Ruby chocolate is a variety of chocolate that was introduced in 2017 as the 4th main type of chocolate alongside milk, white and dark. It didn’t hit Japan until October 2018, but since then, the luxury pink delight has been getting much love with the release of many new products. The ruby colour of the cocoa beans is completely natural.

I attended a product conference held by Barry Callebaut, the Belgian-Swiss chocolate company which introduced ruby chocolate to the world. I got to try out various confections made using this chocolate.

When talking about ruby chocolate, you’re inclined to highlight its striking pink colour. But the looks are just part of the story. Compared to dark, white and milk chocolate, ruby chocolate is said to have the strongest cacao fruit flavour. Though it’s chocolate, it has a sour, fruity kind of taste.

Until last year, I was more about the eye-catching pink colour of the chocolate, so I ended up overlooking that ruby chocolate is often paired with berry-type fruits when it comes to confections. I get it nowーso it has a sour taste? Well then, this year I really want to go all out and appreciate the unique flavour of this ruby chocolate.

Today, I’m going to showcase six new products made with Callebaut® Ruby Chocolate. I’ve tried them all, so I can properly break down the flavours and how delicious they are for you!

Ruby Chocolate Otabe – ¥660 (Before Tax)

This Japanese confection is a combination of ruby chocolate and “Otabe,” which is a confection known as “yatsuhashi,” a popular souvenir sweet from Kyoto. Much time is put into making the ganache to ensure the fruitiness of the ruby chocolate remains intact. The ganache is wrapped in chewy yatsuhashi which is made with domestic koshihikari, which is a type of rice, and carefully selected water. There’s no way this could be anything short of delicious!

At the taste-testing session, I got to see the ruby chocolate Otabe being made right in front of me. It was done by a kimono-clad Nara who normally makes confections in the factory.

The rich and sour ganache combined with the chewy yatsuhashi is a match made in heaven! The pink colour really is cute after all, isn’t it? By wrapping the fruity chocolate in mochi, it creates even deeper flavours in your mouth.

This product will be sold at Kyoto Station and various tourist sites around Kyoto, so if you ever visit the city, make sure you’re on the lookout.

Ruby Chocolate Otabe

Running: October 11, 2019 – Early May 2020

Available: At Kyoto Station and tourist spots around Kyoto

Official Website: http://www.otabe.kyoto.jp/

Ruby Mille-feuille – ¥600 (Before Tax)

From Juchheim comes these ruby chocolate-coated mille-feuille fingers, laced with butter from Hokkaido and strawberry and raspberry mixed cream layered into a crunchy sandwich.

The puff pastry is of course tasty, and the sour flavour of the ruby chocolate mixed with the sourness of the berry cream packs a seriously fruity punch. It’s an overall crunchy and rich dessert, but it also has a refreshing taste to it, so one person is sure to be tempted by more than one.

Ruby Mille-feuille

Released: October 1, 2019 (Online orders from October 8, 2019 )

Available: At all 272 branches of Juchheim in Japan / Juchheim Premium Online Shop

Online Shop: https://e-shop.juchheim.co.jp/

Pretzel Cookie – ¥480 Each (Before Tax)

Food company Rosenheim have taken their crunchy butter pretzel cookies and coated them in various chocolate flavours, including ruby, sweet, milk, and white.

The ruby pretzels have that distinct vivid pink colour and of course taste fruity. There’s six in a pack, so you can share them with friends.

Pretzel Cookie

Released: September 20, 2019

Available: At mass retailers across Japan

Christmas Wreath Ruby Framboise – ¥5,000 (Before Tax)

Callebaut’s new ruby chocolate iced cake will be released from Maison Givrée. It’s topped with a ruby chocolate and raspberry ice cream and is adorned with cool and refreshing lychee sorbet.

The best way to eat this cake is when the ice cream has melted a little bit. You can enjoy the sweet fragrance of the ruby chocolate and the marriage between its sour flavour and the raspberry. Try savouring the melted sorbet and ruby chocolate ice cream by leaving it in your mouth.

Christmas Wreath Ruby Framboise

Running: October 11, 2019 – December 13, 2019

Delivery Window: December 20, 2019 – December 25, 2019 (subject to change)

Stock: 50

Available: At Maison Givrée and its online store

Official Website: https://givreetokyo.shop-pro.jp/

Ruby Chocolate Corn Puffs – One Box ¥1,450 (Tax Included)

You can pick up a box of these ruby chocolate corn puffs at Pierre Gagnaire Pains et Gateaux on the 2nd floor of InterContinental ANA Hotel Tokyo. They have a shiny pink pearl-like appearance. The crunchy corn puffs are thick-cut which goes well with that fruity ruby chocolate taste.

Ruby Chocolate Pear Tart – ¥650 (Tax Included)

These cocoa-laced and ruby chocolate powdered baked tarts are also sold at Pierre Gagnaire Pains et Gateaux. They’re topped with almond cream and a pear compote. They’re also topped with a ganache made from ruby chocolate and a redcurrant puree. Their design is made so that it looks like a flower, crowned with extra redcurrants.

Ruby Chocolate Corn Puffs

Running: All year round

Ruby Chocolate Pear Tart

Running: October 1, 2019 – January 14, 2020

Available: Pierre Gagnaire Pains et Gateaux (InterContinental ANA Hotel Tokyo – Floor 2F)

Hotel Official Website: https://anaintercontinental-tokyo.jp/en/

I’m all about ruby chocolate’s deep flavour now. If you’ve yet to try it then you’ve got to get your hands on some, to enjoy both its striking pink appearance and that sour cacao fruit flavour.

Writer: Sayuri Mizuno (MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON)

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

fennica is a fashion label associated with BEAMS that combines traditional Japanese handicraft with new and old designs collected from Northern Europe. The label has announced that it will collaborate with the Akan Tourism Association (法人阿寒観光協会まちづくり推進機構) non-profit organisation to release an all-new collection that incorporates traditional Ainu crafts.

Terry Ellisーthe London-based director of fennicaーand Keiko Kitamura observed Ainu culture in the Lake Akan area in Kushiro, Hokkaido, and have used the creative beauty of young craftsmen and craftswomen who are in charge of next-generation Ainu culture. Overtime they have worked together with the artisans to create an original collection entitled “Ainu Crafts from Lake Akan: Tradition and Innovation” which will be sold on the fifth floor of the Shinjuku branch of BEAMS Japan in the fennica studio and B Gallery from October 12.

The collection incorporates silver jewellery with Ainu patterns, wood-carved cutlery, hamper bags made with traditional materials, and many other lifestyle items familiar to Ainu culture. During the showcasing, there will be other exhibitions related to Ainu in the gallery, as well as talks, live performances, and more.

A special webpage went live on October 1 talking about this collaboration.

The collection’s director Terry Ellis commented: “When I was walking around Takiguchi’s store Ichigen No Mise, my attention focused on this cutlery. I felt the folklore in its simplicity. Though it’s an item to be used, the craftsmanship is incredible. You can’t just stop at one, you want to collect more and decorate with them.” *Translated from Japanese

Keiko Kitamura, also a director for the collection, commented: “Akan is a rare kind of place, with mountains, rivers, lakes and forests. It has its own shapes and colours because of the light, colours and sounds which change intensely with time and soak into your body. And Ainu art is distinct from the traditional craftsmanship of other countries and regions because in almost all categories you can still produce it even today. There are [Ainu] people who are still continuing to make art for their family to this day. Their still being here is something valuable.”

She continues: “Japan’s handiwork is in danger of vanishing across all areas of the country. Even if there are no successors, there are people who have been beside them watching, and people who were once involved in the past. So we may barely just make it. Because if this handiwork comes to a stop, it will be no more. We feel a sense of duty to protect this wonderful work.”

It has been seven years since Sarabeth Levine took her New York-based cafe and restaurant Sarabeth’s to Japan back in 2012. To celebrate, the establishment will hold a special one-night event with a commemorative menu.

“Fermented Foods” is the theme of the event, which will see an incredible line-up of premium dishes. There will also be a talk by Sarabeth Levine herself who will be in attendance.

The menu line-up features a range of healthy fermented foods, like pancakes and Eggs Benedict, while drinks options include lemonade with fermented syrup, goishicha tea from Aichi Prefecture, and more. There will also be Sarabeth cookies which you can take home with you.

Nestlé has announced that it is revamping its 16 products* at the KitKat Chocolatory which will be released on October 11, 2019.

*One of these products will be released in late November

The KitKat Chocolatory is a direct-to-consumer chain, serving premium, handcrafted KitKats made with top quality ingredients and production methods under full direction by Takagi Yasumasa―the owner and chef of LE PATISSIER TAKAGI. Its luxurious line is endless, with products ranging from the elusive ruby chocolate, whose cocoa beans give the finish product its pink colour, to volcanic chocolate made from rare cocoa beans sourced from volcanic islands, and beyond.

The Chocolatory takes regular KitKats and the brand to a whole new level while still having that sense of familiarity, making their products great gifts and personal treats.

The new line-up of 16 products is considered by four categories: 1) the chocolate type, 2) where the cocoa beans are produced, 3) the production process from bean to bar, and 4) the combination between chocolate and other ingredients. Each and every bar has been given equal attention to create chocolates with different flavours, enabling consumers to discover not only which tickle their taste buds, but the story behind each unique bar.

There is a rapidly growing interest amongst consumers who want to know where their food comes from and how it’s made. When it comes to specialist chocolate products, a lot of information isn’t widely known. That’s the reason behind KitKat Chocolatory’s revamp, as well as to create chocolate that nobody has experience before.

Let’s take a look at four of the new KitKats you can get your fingers on.

Enjoy the Chocolate Varieties

KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Bitter – ¥300 Each (Before Tax)

A hallmark product since KitKat Chocolatory opened, the Sublime Bitter is couverture chocolate made with 66% cocoa. The bar is a blend of three different cocoa beans from Ghana, Madagascar, and the Dominican Republic. This addictive delight reserves the original bitterness of the cocoa while having a fruity tinge to it.

Enjoy the Difference Between Cocoa Production Areas

KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Volcanic Malakula Island – ¥400 Each (Before Tax)

This mysterious ‘volcanic chocolate’ is made from extremely rare cocoa beans sourced from the volcanic Malakula Island which was voted one of the happiest places on earth. It has a distinct bitterness and very fragrant scent reminiscent of the ground.

Enjoy the Chocolate Making Process

KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Raw – ¥300 Each (Before Tax)

The cocoa beans of this “raw” chocolate are cooked at a lower temperature than usual to draw out a more natural flavour of the original bean, like it’s been plucked right out of a cocoa bean farm and placed into your hands.

Enjoy the Combination Of Ingredients

KitKat Chocolatory Moleson – ¥500 Each (Before Tax)

Finally, here is the world’s first ingredient-topped KitKat. It uses the smooth, melt-in-the-mouth KitKat Chocolatory Sublime Milk bar as the base, and is topped with sweet and sour dried cranberries and fragrant crushed almonds, creating a flavourful and textural ensemble.

Discover a whole new world of KitKat and chocolate when the new products drop at KitKat Chocolatory on October 11.

Two chocolate shops themed on American cartoonist Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts character Snoopy are set to open simultaneously in Arashiyama and Kiyomizu-zaka in Kyoto on October 9, 2019.

Tablet Chocolat – From ¥1,200

Named SNOOPY Chocolat, the shops have many delicious treats lined up for fans of Snoopy, including these tablet-shaped chocolates. There are 8 in total, each telling a story of love, friendship and family that serve to give you courage.

Tablet Chocolat Japan – From ¥500

These cute heart-shaped tablet chocolates are made with Japanese ingredients like wasabi, yuzu, shiso, sesame, matcha, adzuki, shichimi, houjicha and more.

BonBon Chocolat – From ¥800

Made with rich, fragrant cocoa and Japanese flavours like yuzu, wasabi, roasted soy flour, matcha, houjicha and Japanese sake, these luxurious chocolates are like little pieces of art featuring Snoopy in his many different looks.

Both shops will feature an interior design reminiscent of Japanese-style houses. The Kiyomizu-zaka branch will have a luxury white chocolate colour tone while the Arashiyama branch will have a brown-coloured milk chocolate tone.

Tablet Chocolat (Arashiyama Exclusive)

Tablet Chocolat (Kiyomizu-zaka Exclusive)

Both shops will also have their own individual exclusive items too like the ones above, all original to SNOOPY Chocolat.

There will of course be plenty of original merchandise to get your paws on too, like plush toys, takeout cups, mugs, tote bags, freezer bags, and more, all perfect for use at home or as gifts to a friend.

Hiratsuka Confectionery Co., Ltd. began the Tokyo Cacao Project in 2003, where it began planting cacao beans on the island of Hahajima, the second largest of the Ogasawara Islands in Tokyo. The project’s aim was to produce chocolate made in Tokyo.

That chocolate is finally ready for consumption, as the first-ever batch of chocolate using the beans will be released on November 1. The chocolate is called “TOKYO CACAO,” and a limited stock of just 20,000 will be sold.

These plentiful domestic cacao beans are described as having a gentle flavour. The harvested raw cacao beans are fermented and then dried, creating a rich aroma and mild taste. A bite of this chocolate promises the deep, original taste of the cacao beans.

The chocolate design takes on an Edo Kiriko glass style so it can be a chocolate that symbolises Tokyo. Its carefully-crafted shapely design elevates the delicate flavour of the cacao beans and the chocolate’s smooth texture. Hiratsuka Confectionery’s facility has its own “TOKYO CACAO LAB” so that the chocolate is made “from bean to bar” within Tokyo. This is where the fermentation and drying process takes place and subsequent bar production. It has taken over 10 years to create this authentic Tokyo-made chocolate.

To ensure this chocolate can be treasured and enjoyed, it is carefully packaged and sleeved in a tin like a jewel. This exclusive, limited-edition chocolate from Tokyo is sure to be a welcomed gift to someone special.

Hiratsuka Confectionery is planning to release some TOKYO CACAO at select stores ahead of the November release. If you’re in Tokyo this November, make sure you get your hands on some of this very special chocolate.

TOKYO MYSTERY CIRCUS’s catalogue of games just keeps on growing. The puzzle and escape game theme park has just announced the return of its escape game Escape From Shin Godzilla which is being held in collaboration with the 2016 film Shin Godzilla.

The event was previously held last April where it ran until October, enjoying huge popularity with over 40,000 escape game-goers. Players took the role of a member of the Kyosaitai―the anti-Godzilla task force―based in Kabukicho, Shinjuku where you will be tasked with solving puzzles to defeat the colossal giant.

The thrilling event returns once more with original visuals created to make it look like Godzilla has really invaded Kabukicho. Tickets are now on sale, and you can pick up exclusive merchandise and themed food at the venue too. Can you defeat Godzilla?

TM&©TOHO CO., LTD.　©SCRAP

Spicy as Hell and Tasty as Well 2019 will be holding round 2 on August 16, 2019 at Okubo Park, Kabukicho in Shinjuku. This will be the event’s biggest gekikara gourmet saiten (super spicy festival) Japan has ever seen. 

Food services that represent the spicy foods of the world have all joined forces at Kabukicho in Shinjuku; Asia’s largest entertainment district to tinge it with a luminescent spicy red colour. So far, around 0.7 million people with a burning passion for spice have made their way to the spice central to test their tolerance to the range of gourmet spicy dishes. From beginner to mania, the event caters to all levels of spice-lovers. From a tiny touch of spice to spicy as hell, there is a wide range of spice levels to choose from. The dishes served and participating shops are changed each week, so you can enjoy a new spicy experience each week. 

At the 1st Round, spice fans had their fill of Ciao em Cafe’s Bún bò Huế. This café, which originates from the outskirts of Tokyo in Hana-Koganei, took part in the event for the first time. One of their signature dishes is the Vietnamese soup, which captured the hearts of many women for its perfectly balanced sweet yet spicy flavour.  Despite being Menya Mazeharu’s first time serving at the event, their queues stretched out into the sunset from morning to evening each day .

Round 2 will see Cheese to Gibier Curry Naru Ichizoku and Tokyo spice curry Aka to Kuro spicing up the event for the first time. This is the perfect opportunity to experience Awajishima Curry made with the world’s most sense-scorching spices including ghost pepper, trinidad scorpion pepper, and the carolina reaper. Tokyo spice curry serves up red curry dishes made with ingredients traditionally used in natural Chinese food therapy. Their black curries are Kashmiri curries that will leave you feeling satisfied. 

These are just a selection of the vast number of noteworthy spicy dishes. You are bound to find the perfect curry to spice up your life at this event, so please check it out.

It’s been a while since our last date with Yutaro. He’s been very busy with film shoots. He had some spare time today so we paid a visit to Nihonbashi for our next date. “ECO EDO Nihonbashi: Enjoy Cool Edo With All Five Senses” is an event held every year in the Nihonbashi area which takes the Edo period cultural idea of “coolness”―an in, to enjoy being cool during the summer－and puts a modern spin on it. There are many exciting things to look forward to, including the art aquarium which proves massively popular every year.

We gave ourselves more time to arrive at the meeting place to be in the safe side, but it seems Yutaro-kun was already there waiting for us!

Nihonbashi Information Center | IPPIN CAFÉ “Sparkling Herb Tea” – ¥518 (Tax Included)

“Here, you must be boiling.” Yutaro-kun kindly offers a cup of IPPIN CAFE’s limited-edition sparkling herb tea. It’s a delicious mix of fizzy soda and lemon, a perfect refreshment for the summer. Since he ordered takeout the drink came with a goldfish straw. Goldfish are a staple sight during Japanese summer festivals so it’s very fitting for the occasion! 

With our drinks in hand, it’s time to head to Nihonbashi for our Edo summer date!

Wind-Chime Forest Path

Lining the path between Fukutoku Shrine and Fukutoku Garden is the Wind-Chime Forest Path where around 200 Edo-style wind chimes dangled. This year, during the evenings, the path is illuminated with beautiful lighting. 

When the breeze rolls past the wind chimes ring one by one－a cool and refreshing sound.

“I hear each one of these Edo wind chimes are individually handmade by craftsmen.”

When you hear the sound of the wind chimes it makes you feel cool like a gentle breeze of the wind.

After strolling along the Wind-Chime Forest Path we make our way towards this year’s ECO EDO Art Aquarium event.

The moment we step instead Yutaro is already dazzled by all the goldfish: “Wow! I knew about this place from what I’d seen online, but this my first time here! This art aquarium really is something!”

The full title of the event is “ECO EDO Nihonbashi ART AQUARIUM 2019 ~Edo, Coolness of Kingyo~ & Night Aquarium.”  Goldfish were a huge part of the common culture in Nihonbashi during the Edo period. This event recreates that and brings that “coolness” aspect while combining it with contemporary art by having people observe the fish in lots of different artistic environments.

Super Oiran

“This is the biggest fish tank, apparently it has 3,000 fish swimming inside!”

“Seeing the light reflect on the water from the illuminations lets you see the fish in a different light, doesn’t it?”

Looks like Yutaro-kun is having a lot of fun taking photos.

He’s equally interested in just about every fish tank!

These other fish tanks have a different aesthetic to them. Their Japanese-style designs make for great photos.

Kaleidorium 3D

“This one’s beautiful, it’s like a kaleidoscope.”

It really does look like one. When you take a peek instead you can glimpse all kinds of colourful fish gently swimming around.

Ceiling Kingyo

“There’re goldfish swimming on the ceiling too. So cool! This aquarium is incredible. It brings together the great culture of Edo and contemporary art.”

The Art Aquarium bustles every single year with visitors, but this year will mark its last run. It’s being held at Nihonbashi Mitsui Hall, so if you have the chance to go then please do.

We of course checked out some local Nihonbashi treats too! We stopped by morozoff for some cheesecake after the aquarium.

morozoff Kamadashi Cheesecake (Goldfish) – ¥270 Each (Tax Included)

These cute cheesecakes with their goldfish designs are available for a limited time only. They’re filled with sweet red bean paste. They perfect with iced tea.

“Got some! Let’s eat them while we head back.”

Goldfish Lantern Walkway

Our first date in Nihonbashi was so much fun. While on the date Yutaro-kun spoke about the new live-action film he’s in, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.

“It’s a romance film with mind games to try and make the other person confess their love. I play the character Tsubasa. His number one highlight scene is the kabedon scene. That was my first day shooting, so I was super nervous, but I got along well with the other actors, and the atmosphere on set was harmonious, so I was able to relax for the shoots. Tsubasa is a genuine guy who will believe things that have been said to him in earnest. You’ve definitely gotta check out all his scenes throughout the film!”

“A lot of the cast are the same age as me, so we were all energetic together in the waiting room. There’s a scene at the end where all the cast get together. It took 3 days to shoot so we ended up getting along really well.”

“This film has made me realise that love comes in many shapes, and that mind games happen in a variety of ways between guys and girls. There’s cute scenes that express that small bit of pride that teenagers have, the embarassment they feel, when they get butterflies, scenes that will warm your heart. The film has various elements to it so I thoroughly enjoyed watching it myself. I hope that couples in love in their teens and twenties watch it, and I also hope that married couples watch it and crack up laughing too.”

“In the film it’s summer break, and they go and see fireworks and stuff. It’s definitely one to watch durnig the summer. You’re gonna come watch it too, right? Shall we go?”

An offer we cannot refuse! We’ll definitely go and see it with you, Yutaro-kun! 

Model: Yutaro

Writer: Yuki Yokoo

Photographer: Kayo Sekiguchi

Takenoko No Sato is a popular type of chocolate-covered small biscuit snack sold in Japan. This year, the mini bamboo shoot-shaped biscuit brand has been busy celebrating its 40th anniversary with the Anniversary Dessert Series. Lucky for us, that means the release of a second irresistible limited edition flavour. The new flavour, which is called Takenoko No Sato Strawberry Shortcake, will be released countrywide for a limited time only starting on August 20, 2019. 

Takenoko No Sato was born in August 1979 as the younger brother of Kinoko No Yama; a miniature mushroom snack made of a crunchy biscuit stalk and chunky chocolate mushroom head which was released in September 1975. These long-selling chocolate brands have been a popular hit since the day they hit the shops and have won the hearts of everyone from children to adults. 

Takenoko No Sato Strawberry Shortcake consists of a crunchy biscuit covered in a layer of tangy strawberry chocolate that tastes like fresh cream and sweet yet sour strawberries. 

If you have never tried this iconic Japanese brand of chocolate before, you definitely need to try it to see what all the hype is about. Don’t forget to try the Strawberry Shortcake flavour which is only available for a limited time only.

In this edition of The Café That You Want to Visit to See Someone, I visited Hatoya which is located in Asakusa Shin-Nakamise Arcade.

The streets of Tokyo’s historical district of Asakusa are packed to end with cafés. You can be spoiled for choice, but Hatoya stood out to me in particular as it’s an especially old café. Business there began back in 1927 but the actual building was built back in the Taisho period, meaning its history spans more than 90 years ago!

The outside appearance of the shop is smart and chic so it’s very easy to spot. I couldn’t tell by looking from the outside, but the inside is full of old decorations and odds and ends which make you feel the history of the café.

One reason why I wanted to visit this place so much is because I was drawn to their logo. It’s really retro-kawaii so I just couldn’t resist!

You should take some photos too if you visit.

It was time to head inside. It’s really comfy and cozy in there; the atmosphere was nice and relaxed.

Framed on the wall is a map of the Asakusa area during the Taisho era. Hatoya became famous back then because people could buy coffee for a mere 5 sen (a single sen is one-hundredth of a yen).

When business first began at Hatoya, because the café was opposite the stage door of a theatre, all of the famous actors and actresses would pop in. Some include famous Japanese comedian Roppa Furukawa and film actor Kiyoshi Atsumi who played Tora-san in the film series Otoko wa Tsurai yo.

I ordered the café’s popular hotcakes which cost ¥600. They have been making these same hotcakes since before the war.

They were nice and fluffy and had a deliciously gorgeous brown colour. The flavour was out of this world when the butter melted from the heat of the hotcakes and mixed together with the syrup.

The portion might look like a lot but they are fluffy and have a light flavour so can be finished with no problem.

And is the café’s signature milkshake (¥500).

It’s so refreshing that you can knock it back all in one go. It has a simple flavour but it tasted so good!

I also ordered the ¥600 cream soda, my favourite beverage.

I’ve been to many cafés, and have covered many in this series, but this is the first I have dined at with such a deep history. I found myself enthralled by the stories of the owner who has continued to treasure the café and maintained it all the same since it opened. I feel like I have learned about a world I never knew about. The next time I go to Hatoya with a friend I’ll be sure to let them in on its history. I encourage you to visit too!

Writer/Model: Ema Tanioku
Photographer: Haruka Yamamoto
Design: Yuko Abe (ASOBISYSTEM)