The luxury hotel Grand Hyatt Tokyo will offer Easter sweets and baked goods at the on-site Fiorentina Pastry Boutique from April 1 until Easter, April 17, to celebrate the arrival of spring.

 

Easter Egg Macaroon

 

Easter Cookies with Icing

 

Easter Lollipop

 

Easter Bunny Brioche

This year, in addition to the new Easter Bunny and Easter egg macaroons, cookies with icing, lollipop chocolates, brioche in the shape of the Easter Bunny, and other sweets and bakery items will be available. Don’t miss it!

The Pasco Kumamoto Prefecture Project is a collaboration between the Japanese pastry company Pasco and Kumamoto Prefecture which has appointed Kumamon, the mascot of Kumamoto, as its head to promote local foods.

 

The project was started as a reconstruction and restoration effort to help support Kumamoto after the devastating earthquake that struck in 2016 and the 2018 Japan floods. For every select product sold, 0.5 yen is donated to the relief effort to aid victims of the disasters.

The Pasco Kumamoto Prefecture Project is set to run until end end of September this year. It released two items on April 1 as part of the project. It is now releasing two new products: the “Strawberry Jam & Milk Whipped Cream” pastry and “Pancake Omelette Custard & Milk Whipped Cream.” The milk, strawberries, and eggs used for these confections are all sourced from Kumamoto

The pastry recipe creates whipped cream from milk and layers it with a strawberry jam made from yuubeni, a popular brand of strawberry grown in Kumamoto, before baking. The pancake omelette is a combination of Jersey milk, eggs, and custard cream to create a fluffy dessert.

 

Pasco carefully selects ingredients as part of Kumamon’s promotional products

The ingredients used in the recipes for these food products are all carefully selected to go deliciously well with Pasco’s bread. This includes milk, eggs, and yuubeni strawberries. Pasco plans to used Kumamoto-grown rice for a new product in August.

 

Scan the code on the packaging and meet Kumamon!

A special Kumamon AR service has also been created as part of the project. If you scan the code on the packaging of these products using a smart device, you can take a photo together with Kumamon as pictured above. He has the same design as on the packets.

Fashion brand Samansa Mos2 joined paws with the cat-themed bread and pastry store Neko Neko Shokupan to release their first collection together at Samansa Mos2 stores and the online store CAN ONLINE SHOP on May 14.

 

The Line-Up

 

Half-Sleeve Photo Print T-Shirts
Colours: Off-White/Unbleached/Beige
Price: ¥3,190 (Tax Included)

Half-Sleeve Monogram Print T-Shirts
Colours: Off-White/Yellow/Brown
Price: ¥3,190 (Tax Included)

Half-Sleeve Back Print T-Shirts
Colours: Off-White/Yellow/Brown
Price: ¥3,190 (Tax Included)

 

Back print tee design

Shokupan Print Hoodie
Colours: Beige/Khaki
Price: ¥4,290 (Tax Included)

 

Kid’s Line

Photo Print T-Shirt
Colours: Off-White/Yellow
Price: ¥2,530 (Tax Included)

 

French Flare T-Shirts
Colours: Beige/Khaki
Price: ¥2,530 (Tax Included)

 

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

Embroidered Canvas Tote Bag
Colours: Unbleached/Beige
Price: ¥3,850 (Tax Included)

 

Handkerchief
Colours: Beige/Purple
Price: ¥660 (Tax Included)

 

Reversible Shoulder Pouch
Colours: Beige/Khaki
Price: ¥3,190 (Tax Included)

 

Bottle Holder
Colours: Beige/Khaki
Price: ¥2,750 (Tax Included)

 

Mobile Ring Holder
Colours: Beige/Grey
Price: ¥1,650 (Tax Included)

 

 

 

Neko Neko Shokupan are known for their rich and milky cat-shaped bread which uses milk and zero water. They’re a hugely popular bakery brand who often find themselves across social media pages including Instagram. This marks their first collaboration with Samansa Mos2 who celebrate their 35th anniversary this year.

The collection features key visuals taken from the Neko Neko Shokupan brand. Items include a variety of tees and hoodies as well as other miscellaneous must-grabs like tote bags, handkerchiefs, bottle holders, and more. There’s even a children’s line-up as part of Samansa Mos2’s kid brand Samansa Mos2 Lagom so parents and their children can coordinate cute matching outfits.

Look felinely-fashionable this summer with the Samana Mos2 x Neko Neko Shokupan collection.

 

Hitobito, the company behind Japan’s popular bakery cafe chain Bread, Espresso &, is set to open a new branch inside Makita General Hospital in Kamata on March 1. The cafe opened its doors for pre-openings earlier this month with shortened business hours.

 

Bread, Espresso & has 20 branches across Japan including the popular one located in Omotesando, Tokyo. Its frequented by people of all ages for its deliciously soft bread made from 100% Japanese wheat.

The cafe’s picture book-like interior design caters to children featuring bread-shaped tables and cute illustrations.

Customers are welcome to try out the free samples on display. Each sample has a little card detailing various information which customers can take to the register if they want to buy that item. Often in Japanese bakeries there are tongs and trays which customers are free to use, but this new style of service lessens contact with others for a safer trip during the pandemic.

The bakery serves Bread, Espresso & classics like French toast and their mu pastries, as well as alternatives like gluten-free breads, no-sugar treats, and more.

Japanese bakery Neko Neko Shokupan is promoting the release of the second in the two-part anime film series Sailor Moon Eternal by baking up a bread inspired by everyone’s favourite feline: Luna. The bread will be sold from February 11 to March 25.

Neko Neko Shokupan Luna Bread w/ Chocolate Pen | ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

The bread is made of pastry laced with black cocoa powder. Luna’s ears are strawberry flavoured and she  of course has her iconic crescent moon atop her forehead. She arrives safely packaged in a cube-shaped box decorated in night sky stars and the moon. This box is placed in an eye-catching bag with little Sailor Moon details that are sure to be familiar to any fan, including Luna herself as well as Artemis.

 

The bread is available in-store at Neko Neko Shokupan branches and via the online store All Hearts Mall in Japan

The first film in the Sailor Moon Eternal series was released on January 8, 2021, and the second on February 11, 2021.

 

©武内直子・PNP／劇場版「美少女戦士セーラームーンEternal」製作委員会

Neko Neko Shokupan is celebrating Japan’s annual Hinamatsuri festival, also known as Doll’s Day, by releasing a set of three limited-edition flavours of its popular cat-shaped bread. It is now available via their online store until March 3, 2021.

Strawberry / Plain / Matcha – ¥4,600 (Tax & Shipping Included)

Neko Neko Shokupan Hinamatsuri Strawberry

Neko Neko Shokupan Hinamatsuri Plain

Neko Neko Shokupan Hinamatsuri Matcha

Neko Neko House

The cute set includes pink-coloured strawberry, white-coloured plain, and green-coloured matcha breads which are available for delivery at addresses in Japan. They arrive in a cute house-shaped box.

The hugely popular Taiwan Melon Pan bread, which sells 10,000 units a month in Osaka, Kichijoji, and Nishiogikita, is now being served at Harajuku Food Factory until February 20.

Taiwan Melon Pan | ¥380 (Before Tax)

Taiwan Cheese Melon Pan | ¥450 (Before Tax)

The Taiwan Melon Pan bread is a combination of sweetness, rich butter, and salt for an irresistible flavour experience.

eXcafe Gion, a cafe located near Kyoto’s popular tourist spot Yasaka Shrine, introduced its Mikeneko breakfast to the menu on Monday. The breakfast was first put on the menu at the Arashiyama branch of eXcafe.

Gion is one of Kyoto’s biggest and most famous shopping districts. eXcafe Gion is located along Shinbashi-dori Street, which is listed as one of Japan’s Important Preservation Districts of Historic Buildings, making it within walking distance of many traditional places in Kyoto such as Yasaka Shrine, Hanamikoji Street, Shirakawa, Tatsumidaimyojin Shrine, and more.

eXcafe Mikeneko Breakfast | ¥1,380 (Before Tax)

eXcafe’s Mikeneko breakfast menu is made with the new thick-cut, three-coloured cat-shaped bread from the popular cafe Kyoto Neko Neko, which is made with three flavours: caramel, black cocoa, and plain. It comes with various toppings to choose from including anko red bean paste, butter, whipped cream, and fruit, so you can arrange your toast how you like it.

 

The toast is served with mitarashi-dango for dessert which can be cooked on top of the little stove that you get.

 

Enjoy a super cute breakfast meal at eXcafe and then a stroll around Gion when visiting Kyoto.

ALL HEARTS COMPANY, a Japanese company that develops bakeries and patisseries across Japan, opened its new bakery and confectionery shop Tokyo Neko Neko in Ginza, Tokyo on July 22, 2020. The shop has replaced Heart Bread ANTIQUE, another bakery also run by ALL HEARTS COMPANY, which was previously at this location.

At Tokyo Neko Neko, they are serving cat-shaped pastries and desserts including Tokyo-exclusive products from their Neko Neko Bread brand and Neko Neko Cheesecake shop. This is the second branch to open following the opening of Kyoto Neko Neko last month.

 

A stylish bakery

Tokyo Neko Neko’s pastries and interior design takes on a completely different look from Kyoto Neko Neko, with the walls acting as a canvas to display their food like an art museum. The bakery’s line-up centres on seeing as well as eating, adding an extra level of deliciousness to the products. If you’ve visiting Tokyo, you don’t want to pass up on the opportunity to visit Tokyo Neko Neko.

 

Tokyo Neko Neko Bread

Tokyo Neko Neko’s cat-shaped bread is palm-sized and so is a perfect gift and takeaway snack. The outside is crunchy while the middle is kept nice and moist. The secret behind the bread’s tastiness is the use of fermented butter which they get from France. The use of lots of almond cream adds a tasty kick too.

Tokyo Neko Neko Bread – Plain: ¥1,000 (Before Tax)

Made using croissant pastry and loaded with fermented butter.

Tokyo Neko Neko Bread – Caramel Almond: ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

Caramel almonds and almond slices are added to this version, also made with lots of fermented butter.

Tokyo Neko Neko Bread – Praline Rose: ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

This flvour is filled with praline rose, a traditional French confection of caramelised sugar-coated almonds.

 

Tokyo Neko Neko has lots of other tasty foods to offer too, like their Neko Neko Cheesecake, Neko Neko Butter Sandwiches, and more.

ALL HEARTS COMPANY, a Japanese company that develops bakeries and patisseries across Japan, opened its new bakery and confectionery shop Kyoto Neko Neko in Shijo, Kyoto on June 1, 2020. There, they are serving cat-shaped pastries and desserts including Kyoto-exclusive products from their Neko Neko Bread brand and Neko Neko Cheesecake shop.

Kyoto Neko Neko Danish Bread: ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

This butter-loaded Danish pastry is folded into a braid shape and baked which keeps the pastry moist. It’s topped with a sprinkling of sugar, leaving it glistening. It’s recommended that you first try the pastry as it is—soft and moist. You can then try lighting toasting it which gives it a crispy texture and brings out the delicious aroma of the butter.

Products are packaged in a cute box making them a great gift idea.

Kyoto Neko Neko Cheesecake (On sale from mid-June 2020)

This cheesecake is made with Brie de Meaux cheese and is laced with black cocoa. The luxurious cheese combined with black soy beans and brown sugar syrup jelly makes for a marriage between Japanese and Western flavours. You get an extra layer of deliciousness too with a dusting of soy flour.

Kyoto Neko Neko Bread (Plain): ¥550 (Before Tax)

This Kyoto version of the Neko Neko Bread is still made without water, but rather than using only milk, Kyoto Neko Neko has added soy milk made using soy beans from a tofu shop in Kyoto, lending a smooth and rich flavour to the bread. And instead of mascarpone cheese, Kyoto Neko Neko uses soybean cream, and instead of dairy butter a soy cream butter.

Kyoto Neko Neko Bread (Houjicha): ¥680 (Before Tax)

Kyoto Neko Neko Bread (Matcha): ¥680 (Before Tax)

There’s also a houjicha flavour made with houjicha tea and white chocolate, as well as a matcha flacvour combined with black soybean.

Here at MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON, we post news and information about Japan in six languages. Our aim is to deliver a variety of content related to Japan for those who love and enjoy Japanese culture.

 

Right now, people across the globe are in self-isolation as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The same goes for Japan too, so we’ve taken this opportunity to create a new series on the website to show how we’re spending time at home here in Japan. The future is yet uncertain, and we hope for normality to return for all of us soon. We created a new articles series called Stay Home with which we hope to take your mind off the situation, even for just a little bit, to help you feel calmer. It might give you some tips on what you can do while spending time at home.

 

In this edition of Stay Home, we’re taking a look at some cute, easy-to-make toast recipes that were featured with the trending Japanese hashtag #おうちカフェ (“Cafe at Home”). Try making them yourself at home for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack.

 

1: Lemon Toast | @hinako_ko_

Hinako Satou’s lemon toast recipe combines sweet sugar with sour lemon for an addictive flavour. The lemon-topped looks cute too♡

 

Ingredients

・Toast・Sugar Margarine ・Powdered Sugar・Sliced Lemons

 

Methods

1: Layer the toast with the sugar margarine.

2: Dust with the powdered sugar and then top with sliced lemons.

3: Add another dusting of powdered sugar on top of the lemons to balance the flavours and enjoy!

 

2: Strawberry Toast | @suumomolife

Sumomolife’s strawberry toast uses a thick slice of bread which is topped with a dollop of cream and piled with sliced strawberries. Layer on the fresh cream while the chewy toast is still piping hot and indulge!

Ingredients

・Toast・Fresh Cream・Brandy・Strawberries

 

Method

1: Cut a thick slice of bread and toast until the outside is nice and crispy and the bread has heated through. The trick is to make sure that the centre is still soft.

2: Put the cream into a bowl or keep in the container and then set this aside in ice water to make smooth, velvety cream. The cream in the photo was set aside for 7 minutes.

3: Add a small amount of brandy to the fresh cream to create a rich flavour.

4: Top your hot toast with the cream and strawberries to finish.

 

3: Banana Cream Cheese Toast | @yuuki.sweets_1

Yuu’s home cafe toast is a mix of banana, cream cheese and walnuts. The banana is fried in coconut oil for added texture and taste.

 

Ingredients

・Toast・Bananas・Coconut Oil・Walnuts・Cream Cheese・Maple Syrup

 

Method

1: Chop the banana into slices and lightly fry in coconut oil.

2: Fry both sides of the bread in the frying pan at a heat that can char the surface.

3: Lather the fried bread with cream cheese then top with the sliced bananas and walnuts. Finish with a drizzle of maple syrup.

 

4: Kimcheese Toast | @kirara.629

Kirara’s toast arrangement is kimcheeseーthat’s a combination of kimchi and cheese! The spiciness of the kimchi and the smoothness of the cheese is a match made in heaven.

 

Ingredients

・Toast・Kimchi・Egg・Cheese (that you can melt)・Spring Onion・Mayonnaise

 

Method

1: Layer your toast with kimchi and spread mayonnaise around the edges.

2: Add a fried egg on top.

3: Top with melted cheese and spring onion and you’re done!

 

5: Curry Toast | @oyatsu_mgmg48

This curry toast is made using leftover curry from the day before. The flavours from yesterday are transformed by topping with egg and cheese. Add a touch of paprika to taste.

 

Ingredients

・Toast・Curry・Paprika・Cheese (that you can melt)・Soft Boiled Egg・Parsley

 

Method

1: Add your toppings to the toast in this order: curry, paprika, and melted cheese.

2: Dollop on your soft boiled egg.

3: Garnish with parsley.

 

6: Pizza Toast | @babamina47

Turn your toast into a pizza with Unagi’s recipe. The fun aspect of this arrangement is you can add any toppings of your choice to make your own original filling and nutritious pizza toast.

 

Ingredients

・Toast・Pizza Sauce・Sausage・Assorted Vegetables (Unagi used spring onion, bell pepper, and mini tomatoes)・Shimeji Mushroom・Black Olives・Cheese (that you can melt)・Dried Parsley・Black Pepper

 

Method

1: Lather your bread with pizza sauce, then arrange the sausage and vegetables. 

2: Next, add the shimeji mushroom, black olives, and cheese. Toast.

3: Finally, finish with a sprinkle of dried parsley and black pepper.

 

 

Bring the cafe experience into your own home by making your own fun toast arrangements.

Bread, Espresso & is a cafe chain with 17 branches in Japan, including Omotesando. The company is set to open an entirely new cafeーspecialising in Bread, Espresso &’s popular mū breadーcalled mūya on April 17, 2020 in Asakusa Mizumachi.

 

Bread, Espresso &: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/254815

Mizumachi is a new shopping centre also opening on April 17, 2020. It’s near Solamachi in Tokyo Skytree Town, and sits betwixt Kaminarimon and Tokyo Skytree.

 

mū

Mū is an original bread recipe baked up by Bread, Espresso & that’s made with lots of butter, giving it a rich taste. The word means “soft” in French. When you break a piece off the fluffy loaf, that rich buttery smell fills your nose.

 

inside the cafe

The mū loaf is a cube shape, and the interior of the shop has cube designs all over it.

Customers sit at tables with chairs that stack up like cubes – a unique and original design.

 

French toast

Mū is the main dish at mūya, which can be served as it is, as a sandwich, as French toast, or even in a parfait.

 

When you’re passing through Asakusa, be sure to pop into mūya to try the famous mū bread of Bread, Espresso &.