The warm spring is rolling through and bringing us closer to the hot summer, and you know what that means in Japan? Barbeques and beer gardens!

In this article we take a look at some BBQ and beer garden events taking place in the Kansai region this year.

Top Picks for BBQs & Beer Gardens in the Kanto Region for 2018

“Kyoto Tower Beer Garden” – Kyoto
Kyoto Tower Beer Garden is located on the 10th floor rooftop of Kyoto Tower Hotel and recently underwent renovation. At the drink counter, people can make their own Instagram-worthy drinks, and a new chef’s corner has also been built where you can watch the chef prepare food right in from of you.

There’s close to 50 drinks to choose from, and a huge menu spanning cuisine from Japan, the West and China. They also have tents prepared in case of rain or if customers wish to stay out of the hot sun. The beer garden is in perfect view of the Kyoto Tower too, so why not make a trip?

“Daimaru Beer Garden Kyoto” – Kyoto
The beer garden as an amusement spot is a summer pastime that has continued for over 100 years and always bustles with happy faces. Daimaru Beer Garden Kyoto brought it back to life last year where it was held on a rooftop, and once again this year, it will be held on the roof of Daimaru Kyoto. It was a hit last year and will be bigger and better this year, returning as a ‘traditional’ style of BBQ. The buffet will also feature obanzai, which is a traditional type of Kyoto cuisine. It’s also open during the day, so it’s a perfect place to stop by during your Kyoto sightseeing.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/106189

“Riverside Beer Garden 2018: Matsuri BBQ” – Osaka
This BBQ festival is aimed at adults and takes place in a spacious private area. It is currently serving food and drinks themed on Hokkaido and will switch to Kyushu & Okinawa later in August. For the Hokkaido slot, they are offering 3 plans that includes food such as juicy beef and pork, ramen salad which originates in Hokkaido, buttered jacket potatoes from Hokkaido, and more.

For drinks, they recommend yubari king melon sour and haskap berry sour. For the Kyushu & Okinawa slot, look forward to tucking into some tartar chicken which is a famous food of Miyazaki, amongst a range of dishes and ingredients from both Kyushu and Okinawa. For drinks they are also serving sweet potato shochu, strong Okinawa liquor, mango sour and flat lemon sour.

“Beer 300” – Abeno Harukas Beer Garden – Osaka
Abeno Harukas is the tallest skyscraper in Japan. The beer garden on the Harukas 300 observation deck has been held three times, and this year will be the fourth. It has received praise for its tall view atop 300m, as well as its immensely satisfying menu. On this year’s “BBQ Menu” you can tuck into thick-cut beef harami, roast pork shoulder, and spicy piri chicken (which goes perfect with beer), each of which can be matched with a variety of different ingredients. Drinks are self-service, so there’s no obligation to wait around, so you can enjoy the beer garden to its fullest!

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/100551

“Poolside Beer Garden” – Osaka
The Poolside Beer Garden will open at Senri Hankyu Hotel on June 1. This year, they’re serving freshly made pizza and pasta which you can see made in front of you! The drink’s menu is leveling up to 34 beverages, includes local Hokusetsu sake, and colourful cocktails that remind you for being a resort.

There’ll even be performances like samba to enhance the resort atmosphere. Enjoy this cool, refreshing beer garden by the poolside!

“Sorairo Kitchen in Tenshiba: Terrace BBQ Beer Garden” – Osaka
‘Sorairo Kitchen in Tenshiba’ is a casual Italian restaurant where they have open a BBQ beer garden on the terrace, which looks out onto the lawn.

The roast beef shoulder, thick cut roast pork and organic vegetables with the BBQ can come with rotisserie chicken cooked on the terrace or an all-you-can-eat buffet!

Are you hungry yet? Make sure to try a Japanese BBQ and beer garden during your trip this summer and make some nice memories!

Top Picks for BBQs & Beer Gardens in the Kanto Region for 2018

Did you know that there are lots of places to eat irresistibly delicious curry in Harajuku, but not that many people know about them yet? Now you can get in on the secret.

From standard Japanese-style curry to more unique flavours, here’s our list.

Suzuki Satomiさん(@_suzukisatomi_)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 7月月6日午前1時36分PDT

YOGORO

This spinach-based chicken curry (¥900) is a reputable item on YOGORO’s menu, made in a tetsunabe pot! There are two types to choose from: one with spicy tomato as the base and fresh cream, and a milder version made with spinach. You can pick from pork and chicken for the meat to enjoy an original combination. We also recommend it topped with the soft-boiled egg!

@beggar_manがシェアした投稿 – 2018年 5月月3日午前6時34分PDT

Minoringo

This Keema curry (¥900) looks just like a decorative cake. The top of the curry is flooded with cheese. Its rich flavour is simply irresistible! We also recommend the standard Keema curry without the cheese too♡

カレーとスプーンさん(@curry_spoon)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月5日午前8時09分PDT

Curry Up
This curry house is produced by ‘A Bathing Ape’ founder NIGO. The beef & butter chicken curry (¥1,100) has a distinct mild yet rich taste to it. It’s enjoyable to enjoy two different flavours in one as seen in the picture. You can also combine your own flavours to your liking.

Akiko Shibataさん(@akiko.shibata)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 3月月25日午前5時21分PDT

SHANTi
If we’re talking soup curry, then where else to go than SHANTi. The spice is on point and there’s a hearty serving of vegetables. There’s also many varieties of curry to choose from, so expect to be spoilt for choice. During lunchtime you can get a large serving of rice for free, and you’re free to enjoy a second helping, so if you’re a big eater, look no further.

@mi__ko__がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 5月月4日午前4時01分PDT

BRITISH INDIAN CAFE 1930
You wouldn’t think that this is a curry house, with its landmark stylish red wall. They serve Indian curry made the way the British do. Their popular butter chicken curry mixes together honey and fresh cream to give it its distinct sweet flavour. The faint spiciness and milk sweetness has made it a particularly popular dish with female customers. The softness of the tandoori chicken is great too. Being British-style, the curry goes well together with black tea.

@i.nori_jpがシェアした投稿 – 2015年 5月月15日午後9時02分PDT

HENDRIX
You could call the chefs at HENDRIX spice masters. They’re extremely thorough and attentive with the timing of when they put their spices in the curry. A popular dish on their menu is their pork curry. It’s cooked gradually with a large amount of spice and has a deep flavour that doesn’t just simply scream ‘hot.’ They’re also particular about their saffron rice which complements the curry. They use only koshihikari rice from the city of Inzai in Chiba Prefecture. The fact they’re even particular about the rice means you can look forward to some truly layered flavours!

MOKUBABZA

This keema curry restaurant is located on the corner of a secluded street. It originally used to open only as a night bar, but keema curry became the talk of the town for being delicious, so it came to be open during lunchtime too. The most popular item on their menu is undoubtedly their ‘Cheese Keema Curry.’ It offers a large serving of rice topped with keema curry and melty mozzarella cheese. Placed again on top of that is a perfectly round egg yolk, giving it a unique appearance. This exquisite dish is cooked thoroughly with carefully selected spices.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/38757/2

Drooling yet? You’ve absolutely got to try the exquisite curry hidden away in Harajuku. Tuck in during lunchtime or dinnertime!

The character cafe is a unique experience in Japan where a cafe collaborates with a well-known character from an anime series, games and so on and themes the decor and menu on that character. Here are some of the collaborative cafes open in May this year.

Click here for part two:https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/106411

“Care Bear™ Cafe” – Harajuku Box Cafe & Space

The popular Care Bear™ characters are getting their first ever collaborative cafe which will open at Harajuku Box Cafe & Space on May 20. Expect to see a photogenic and themed menu as well as plenty of perfect places to snap photos. There’ll also be an opportunity to take a picture with Care Bear™ plush toys♡ Look forward to getting your paws on the cute limited edition merchandise too available only at this cafe.

Rilakkuma×Seibu Ikebukuro

The ‘Rilakkuma Town Cafe’ has opened as part of Rilakkuma’s 15th anniversary exhibition ‘Welcome to Rilakkuma Town’ and will be open for a limited time only. There’s lots of menu items you’ll want to take pictures of, as well as limited edition merchandise. The interior decor is decorated in kawaii Rilakkuma illustrations drawn specially for the cafe, as is the merchandise.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/101347

Neko no Gohanya-san×Cute Cube Harajuku

On the third floor of Cube Cube Harajuku is Kawaiiya which isn’t collaborating with a character, but with a hugely popular capsule toy series by the name of Neko no Kaburi Mono, which translates to ‘cats with things on their heads.’ There is even a photo exhibition with super cute pictures of cats in hats taken by cat photographer Sakura Ishihara. There isn’t any actual cats at the event, so even those who are allergic can enjoy the event.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/99802

Sailor Moon×My Melody Candy Parlour

This character cafe is open in Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo and Nagoya for a limited period. Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon and Sanrio’s popular character My Melody have come together to inspire an array of food, sweets and drinks you can only get at this cafe.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/90049

The Very Hungry Caterpillar×MARRONNIER GATE GINZA

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of the most popular children’s picture books in the world, and it’s been turned into a cafe in Ginza. The colourful and vivid mind of illustrator and children’s book writer Eric Carle has been brought to life through food. The items on the menu excite the fun aspect of eating. Expect to tuck into everybody’s favourite French toast, omurice, hamburgers, pasta and more, all themed on the wonderful world of the world’s beloved caterpillar.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/84934

There are so many collab cafes open this month, so if you’re in Japan right now, then why not take a trip with a friend?

Click here for part two:https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/106411

The character cafe is a unique experience in Japan where a cafe collaborates with a well-known character from an anime series, games and so on and themes the decor and menu on that character. Here are some of the collaborative cafes open in May this year.

This part two. Click here for part one:https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/106286

Little Twin Stars × Voice Actress Shouta Aoi
A café in collaboration with voice actress Shouta Aoi and Sanrio mascots Kiki and Lala, aka the Little Twin Stars, will open at Omotesando Box Cafe & Space on May 11, 2018. With pastel coloured food and desserts that’ll have you reaching for your camera over and over, why not dive into the world of the Little Twin Stars yourself?

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/103772

Popular Manga ‘Grappler Baki’ × Village Vanguard
A café themed on the popular manga series Grappler Baki is now open at the Village Vanguard Café in Lumine EST Shinjuku until June 3. Baki is a famous manga with a second anime season adaptation slated for summer this year. There are 19 items on the menu in total, all of which are inspired by the original manga, including the 14 Kilo Satoumizu. There’s also original merchandise on sale to commemorate the café.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/102844

The Greatest Showman × Tower Records Café
The Tower Records Café is paying homage to the hit musical The Greatest Showman with a collaborative café running from May 9 to 27. There you will find costume displays of characters that appear in the story such as Barnum, a specially crafted menu inspired by the film, and even a 360° VR experience where you can watch the performers rehearsing.

Additionally, special promotional videos will play each day, and there’ll even be events you can participate in on weekends. This café truly captures the world of The Greatest Showman!

Crayon Shin-chan Movie × CHEZ MADU TV Asahi
CHEZ MADU has partnered up with the Crayon Shin-chan movie Crayon Shin-chan: Burst Serving! Kung Fu Boys ~Ramen Rebellion~ and opened a café at Roppongi TV Asahi for a limited period. There, you can enjoy the black panda ramen which appears in the film, as well as a curry inspired by the ‘burst’ part of its title that comes with karaage, gyoza, steamed dumplings and more. This one’s a must-see for fans of Crayon Shin-chan.

My Little Pony × Sweets Paradise
Roll up to the My Little Pony Pinkish Cafe which is open at Sweets Paradise in Shijo Kawaramachi until May 15 and Shinjuku Mylord until May 21. At the Kyoto branch they’re serving ‘Pinkie Pie’s Matcha Cupcakes,’ a flavour representative of Kyoto. The matcha green is decorated with colourful sugar which brings to mind the vibrant world of My Little Pony, as well as strawberries, to make a ‘pop-like’ kind of matcha. There’s also ‘Twilight’s Magical Ice Parfait’ which features the purple pony on top of some ice cream, as well as drinks. Enjoy any of the 13 items on the collaborative menu.

There are so many collab cafes open this month, so if you’re in Japan right now, then why not take a trip with a friend?

Check out part one here:https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/106286

Hi, everyone. I’m Shiota, the Director of the MOSHI MOSHI BOX Harajuku Tourist Information Center.

Foreigners coming to Japan love ramen, as shown in our questionnaire where it ranked 2nd place. I’m sure there’s a lot of you reading those who like it too.

AFURIさん(@afuri_official)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 8月月27日午前2時15分PDT

Did you know, there’s actually a famous ramen place in Harajuku listed by Michelin? Today, I’ll introduce you to AFURI Harajuku, a ramen shop recognised worldwide.

It’s easy to get to. Just take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station and it’s a 3-minute walk from there. Head left out of Takeshita Exit and make a right when you come to Nescafe Harajuku. You’ll be able to see it on your left.

The restaurant itself has a very stylish and modern exterior. You’ll actually wonder whether it’s really a ramen shop when you see it. It has a welcoming atmosphere even if you go by yourself. When we went, despite it being 3pm on a weekday, most of the seats were taken up. And half of the customers were non-Japanese! As expected of such a popular restaurant.

The smell of citrus hits your nose upon entering the restaurant, something you wouldn’t expect in a place that sells ramen.

The inner section of the U-shaped counter is in fact an open kitchen, giving the whole restaurant a feeling of openness, and the background music that plays is calm. It feels like you’re in a fancy café.

I ordered the Yuzu Salt Ramen (¥980).

The toppings are simple. It comes with juicy mizuna, a boiled egg, bamboo shoots, char siu chicken fillet, and refreshing yuzu skin. You can choose from a boiled char siu packed with the chicken’s good flavour or a light and healthy chicken char siu.

Infatuation Denverさん(@infatuation_den)がシェアした投稿 – 2016年12月月12日午前9時34分PST

The noodles are thin and a healthy mix of wholewheat flour from Hokkaido and rye. The soup is made with carefully selected ingredients such as roast chicken,  seafood and potherbs that have been carefully cooked in natural spring water from Mount Afuri. The flavour is both full-bodied and light and will have anybody who’s tasted it addicted.

Maria Eduarda Costaさん(@duudacostaa)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 3月月14日午後8時23分PDT

There’s also a vegan ramen (¥1,350) option too made with seasonal vegetables for vegans, vegetarians and healthy eaters. It’s made with freshly-harvested Kamakura vegetables. No animal products are used in the dish, whether that’s in the noodles, soup or toppings. The salted soup goes perfectly with the vegetables. This option is also recommended for people who aren’t good with thick ramen.

AFURI in Harajuku is celebrated not only by worldwide fans of ramen, but healthy eaters and vegetarians too. There’s no doubt you’ll become hooked once you give their food a try.

Restaurants in Japan have a very different list of rules, on-the-house services and etiquette standards compared to other countries. If you enter a restaurant when in Japan without knowing some of these things you might make a mistake!

We’ve put together a list of 10 important points to learn before dining out in Japan.

1.Don’t give tips

The fact that you don’t need to give tips as restaurants in Japan can be bewildering to some foreign tourists. In Japan, there’s normally no service charge, unless it’s a high-end restaurant, in which case it’s possible that a service charge will be added. If you force a tip on the staff, they will get told off by their superiors later, so keep that in mind.

2.Watch out for ‘Otooshi’

Otooshi, also known as tsukidashi, are small appetizers served at bars and establishments that sell alcohol, particularly izakaya. They will be served event if you didn’t order them, and you can be charged for them. There are numerous reasons they give for serving ootoshi, such as ‘proof that we have taken your first order’ and ‘something to eat while you wait for the first food to come out.’ Lots of tourists not accustomed to this practice have felt cheated.

3.Water is free

When you sit down at a restaurant in Japan, you’ll be served water. Many tourists are surprised at the fact that cold water is served all year round the majority of the time in Japan. There are also establishments that serve free hot green tea instead of water.

4.The unexpected things are expensive (or cheap)

It’s not rare for things like delivery pizza or Korean pork belly BBQ, which are extremely cheap and common foods in other countries, to be expensive in Japan. On the other hand, you can eat Japanese foods like sushi, tempura and ramen at a very cheap price.

5.You order alcohol first at an izakaya

It’s not a set rule, but generally when you go to an izakaya, ordering a drink gives you plenty of time to read through the menu. Beer is often ordered before anything else. There’s even a set phrase for it, toriaezu biiru (‘[I’ll have] beer for now’). Try saying it in Japanese when you’re at an izakaya.

6.All-you-can services

Restaurants in Japan often have all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink services. If you pay a set price, you can eat or drink as much as you like. Many places offer this service, including, but not limited to, izakaya, yakiniku restaurants, and sushi bars. We recommend this to people who want to pay a little to get a lot!

7.Oshibori are free

Oshibori, or moistened towels, are given for free at Japanese restaurants. They are wet towels used to wipe your hands and face before a meal. Depending on the restaurant, you may be given a cold or hot towel. Staff at izakaya will also hand them to you. A lot of tourists praise this service as high quality.

8.Rules and menus are different at fast food restaurants

International restaurant chains like McDonald’s and Subway are of course in Japan too. If you’re a tourist bored of Japanese food, you’ll probably want to eat something familiar like fast food. In those times, you’ll be baffled by the differences between a fast food joint in your own country and in Japan. For example, in the case of McDonald’s, the Japanese large-sized drinks are smaller than the medium-sized drinks in the US. There’s also no self-service. Instead, the staff will pour the drink for you.

9.You cannot take food into restaurants (though there are exceptions)

One rule that puzzles a lot of people from Asia that come to Japan is the rule that states you cannot enter a place with food or drink. However, select establishments, such as food courts in large shopping malls, will permit you to do so. Be sure to do some research beforehand.

10.Take your shoes off on tatami

At izakaya and traditional Japanese restaurants, they implement customary Japanese style seating and tatami flooring. If you’re dining at a place with tatami mats, you must take your shoes off before stepping on it. The table seats and tatami are split into different areas even if it’s the same restaurant, so even if it’s OK to wear your shoes at table seats, you’ll need to take off your shoes when using tatami in most cases.

Did you learn something new? Sit alongside the locals when you come to Japan and enjoy some delicious Japanese cuisine!

If you have any questions you want answering about Japan, then please be sure to get in touch with us on the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/msmsnippon/