s new “Fuwamoko” snowstorm cups, which looks like snow blowing in the wind. Check out the video below.

Until now, people would take photos of the ice cream being made, but these new cups make for an even more Instagrammable post. Edit in a Christmas song or your favourite music to make your own cute video for your Instagram Stories. The Christmas menu is available until December 25, but these cups will be served until late February 2020. You’ll find the Christmas menu at the select branches and pop-up stores listed below.

Looking for Instagram-worthy ice cream in Japan? You definitely need to check out Asakusa Tsuno Koi. Soon after opening in Tokyo’s traditional Asakusa on July 5, 2019, their soft serve unicorn ice cream instantly earned its fame on social media. From November 28 to December 24, the ice cream shop will be releasing a series of Christmas-limited ice creams that are sure to become a hit sensation.

This shop is famous for being the only ice cream shop in the world to make unicorn-shaped cones out of financier cake dough and filling them with a sweet spiral of soft serve ice cream for the unicorn’s horn. This Christmas, the shop is introducing Christmas-limited toppings, flowers and wreaths to the decorations menu, making customising your ice cream more fun than ever before. 

* According to research conducted by Asakusa Tsuno Koi. Protected status has been received for America, Korea and Japan. Applications are still being processed in the EU, Singapore and Mongolia.  

For the Reindeer Soft Serve Ice Cream (￥780), each and every single financier cone is baked carefully, but this time in the shape of a reindeer – and it’s chocolate flavoured. Filled with soft serve ice cream, this reindeer is too cute to eat. 

The Christmas Tree (￥830) is a soft serve pistachio ice cream made using high-grade pistachos: the reigning queen when it comes to nut varieties. The ice cream is finished with one of Asakusa Tsuno Koi‘s original Christmas trees. 

The Santa Claus Soft Serve (￥500) is made using Asakusa Tsuno Koi’s rich-flavoured vanilla ice cream. Young or old, the moment you set eyes on Santa Claus’ face, a smile will automatically appear on yours! 

The Christmas-limited toppings include stars, candy, and gingerbread men (￥100 each). Can’t choose? There is set including all three which costs ￥250.

The shop interior is also looking more Christmassy. The interior is a fusion of Asakusa’s traditional heritage and the unicorn motif, which is popular in western countries. A colourful flowery background and Asakusa’s traditional folding fans and umbrellas perfectly finish the western-Japanese fusion scene, which is currently soaking in fame on Instagram.

Asakusa Tsuno Koi is serving up a totally unique kind of ice cream that has not been spotted anywhere else in the world. The Christmas-limited ice creams are definitely worth the hype. 

* Prices Before Tax