Character cafés are an exciting 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.   These cafés attract public attention every month. There are many collaborations happening this month, so we have split the list into two parts. Here’s part one! Cells at Work! x 46 Shokudo (October 10 – November 13) Due to an enthusiastic reception, the popular cafe themed on the anime series Cells at Work! has made a return and is now open at 46 Shokudo in Ikebukuro, Tokyo for a limited time. All the food, drinks and desserts on the menu are autumn themed and take inspiration from the characters in the series including the Killer T Cell Squid Ink Fried Rice and White Blood Cell Cheese Risotto. There’s a whole range of exclusive limited edition merch to get your hands on too, so don’t miss out!     Star-Myu x School Festival (October 31 – November 27) Two cafés inspired by the hugely popular school music anime series Star-Myu are heading to Tokyo and Osaka on October 31 and November 2 respectively. The café menus feature dishes inspired by the characters from the show. You can even order the legendary yakisoba nisuto from the series. There’s merchandise to get your hands on too, and the café interior will be decked out with school festival decorations to you can feel part of the festive fun. The café is reservations only, so book your table ASAP!     Gudetama x Pompompurin (September 5 - November 30) Gudetama and Pompompurin are two popular characters from Sanrio who have joined hands at the Pompompurin Cafe in Yokohama. Four cute menu items are available to choose from, all celebrating the 5th anniversary of Gudetama, the theme of which is space.     Badtz-Maru x Gudetama Cafe (October 1 - November 30) The Gudetama Cafe in Osaka, located in the HEP FIVE shopping center just a 3-minute walk from Hankyu Umeda Station, has teamed up with the Sanrio character Badtz-Maru in a new collaborative menu. There are 4 cute dishes to choose from as well as novelties with original designs.     Nintama Rantaro x Chaya (October 12 - December 2) *Dates depend on branch Two cafés based on the popular TV anime series Nintama Rantaro are opening in Osaka and Tokyo for a limited time. The Osaka café will open at 'contact' in Shinsaibashi from October 12 and the Tokyo café will open at 'Omotesando Box Cafe&Space' from October 25. The menu includes udon, hitsumabushi, hamburgers, parfaits, a matcha latte and more, all themed on the characters Rintaro, Kirimaru and Shinbei from the show who are told that to become fully-fledged ninja they must be able to cook.     Kapibara-san x Hands Cafe (November 5 – December 25) The adorable Kapibara-san is joining paws with five Hands Cafe branches in Japan from November 5 to December 25. The key visual for the cafes takes on a Japanese-style design. Six different dishes will be sold including the Kapibara-san’s Tsurun Udon Gozen and the Kapibara-san Dorayaki Set. You can enjoy the Christmas season at the café too with two Christmas items available from November 26 – making for a total of 8 items to choose from.     That does it for part one, stay tuned for the second half! Satisfy your autumn appetite this season in Japan by visiting all the different kinds of collaborative cafés.

PARCO are opening five Pokémon themed cafés from October 27 at five The Guest Café & Diner branches across Japan in collaboration with the upcoming Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! games set to release worldwide on the Nintendo Switch on November 16, 2018. Pikachu Doria / Eevee Doria: ¥1,290 Each These two cute Pikachu and Eevee dishes are designed to look like Poké Balls. Mix the two sauces to create a doria! Who will you pick as your Pokémon partner?   Dragonite's Hyper Beam Ramen: ¥1,390 This satisfying salt ramen bowl is topped with shrimp fritters. Mix with your TM Hyper Beam themed condiments for maximum deliciousness. Pewter City Gym Beef Stew w/ Boulder Badge Sticker: ¥1,690 The ingredients on this plate of beef stew recreate Brock's rocky gym in Pewter City.   Pikachu Pudding / Eevee Pudding: ¥1,390 Each Pikachu and Eevee are all dressed up for these two puddings: Pikachu has a smart bow-tie on while Eevee is looking cute with flowery hair decorations. Both come coupled with a selection of fruits. It's too hard to pick...   Sleeping Snorlax's Glass Parfait: ¥1,290 This parfait is made with ice cream, mousse and mango purin. You'd better eat it quick before Snorlax wakes up!   Pikachu Iced Latte / Eevee Iced Latte: ¥890 Each Check out those hairstyles! What's the occasion...? Customers will be gifted a paper luncheon mat of the Kanto region with original artwork when they arrive at the café. There will be a merchandise shop too decked out with acrylic key rings, pin badges, smartphone cases and more - also all with original artwork.

The adorable Kapibara-san is joining paws with five Hands Cafe branches in Japan from November 5 to December 25. This is in fact Hands Cafe's 4th collaboration with Kapibara-san. The key visual for the cafes takes on a Japanese-style design. Six different dishes will be sold.

Kapibara-san's Tsurun Udon Gozen: ¥1,320 (Tax Included) *Not sold at Shibuya branch

This meal includes a cute fried Kapibara-san atop a bed of sanuki udon noodles. It also comes with inari sushi to emphasise that Japanese feel.

White-san's Lovely Steak Gozen: ¥1,390 (Tax Included) *Not sold at Shibuya branch

This dish includes a chicken steak drizzled in Japanese-style sauce and is served with green salad and rice made into the shape of White-san, a friend of Kapibara-san.

Kapibara-san Dorayaki Set (Tax Included): ¥1,160

For dessert, tuck into a Kapibara-san dorayaki red-bean pancake and cream rice flour dumplings and wafer cake. There are three original wafer cake designs to enjoy which are chosen randomly, so look forward to seeing which you get! The following two Christmas items will also be available from November 26 making for a total of 8 items to choose from.

Kapibara-san & Kokapi's Nosu Nosu Christmas Tree: ¥1,380 (Tax Included) *Available from November 26

The cute baby capybara Kopapi is riding on Kapibara-san's head in this dessert. They are both thick-friend pancakes. Next to them is a strawberry cream puff tower and matcha powder tree.

Kapibara-san's Christmas Houjicha Latte: ¥800 (Tax Included) *Available from November 26

Warm yourself up with this hot houjicha lattte topped with a Kapibara-san marshmallow. The whipped cream Christmas tree is sure to make you feel cosy too.     There's even five pieces of limited edition merchandise to get your hands on too, all with Japanese-style designs including a mug, pin badges and more.

OTONA Kapibara-san Mamezara

Finally, as a gift to customers, if you order one item from the menu you'll receive an original coaster, and if you order two an original mamezara, a tiny Japanese plate. These will change to Christmas designs from November 26.   Enjoy a fun and cute Japanese-style Christmas with Kapibara-san and his friends.