The ‘Tea Time in the Soy Sauce Storehouse’ exhibition by teamLab has been extended! Located at the Fukuoka Soy Sauce gallery, those interested can now come and see this incredible work of art until March 31, 2023.

 Tea in Spontaneous Order – Dynamic Equilibrium Color. ©teamLab

The former Fukuoka Soy Sauce Building was built in the Meiji era and was once used for soy sauce production. The basement is now a tea room filled with black water with lanterns floating on top. Touching one will cause it to light, and will cause a spontaneous order phenomenon. A spontaneous order phenomenon occurs when different rhythms are influenced by each other and become aligned. Examples include when the pendulums of two clocks gradually begin to swing together when many fireflies gather in one tree and all start flashing at the same time.

The exhibition has been incredibly popular since it opened on April 15, 2021. Due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, teamLab wants more people to be able to come to experience this unique art performance, hence why the exhibition has been extended.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her major-label debut, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is back in the news. The artist will perform at this year’s Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States, and recently released her first full-length album in three years ‘Candy Racer’ in October 2021.  On January 16, Kyary embarked on the largest tour of her career, ‘Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 10th ANNIVERSARY JAPAN TOUR 2022 CANDY WAVE,’ which will see the singer performing 30 shows across Japan. In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the “LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project” was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities. Following a T-shirt collaboration with a 156-year-old kamaboko shop in Kanagawa, Kyary has teamed up with Gunma-based ekiben maker Oginoya to release her own bento box!

On February 6, Kyary held a concert in Okayama–the next stop on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project. This time, the singer is collaborating with a 165-year-old Japanese confectionary shop named Koeido. The store is famous for its original kibidango, a type of sweet mochi dumpling.

As part of the ‘Collaboration Logo’ project, partner companies see their traditional logos transformed as a tribute to Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s works. This time, the motif was inspired by ‘KPP BEST,’ an album released in 2016.

Original Kyaridango: ¥1,300 (Tax Included) / 15 pieces 

These tasty ‘Original Kyarydango’ have the same taste as traditional kibidango, but feature Kyary’s face printed in edible ink. These sweet sets were sold in limited quantities at the Okayama Civic Hall, and are now available to purchase on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website until February 20.

A T-shirt featuring the collaboration logo has also been revealed. The front features the Original Kyarydango and the updated logo, while the back is decorated with the Kyary 10th Anniversary logo and project logo. The shirt is also available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website. 

BEAMS Japan will hold an event highlighting the wonders of Okayama Prefecture in both Shinjuku, Tokyo, and Taipei, Taiwan! The event will feature specialty products from 11 businesses in Okayama, and is now open in Shinjuku, with the Taipei event beginning in February 2022. Certain items are also available at the official BEAMS online shop.

Selected Products

Okayama prefecture is known for its mild climate and nature. BEAMS Japan has developed 81 unique products, with some highlighting the denim creation in the region and others showcasing local crafts.

As Okayama is closely associated with Momotaro, a figure out of Japanese folklore, peaches are very prominent in the region and can be seen in a number of these special products. 

Selected products from the collection will be available at the Taipei location from February 24 until March 13, 2022. Although travel has been made incredibly difficult during the pandemic, this pop-up shop was made possible by Okayama prefecture and BEAMS Japan. 

Japanese creative company NAKED is known for its incredible projection mapping and virtual events at historical and popular locations around the country. NAKED FLOWERS, one of the brand’s most well-known events, will be coming to Aeon Mall Okayama from November 3, 2021, until February 14, 2022, to light up Haremachi Garden with gorgeous and unforgettable illuminations. 

Guests to the hands-on exhibition will be able to experience flowers with all five senses in a futuristic showcase of technology and art. 

During the event period, by activating the QR code on the AEON mall app while at the menu, visitors can activate a personalized light flower show. Projection mapping will help guide guests to this incredible photo spot, and will also provide a special AR gift card, FLOWERS BY NAKED GIFT! Don’t miss out on this indescribable performance of light and whimsy. 

GENDA SEGA Entertainment is set to open a themed cafe in collaboration with Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club on April 29, 2021.

A completely original menu themed on the characters

Fans can tuck into a very special menu inspired by the members of the Nijigasaki High School Idol Club with drinks, desserts, and food. The cafe will run over the course of three periods each of which will also include their own unique menu items.

Drinks | ¥660 Each (Tax Included)

Period ①: Hamburger Plate / Yaki Udon | ¥1,320 Each (Tax Included)

Nikujaga Plate / Clam Chowder | ¥1,320 Each (Tax Included)

Period ②: 1st Year Banana Parfait / 2nd Year Strawberry Parfait / 3rd Year Grape Parfait | ¥1,100 Each (Tax Included)

Period ③ menu exclusives to be revealed

Get some freebies simply by ordering

Period ①: Drinks Coaster / Food Coaster / Parfait Costers

Period ②: Drinks Coaster / Food Coaster / Parfait Costers

Period ③ exclusive freebies to be revealed

Character birthday cards

Kanon Shibuya – May 1, 2021 / Sarah Kazuno – May 4, 2021

Ai Miyashita – May 30, 2021 / Nozomi Tojo – June 9, 2021

Mari Ohara – June 13, 2021

Merchandise to add to your collection

Releasing: April 29, 2021

Acrylic Stands | ¥1,320 Each (Tax Included)

Art Panels | ¥660 Each (Tax Included)

Releasing: May 15, 2021

Chibi Key Rings | ¥770 Each (Tax Included)

Bonus merch for every ¥2,000 spent

Bromides | Available April 29, 2021 – May 14, 2021

Bromides | Available May 15, 2021 – May 28, 2021

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©2020 プロジェクトラブライブ！虹ヶ咲学園スクールアイドル同好会　
©2021 プロジェクトラブライブ！スーパースター!!
©GENDA SEGA Entertainment Inc.

Kurashiki City Art Museum is now holding an exhibition dedicated to Japanese manga artist and character designer Akemi Takada. Titled TAKADA Akemi Exhibition: Angel Touch, the exhibition is set to run until November 8, 2020.

Akemi Takada majored in graphic design at Tama Art University. After graduating, she entered the world of animation where she learned character design working for the Japanese animation company Tatsunoko Production. She went on to design characters for a range of popular anime series such as Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel, Kimagure Orange Road, Patlabor, and more. Today, she works as an illustrator as well as a designer for book covers.

Angel Touch　©TAKADA Akemi

Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel　©Pierrot

The exhibition introduces original pictures of famous anime characters and Takada’s illustration work. Though solo exhibitions have been held many times for her in both Japan and abroad, this hails as one of the largest exhibitions ever with 200 drawings. Fans will also get to see new works as well which were drawn for the exhibition.

Kimagure Orange Road　©Izumi Matsumoto / Shueisha・Nippon TV・Toho

Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel 2

The Former Shizutani School, recognised as the oldest school existing for commoners in Japan, has reached its peak season for autumn foliage. Speficially, for the Chinese pistache tree, which is a symbol of the school.

Shizutani School first opened in 1670 during the Kambun era. In 2015, it was registered as an Educational Heritage Site from Early-Modern Japan. The majority of the site is listed as an Important Cultural Property, including the temple, Shizutani Shrine, as well as the auditorium which is considered a national treasure.

The school’s surrounding natural landscape enjoys the blooming of many different flowers throughout the entire year which people flock to see. It’s especially famous for autumn, a season during which the enchanting red and yellow hues boas their beautiful blossom.

The three colours reflect from the lacquered flooring of the auditorium, rippling like ocean waves.

The beautiful contrast between the reds and yellows of the pistaches can be enjoyed during autumn-time only. The best time to see them is from now until November 20, so if you’re travelling to Okayama, be sure to pay the Former Shizutani School a visit.

A new cafe called Momian opened by the Kakimomi Terraced Rice Fields in the Kamimomi area of Kumenan, a town in Okayama Prefecture, on August 3. The terraced rice fields of Kamimomi were selected by Pasona as one of Japan’s top 100 rice fields.

Momian’s menu promotes the local region by using locally sourced and produced ingredients as well as rice from the rice fields.

Kumenan has the highest rate of ageing in Okayama Prefecture. As of October 2018, over 44.3% of the population is over the age of 65. As a result, the region is facing a serious ageing population and consequential population decline. As well as this, more and more rice fields in Kamimomi have been abandoned in recent years and are no longer cultivated, leading to a serious maintenance problem with Satoyama which share resources in the region.

Pasona has aided in tackling Kamimomi’s farming issue and is working to help revitalise the local community. They also revamped and reopened the Kumenan Rest Area in 2016 through their subsidiary company Pasona Okayama.

There’s also where Momian comes in. The new cafe uses a refurbished old Japanese house and offers a gorgeous view of the rice fields and natural environment from its windows.

To help support and build a deeper connection with its local farmers, the cafe will serve up original dishes made using ingredients grown in the area throughout the year.