Cupid is readying his arrows for Valentine’s Day 2020 which is right around the corner. It’s the time of the year to show your special someone that you love them with some tasty chocolatey treats.

If you’re wanting to make a grand gesture this year by making your own gifts, but are struggling for ideas or are intimidated by the task, the Kai Corporation in Japan has you covered with its collection of Rilakkuma goods. Now you can make some Instagram-worthy gifts with little effort. Let’s take a look.

Make lots of Rilakkuma chocolates with this simple tool

Rilakkuma Silicone Chocolate Maker – ¥850 (Before Tax) – Buy Here

Five different patterns of Rilakkuma, Kiiroitori, and Korilakkuma make up this silicone tray, allowing you to make lots of bite-sized chocolates at once. This is perfect for sharing between you and your loved one or amongst friends. It can be used for making gummy treats and ice for drinks too, meaning it’s useful for the entire year.

Make cute cookies by simply pressing your dough

Korilakkuma Cutter Set – ¥650 (Before Tax) – Buy Here

Anyone can make cute Korilakkuma cookies easily with this cutter set which you simply press the dough with. It comes with two different poses so you can make an assortment of them. If you know someone who’s not a fan of chocolate, then this is a perfect alternative.

Decorate your sweets and desserts with this mini chocolate tray

Mini Chocolate Tray – ¥650 (Before Tax) – Buy Here

This chocolate tray makes makes chocolate bears which can hold things like nuts and candy. They can be used in a lot of creative different ways. The tray was made in collaboration with Cookpad.

Super simple recipes that take out the work

Here are some super simple recipes that remove the labour out of making and decorating sweet treats. Learn how to make Instagrammable delights with these items and techniques.

Korilakkuma Cookie Marshmallow Sandwich – Item Used: Korilakkuma Cutter Set

All you need to do is warm some marshmallows in a microwave and stick them between two cookies for a gooey and crunchy treat. At some toppings like freeze-dried strawberries for colour and to make them even cuter.

Gateaux Chocolate Cupcakes – Item Used: Rilakkuma Face Cupcake Paper Wraps (5 Included)

Make your Valentine’s cupcakes even more adorable with these paper wraps with Rilakkuma’s kawaii face on them.

Tiny Bear Chocolates: Item Used – Mini Chocolate Tray

There are many creative ways you can utilise these tiny bear chocolates. Make them hold small candy, nuts, and other delicious bites, or just simply top them on another dessert.

Take the stress out of making something for Valentine’s Day this year with this range of items from Kai.

“Korilakkuma Cafe: another me in the mirror” is set to open in Japan’s hub of kawaii culture Harajuku on December 21 where it will run until March 22 next year.

MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON received early access to the cafe, so we went together with Ruki from Spain.

The cafe incorporates “interactive tabletop projection mapping” technology developed by Sony, which allows customers to enjoy their meals while playing together with the characters as they walk around their plates and tables.

So what exactly does this look like…?

Korilakkuma Cafe: another me in the mirror is located along Takeshita Street in Harajuku. Enter Takeshita Street and walk just a little bit to find HARAJUKU AR BOX. The entrance is pictured above.

The cafe operates on a “pair seating” system, making it the perfect spot to go with your best friend or special someone♡

The theme of the cafe is “another me in the mirror,” which sees Korilakkuma meeting another Korilakkuma inside of a mirror. When seated at your pair table, you’ll notice all of the Korilakkuma artwork adorning the cafe.

When we sat down, the staff came and gave us a dolomite coasterーa gift for all customers who visit the cafe.

When you place the coasters down on the table, that’s when the fun begins. Trace your finger around the table to play with Korilakkuma and company.

Here is Ruki having Korilakkuma move around.

When we had finished playing, the appetisers from our course menu arrived. It costs ¥2,500 per person, and you both have to order when ordering this course menu. You can pick from clam chowder or minestrone.

If you thought that was it for the projection mapping, think again! The fun was only just beginning, as a new display came on the table when the plates went down.

Ruki was completely enchanted by the sparkling food. It makes you feel like you’re inside of a picture book♡

The salad was Caesar, and the minestrone was packed full of veg and ingredients, making it nice and filling.

The next dish that was brought was the main. You pick one each of a main dish and dessert and share between two people.

We ordered the “Omurice – Let’s Draw Together” (in Japanese: 一緒におえかきオムライス). Korilakkuma was wrapped up completely in an omelette blanket. The projection mapping comes on when you set this plate down too.

Korilakkuma draws around the plate, and we got to join in too by decorating Korilakkuma’s blanket with drawings of Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori in ketchup.

The mapping helps you with drawing by projecting an outline you can trace. Ruki did hers really well!

As we forked into the omurice we found a cheeseburger underneath! The combination of the juicy cheese hamburger with the soft egg was to die for, and it becomes even more delicious and smooth when you pour over the cream sauce.

Last up was dessert. We got the “Spell-Cast Pancakes” (in Japanese: パンケーキに魔法をかけて). The projection mapping cast a mirror onto the pancakes. Even more animations happen when you wave the brush you’re given on the table.

The fluffy pancakes are topped with a hearty serving of cream. You can enjoy them as they are, but they’re delicious if you top them with the fruits, iced cream and nuts scattered around the plate too!

Twin Korilakkuma Strawberry Milk – ¥990

Korilakkuma Cafe au Lait – ¥890 (Served Hot Only)

As well as the course menu, there are also special drinks you can order separately which come with another free and exclusive coaster.

Sliding Mirror (Pink or Purple) – ¥1,200 Each

Acrylic Key Ring (4 Designs/Chosen Randomly) – ¥500 Each

Korilakkuma fans can expect to sift through a whole range of cafe-exclusive merchandise too, so be sure to check out what they’ve got in stock when you visit.

Korilakkuma Cafe: another me in the mirror is Harajuku’s hottest new spot where you can enter the kawaii world of Korilakkuma. Pull up a seat and enjoy and interactive meal experience.

©2019 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

The all-new “HARAJUKU AR BOX -table projection mapping cafe-” will open in Harajuku, Tokyo on December 21, 2019. This permanent cafe incorporates “interactive tabletop projection mapping” technology developed by Sony. The cafe runs in a “pair seating” system and so tables must be occupied by two people. 

The first collaboration to hit the cafe for its grand opening is with Korilakkuma. The collaboration is titled “Korilakkuma Cafe: another me in the mirror.” Customers will be able to enjoy their meals while playing together with the characters as they walk around their plates and tables through projection mapping technology.

The theme of the cafe is “Korilakkuma inside a mirror,” which sees Korilakkuma meeting another Korilakkuma inside the mirror in a world of cats and cosmetics.

Customers will be able to get their hands on a range of exclusive merchandise with original art illustrated for the cafe, as well as enjoy themed meals which come in the form of courses made to share between two people. They are free to choose an appetizer, main dish and dessert. *Course menu only – items not available to order separately

Menu item names are translated from Japanese.

Appetizers: Soup and Salad

Welcome to the World Inside the Mirror! Soup & Salad

There are two soups to choose from: clam chowder and minestrone. As a pair you can also order one of each.

Main Dishes

Omurice – Let’s Draw Together

Chicken and Mushroom Cream Pasta Made Delicious With Magic!

Friendly Twin Korilakkuma Burger (Available December 21 – January 19 only)

There are five main dishes in total to choose from including those above.

Desserts

Spell-Cast Pancakes

Crème Brûlée & Magic Mirror (Available December 21 – January 19 only)

Heart-Filled Fondant Chocolate (Available January 20 to February 16 only)

There are five desserts in total to choose from including those above.

Drinks

Korilakkuma Cafe au Lait – ¥890 (Served Hot Only)

Korilakkuma Cocoa – ¥890 (Served Hot Only)

Twin Korilakkuma Strawberry Milk – ¥990

When you order a drink, you’ll get an original coaster too.

Merchandise

Pin Badge (6 Designs) – ¥400

Folder Set – ¥500

Sliding Mirror (Pink or Purple) – ¥1,200 Each

There are lots of other exclusive pieces of merchandise to get your hands on too. Every customer will also receive one of two dolomite crystals.

*All listed prices include tax. Photos are for illustrative purposes only.

©2019 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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!

Felissimo released a new line of shiba inu slippers and handkerchiefs from their humorous brand YOU+MORE! on their website on November 26.

The slippers feature various shiba inu pulling adorable faces, with the sole parts made to look like their fluffy bellies. The handkerchiefs are made using appliqué needlework to stitch a variety of different pups onto them. The prints are so realistic you’ll find yourself wanting to stroke them.

The slippers come in three designs: Black Fur, Red Fur, and White Fur, all with loving faces looking up at you as you walk around the house.

The insoles are made with long and comfy boa fabric to create the fluffy underbelly of the dogs.

The gauze handkerchiefs come in six designs: Pomeranian, White Shiba, French Bulldog, Red Shiba, Golden Retriever, and Corgi.

The embroidered doggy designs are 3D textured, making you want to poke and stroke them all the time you’re holding them. The front part is made from gauze and the back from pile. One of each of the six designs will be released monthly over a period of six months.

If you love shiba inu, or know someone that does, this is the perfect gift!

Character-inspired Japanese confectionery series Tabemas has revealed that its next products will be Halloween-themed Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma sweets. They will go on sale at Lawson convenience stores across Japan (excluding Lawson Store 100 branches) on October 15, 2019.

These adorable confections are so cute it’s hard to choose where to even start eating them from! Both versions are wearing snug pumpkin hats.

‘Tabemas’ is an abbreviation of the Japanese words taberareru masukotto, meaning ‘mascots that you can eat.’ It is a Japanese confectionery series that combines well-known characters and Japanese sweets made from ingredients like red bean paste, sugar and rice flour. The sweets are also made with a dough called “nerikiri” which is used in making traditional Japanese wagashi sweets.

To keep with the theme of autumn, Rilakkuma is pumpkin pudding flavoured (which is his favourite treat) and Korilakkuma is maple flavoured.

Stop by the ubiquitous Lawson convenience store while in Japan and grab yourself one of these treats for Halloween.

©️2019 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

*The photographs are for illustrative purposes only.

*Actual product may differ from the photographs.

*Please be careful not to choke on the mochi.

*The latest information can be viewed via the Bandai Candy homepage.

*Tabemas and 食べマス are registered trademarks of Bandai.

Felissimo released a new Rilakkuma-inspired beige-pink umbrella on their website on June 10.

The umbrella’s design is subtle and sophisticated. The outer rim is lined with a brown coloured lace reminiscent of Rilakkuma. It also has a handle made from high quality wood carved into Rilakkuma’s face. The umbrella also cuts 98% of UV rays meaning it can be used in both clear and rainy weather.

Its beige pink colour with brown lacing gives it a sophisticated feminine design.

Rilakkuma’s facial features on the handle were made using laser cutting and together with the frilly cotton rope tied to it give it a polished and refined look.

There is also a name tag on the umbrella with a nonchalant Rilakkuma logo printed on it.

There is also a separate bag you can purchase to put your umbrella in after it rains so you don’t get the floor wet if you go inside anywhere.

©San-X

Character-inspired Japanese confectionery series Tabemas has revealed that its next products will be based on Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori. They will go on sale at Lawson convenience stores across Japan from May 21, 2019.

Both characters are made from a type of dough called “nerikiri” which is used in making traditional Japanese wagashi sweets. Their tiny hands, ears and facial features have all been carefully and delicately crafted to create some seriously adorable sweets which, as Tabemas describes all their products, are just too cute to eat.

Rilakkuma is filled with Japanese custard pudding flavoured bean paste while Kiiroitori is filled with chocolate flavoured bean paste. Both sweets are made with natural colouring and have the deliciously moist texture that wagashi have. They are also made with chickpeas which have become popular for their high nutritional value so are a better option for the health-conscious individual.

Whether as a treat to yourself or a friend, don’t miss out on these cute and tasty sweets.

©2019 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Felissimo is making washing more fun with the new character-themed Rilakkuma laundry bag.

Rilakkuma’s everyday outfit is now a laundry net?! If you take a look inside the bag from the back zipper, you will notice that the inside of the bag has been accurately created and firmly secured to look just like Rilakkuma.

You’ll feel as if Rilakkuma has come to stay at your house! Without realising, you’ll be smiling at the sight of your new laundry bag swaying gently in the breeze alongside the rest of your laundry no matter where you are. If you’re concerned about your delicates or socks, you can still wash them together with the rest of your laundry using this bag. You can put this bag directly in the washing machine! After you’ve finished the washing, you can easily carry the bag to the washing line by the handle! How useful!

The bag isn’t fully transparent and it’s made using mesh. This makes it perfect for carrying a change of clothes to the gym or your bath set for when you go to the hot springs!

Now you can finally enjoy doing the chores around the house thanks to the Rilakkuma laundry bag!

Japanese-style Rilakkuma cafe Rilakkuma Tea House will permanently open up its second shop in Itsukushima, Hiroshima.

Itsukushima shrine located in Miyajima of Aki is the symbol of the shop. The large, elegant scarlet shrine gate that floats in the water is built entirely of wood and is one of the most beautiful shrine gates in Japan. The main shrine building has a long, honourable history as a world heritage site. As it was built by the sea, the beautiful wooden structure is famous worldwide.

 The Rilakkuma Tea House represents the shrine’s traditional wooden architecture style and the warm atmosphere created by wood. Rilakkuma’s favourite food, honey, is also a main theme.

The healthy menu and Japanese-style dessert menu which are popular at the Rilakkuma Tea House will also be available at the Itsukushima cafe. There are also dishes that use Miyajima and Hiroshima’s famous delicacies including oysters and lemons. This is a flavour adventure you can only enjoy in Hiroshima!

Rilakkuma eel and oyster tempura gozen　¥1,580 (tax included)

Rilakkuma is taking a nap on a bed of fried eggs. Enjoy the crunchy eel and oyster tempura along with three varieties of traditional Japanese-style sides.

Yellow bird and fried oyster curry ¥1,280 (tax included)

This yellow bird is made from saffron rice and is topped with crispy fried oyster, which is the perfect match for the deep-flavoured curry!

There is also a dessert menu and a takeaway menu too! All the menus are packed with Hiroshima goodness!

Rilakkuma chilling out in the autumn leaves ー Japanese-style chocolate banana parfait　¥1,280 (tax included)

A bridge made from banana stretches over a valley of autumn leaves in a beautiful arch shape. The banana ice cream is complemented with gyuhi mochi cake and warabi mochi. The chewy texture of this Japanese parfait resembles banana daifuku cake!

Korilakkuma Seto Inland Sea lemon chiffon 　¥980  (tax included)

This is a fluffy chiffon cake that uses Seto Inland Sea lemons and honey. The cake is sprinkled with berries, and lemons slices decorate the cake to resemble flowers, creating a sweet yet sour flavour.

Delicious Rilakkuma/ Korilakkuma honey sandwich 　¥600  (tax included)

The Rilakkuma Brioche Bread and Korilakkuma White Bread are filled with different ice cream flavours! Those cute round eyes will win you over in no time! ♪

*Takeaway item

Rilakkuma autumn leaves manju (pack of 2)　¥350  (tax included)

These cute Rilakkuma autumn leaf-themed manju are an Itsukushima original!
*Takeaway item

Momiji manju (includes 8) 　¥1,200／Decorated wooden paddle（small, 5 patterns）　¥1,600 each／Kumano makeup brush ／small dish　(7 varieties) ¥800 each  (all prices with tax included)

There will also be Itsukushima Rilakkuma Tea House original goods! Of course, this includes the Itsukushima’s speciality momiji manju buns, momiji wooden paddles and art overflowing with Itsukushima’s specialities such as lemons!

There is just so much on the limited edition menu and there are just so many goods too! Check out the official website too! ♪

Netflix just posted an English trailer for Rilakkuma and Kaoru, the first ever Rilakkuma stop-motion animation.

Netflix describes the series: “Her life might be a little mundane, but Kaoru gets to go home to Rilakkuma, her endearingly lazy roommate who happens to be a fuzzy toy bear.”

The show will feature appearances from the lazy Rilakumma, the hard-working Korilakkuma, and the adorable Kiiroitori.

Twelve episodes are planned foe release across 12 months.

Lana Condor (X-Men: Apocalypse, Alita: Battle Angel) will provide the English dub for the main character Kaoru. The series is being directed by Kobayashi Masahito who has worked on many stop-motion pictures.

Rilakkuma and Kaori will hit Netflix on April 19, 2019 with a new episode airing every month.

©2019 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Japanese confectionery brand Tabemas is releasing new cherry blossom flavoured Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori confections. You’ll find them at Lawson convenience stores around Japan from March 26.

‘Tabemas’ is an abbreviation of the Japanese words taberareru masukotto, meaning ‘mascots that you can eat.’ It is a Japanese confectionery series that combines well-known characters and Japanese sweets made from ingredients like red bean paste, sugar and rice flour. Their products are hugely popular in Japan and are described as being too cute to eat. These delicate treats are the perfect dessert for the hanami season.

This product was originally released back in 2017, but this time they have made it even more delicious and fitting for the springtime. Rilakkuma is posed holding a pink cherry blossom flower while Kiiroitori is wearing one on his head. Inside both of them are two different bean pastes: Rilakkuma is brown sugar syrup flavoured while Kiiroitori is cherry blossom flavoured.

They not only taste delicious but are carefully crafted by hand so perfectly that you’ll find them nearly too cute to eat!