Universal Studios Japan is set to spring into Easter starting on March 12 with the announcement of Universal Easter Celebration 2021. This year, which marks the 20th anniversary since USJ opened, will see the park’s cute and iconic characters once again lull guests into an unforgettable Easter dream at Universal Wonderland and Minion Park.

Universal Easter Celebration

USJ will see colourful pastel decorations cover the Universal Wonderland and Minion Park areas, and the characters too will be dressed in their seasonal Easter costumes. A special Easter rendition of the Wonderland Seasons Joy show will also take place to commemorate the park’s 20th anniversary with song and dance.

Wonderland Seasons Joy ~Easter Ver.~

Minion Park Easter

The park will also introduced a special egg hunt after Elmo and the Minions dropped some of their eggs. If you manage to find them all you get a limited-edition gold medal. USJ is also taking the Easter festivities online too with a special celebratory live stream called Let’s Cooking! Kawaii Easter Party

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s21)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2021 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
TM & © 2021 Sesame Workshop
© 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
Universal Studios Japan TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

© Nintendo

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) announced last month that its highly-anticipated new Super Nintendo World area will open on February 4, 2021, which also happens to fall on the day of USJ’s 20th anniversary.

Super Nintendo World comes as the world’s first theme park area to be based around Nintendo’s characters and games, combining innovative ideas with cutting-edge technology.

With just one month left until the grand opening, USJ has launched a special website for Super Nintendo World which offers a virtual tour through each part of the new theme park area. Mario fanatics are sure to be delighted by the adornments from Bowser’s Castle to Pipes, Mushrooms, Question blocks, and more, as well as familiar faces like Goombas, Thwomps, Yoshi—the list goes on.

Accessing the site will bring you to an overview of the map. As you scroll down the website takes you on a virtual journey to each of its iconic attractions, all of which are designed to make you feel like you’re really in the world of Super Mario.

Ichigo BonBonBERRY ATAMIHOUSE. is the first cafe to open in Atami specialising exclusively in strawberry desserts. This Christmas, the cafe is serving up a new Christmas cake, winter afternoon tea set, and strawberry milk beverage, all of which hit the menu on Friday (December 4).

Hitorijime Christmas Cake | ¥1,000 (Before Tax) *Comes with drink

A dreamy Christmas cake for one loaded with cream and sweet strawberries. There’s a strawberry on top and more in the middle squished between soft sponge.

Winter Afternoon Set | ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

The cafe has turned its popular afternoon tea into a wintertime version for Christmas, served with a mini bavarois in the shape of a strawberry, strawberry ice cream, melty fondant chocolate, and a rum raisin chocolate tiramisu. A delightful combination of sweet, tangy, and rich flavours.

Hot Strawberry Milk | ¥400 (Before Tax)

A hot strawberry milk to feel cosy in the cold winter weather, topped with plenty of cream and a sprinkling of strawberry powder. Enjoy it as it is or mix together for a creamier beverage.

The winter menu is seasonal and so will only be available this wintertime.

Sarutahiko Coffee released a Christmas-exclusive seasonal flavour of its popular Jellatte dessert drink on Tuesday (December 1) which it’s calling the “Maroron Merry Pudding Jellatte.”

Maroron Merry Pudding Jellatte | ¥750 (Before Tax)

The beverage is the second in this year’s Christmas themed drinks to be released by Sarutahiko Coffee. It uses a coffee jelly base made from Ethiopian coffee beans and contains layers of mascarpone cheese from Italy, a chocolate sauce made from Cacao Hunters chocolate, milk pudding, four kinds of mixed berry jellies, pistachio milk pudding, milk foam, and to top it all off, chocolate pieces and pistachios.

The pistachio and mascarpone bring a richness to the dessert drink which blends deliciously with the freshness of the berries and full-bodied coffee for a combination that’s like a warm and cosy Christmas hug.

Sanrio’s beloved character pair Kiki & Lala, also known as the Little Twin Stars, are hosting a special winter event titled “TWINKLE COLOR CHRISTMAS” at Shinjuku Southern Terrace from December 1 to 25, illuminating the area with beautiful Christmas lights, as part of their 45th anniversary.

Kiki & Lala’s twinkling Christmas tree magical in the daytime and night time

The towering 4-meter tall Christmas Tree is decorated in countless mirror balls which reflect beautifully both during the day from the sun and at night with Kiki & Lala’s illuminations. A special light show is also taking place from 16:30 each day with Christmas songs.

Decorated around the tree are Kiki & Lala neon signs and pastel-coloured adornments.

Those unable to visit Shinjuku this Christmas can access the “TWINKLE COLOR CHRISTMAS AR TREE” digitally This will have Kiki & Lala’s Christmas tree appear on your phone when taking photos. You can access it here.

Kiki & Lala treats at the Sanrio Cafe Wagon

Limited time menu

45th Anniversary Items

On weekends, as well as from December 19 up to Christmas Day, a food wagon will make an appearance at the event serving Kiki & Lala food and drink like the pink and fruity Ruby Chocolate Latte and fruit-filled Twinkle Crepe.

©’76,’20 SANRIO 著作(株)サンリオ

Moomin Cafe branches around Japan, which are themed on the Swedish fairy-tale Moomin books, released their Christmas menu on November 20.

Moomin Cafe Winter Season Menu | ¥4,800 (Before Tax) *Photo is a portion for 2

The seasonal menu is a very special set containing a burger, chicken, salmon milk soup, raspberry juice (which is adored by the Moomin family), and more, so you can eat heartily like the Moomins this winter.

Souvenir Cup (2 Designs)

Visitors can also order a dessert and choose from two different mugs. Takeout is available at each of the cafes so you enjoy a Moomin Christmas at home.

Table reservations are available via the Moomin Cafe website so customers can ensure they can get booked in during the busy holiday season.

If you’re in Japan for Christmas then don’t miss out on a visit to the Moomin cafe.

©Moomin Characters TM

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) has announced that its highly-anticipated new Super Nintendo World area will open on February 4, 2021, which also happens to fall on the day of USJ’s 20th anniversary.

Super Nintendo World comes as the world’s first theme park area to be based around Nintendo’s characters and games, combining innovative ideas with cutting-edge technology.

While the grand opening is still a couple of months away, USJ is teasing fans by unveiling a portion of the park’s Mario Kart-themed ride which takes place inside of a reconstructed Bowser’s Castle.

Bowser’s Castle

Bowser’s Castle stands as one of the main symbols of Super Nintendo World. It’s a faithful recreation with towering stone walls, thick and heavy steel doors, pointed iron fencing, and more, not to mention the enormous stone Bowser statue that adorns the middle of the winding staircase ready to greet guests. There are plenty of thrills and chills to look forward to inside the castle of the King Koopa himself.

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge will open as the world’s first theme park ride centred on the popular video game series Mario Kart.

Thomas Garrity (Universal Creative, Executive Producer) | Comment

“Deep inside Bowser’s Castle lies Mario Kart: Bowser’s Castle, a collaborative effort between Nintendo and Universal Studio’s Creative Team to recreate the world of the hugely popular Mario Kart series which has sold over 150 million copies. Guests will put on their headsets and experience limitless excitement and thrills as they speed around courses.” (Translated from Japanese by MMN)

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge

Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge is an XR ride that lets people feel like they are inside the world of Mario Kart while in the real world. The ride will feature all the details fans of the video game series are familiar with as they drift and spin around exciting courses alongside the game’s characters while collecting items from boxes to use on their opponents.

The attraction makes use of AR and projection mapping technology to make the game as immersive as possible. Fans are sure to love driving through their favourite courses and scenes recreated using leading-edge technology. The attraction is six years in the making and the results of efforts between Nintendo’s Creative Team, USJ, and the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto himself.

Endless fun for fans of Mario

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 a themed cafe, merchandise shops—the list goes on. There is endless amount of fun for fans to feel a part of the Nintendo world as they take up the role of Mario and hit blocks to receive coins, collect items, and much more.

Guests will be able to purchase the Power Up Band, a wristband that works together with a smartphone app that allows you to collect virtual coins by punching Questions Blocks like Mario which are scattered around the park. Scores can be seen on the leaderboard so you can see how you stack up against other players.

Taiwanese cheese tea shop machi machi is releasing a new drink in Japan this holiday season on December 1: the ‘Flurry Strawberry Milk With Crème Brûlée.’

machi machi is an extremely popular cheese tea chain in Taiwan that has been called the ‘king of cheese tea’ by Taiwanese news outlets. Each and every cup poured is made fresh with tea from Taiwan to which rich cream cheese is added for a salty kick, creating a new kind of dessert drink.

Flurry Strawberry Milk With Crème Brûlée | ¥750 (Before Tax)

The new Christmas beverage being served in Japan uses fresh strawberries which adds a delightful sweetness to the milk. It’s topped with crushed Oreos and combined with crème brûlée for a variety of layered flavours. The Oreos add crunch to the dessert drink so that it’s a delicious experience down to the last sip.

If you’ve never had Taiwanese cheese tea, and are in Japan this Christmas, don’t miss out on this seasonal drink, available for the whole month of December.

Shiraito Highland Way has announced that this year’s Karuizawa Shiraito Falls Midwinter Light Up will run from December 19, 2020 to February 14, 2021.

The illumination event will take place at Karuizawa Shiraito Falls, a 3-meter tall waterfall that spans 70-meters in length. The lights will add a warmth to the cool evening and glow under a starry night sky.

The event creates a different atmosphere from the summer light-up, allowing visitors to enjoy the enveloping nature in a way that they normally can’t and see beauty they may not have noticed in the area before. The waterfall is located in Jōshin’etsu-kōgen National Park, a protected area which means the lights will be set up in a way that’s considerate to the park.

If you’re in Japan this winter then don’t miss out on this year’s Karuizawa Shiraito Falls Midwinter Light Up which will be split into three sessions: the Christmas Session, New Year Session, and St. Valentine Session. More details below.

Having only held annual summertime events up to now, Art Aquarium Museum in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, is celebrating Christmas for the first time this year with a series of holiday season festivities.

The Aquarium’s first Christmas tree

Art Aquarium Museum will display its very first Christmas tree for the event indoors near the entrance. The tree artwork was created by Hidemoto Kimura using 550 colourful crystals that have been made to look like goldfish. Made from venetian glass, he had them shipped himself from Italy. They are strung in 10 different colours which glow and glisten to create a romantic atmosphere.

Artwork Name: Natale di Pesce D’oro
Running: December 1, 2020 – December 27, 2020
Location: Art Aquarium Museum entrance

Pair tickets for Christmas with alcohol

Pair Ticket (2 People) + 2 Drinks | ¥4,600 (Tax Included)

Those arriving in twos can buy Pair Tickets which come with two alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages so you can plunge into the magical underwater world of the aquarium while enjoying a drink.

Buy Tickets: https://ticket.artaquarium.jp/en/
Running: November 24, 2020 – December 27, 2020
Validity Period: December 1, 2020 – December 27, 2020
Drinks Menu:

[Alcohol] COEDO Beer / Marihana / Louis Raison Rouge Délice

[Non-Alcoholic] Sanpellegrino Pompelmo / Grapefruit

Christmas menu served up in the lounge and cafe

2-Person Hors d’oeuvre With 2 Drinks | Online Booking ¥4,200, Same-Day ¥5,000 (Tax Included) | Serving: December 18, 2020 – December 25, 2020

The aquarium’s lounge restaurant is serving an hors d’oeuvre for pairs of Japanese and western food together with two drinks.

2-Person Christmas Sweets Plate With 2 Drinks | Online Booking ¥3,300, Same-Day ¥3,850 (Tax Included) | Serving: December 1, 2020 – December 27, 2020

The cafe is serving up plate of assorted desserts, perfect for a post-aquarium date.

Christmas Special Cocktail | ¥2,200 (Tax Included) | Serving: December 1, 2020 – December 27, 2020

Both the restaurant and cafe are also serving a seasonal cocktail of chocolate, strawberries, cranberries, and champagne jelly for a sweet and refreshing mix.

Swarovski Japan is launching a Christmas campaign this year in collaboration with Jin Akanishi and Ryo Nishikido’s YouTube channel “NO GOOD TV” and fashion magazine ELLE Japon.

Swarovski is an Austrian glass producer founded in 1895 that’s celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. The company’s Swarovski Crystal Business is known for its craftsmanship and innovation, providing crystal glass, jewellery, and accessories to the people of the world since its inception.

As part of Swarovski Japan’s Christmas campaign, it is teaming up with Japanese musicians Jin Akanishi and Ryo Nishikido. This is the first time the company has used male celebrities in its promotions in Japan. Together with the global women’s fashion magazine ELLE Japon, the campaign will promote Swarovski products in the run up to Christmas. A six-page feature will be included in January 2021 issue of ELLE Japon of the two musicians promoting Swarovski’s jewellery, watches, and more.

Jin Akanishi and Ryo Nishikido posted a 14-minute video on their YouTube channel (“NO GOOD TV – Vol. 21”) with behind-the-scenes footage of their ELLE Japon photo shoot as well as other news related to the collaboration with Swarovski.

Exclusive photos of Akanishi and Nishikido which weren’t feature in either the magazine or on YouTube were also officially released on Swarovski’s official LINE account.

Christmas has sleighed into Roppongi Hills again this year, beginning with the Keyakizaka-dori Illuminations on November 13. The Christmas Market is also set to return to Oyane Plaza on November 28.

2020 marks the 14th run of the Roppongi Hills Christmas market which is inspired by the the famous Stuttgart Christmas Market in Germany. Visitors can sift through around 1,500 miscellaneous Christmas goods, enjoy German mulled wine and sausages, and more.

At the West Walk, visitors will also find an enormous 6.5m tall Christmas tree to complement the warm, cosy, festive atmosphere of the holiday season event.