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)

The Pop Team Epic pop-up shop is set to take to make a return this month. It will open on the sixth floor of Shinjuku Marui Annex and run from August 23 to September 16.

Themed on the the popular manga and anime series, the pop-up shop first appeared in December 2016 and has since popped up many times around Japan over the years. Having been held in various places around Tokyo as well as Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo and Osaka, it is finally making its way to Shinjuku for the first time.

The shop’s main visual was drawn by series creator Bkub Okawa. Its design will feature on many exclusive pieces of merchandise at the shop.

Fans of the series have lots to look forward to at the shop, with plenty of cute and hilarious decorations of Popuko and Pipimi and plenty of photo opportunities. Those who spend over ¥3,000 (tax included) at the shop will even receive an original sticker. Only one will be given per person.

More details about the event can be found over at the official Twitter page.

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo, a highly prestigious and magnificent 4-star hotel located in Shinjuku, is now serving an all-new “luxurious” family package which includes a tea ceremony experience and much more. It is currently running from July 20 to September 1.

The rooms offered in the accommodation plan are the hotel’s popular Wide Twin Rooms located on the Premier Grand club floor. Use of the Club Lounge is included in the package. The Wide Twin Rooms include two roomy queen-size beds which span 1.53 meters wide which allow parents to sleep comfortably with their children. Rooms also feature their own bathroom facilities.

The package also includes a check-in simulation for children aged 6-12 years where they can get a feel for what it’s like to check-in. They will fill in their own check-in cards with parents and receive a ticket for the tea ceremony experience. They will be able to take their card home with them and take a commemorative photo.

The tea ceremony experience will be held on the hotel’s 10th floor in the “Shofuan,” an authentic tearoom that has been in the hotel since it opened in 1971. Parents and children will receive proper instruction from the tea ceremony teacher before pouring their own tea, allowing them to learn about traditional Japanese culture and etiquette. They will receive a special certificate of completion at the end.

If you’re travelling to Japan as a family this summer then enjoy it in luxury at Hotel Keio Plaza Tokyo.

Hello everyone! This is Midori from MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON.

Candy apples are the staple food of summer festivals. A crunchy candy coating and a sweet, fruity apple is such a divine combination. It can be quite difficult to find candy apples outside of festivals. That’s where Candy Apple steps in. This is a brand new shop on the block that specialises in candy apples!

This is located just a five-minute walk from Shibuya Station’s west exit. If you check out their saved Instagram story, you probably won’t get lost. During the weekdays and on Saturdays, this is an Italian restaurant called Buonappetito. On Sundays, when the restaurant is closed, it transforms into a candy apple shop.

The shop interior is gorgeous.

Plain: ¥600

I ordered the plain apple without wasting any time. This is much larger than what you would usually get at a festival. Although these are usually eaten by immediately sinking your teeth in and biting out a big chunk, you can cut your apple here and enjoy it at your own pace. 

After taking your first bite, you will realise just how different this is to your normal candy apple. The apple is coated in a thin layer of candy, creating a delicious crunch. The apple is fresh, juicy and sweet. Some candy apples are made with mushy apples that are not fresh, however these apples are extremely fresh and delicious right to the last bite. 

These candy apples are full of a variety of flavours.

Cinnamon Sugar: ¥600

The apple with the dusting of beige-coloured powder is cinnamon-flavoured. The sweet cinnamon scent spreads everywhere as soon as you set it on the table. The sweet flavour of the apple and the fragrant cinnamon is a match made in heaven. 

Cocoa: ¥600

The apple covered in the brown powder is cocoa-flavoured. The slightly bitter flavour of the chocolate is a perfect match for the sweet apple. The colour contrast between the brown chocolate and white apple is also beautiful. ♪

Matcha: ¥600

The apple with the green powder is matcha as you may have already guessed! The flavouring of the Uji matcha used for this apple was carefully balanced to maximise the flavour when combined with the apple. After you take your first bite, you just won’t be able to stop. 

Blueberry Yoghurt: ¥600

The bright white dusting on this blueberry yoghurt-flavoured apple is beautiful. The blueberry scent is mild and is perfect with the yoghurt.

Black Cocoa: ¥600

The pitch black colour of the Black Cocoa Candy Apple is very appetizing. The black cocoa is even more bitter than the cocoa apple, which really brings out the flavour of the sweet apple even more.

You can even get chocolate fondue for your candy apple (¥400). By adding the fairly bitter chocolate to your candy apple, you can enjoy three different kinds of sweetness when it mixes with the chocolate, candy and the apple. 

You can even order your candy apple to go, making it the perfect summer souvenir. Taking it home to enjoy is also another wonderful way to make the most of your experience. 

This candy apple shop is only open on Sundays, but you can order to take away on other days. 

This is a flavour that a festival candy apple will never be capable of offering. You can tuck into your apple inside the beautiful shop, or take it home to enjoy at home at your own pace. 

Indulge in the flavours of a Japanese autumn with the two new Kit Kat flavours of Kit Kat Chestnut and Kit Kat Sweet Potato. These will be released on August 19.

Thin wafers sandwich layers of the delicious autumn fillings. Even the white chocolate that wraps these wafers is infused with the flavour of sweet potato or chestnut respectively. The biggest appeal of these Kit Kat flavours is their mild sweetness.

The crispy texture of the wafers combined with the rich aroma and crumbly texture of the sweet fillings creates a whole new flavour to associate with a Japanese autumn. 

Kit Kat knows just how celebrate the coming of a new season!

Summer is here, and if you’re travelling around Japan, chances are you’ll be using Tokyo Station station at some point.

We recently covered 6 must-buy souvenirs at Tokyo Station. Today we’ll be looking at the most popular Japanese and western sweets you can pick up there as ranked by sales.

Western Sweets & Snacks

1st Place: Maple Butter Cookie (Contains 18) – ¥1,900 (Tax Included) / Sold @ The Maple Mania

These cookies are made from maple sugar and fermented butter and baked with dark chocolate in the middle to make a crunchy cookie sandwich. They have been the most popular treat since they were released♡

2nd Place: Tokyo Station Waffles (10 Included) – ¥1,300 (Tax Included) / Sold @ R.L waffle cake

A flagship product of R.L. Waffle Cake, their fluffy waffles contain cream and fruit. These Tokyo Station exclusives have been improved this year and are now made with bamboo charcoal. This set of 10 plain waffles are available for a limited time only.

3rd Place: Tokyo Gianduja Chocolate Pie (Contains 8) – ¥1,080 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Caffarel

Chocoholics are going to love Caffarel’s chocolate pies which are made lusciously with their gianduja chocolate. The pies enjoy repeat purchases from people who enjoy the crunchy outside of the pie and rich chocolate centre. They are enjoyed by people of all ages.

4th Place: Tokyo Kaminariya (Contains 8) – ¥1,062 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Tokyo Kaminariya

Tokyo Kaminariya is known for its sweet cone puffs which topped with fluffy cream, nuts and sesame seed bean paste. They are shaped like the god of thunder’s horn and are cat tongue biscuits containing fragrant rice flour.

5th Place: Tokyo Station Assorted Cookies (Contains 20) – ¥1,965 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Tokyo Milk Cheese

This cookie assortment features the classic Salt & Camembert and Honey & Gorgonzola flavours. A perfect souvenir from Tokyo with its cute packaging!

Japanese Sweets & Snacks

1st Place: Kinpira Gobo (1 Bag) – ¥350 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Nishikihonrin

This crispy snack retains the original flavour of the ingredients and is made using 100% domestic wheat flour. It contains great burdock and spicy finely chopped vegetable flavours. It’s a perfect little treat to yourself or someone you know and is a hit with foreign customers!

2nd Place: Mame Daifuku: ¥206 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Ginza Kanra

A hallmark product of Ginza Kanra, these soft daifuku contain whole adzuki beans grown by contracted farmers. Their simple flavour has transcended generations and is a beloved traditional Japanese dessert with all ages.

3rd Place: Panda no Tabi (Contains 5) – ¥1,080 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Keishindo

Keishindo’s senbei shrimp rice cookies have various designs on them including cute pandas as well as famous sites in Tokyo such as Tokyo Tower and Kaminarimon. Exclusive to Tokyo Station, these are a fun and delicious choice.

4th Place: Wasanbon (Contains 9) – ¥756 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Kurio Shoten Gransta

Wasanbon is a type of traditional Japanese sugar. This product is made with traditional molasses which has been used since the store first opened. Using high quality sugar, Kurio Shoten has created a sweet and simple delicious snack.

5th Place: edocco Nami Ningyo Yaki – ¥1,080 (Tax Included) / Sold @ Hattendo & edocco

Ningyo yaki are little baked doll cakes, and these ones have a “raw” texture to them which is both moist and chewy, a texture enjoyed by Japanese people.

Did you enjoy this list? Be sure you get to try all the sweets and snacks you can in Japan and share them as souvenirs when you travel back home!

It’s been a minute since we last ventured out with Japanese model Yuna Yabe and her beloved pet pup Mozuku. If you’re new to this feature, Yuna Yabe takes her trusty partner Mozuku to various hot spots in Japan that you can enjoy with your pet dog. Their relationship continues to deepen in this priceless experience.

Today, Yuna and Mozuku head to Uzumako Ceramic Art School which is close to Shiba Park. You can get a good view of TokyoTower from this famous park.

What’s unique about this art school is that visitors are allowed to take their pets with them. So this means you can take your dog with you to do some ceramics!

Yuna has always had an interest in ceramics. And what better way to experience creating something than with her partner in crime Mozuku! With him tottering beside her, she headed through the entrance curtain with a spring in her step.

When you enter the classroom, there are lots of examples of pottery ware lining the shelves. The room has that smell of craftsmanship which lingers as you begin the class with a demonstration by the teacher. Once you have your apron on and are fired up to begin, it’s time to start.

The work begins with kneading the clay to make its firmness uniform. This step helps prevent air bubbles from forming.

Yuna asked the teacher many different questions as she enjoyed kneading her clay. “Where does ceramic work originate from?” “What kind of things to other dog owners make when they come here?”

“What’s Yuna up to?” Mozuku’s puzzled face seemed to imply as he listened to Yuna and the teacher talk.

Yuna turned to Mozuku and said to him, “I’m going to make you a food bowl!” It seemed like the message got through as his face read, “Looks like my owner is making something just for me.”

Yuna wet her hands with some water and began forming a hole in the centre of her clay bundle. The hole forms and gets bigger as the pottery wheel spins.

Next, she used both of her hands to ensure the thickness of the bowl was even all the way around.

“Amazing! The shape of the clay changes in an instant!”

By adding a little bit of pressure the pile of clay can change shape rapidly. It’s like a living thing.

“It’s like the clay is my own child. I wanna wrap it up!”

Once the shape is formed, Yuna cut around the edges. She is a skilled individual, she got the hang of it straight away.

Mozuku sat right beside Yuna, quiet and curious.

“Is it my turn yet?”

He seemed itching to have a go at making something himself too.

He watched over Yuna’s work from atop the table.

“I wanna try spinning the wheel too!”

Mozuku in fact had the most important job of all. Yuna popped a wooden mould onto his paw and stamped a paw print into thebottom of the bowl.

“There we go!” said Yuna

Mozuku mustered all of his strength to make his mark, his facial expression unusually serious as he carried out his big task.

Time to check if the print was done properly!

Here’s the final product―Mozuku did a great job!

Their teamwork paid off as they were able to create a really cute dog bowl. The tiny footprint is packed with pet love. The art school actually sells a lot of different cute and stylish pet items but the owner making their own makes it unique―the only one in the world.

If that love is able to get through to your pup, the food they eat from the bowl is sure to be even more delicious.

Thanks for your help, Mozuku.

“I can’t wait to fire it!” Yuna’s excitement was peak from start to finish. She was very satisfied after the class finished.

After two weeks of waiting, the bowl was completely finished.

Why not try creating something unique special for your own pet―together with them?

Model: Yuna Yabe/Mozuku　@yunaaay1030

Text: Ai Watanabe

Photographer: Kayo Sekiguchi

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Have you heard of Osamu Watanabe? You won’t forget his name by the end of this article. He is an installation and contemporary artist that draws his inspiration from the world of sweets and confections. He has drawn much attention not just in Japan but overseas too in countries like the US, Italy, Turkey, Indonesia and China with his various exhibitions.

Watanabe is set to take his “Museum of Sweets” exhibition to Shinjuku where it will open at the Odakyu Department Store on July 31.

The candy creations will be split throughout 9 different areas such as the titular room Museum of Sweets as well as the Forest of Sweets, Banquet of Sweets, Sweets Aquarium and more, all of which are sure to tickle the taste buds of sweet tooth visitors.

What’s more is that you are permitted to take photos, opening the door for countless photo opportunities for Instagram.

Osamu Watanabe will also be present to host a workshop on 4 separate days so you can craft your own cookie charm using materials Watanabe actually uses in his creations.

Enter a fantastic candy land cooked up by the one and only Osamu Watanabe.

Sanrio has announced that it will open its third-ever limited-time cafe themed on their magazine Ichigo Shimbun at EGG & SPUMA located on the 8th floor of Shinjuku Lumine EST from July 11 to September 30.

Ichigo Shimbun is a monthly magazine published by Sanrio which includes information about the latest character merchandise, the Sanrio Character Awards, and more. Many of Sanrio’s characters appear in the magazine and are set to appear at the cafe in the form of food. The theme of the cafe will be “Vacation.”

The menu special is the special party combo box for two. Served in an original box, it contains Pochacco and Cinnamoroll burgers, fries, cute Kiki & Lala desserts, two drinks, and more.

EGG & SPUMA are known for their pancakes, so for the Sanrio collaboration, they will serve a special plate of pancakes themed on a beach with Pompompurin sunbathing on top. You can also order refreshing summery soda drinks too.

There will be two different menus served at different periods for the duration of the collaboration, meaning a repeat visit is a must. We hope you get to try everything!