Tokyo Disneyland® is set to open its all-new Beauty and the Beast area of the park tomorrow on September 28, 2020. It's opening in line with the new Big Hero 6 attraction, Minnie Mouse area where guests can meet Minnie, and the park's new popcorn shop.   MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON was granted early access to the news areas, so here's our review!   Check out our review of the new Beauty and the Beast area too here: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/362152  

The Happy Ride with Baymax: The world's first Big Hero 6 attraction

The Happy Ride with Baymax ride has guests joining one of the personal healthcare companion robots on an exciting cart ride. The park is limiting the number of people allowed on the attraction at once due to the pandemic. To board the attraction, guests need to download the app after entering the park.  

Big Pop: Tokyo Disneyland's first popcorn shop

Tokyo Disneyland's first permanent popcorn shop opens in Tomorrowland. This space-themed shop serves up a whole range of flavours like cookie cream, caramel and cheese, and strawberry milk. There's also four different popcorn baskets to choose form, including Big Hero 6 and Beauty and the Beast designs.  

Minnie's Style Studio: Meet Minnie Mouse

This studio imagines Minnie Mouse as an international fashion designer who designs outfits, shoots photos, and more. Guests can meet Minnie Mouse at her studio if they book in advance.   ©Disney

Tokyo Disneyland® is set to open its all-new Beauty and the Beast area of the park tomorrow on September 28, 2020. It's opening in line with the new Big Hero 6 attraction, Minnie Mouse area where guests can meet Minnie, and the park's new popcorn shop.   MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON was granted early access to the Beauty and the Beast area - here's our review!   Check out our review of the new Big Hero 6 attraction and Minnie's Style Studio too here: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/362221  

The world of Beauty and the Beast brought to life

The area connects Belle's village to Beast's castle by way of the forest. At the entrance to the village, guests will immediately spot the cottage of Maurine, Belle's father and the vilage inventor. Beyond that is Gaston's water fountain as well as a restaurant inspired by Gaston's bar. There are also other shops that Belle visits in the film, such as the bookshop. It's like stepping into the magical world itself. When you leave the village and head through the forest, you are met by the spectacle that is Beast's castle, coloured in a cute pink. There's a large-scale attraction inside called "Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast."  

The Tokyo Disneyland-original attraction "Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast"

The attraction, located inside the towering 30m-tall castle, features magical cups that guests board. The cups dance in rhythm to music from the film as they take guests through iconic moments seen in the Disney classic. There are many surprises and discoveries to be found inside the castle. The park is limiting the number of people allowed on the attraction at once due to the pandemic. To board the attraction, guests need to download the app after entering the park.  

Village shops based on the movie

The Village Shops area features a line of shops inspired by those seen in Belle's town, each of which sells various items from clothing to accessories and souvenirs. There are around 100 pieces of merchandise for fans to sift through. The shops are also carrying out measures against COVID-19, showcasing the items in a display only so they cannot be touched when entering the store. Guests must use the sign-up system on the app beforehand if they want to enter the shop.  

La Taverne de Gaston

All the little details have been captured to recreate Gaston's bar, making it like a snippet right out of the film.

Big Bite Croissant

 

Very Cheers

Sweet Gaston

The menu features a line-up dishes, drinks, and desserts, like sausage croissants with, French toasted cheese sandwiches, soft drinks made to look like beer, and more. The bar also requires booking on the app prior to visiting.

Le Fou's Churros (Apple Caramel)

Le Fou's is located next to La Taverne de Gaston where you can get your fingers on snacks like apple caramel churros. And don't miss up on visiting the new popcorn wagon either which serves popcorn in a Beauty and the Beast bucket.   The new Beauty and the Beast area is a must-visit for any fan of the film, or for people who want to feel like a Disney princess.   ©Disney

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train is an upcoming anime film set for release on October 16, 2020. The film is a direct sequel to the 2019 anime series adapted from Koyoharu Gotouge’s manga series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.   In the run up to its release, the film is being promoted in collaboration with Japan's annual Tanabata festival which takes place every year on July 7. A special website opened today which features wishes written in Japanese and illustrations drawn by 31 voice actors and actresses from the anime series—as well as the main characters, including Tanjiro. It is customary on Tanabata to write a wish on tanzaku, which are small pieces of paper, and tie them to bamboo. Additionally, three special announcements have been made to celebrate Tanjiro's birthday on July 14.   The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga has sold over 80 million copies. Along with its highly successful anime adaptation from last year, the series has won the anime community the world over, earning a high reputation for its thrilling fight scenes and memorable characters. The film was announced at the end of the anime’s final episode, teasing the “Mugen Train” arc of the story. Today, the day of Tanabata, marks just three months until the release of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train. As well as the voice cast, five of the anime's main characters have posted their own wishes over on the special Tanabata website. Tanjiro, a kind and gentle soul who is devoted to family, wrote: "I pray that everyone can live happily!" Such a wish is just like Tanjiro, who shows kindness to everyone even if they're a demon. His sister, Nezuko, who is a demon herself and who can't write, instead just tied her tanzaku paper up. You can tell she puts all of her trust in Tanjiro with whom she has a strong bond. Zenitsu simply wrote, "I wish that I can get married!!!!" Inosuke drew a picture of his favourite food, tempura, and Rengoku wrote the mantra "Daily Diligence!!"   You can check out the rest of the cast's wishes over on the official Demon Slayer Tanabata website, all of which are written in Japanese.   Finally, to celebrate Tanjiro's birthday which falls on July 14, three special things have been planned in Japan. Firstly, a special "Tanjiro Birthday Party" show will air on ABEMA on July 14 at 21:00 (JST) where the main voice cast Natsuki Hanae (voice of Tanjiro), Akari Kito (Nezuko), Hiro Shimono (Zenitsu), and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Inosuke) will appear. Secondly, there will be a marathon of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime series on ABEMA on July 11 and 12. Lastly, ufotable Cafe will be collaborating with the series for Tanjiro's birthday, serving food inspired by the anime and more.   ©Koyoharu Gotouge/Shueisha・Aniplex・ufotable

Kifune Shrine, which is dedicated to the god of water Takaokami no Kami, is currently holding evening illuminations with Tanabata bamboo lamps until August 15, 2020.  

About Kifune Shrine

Kifune Shrine is one of Kyoto's foremost historical shrines. Records show that the shrine was already built in 677 during the reign of Emperor Tenmu. It is located near the source of Kamo River and is dedicated to the god of water who is said protect Kyoto's water sources. The area is also known for kawadoko which is where Kibune's restaurants build platforms over the river where visitors can enjoy their meal as the water flows beneath them.  

Kifune Shrine and Tanabata

Tanabata is said to originate from the Suijinsai Festival (Water God Festival), with the stars themselves as the god of water. At Kifune Shrine, which is dedicate to Takaokami no Kami—the god of water—people not only pay their respects to the blessing of water, but hold Tanabata events as well as the Kifune Water Festival.   For this year's Tanabata event, bamboo lamps will be lit up with wishes written on them by people.  

Tanabata Shinto Rituals and the Kifune Water Festival

Tanabata Shinto rituals and the Kifune Water Festival will be held on July 7 where people will express their gratitude to the god who watches over Kifune's waters as well as pray for water's blessing throughout the year.

KONICA MINOLTA PLANETARIA TOKYO, a twin-dome planetarium in Tokyo's Yurakucho district, introduced a new menu at its Cafe Planetaria on July 1, 2020.  

A cafe where you can taste the stars

Cafe Planetaria's concept is that customers happened upon it during a trip through the galaxy. It is the only cafe in space—one where you can delight in cocktails that shine bright like a nebula, or tuck into finger food that's like fragments of planets.   The new menu hopes to serve customers a day they won't forget after they have gaze upon the starry night sky.  

How best to enjoy Cafe Planetaria

Cafe Planetaria's menu can be enjoyed at DOME 1 inside the planetarium so you can enjoy cocktails and food while watching the starlit show. It's open to those who aren't using the planetarium too, so if you're looking for a quick stop-off on your time through the galaxy and don't have time for stargazing you can enjoy the galactic delights too.

Nebula Soft Serve Ice Cream: ¥550 (Tax Included)

This purple soft serve ice cream is inspired by nebula imagery.

Moon Parfait: ¥770 (Tax Included)

A colourful parfait topped with the moon and sweet-tasting planets.

Mercury (Cocktail): ¥880 (Tax Included)

Part of the planetary cocktail series.  

Observe "Tokyo's Milky Way"

PLANETARIA TOKYO has brought back its planetarium work Tokyo no Amanogawa o Wasurenai (Never Forget Tokyo's Milky Way). The show makes use of works left behind by Japanese novelist Kenji Miyazawa, poets Chūya Nakahara and Yumeji Takehisa, and others, to bring viewers back to a time when you used to be able to see the Milky Way in the city of Tokyo. When the city lights switch off for the night, the former Milky Way will shine its radiant brilliance. Viewers will be able to see the same sight that so many artists and writers saw when creating works about Tokyo's starry sky.  

Make a wish upon a falling star

A popular service at PLANETARIA TOKYO that is also free is getting to see falling stars in real time with a system set up by Meteor Broadcaster. They are shown across a giant 12m long screen. On the Gregorian calendar, Tanabata is celebrated on July 7, but on the old Japanese lunisolar calendar it will fall on August 25 this year. If you're in Tokyo around that time, why not visit the planetarium and make a wish?  

Online shop to enjoy the Milky Way at home

Gallery Planetaria is a concept shop in PLANETARIA TOKYO whose concept is based around being a secret shop hidden away somewhere in the galaxy. Their online shop is selling plenty of fun items that you can only get on this side of the galaxy. The service is available in Japan only, but check out their website to see what they've got in stock.   Gallery Planetaria Online Shophttps://planetaria.theshop.jp/  

Starry Sky Guide: Summer - At Home Version (Narrated by Yoshimasa Hosoya)

PLANETARIA TOKYO has posted an at-home version of their summertime starry sky guide which was shown at the venue. It's narrated by Japanese voice actor and narrator Yoshimasa Hosoya and features a 360° VR experience. Check it out here.

Q-pot CAFE. is celebrating Japan's Tanabata festival with a limited-time menu which was introduced on June 27.

Romantic Star Plate w/Drink: ¥2,060 (Tax Included)

This starry delight is plated with a fromage blanc filled with ganache cream and peach jelly. There's star-shaped meringue macarons filled with cream, creamy blueberry and blackcurrant panna cotta, star-shaped chocolate to represent the Tanabata deities Orihime and Hikoboshi, and a luxurious Q-pot CAFE. macaron.

さらに、レモンの皮を練り込み、サクッと焼き上げた星型クッキーには短冊のようにグラサージュショコラで願い事を込めて・・・クッキーを残さず口にすれば、願いもきっと叶うはず！

Romantic Peach & Elderflower Soda: ¥750 (Tax Included)

Refresh yourself with a summery glass of this peach and elderflower soda which is filled with blue, purple, and pink transparent jelly which twinkle like a kaleidoscope.

Bottled Drinks (Takeout Only): ¥1,296 Each (Tax Included) *Limited quantity available / *¥100 off if you take your own bottle

Enjoy a takeout bottle of "Aurora Lychee Tea Soda" with its romantic pink, purple, and blue gradation. This herb tea changes colour like magic, and contains marrow cheese plant, lychee puree, and Blue Curacao. The twinkling pearl powder makes it glow like an aurora. There is also bottled Strawberry Tea Soda, Ginger Ice Milk Tea, and Honey Lemon Vinegar Soda.   If you're in Tokyo this summer, head to Q-pot CAFE. to enjoy a round of pastel-coloured Tanabata confections and drinks.