The Yo-Kai Express ramen vending machine at Haneda Airport has introduced two new menu items in collaboration with the popular ramen chain Ippudo! Guests can now enjoy Ippudo’s Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen and Ippudo’s Plant-based Tonkotsu-style Ramen. 

Guests can also enjoy Chicken Yuzu Shio Ramen, Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, Kyushu Tonkotsu Ramen, and Sapporo Spicy Miso Ramen. Each order only takes 90 seconds to prepare, so if you’re rushing to chow down before your flight, this is the way to go!

*Yo-Kai Express is a start-up company headquartered in Silicon Valley developing ramen vending machines. The company’s name comes from the word yokai (monsters) and reflects the brand’s desire to entertain people whenever and wherever they are. 

Naked’s DANDELION PROJECT is now open at the Taiwan Lantern Festival until February 28, 2022! Visitors to the Weiwuying Metropolitan Park in Kaohsiung City can enjoy the popular installation along with Naked’s Flower Cleansing experience during the event. 

The Taiwan Lantern Festival is the main event of the Chinese New Year festivities in Taiwan. Established by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in 1990, the 2022 event will be held on an even larger scale. It will also be the first time the Lantern Festival is being held in Kaohsiung City.

The DANDELION PROJECT has been set up in the Children’s Area of the park, inviting both young people and their parents to enjoy the experience together. By blowing on a dandelion displayed on visitors’ smartphones, dandelion fluff will be carried digitally to other locations around the world. This symbolizes peace and togetherness in a time of separation, and it’s no wonder that these powerful installations have been so inspiring to so many people.

This also marks the first time that Naked Flower Cleansing will be available to experience overseas. The act of Tsukubai, or cleaning your hands in a basin before entering a tea room, has been updated by NAKED to suit the modern era, shining colorful floral imagery across visitors’ skin.

teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM, located in Toyosu, Tokyo, have completed the refurbishment of their outdoor food stand, opening Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo on October 8 2021. The new shop allows customers to eat vegan ramen from Kyoto in a new art space from teamLab. In addition, the teamLab Flower Shop & Art will be opening, a shop where customers can purchase orchids previously used in one of the group’s art pieces to take home with them. 

Menu

Vegan Ramen Flower (Cool): ¥1,980 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Tea: ¥1,650 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Soy Sauce: ¥1,320 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Miso (Spicy): ¥1,320 (Tax Incl.)

Newly Released Works

Reversible Rotation – Non-Objective Space, teamLab, 2021

Table of Sky and Fire, teamLab Architects, 2021

Floating Flower Garden: Flower, Myself and Cognate, Garden and Myself as One

teamLab Planets Original Tote Bag

The menu at Vegan Ramen UZU uses no animal products like meat or fish, instead condensing the taste of vegetables into a delicious ramen that you can enjoy in a space designed by teamLab. Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto first opened in March 2020 to great popularity, with many customers queuing for over an hour to get inside the store. 

At the new Tokyo store, customers can enjoy a bowl of vegan ramen while enjoying teamLab’s latest art installations, the Non-Objective Space and the Table of Sky and Fire.

Not only that, you can also take home some of the orchids used in the Floating Flower Garden: Flower, Myself and Cognate, Garden and Myself as One exhibit that was held from July 2, along with a section of teamLab merchandise such as stickers, patches, postcards, and more, at the newly opened teamLab Flower Shop & Art store.

Look forward to tasting this healthy ramen while immersed in an artistic space!

Far Yeast Brewing Co., Ltd., a craft beer maker that shares original Japanese beer with the world  beer, will be opening their first directly managed overseas store in Taiwan. The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gasteopub will be celebrating its grand opening in Taipei City, Taiwan on October 16 2021. 

The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub is the fourth directly managed store following the Tokyo-Gotanda, Shizuoka-Atami, and Fukuoka branches, as well as the first overseas location.

The Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub” will have 15 taps, offering not only the core brands Kawa KAGUA and Far Yeast, but also their special Japanese craft beer that can’t be found anywhere else in Taiwan. You can enjoy the beer alongside a selection of modern Japanese-themed meals.

Far Yeast Lychee Haze 

To commemorate the opening, the company has brewed the Fruited Hazy IPA ‘Far Yeast Lychee Haze’ in collaboration with Taiwanese brewery UGLY HALF BEER, using Taiwanese lychee to flavor. The drink will be pre-released in Japan, available from  September 30 with preorders opening from 13:00 on September 21.

The combination of Nelson Sauvin hops with a grape-like aroma and the tropical scent of the citrus and coconut Sabro hops compliment the gentle and sweet flavor of lychee, enticing all craft beer enthusiasts to Taipei.

Far Yeast Taiwan Craftbeer Gastropub is expected to have an international customer base, as the gastropub is located in Taipei’s East District, an area with a high population of foreign nationals and business people. Now that overseas travel has become much harder, the new branch will allow customers to enjoy the varied tastes of Japanese craft beer and the richness of Japanese food.

Hotel Gracery Taipei, which can be found inside Taiwan’s TOKYU HANDS Tailung, have opened the new ‘HANDS CONCEPT ROOM’ which offers the experience of visiting Japan without having to get on a plane.

‘Take a Vacation to HANDS’ Room

‘Go Camping at HANDS’ Room

Coupon

TOKYU HANDS Tailung have created two new concept rooms, the ‘Take a Vacation to HANDS’ room and the ‘Go Camping at HANDS’ room. While it is difficult to visit Japan at the moment, these rooms provide an authentic Japanese experience which allows guests to experience the culture and feel the charms of Japan.

The ‘Take a Vacation to HANDS’ room is based on Mount Fuji, Japanese railways, and vending machines, which are popular even in Taiwan. Popular tourist spots are also recreated using famous characters. 

The ‘Go Camping at HANDS’ room is inspired by glamping, which has become popular in Taiwan, using outdoor equipment to create a fun, indoor camping experience.

The guest-limited service also offers guests two 10% coupons, one that can be used while shopping at TOKYU HANDS Tailung and one that can be used for accommodation. During the campaign period, guests who spend over 5,000 Yuan at TOKYU HANDS Tailung will be entered into a lottery to win a one-night stay in the new themed rooms.

 Try Japanese-inspired indoor camping with the new ‘HANDS CONCEPT ROOM!’

Taiwan-based e-commerce platform Pinkoi, one of Asia’s largest, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special project! Virtual model imma is the face of the campaign as a character named ‘Pin Tripper,’ and a new web commercial featuring the personality along with a song written by popular artist Daoko is now available! In addition, the newest issue of the web magazine ‘Pinkoi Zine’ is also available on the official Pinkoi website, featuring a tour of unique items from cities around Asia in the style of a travel report. 

For the campaign, the Pantone Color Institute defined Pinkoi’s two corporate brand colors, ‘Pinkoi Navy’ and ‘Pinkoi Salmon Pink.’ Japanese illustrator Noritake then designed the Pinkoi x Noritake Limited Collaboration line of goods using these unique shades. These will only be available for a short time, so be sure to snag some while you can!

Comments

imma

“Pinkoi is fun to use, because it allows you to find trendy items from cities all over Asia. I found lots of items I don’t come across very often, and items that made me feel as though I were travelling around the continent. (laugh) I hope that you’ll enjoy the new web commercial and the special ‘Pin Trip Report’ in the newest Pinkoi Zine issue! And, of course, enjoy shopping at Pinkoi too.

Daoko

For this campaign, I was able to create a new song with trackmaker Yohji Igarahi. The theme was ‘sense of speed.’ I think I was able to express my identity as a rapper, while also maintaining the important image of neon lights shining at night. My impression of Pinkoi is that it has a huge variety of products not available on typical Japanese sites, and as someone who loves online shopping, I was super excited to work with them!

Gion’s Tatsumi Bridge, a picturesque area plucked straight from a painting. From there, continue south and into the backstreets, you’ll find the popular Kyoto Ramen store, Ramen Muraji.

The bridge takes you over the Shirakawa River which flows into Lake Biwa, with the connecting street spanning a distance of only 180m, with paths the width of three adults. Once you head into the alley, the scenery will completely change. 

The asphalt becomes cobblestone, surrounded by Kyoto-style lattice windows. Here you’ll find Ramen Muraji, located in a renovated 100 year old Kyoto-style building, perfectly blending into its surroundings. 

At first glance you wouldn’t believe it to be hiding a ramen shop,  with many people calling their discovery of the shop a once-in-a-lifetime encounter as they wander the streets of Gion.

The back alleys of Gion retain the history of Kyoto, with hidden shops shrouded by curtains, gently glowing lanterns, and carefully handwritten signboards. Each spot has been crafted to become a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with those who visit.

Ramen Muraji was built in the alley

Tatsumi Bridge, an area famous for retaining the distinctive Gion look.

Muraji’s Speciality White Chicken Ramen

Gion has been popular with Kyoto tourists for years, surrounded by attractive buildings and cityscapes. Located here is the Yasaka Shrine, a world heritage site which hosts the annual Gion Summer Festival. 

While the locals rarely explore the area, Gion is full of traditional beauty that has inspired many novels, maintaining the culture and history that has been passed down for generations. 

Why not relive the splendor of Gion at Ramen Muraji, a shop that was born 、

With its long history and culture that weaves towns, humans, and spirits together, why not relive the splendor of Gion with a historical cup of Muraji ramen? 

Ramen Muraji is a space where anybody can enjoy ramen, surrounded by Kyoto-style interior decor and Japanese-style decorations. 

Their chicken ramen, boiled in a plain water soup, boasts a selection of carefully selected ingredients that condenses the taste of Kyoto’s unique food culture. Kyoto Sake matched to the flavor of the ramen is also available.

Enjoy the charms of Kyoto’s food for yourself at Ramen Muraji.

As a company aiming to bring a new kind of happiness to many people, Ramen Kourakuen have announced their new slogan: All New Happy! 

In order to spread the message even further, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has been appointed as Kourakuen’s new CKO – Chief Korekara (Future) Officer. 

Their new goal is to work towards each step of the New Happy 5 Plan in order to spread cheer across Japan.

Plus, a new Kourakuen commercial featuring Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will be released nationwide.

The special commercial will be promoting the new student discount set, where students will be able to enjoy ramen meals for ¥550 on weekdays, plus the mobile order service which allows customers to order their ramen in advance, meaning it’ll be ready when you arrive.

The students and workers shown in the commercial are so satisfied that their face morphs into Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s as she dons the Kourakuen logo on her cheek. Make sure to check out Kyary’s China themed hair and costume!

In celebration of their 10th anniversary, Taiwanese design gift site Pinkoi has launched a commemorative project, with pre-orders for a series of items open until July 25. The collection will release on July 26.

Pinkoi x Noritake Beer Glasses (Set of 3) | ¥8,930 (Tax Included)

Pinkoi x Noritake PVC Vinyl Bags | 3 Designs | ¥5,070 Each (Tax Included)

Pinkoi x Noritake Drip Coffee (10 Bags) | Flavours: Classic, Mandheling, Brazil | ¥3,440 Each (Tax Included)

Pinkoi x Noritake Folders | 3 Designs | ¥1,200 Each (Tax Included)

Pinkoi x Noritake iPhone 12 Smartphone Cases | 3 Designs | ¥4,460 Each (Tax Included)

Pinkoi Navy

Pinkoi Salmon

The first entry to the project invites Noritake on board, a popular Japanese illustrator, who is supervising the “Pinkoi x Noritake Limited Collaboration” and its capsule collection which features the theme “In The City.”  The collection is based on the three cities Tokyo, Taipei, and Hong Kong and features two of Pinkoi’s brand colours: Pinkoi Navy and Pinkoi Salmon, both created by Pantone.

In an interview on this collaboration, Noritake expressed his desire to love in a city filled with all kinds of gorgeous illustrations.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Japanese ramen restaurant chain Tenkaippin. To celebrate, they have joined hands with men’s apparel brand MONO-MART to release a collection of ramen-inspired t-shirts in collaboration with Japanese illustrator Isogai Hitohisa. The limited-edition collection dropped on ZOZOTOWN on June 10.

Tenkaippin | Comment

“Thanks to all of our customers, Tenkaippin turns 50-years-old this year. It’s a turning point for us, and so we’ve decided to develop products in collaboration with an apparel brand for the first time. We hope it helps to spread word of the Tenkaippin name amongst the youth. Designs include photos of when we first opened, illustrations drawn for us, and more. Please enjoy Tenkaippin through these super rare tees!”

Each t-shirt in this collection is branded with Tenkaippin’s logo along with their ‘KOTTERI’ logo. There’s another with a photo of the brand’s legendary founder Tsutomu Kimura, another with the encouraging message ‘Righht effort,’ and more. Other designs include illustrations by Isogai Hitohisa on the back, various photos, and so on.

The popular Taiwanese face mask brand JIUJIU was released in Japan for the first time on Friday (February 26) via the company’s new Japanese website.

We now live in a time where face masks are a part of everyday life when commuting, going to the shop, walking in public places, working at the office, and so on. Japan is no stranger to face masks as they were always a part of the culture for hygienic reasons in the workplace when an employee is ill, as a fashion statement, for those suffering from hay fever, and so on, but even there has seen a major increased demand for face masks since the pandemic began.

JIUJIU’s face masks are used in medical professions in Taiwan. They are noted for not only they quality but fashion sentiment too, with over 60 style variations available. These masks are now available to buy in Japan in packs of 5.

JAPAN POSTEC, a wholesaling company in Japan, is now an authorised dealer of products from the popular Taiwanese gift shop Lai Hao. The first product to enter the Japanese market from the company is a colourful collection of blotting papers which hit the country last Thursday (January 28).

Lai Hao Blotting Paper (8 Designs)

Taiwanese Scents: Oolong Tea / Gardenia / Yulan Magnolia / Hinoki / Pineapple

Size and Ingredients

Lai Hao’s products are a display of Taiwanese creativity and high quality and are sure to leave an impression on buyers.

The blotting paper designs are based around a variety of different foods, with eight different picks to choose from. Each one comes scented with fragrances that remind one of Taiwan.