Character cafés are a unique experience in Japan which sees a café collaborate with well-known anime series, game series and various franchises by decorating the café interior with designs and illustrations based on them and meals and drinks inspired by them.   Here's a compilation of collaborative cafés you can look forward to in September 2018.    Howacolo Club x Hands Cafe (August 22 - September 17) The hugely popular characters of Howacolo Club―a Japanese web comic―have are teaming up with five Hands Cafe branches around Japan until September 17. There are 5 different foods and drinks themed on the characters in Howacolo Club including the popular puppy Howacolo-chan. The cafe interior, too, has been be transformed into the world of Howacolo Club with illustrations, plushies and more. Enjoy a fun café time with your pals at Howacolo Club♡   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/122234     Cardcaptor Sakura x SAKURA Fantasy Cafe (July 12 - September 30) The Sakura Fantasy Cafe is themed on the latest entry to the Cardcaptor series, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, with three branches that were opened in Tokyo (Harajuku), Osaka (Abeno) and Saitama (Koshigaya). The Saitama branch is the last branch open. It has a line-up of photogenic food as well as a photo spot and more, all with original illustrations drawn specially for this collaboration. There's also a range of original Cardcaptor merchandise you can’t get anywhere else. The menu includes cheese toast, roast beef, smoothies, pancakes and more.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/116035     Pompompurin x BOYS AND MEN (August 21 - September 30) The Pompompurin Café in Nagoya themed on the popular character Pompompurin from the Sanrio franchise is teaming up Japanese variety show Boy Boy Mugendai by BOYS AND MEN until September 30. The collaboration is based on a skit by BOYS AND MEN titled Family (‘Usuika no Hitobito’), with food taking inspiration from the characters such as the Showa style noodle set pictured above that's made in the image of the father’s wig from the Usui family and more.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/123124     2PM Members x ZooPM (August 31 - October 8) ZooPM Café, which was first opened in 2016 for a limited time, has gotten a revamp has reopened. Each dish on the menu is inspired by the ZooPM characters such as the Pan. K half-cooked pancakes,  Pi Young cheese curry, emperor penguin and more, as well as a range of ZooPM drinks. You must book in advance and spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis so if you're interested be sure to get in there quick.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/123052     Grand Blue x 46 Shokudo (September 3 - October 8) 46 Shokudo has joined hands with popular anime series Grand Blue is teaming up with to open a collaborative café called Grand Blue Shokudo which is open until October 8. The theme of the café is ‘a house by the sea.’ The menu is packed with themed food and meals including Food Stall Snacks, Ramen, Nanaka & Chisa’s Sisterly Curry, Kebako’s Keba Keba Waffle, and more. Enjoy the last summer of Japan’s Heisei Period with the members of Grand Blue!   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/125006     Natsume's Book of Friends: Tied to the Temporal World x BOX CAFE&SPACE (September 14 - October 14) To celebrate the release of the Natsume's Book of Friends movie on September 29, two themed cafes will open in Tokyo and Saitama as well as a character café booth at the Kyoto International Manga & Anime Fair 2018. They will serve a variety of themed dishes tied to autumn as well as merchandise with an autumn-time theme. Those who book at the Tokyo café in advance will receive one of four randomly selected original stickers pictured above. The menu items will differ at all three cafés, so be sure to try them all!   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/125852     Fate/Grand Order x Sanrio (September 20 - October 28) Sanrio are collaborating once more with the hugely popular online free-to-play RPG mobile game Fate/Grand Order―which is based on Type-Moon’s Fate/stay night franchise―to open three themed cafés. They will open in Tokyo and Osaka alongside Sendai for the first time with newly drawn Heroic Spirits. All the food, drinks and merchandise available at the cafés are inspired by the Servants of Fate/Grand Order who have been drawn with cute designs. Enjoy a Fate experience you can't get anywhere else.   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/123977     The Pokémon Cafe x Limited Edition Autumn Menu (September 8 - October 31) The Pokémon Cafe in Nihonbashi released a new menu for autumn which is being served until October 31. The cute menu is inspired by different Pokémon including Gastly’s Menchi Katsu Burger, Tangela’s Halloween Mont Blanc, Golbat’s Poisonous Float Drink and more. The cafe are serving their regular grand menu too, so whether it’s your first time or you’re a regular you’re sure to have a lot of fun!   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/126707     Shouta Aoi × Little Twin Stars Café (September 12 - November 4) The collaboration between Japanese voice actress Shouta Aoi and the Sanrio mascots Kiki and Lala, aka the Little Twin Stars, was so popular in Omotesando that they've teamed up once more to bring people the new Shouta Aoi×Little Twin Stars Café ~Halloween Party~ event. As well as serving the much praised collaborative themed food from last time, there will be a new range of Halloween themed food too, as well as merchandise, all with cute illustrations and designs for a fun Halloween. The cute line-up of Halloween merchandise features rare designs you won’t find anywhere else, so don't miss out!   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/126272     The Very Hungry Caterpillar x J.S. PANCAKE CAFE (September 12 - November 4 *depending on branch) J.S. PANCAKE CAFE have joined hands with The Very Hungry Caterpillar to turn their cafés into the world of Eric Carle's internationally beloved picture book. The four month duration the cafés will be open from September to December will reflect both the growth of the caterpillar as well as the story of the book. The first month, September, will represent the sun on the day that the caterpillar was born. In October, he will eat fruits and grow. In November he will enter his cocoon. Finally, in December, he will turn into a butterfly. All of this will be illustrated on the pancakes each month. Don't miss out on this chance to fully immerse yourself in the world of The Very Hungry Caterpillar!   Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/124618       Which of these cafés has piqued your interest the most? There's a lot of great ones to choose from this month, so if you're in Japan be sure to go to as many as you can!

Popular anime series Grand Blue is teaming up with 46 Shokudo to open a collaborative café called Grand Blue Shokudo themed on the series. The café will open on September 3 and run until October 8.

Food Stall Snacks

Kebako’s Keba Keba Waffle

  The theme of Grand Blue Shokudo is ‘a house by the sea.’ The menu will be packed with themed food and meals including Food Stall Snacks, Ramen, Nanaka & Chisa’s Sisterly Curry, Kebako’s Keba Keba Waffle, and more. For merchandise, they will be selling two sets of pin badges. The café is expected to be bustling with fans, so you must make a reservation in advance. Those who make a reservation will receive an original coaster as a gift. Those who order at the café will receive another coaster selected randomly from a possible 10 designs per order they make.   Enjoy the last summer of Japan’s Heisei Period with the members of Grand Blue!    

Sanrio have teamed up once more with the hugely popular online free-to-play RPG mobile game Fate/Grand Order―which is based on Type-Moon's Fate/stay night franchise―to open three collaborative cafés.   This collaboration first took place at the beginning of this year where cafés opened in Tokyo and Osaka. They are returning again to Tokyo and Osaka alongside Sendai for the first time.

Gilgamesh's Golden Curry - ¥1,480 (Pre-Tax)

 

Edmond Dantès & Sherlock Holmes' Mont Blanc Parfait - ¥1,180 (Pre-Tax)

  All the food, drinks and merchandise available at the cafés are inspired by the Servants of Fate/Grand Order who have been drawn with cute designs.  

Pin Badges (16 Designs) - ¥450 (Pre-Tax)

 

Pouch - ¥850 (Pre-Tax)

  16 Servants will make an appearance at the cafés which is even more than last time. The decorations and designs have also been made even cuter and more fun.

Coasters

Stickers

  You must book in advance to enter any of the cafés. Those who do book will receive a set of stickers, and those who order any item from the menu will receive one coaster randomly selected from a possible 16!