From November 11, 2022 until August 2023, Izu Granpal Park in Shizuoka Prefecture will host the 8th Izu Kogen Grand Illumination event!

The Izu Kogen Grand Illumination was ranked #1 in the Walker+National Illumination Ranking for six consecutive years and is beloved by visitors of all ages. This isn’t just a collection of pretty lights–the Grand Illumination also includes a number of hands-on experiences for everyone to enjoy.

In 2021, the event won first place in the Ninth Illumination Awards for the second year in a row. Known as Japan’s first ‘hands-on illumination experience,’ the park has continued to evolve year after year, adding more attractions and finding its unique style. These attractions include a zip line through the lights, Dinosaur Go-Karts, and more.

This year, the Flower Lantern Area and Sweets Lantern Area have been completely redesigned and upgraded to be even more three-dimensional and colorful. Come enjoy this incredible world of lights and have some fun with the whole family!

The Miffy Bath Set, made from environmentally friendly thinned wood, will be available in early September 2022.

Miffy Bath Set: ¥16,500 (Tax Included)

A three-piece Miffy bath set including a small bath chair, a large bath chair, and a hot water basin will be available next month. Perfect for parent and child use, the smooth wood surface will fit with any bathroom decor.

Kanuma in Tochigi Prefecture is known for its thriving woodworking industry. The wood used for this set was thinned to protect the forest and minimize waste, and each product is handmade by local wood craftsmen and made entirely in Japan. The product is finished without paint to highlight its original quality.

These items can also be stacked for compact storage.

When you open the bathroom door, you’ll be met with the fresh scent of cypress with the Miffy Bath Set!

© Mercis bv

From August 18 until September 19, 20 Gokurakuyu and Raku Spa locations will hold a special collaboration to celebrate the release of ONE PIECE FILM RED. 

Goods

Menu

During the event, a new bath will be available each weekend. Guests can enjoy fragrant baths inspired by Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Shanks, and Uta. Check the website to see which baths will be available at which locations!

Those visiting can find some new merchandise featuring exclusive illustrations made for the campaign and a tasty menu inspired by One Piece characters, so don’t miss it!

JR Tokai Tours has released a new travel plan for fans of Laid-Back Camp Season 2, which aired from January to March 2021. The tour will take place in the Izu area, which was heavily featured in episodes 10, 11, and 12. Guests can enjoy a travel plan with single lodging and original goods starting May 23 until June 29, 2022.

Original Stickers

The slice-of-life series Laid-Back Camp is currently serialized in COMIC FUZ.

Set in Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures, Laid-Back Camp is a relaxing series following a group of high school girls going camping and enjoying their daily lives. The series is based on the author Afro’s personal experiences and interviews, and since serialization in 2015, the series has attracted fans from around the world. The original comic has sold over 7 million copies. In 2018, the first anime series premiered, inspiring a spin-off Room Camp in 2020 and a second season in 2021.

Four years after it was announced in 2018, a Laid-Back Camp animated film will arrive in theaters this summer.

Hololive has announced a special collaboration between HoloFantasy and Raku Spa, with special merchandise and VTuber-scented baths at participating locations around Japan!

Merchandise

Collaboration Menu (Coasters Available!)

Photo Spot

Guests can grab original merchandise with newly-drawn illustrations during the event period, and original food and beverages based on the five members will be on sale. Five unique baths have been prepared by the Hololive members, as each girl chose her favorite scent. The announcements in each location will also be broadcast by the popular VTubers.

Starting February 6, called Bath Day in Japan, specially-drawn yukata and chibi versions of the characters will be available on limited-edition postcards and new merchandise. To get one of these postcards, visitors will need to follow the official Raku Spa Twitter, retweet the campaign Tweet, and present it at the reception desk at their Raku Spa of choice. These are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be sure to grab them before they’re all gone!

Shizuoka Prefefcture is once again collaborating with popular anime series Laid-Back Camp for a special stamp rally. Two courses will be open from January 21 until March 21, 2022, and will take guests on a journey throughout the most gorgeous localities in the region.

This stamp rally is the third in a series of Laid-Back Camp and Shizuoka Prefecture stamp rallys held since November 2021. 

Those who finish the rally will be presented with a special clear folder featuring an exclusive illustration made for this event, so get traveling! 

(C) あfろ・芳文社／野外活動委員会

Rainbombs, a collection of bath bombs that release rainbows when added to the tub, has a curious new product–the Rainbomb Mini Poop, now available to order online. Why a poo motif, we’re not sure, but they’re adorable regardless of the questionable subject matter. 

When added to the bath, three colors will spray from the base, like others in the Rainbombs collection. The bombs come in either Grape or Peach scents. (Thank goodness.)

Grape

With the scent of juicy grapes, this purple bath bomb exudes a strange sweetness with it’s big eyes. 

Peach

This pink poop gives off a fresh peach scent, sure to relax you after a long day. 

Check out how the rainbow appears here:

What do you think? Are poop-shaped bath bombs something you’d try? 

Cafe BIVOUAC, located in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, will reopen Bath Cafe Hareniwa no Yu on September 18, 21, after a full rebranding.

The space aims to be ‘a garden that clears a guest’s body and mind.’ Visitors can enjoy a full bath and sauna, freshly-picked vegetables at the Haruniwa Dining Room, and a lush green lounge in which to relax and unwind.

The Haruniwa Dining Room, run by The Farm, a resort in Chiba Prefecture, offers healthy dishes filled with fresh local vegetables from Kumagaya with carefully-selected main ingredients.

In addition, a collaboration with fashion brand ‘niko and…’ will also begin upon reopening, offering the perfect comfy clothes to wear while enjoying the property.  The lineup  includes an original bath bag and sauna hat, each sold exclusively at Hareniwa no Yu.

‘NEXT TRIP ~Izu Peninsula, Sea and Beautiful Sights~’ will be broadcast on nationwide freeview channel BS12 on September 9 2021 from 21:00.

‘NEXT TRIP’ is a travel guide program based around the concept of “where would you like to visit once things calm down?” From walking around popular local spots to visiting overseas holiday resorts, the show introduces viewers to “destinations you don’t know yet.” The show has a sense of realism, with beautiful scenes that will make you feel as if you’re already there! Introducing spectacular views that can only be found in certain towns, gourmet foods that are beloved by locals, and exciting outdoor activities, you’ll be raring to go on your next adventure! 

In this episode, model NANAMI will be having fun at the seaside on the Izu Peninsula. You’ll be amazed by the view from the suspension bridge in Komuroyama’s Jōgasaki coast, where you can see the horizon beyond the hills and crystal clear sea, stretching as far as the eye can see. NANAMI goes snorkelling in a hot-spot to those in the know, followed by a delicious lunch with locally produced white wine. After enjoying some horseback riding, she returns to the HOSHINO Resort’s ‘Kai Anjin’ hot spring and inn,  located in Ito. You’ll be fascinated by the extraordinary location, offering scenic ocean views, hot beer, and luxurious dinners. 

The show recreates a three-day-two-night itinerary for the Izu Peninsula, where you can partake in activities, take in the superb views, and relish in gourmet food, all found in a spot just a few hours away from the city center.

Join NANAMI as she goes on a journey to discover the charms of the Izu Peninsula on BS12’s ‘NEXT TRIP.’

Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is a hotel in Kyoto that blends seamlessly into the town, offering a stay experience that’s like living there. For guests who use their baths, they have introduced a new selection of five ingredients to be put into the bath like bath salts. Each comes with a different effect, enhancing your bathing experience beyond getting clean.

Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is continuing to enforce precautions against the spread of COVID-19 so guests can enjoy getting away from home to relax and unwind safely. The hotel has and continues to enjoy many guests during this time who are seeking out some healing. One of the biggest selling points for guests is the hotel’s bathing experience. With that in mind, they have set up the Yadoru YUAMI service which allows guests to try a variety of bathing products made by local Kyoto businesses.

‘Yuami’ is an old Japanese expression for getting in the bath. The word ‘yadoru’ in the hotel’s name is also an old phrase meaning ‘to stay at a lodging on your travels.’ Yadoru KYOTO HANARE is wanting to have its site feel even more like a traditional Kyoto townhouse for guests to experience, so they are now using the word ‘YUAMI’ as part of their services.

With Yadoru YUAMI, guests can pick from five different bath products, each wrapped in pouches. Each offers a completely different bathing experience with different benefits and fragrances.

1. Sake Lees

Sake lees from Kyoto’s long-standing and historical sake brewery Sasaki Shuzou. Massage the lees in the bathtub while they are still in the pouch to create a milky white water that fills the bathroom with the fragrant smell of sake lees. The ingredients in the lees have a moisturising effect, improve blood circulation, and leave skin looking beautiful.

2. Gyokuro Green Tea

The Kyoto Distillery stands as Japan’s first establishment specialising in gin. One of their gins is called Ki no Bi, a Japanese craft gin. Its smell and taste is the result of a combination of 11 kinds of botanical products including gyokuro green tea, junpier berry, and hinoki cypress, all of which are featured individually on this list. Gyokuro is a type of high-grade Japanese green tea and contains theanine which stimulates relaxing, making it perfect for unwinding after a long day.

3. Juniper Berry

Juniper berry is an indispensable ingredient in making craft gin. This bathing product is made with the type that’s actually used in making Ki no Bi craft gin. When submerged in the water, the air is filled with the woody, relaxing, and inviting scent of gin.

4. Hinoki Cypress

This bathing powder is also made with the same hinoki cypress used in Ki no Bi which, when put in the water, emits the smells of a forest. Hinoki cypress contains phytoncide which has a relaxation effect, calming the autonomic nervous system and blood pressure.

5. Matcha

Matcha is the quintessential flavour of Kyoto. Guests who check in at Yadoru KYOTO HANARE are offered a cup. They can also bathe in it with Yadoru YUAMI.

Japanese subscription box service SURPRISE BOX began a collaboration with the adorable Kapibara-san on Wednesday (February 10) to offer a collection of surprise boxes for fans.

Kapibara-san is a character created by Tryworks – it even has its own anime series. The subscription service is offering three box plans at varying prices, each of which contain a collection of unknown merchandise related to the cute capybara. While the contents are a mystery, everything is sure to be tear-inducingly kawaii.

Izu Shaboten Zoo’s annual “Capybara Yuzu Hot Bath” event is set to return this winter from December 19, 2020 to January 5, 2021.

In Japan, there’s a saying that you won’t catch a cold if you take a hot yuzu bath, and so it has been a custom since the Edo period to float the fruits on top of the water during the winter season.

Izu Shaboten Zoo’s “Capybara Yuzu Hot Bath” event first started in 1996 and has continued every year since throughout the winter and over the New Year. Visitors flock to see the capybara looking content as they enjoy their warm citrus-smelling baths.

The zoo’s adorable capybara plush toy makes a return this year too. They are made with traditional Japanese colours like indigo blue and emerald green. Their cute appearance are sure to have you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.