Each month, a new themed café or menu is introduced in Japan in collaboration with popular characters. There's a whole list of kawaii ones that make an appearance every time.   Let's take a look at some character cafés you can look forward to in August 2018.   'Over Action Rabbit' x VANDALISM Shibuya Over Action Rabbit is a popular stamp series used on the LINE and Kakao Talk messenger apps that has gained much attention in Japan and particularly with young people in South Korea. The cute and lovable rabbit is getting his own themed café that will be open for a limited period between July 21 and August 26. This is the first time a café has collaborated with Over Action Rabbit in Japan. The kawaii café will take the form of his surreal world and be decorate in pastel-coloured decor. They also have a takeout menu. Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/118092       The Very Hungry Caterpillar x Marione Gate Ginza The internationally beloved children's picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar has its own café in Japan, and they've introduced some eye-catching new menu items for the summer. Everything delicious thing on the menu recreates the wonderful world of the story down to the finest of details that are sure to leave you smiling! Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/107654       Gudetama x Dining Park Ikebukuro To celebrate Gudetama's 5th anniversary, he's launched into space to bring us a very special space-themed menu packed with dishes perfect for Instagram feeds, such as the Zero Gravity Gudetama Burger, Black Hole Jar Parfait, and much more. Drink and dine at the café to receive a limited edition Gudetama fan and coaster. Keep in mind these are limited in quantity, so you'll want to visit quick! Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/112954       Chiitan☆ x Harajuku Kawaii-ya Located down Takeshita Street, Harajuku's iconic shopping spot, is Harajuku Kawaii-ya, a café that has teamed up with the kawaii otter mascot Chiitan☆. Running until September 9, the menu is filled with dishes with very unique names in Japanese which translate to things like "I'm Chiitan, the One Who Destroyed the Trampoline Someone Bought For Me... Hot Pie." You don't need to make any reservations. It's first-come, first-served all day making it an easy place to get into if you're unsure how to book in Japanese. Experience the world of Chiitan☆ in Harajuku!       Cinnamoroll x Sapporo PARCO Sanrio’s popular character Cinnamoroll recently won the 33rd Sanrio 2018 Character Awards  so to celebrate, he received his very own themed café which is open at Sapporo PARCO until September 10. Enjoy the Soratobu Cinnamoroll Curry featuring Cinnamoroll flying through a green curry sky with his big ears. The dish is topped with cotton candy clouds which, when mixed with the curry, creates a unique flavour of sweet and spicy. There's a whole list of cute dishes on the menu. Cinnamoroll and his pals will also be there to greet you as staff. Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/116613       Cardcaptor Sakura x Sakura Fantasy Cafe The Sakura Fantasy Caf is a new collaborative café themed on the latest entry to the Cardcaptor series, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, now open for a limited time in Tokyo (Harajuku), Osaka (Abeno) and Saitama (Koshigaya). The cafés have a photogenic themed menu as well as a photo spot and more, all with original illustrations. There's even a line-up of original Cardcaptor merchandise you can’t get anywhere else. The menu includes a selection of cheese toast, roast beef, smoothies, pancakes and more.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/116035       Did you enjoy this list? Be sure you get a chance to visit a character café while you're in Japan.

With just a small bit of ingenuity, turn everyday food into something cute using Kaori’s recipe series! With a few simple ideas, an ordinary recipe magically transforms into a cute dish.   In this character recipe you'll learn how to make a Totoro black sesame seed purin.   1: Ingredients Black Sesame Purin Mix (purchased from Daiso) Milk Pura Chocolate (Swiss chocolate also fine) Transparent Jar (Weck jar used) ☆For Decorating: Almonds Fresh Cream Fruits of your choice   2: Cook the black sesame seed purin according to the box instructions and leave to cool.   3: Cut the chocolate into eyes, a nose and stomach and decorate the features with a chocolate pen. Make a leaf with a green pura chocolate. ☆Cool each part in the refrigerator to fully harden.     4: One the chocolate in step 3 has solidified, place it on the inner side of the jar as shown in the photo. Add whiskers with the chocolate pen.   ☆Once everything is in position, leave it to cool in the refrigerator once more.     5: After cooling again, pour in your black sesame seed purin mix from step 2. ☆If you do not leave the chocolate to completely harden it will fall off. ☆Place in the fridge once more to harden and you're done! Finish off by decorating with fresh cream, add almonds for ears and top with a cherry.   Kaori invites you into her world of character-themed food dishes in her recipe series. Be sure to check out her Instagram where she has uploaded many pictures of her character dishes!  

Shaved ice is one of the most popular desserts during summertime in Japan. It's made with ice shaved from an ice block and drizzled in different kinds of syrups.   Here's a list of 6 shaved ice desserts you should try in Japan this summer.   Strawberry Shaved Ice & Melon Shaved Ice Fruit Parlor Odawara is located in the city of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture and sells desserts mixed with fresh fruits. Their strawberry shaved ice is made with around 25 sachinoka strawberries farmed locally, while their melon shaved ice uses carefully selected ripe melons and is served inside a melon. Only 10 of each flavour are available to purchase each day. They're being sold until the end of August, so be sure to visit quick!       Kazuri Chocolate Mint Mario Gelateria is selling a range of chocolate mint shaved ice desserts for a limited period at three of its branches. Enjoy the fluffy Kezuri Chocolate Mint at the Shibuya Hikari branch, Chocolate Mint which turns pink at the Yokohama Bayside and Minato Mirai branches, and more. The Kezuri Chocolate Mint is most recommended, made with frozen mint milk and chocolate sauce. Enjoy topped with salted chocolate mint with salt from Uyuni Salt Lake.       Peanut & Homemade Condensed Milk Shaved Ice Taiyaki Tomoean is selling a shaved ice dessert that includes a paste made in-house with crushed peanuts and a homemade syrup made with condensed milk. It's also topped with extra peanuts, giving layers of different flavours and texture with the full-bodied taste of the peanuts and sweetness of the syrup. You won't have eaten shaved ice like this before.        Wicked Snow - Watermelon & Melon Shaved Ice Wicked Snow is a desserts cafe who are bringing back their three popular summer-only shaved ice flavours - pick from watermelon, melon, or a combination of both. The shaved ice is Wicked Snow’s own unique blend, made to look like powdered snow that melts in your mouth. Topped with plenty of watermelon and melon, this is the kind of dessert you’d expect to see on Instagram.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/113471       Yondaime Tokujiro Natural Ice In the Karuizawa Lakeside Shop of Hotel Green Plaza Karuizawa they are selling shaved ice made with natural ice from Nikko Yondaime Tokujiro, a brewery of which there are only a few located in Japan. Located in Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture, this natural ice warehouse has passed down traditional methods and techniques for 4 generations since the Meiji Period. The shaved ice is topped with tochiotome strawberry sauce, original plum sauce, matcha adzuki and more.       Tamba Spring Water Shaved Ice Nakajima Taishodo are selling shaved ice made with large-grained adzuki beans and spring water both from the city of Tamba. The high quality beans give the dessert a sweetness, while the shaved ice, made with famous spring water from the company's breweries, give a fluffy texture. People from Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe come all the way to see this shaved ice which stands 18cm tall!       Looking to cool yourself off while in Japan this summer? Then how about some refreshing shaved ice?

Summer has arrived, and that means so have the sweet seasonal desserts in Japan. There are many places now selling delicious treats for summer only.   Let's take a look at 5 of them!   "Butter" - Pancake Shop Pancake shop Butter have been selling a seasonal menu for the Brooklyn Lemon Summer Fair since June 27. Tuck into their fluffy Brooklyn Lemon White Tower Special, a pancake topped with refreshing lemon flavoured whipped cream and heaps of summer fruits like melon and mango.     Sushiro Cafe Omotesando Sweets Terrace This pop-up cafe will be open for a limited period of time from July 20. Managed by Sushiro, a popular conveyor belt sushi chain in Japan, it will be the world's first conveyor belt sweets cafe, serving a range different goodies including Sushiro’s most popular classic desserts made even better, sold-out sweets made by famous stores making a revival for this time only and more. Enjoy drink and dessert sets with just one coin.     Wicked Snow - Watermelon & Melon Shaved Ice Wicked Snow is a desserts cafe who are bringing back their three popular summer-only shaved ice flavours - pick from watermelon, melon, or a combination of both. The shaved ice is Wicked Snow’s own unique blend, made to look like powdered snow that melts in your mouth. Topped with plenty of watermelon and melon, this is the kind of dessert you’d expect to see on Instagram.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/113471     LEGOLAND Japan - Colourful Dessert Menu LEGOLAND Japan is bringing an exciting food menu to the theme park inspired by the colours of LEGO bricks. Choose from an eye-catching selection with desserts such as Watermelon Parfait, Watermelon Ice Crepe, Watermelon Roll Cake and more.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/112216     Chun Shui Tang - Tapioca Watermelon Milk Tea Chun Shui Tang, the Taiwanese cafe that invented tapioca milk tea, has released this original summer-only beverage in Japan. The fusion of fragrant jasmine tea, milk and slightly salty taste of the watermelon all bring out a rich, sweet flavour.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/112130     Don't miss out on all of the summer desserts in Japan available this season only!

Have you ever heard the Japanese word senbero? It’s a combination of the words sen meaning ‘1000’ and berobero meaning ‘drunk.’   Recently, izakaya in Japan, especially in the Tokyo area, have been offering senbero services that let you get drunk for just ¥1,000. Let’s take a look at some of the best cost performance locations in Tokyo so you can get your money’s worth!  

あっちさん(@acchi0514)がシェアした投稿 - 2017年 8月月19日午前4時43分PDT

Motsuyaku Ban (Yutenji) This place is known for having invented lemon sour, a standard Japanese cocktail made with shochu, soda and syrup. The lemon sours here cost ¥300 while the motsuyaku, or grilled giblets cost just ¥100. They serve a range of other items too such as innards stew, pig tail and more. You can get full quickly with just ¥1,000 here. We recommend this place if you want to eat a lot while drinking.    

rmさん(@r_m_6_10)がシェアした投稿 - 2018年 6月月13日午前1時29分PDT

Iseya (Kichijoji) This yakitori restaurant is can be found in Kichijoji. You’ll know it by the red lanterns that dangle around the outside of the building. It’s famous with both locals and those outside the neighbourhood. You can enjoy grilled chicken skewers from ¥80 each. A lot of izakaya sell skewers in sets of two, but Iseya offers a range of sets. The cheapest alcohol they sell is shochu at ¥220, so this place it for those who wants to drink little by little while enjoying some delicious yakitori.    

@arin_kooがシェアした投稿 - 2018年 4月月11日午後2時42分PDT

Sakaba Fukuro (Ikebukuro) This famous pub has been open for more than 50 years. Their lemon highballs are ¥200 each and their Hoppy are ¥220 each. They serve izakaya classics like innards stew and chicken cartilage karaage as well as other dishes like whale. Food prices range from ¥300 to ¥800 so it might be a good idea to order several dishes with people and share.    

@jetchop_nakajimaがシェアした投稿 - 2018年 3月月13日午前3時38分PDT

Oojiro (Shinbashi) This place is popular for its super thick cut ham cutlet. Food and drink both average at around ¥300. You can also get shochu highballs and sours for ¥300 each too, making this easy on the wallets of those who want to drink a lot. If you make this your second stop on your drinking crawl you can make drinks within ¥1,000 easily!    

@ram_golosoがシェアした投稿 - 2014年11月月2日午後11時20分PST

Sake Tachinomi Kitaya (Akabane) You’ll spot Kitaya by its deep blue entrance curtain and glowing red lanterns. They offer plates upon plates of creative dishes at the first floor counter. The food menu changes daily too, so you can look forward to enjoying a different experience each time. They sell fresh tuna straight from the famous Tsukiji fish market every morning at a mind-blowing ¥160!     Senbero isn’t only cheap, it also offers up a very satisfying izakaya experience. Be sure to try out lots of different izakaya while in Japan while looking for the best value for your money.

Hi, everyone! I’m Midori Blackmore and I work at MOSHI MOSHI BOX, the Harajuku Tourist Information Center.   Today, I went to Cafe Hohokam with fellow MOSHI MOSHI BOX colleague Ellie, so I wanted to share my experience with you all. Hohokam is located behind MOSHI MOSHI BOX and can be found up the staircase past FABIUS Cafe. Head up these stairs to find the entrance. Hohokam is decorated to look like a motel you would see in Arizona. I’ve never been outside Japan before so I had to look up what exactly they’re like. Arizona is a state in the southwestern region of the US. It’s bordered by Mexico to the south, is very hot, and is home to the Grand Canyon. It also has the largest Native American population.

*We have blurred the faces of the people inside to protect their identities.

‘I see,’ I said to myself and looked around. So that’s the atmosphere they’re going for. It’s very stylish but also feels incomparable to anything else.   We both ordered an orange cream soda with a Hohokam burger and French toast that comes topped with Nutella, bananas and whipped cream. How amazing does this look? It looks like the cream soda you only see in manga. I was really surprised. It’s tall and the colour is gorgeous. Really just the best. This must be the proper way to make it in the cream soda industry. When you drink your cream soda, don’t you think to yourself, ‘Summer has arrived,’ too? It’s strange when you first take a sip because although it’s blue it has an orange flavour. The soft serve cream on top is also sweet and really delicious!   There’s four cream soda flavours to choose from: melon, raspberry, lemon and orange, and they’re all supposed to be colourful and taste good. It might be a fun idea to order different coloured drinks with your friends.   Next up is the Hohokam burger! The menu said it has chili beans, cheese and a jalapeno patty. Tada!   The flag on top is cute, isn’t it? You can wrap the burger with the napkins provided on the table before biting into it, but we both shared it. This is how it looks cut in half. The red part is the chili beans. It’s spicy when you take a bite, but it’s not overly spicy at all! For me I thought it was a refreshing kind of spiciness like that of Mexican cuisine. I’m no good with spice and even I could eat it.   The meat inside was made very well. It was just the kind of hamburger you’d expect at a hamburger shop.   There’s a bunch of other burgers to choose from too, like the mozzarella burger, barbeque burger, cheeseburger and more. Last up is the French toast with Nutella & Banana & Whip cream!   Something looking like this has got to be delicious. The burgers at Hohokam are of course delicious, but I personally want to give the nod to their desserts. They’re seriously something else! The fluffy French toast is topped with sweet Nutella and whipped cream, but it’s not heavy at all. We were already quite full but we were able to lap it up easily. They also have a terrace smoking area. The atmosphere there was fairly nice too! Dining outside can make eating your food taste good too, can’t it?   Another great thing is that everything at Hohokam can be ordered for takeout! We recommend getting a delicious burger and having a picnic in Yoyogi Park! So, do you like the sound of Cafe Hohokam? It’s great for lunch or dinner, and we also recommend using it as a café to stop by when you’re out shopping.   If you’re in Harajuku and have an empty stomach, or you’re in need of a dessert, then please try Cafe Hohokam for yourself.