PEANUTS Cafe Nakameguro is now serving up two new cherry blossom beverages for the spring season: the Sakura Lemonade and Sakura Charred Marshmallow Latte, both of which are now available to order until April 11.

Sakura Charred Marshmallow Latte ¥700 (Before Tax) / Sakura Lemonade ¥650 (Before Tax)

PEANUTS Cafe Nakameguro serves limited-time drinks every cherry blossom season in Japan, and this year is no different. Both beverages capture the cute pink tones of the country’s national flower which invite feelings of springtime walks and Hanami flower viewing.

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On Saturday (March 6), MILKLAND HOKKAIDO → TOKYO reached its two-year milestone since first opening and to celebrate it has launched a special project in collaboration with the Japanese performance group TEAM NACS.

MILKLAND HOKKAIDO → TOKYO is an antenna shop—a type of shop in Japan similar to an outlet that specialises in the selling and showcased of products of a specific locale—that is active in promoting milk and milk products from Hokkaido.

TEAM NACS “Devilish Namarameshi” Menu

Carbonara Rice | ¥858 (Tax Included) | Serving: March 6, 2021 – April 2, 2021

Butter Oden | ¥770 (Tax Included0 | Serving: March 6, 2021 – March 12, 2021

Camembert Maruagedon | ¥858 (Tax Included) | Serving: March 13, 2021 – March 19, 2021

Junsei Strawberry | ¥495 (Tax Included) | Serving: March 20, 2021 – March 26, 2021

Cheese Gyoza | ¥495 (Tax Included) | Serving: March 27, 2021 – April 2, 2021

Sakura Soft Serve Ice Cream (Limited Edition Flavour) | ¥495 (Tax Included) | Serving: March 6, 2021 – March 30, 2021

The five members of TEAM NACS appeared in commercials for each of these dishes, all of which can be made at home with the recipe cards provided, and all of which are made using Hokkaido’s famous high quality milk.

If you’re in Tokyo and want a taste of Hokkaido, head to MILKLAND HOKKAIDO → TOKYO.

Six branches of the hugely-popular PEANUTS Cafe in Japan are welcoming a collection of tasty new seasonal menu items this Saturday which are set to be served until March 14.

The Limited-Time Line-Up

Brownie Charles’s Brownie Chocolat | ¥950 (Before Tax)

Strawberry Whipped Hot Chocolate | Eat In ¥750 – Takeout ¥700 (Before Tax)

The collection includes a chocolate brownie inspired by the scene when Charlie Brown meets Peggy Jean for the first time. He is very nervous and mistakenly introduces himself as “Brownie Charlies.” There’s also a sweet strawberry hot chocolate topped with a squirt of whipped cream and drizzle of strawberry sauce.

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Starbucks Coffee Japan has announced that the holiday season at Starbucks Reserve®︎ Roastery Tokyo is set to begin on November 13, 2020. “Special Roastery Holiday” is the theme this year, for which the specialist coffee branch will be serving a line-up of unique beverages for the holiday season, as well as decorating each of its three floors.

Eggnog Latte ¥900 | Butterscotch Chai Tea Latte ¥950 | Nakameguro Porthole Winter ¥4,200 | Strawberry Chai Nog ¥2,000 (Before Tax)

This autumn and winter, the Roastery is serving a variety of seasonal flavours for its “STARBUCKS RESERVE® CHRISTMAS 2020” line-up. Customers can look forward to the smell of warm cedar fragrance, orange marmalade, spices, and butterscotch. These beverages, each of which is served on a different floor at the coffee shop, are so beautiful they almost seem a waste to sip.

Bottom Right: Cornetti Lampone Chocolate ¥420 | Bottom Left: Maritozzo Lampone & Fragola ¥380 | Top Left: Holiday Panettone ¥5,400 | Top Right: Zuppa Inglese ¥580

Popular Italian bakery Princi® has baked up a selection of authentic Italian treats for the holiday season too, including a classic panettone.

Red Stainless Steel Tumbler 473ml ¥3,800 | Red Round Mug 355ml ¥2,500 | Small Red Tote Bag ¥2,300 | Round Tumbler 355ml ¥2,500 (Before Tax)

Starbucks Reserve®︎ Roastery Tokyo is also selling some limited-edition merchandise too both in-store and on their website so everyone can enjoy delicious drinks at home too.

Starbucks Reserve®︎ Roastery Tokyo boasts the most incredible location, sitting by the side of Nakameguro, one of Tokyo’s most famous spots for seeing the cherry blossoms in spring.

This year, the coffee roastery’s “Sakura Season” is set to begin on February 15, when its cherry blossom-inspired merchandise collection is released, along with a line-up of pink beverages and food.

The official Starbucks sakura merchandise ranges from tumblers and mugs to a key ring, handkerchief, and more, for a total of 10 items.

Strawberry Chia Oolong – ¥900

Poppun Sakura Jasmine Tea – ¥950

Floating Blossom – ¥900

Six beautiful beverages from last year’s Sakura Season at Starbucks are also making a return from the Teavana™️ brand, made with delicate and soft cherries, hibiscus, and tea leaves as refreshing as green grass.

Clockwise From Left: Gianchetti & Sakura – ¥880 / Mini Panettone Sakura – ¥680 / Cornetti Sakura – ¥380 / Maritozzo Sakura – ¥540

Italian bakery Princi®︎ is also heading to Japan for the first time to serve up Italian food culture to people at Starbucks Reserve®︎ Roastery Tokyo. Enjoy the floral taste of cherry blossoms done in a Princi®︎ way.

Heading to Tokyo for Hanami and the cherry blossoms? Then make a stop at Starbucks Reserve®︎ Roastery Tokyo for this year’s Sakura Season.

Starbucks Coffee Japan has collaborated with BEAMS Creative Lab (ビームス創造研究), which is led by Kazuyoshi Minamimagoe, Senior Creative Director at BEAMS, to release a collection of merchandise to celebrate the coming New Year. The items arrived at Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo on December 17.

Since opening on February 28, 2019, Roastery Tokyo has collaborated with BEAMS Creative Lab on three separate occasions to release collections of merchandise themed on “Play,” “Travel,” and “Go out!” respectively. They have proven popular with both Japanese and foreign customers. For this fourth collaboration, the theme is “Lucky Charms.”

The line-up of items range from classic Japanese New Year’s celebratory items like pochibukuro mini envelopes and a towel with a New Year’s greeting design on it to Roastery Tokyo-exclusive Kewpie dolls coloured copper and silver like the roasters in the coffee shop.

Look over the past year and beckon the New Year with a cup of coffee at Starbucks and some festive goodies.

Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo released six new products on December 5 in collaboration with Shimada Koen Ningyo Kobo, a long-standing traditional maker of Japanese gosho-ningyo dolls.

Golden Cup, Shimada Koen Ningyo Kobo – ¥50,000 (Before Tax)

The relationship between Starbucks and Shimada Koen Ningyo Kobo began when Starbucks opened its branch at Kyoto Ninenzaka Yasaka Chaya in Kyoto, which is known for having tatami flooring, as the dollmaker’s studio is located near it. There is a waving cat wearing a green apron at that Starbucks which was designed by the 5th generation of Shimada Koen.

Waving Cat, Shimada Koen Ningyo Kobo – ¥30,000 (Before Tax)

Shimada Koen specialises in making gosho-ningyo, dolls with distinct features such as stout forms, pure white skin, tiny legs and hands, a big face, and an overall cute appearance reminiscent of a child. In the Edo Period they were developed as gifts associated with the Court.

Bell Rat, Shimada Koen Ningyo Kobo – ¥3,500 (Before Tax)

The line-up of six dolls feature Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo motifs and are made with considered thought in mind, including the bonds between people and enjoying happiness throughout the yearーdesires upheld by Starbucks.

This winter, MINNA no ILLUMI Executive Committee will be decorating Meguro River with an unmissable illumination display that will warm your heart. 100% of the energy for the illumination will be produced by recycled oil. The display will run from November 8, 2019 to January 5, 2020.

As Shinagawa Ward will also be lit up at the same time, visitors will be able to treat themselves to a glorious view of approximately 410 thousand sakura-coloured lights, creating a unique opportunity to witness Winter Sakura®. The beautiful illumination along the riverbanks of Meguro River will be the largest illumination project within Yamanote Line with a total length of 2.2km of riverbanks covered (counting both sides of the river). Enjoy the beautiful warm light reflecting off the river’s surface.

The megurogawa MINNA no ILLUMINATION project was launched in response to the locals’ desire, love and praise for riverside illumination displays. The project involves collecting waste oil from restaurants, cafés and households and recycling it as the sole energy source to power the illumination display. This project has become a symbol of winter and plays a significant role in strengthening bonds with the locals. 

Last year, approximately 5,500 litres of oil was collected from 11 places including restaurants, cafés and apartment blocks. This was converted by a power generator which supplied all the electricity necessary to run all the lights. This year, unused oil from local restaurants and apartment blocks will be recycled into biodiesel once again to run another Winter Sakura® light display which tourists flock to see. 

This year will also see the return of German Outdoor Dome Garden Igloos from last year. This creates the perfect spot to watch the Winter Sakura® without getting cold or being affected by rain or the wind. There will be three garden igloos at this year’s event and each will have a unique colour theme. Each igloo will be 3.6 metres in diameter, 2.2m high and contain a ground area of 10m², allowing for plenty of space to relax.   

Igloo Availability: December 16 – 25, 2019 *Subject to change

Gotanda Fureai Mizube Hirobamade even made the news in overseas countries as a result of the illumination project. This is the perfect way warm your heart during the cold winter.

Those interested in Japanese art should most definitely visit the hotel and museum Hotel Gajoen Tokyo which is now holding the 5th Wa no Akari x Hyakudan Kaidan art exhibition until September 1.

It is taking place at its Hyakudan Kaidan, or ‘100 Steps Staircase’―which was registered by Tokyo Prefecture as a Tangible Cultural Property in 2009 for its exceptional architecture and artistic beauty. This year’s event has been made bigger and better with brand new exhibits.

Visitors will ride the exquisitely decorated elevator and first come to an Aomori Nebuta Festival-style float as pictured above with its bright colours and angry gaze. This piece was created specially for the event. It also gives off an original summery smell too.

As you follow the path deeper into the exhibition―having first taken off your shoes―you will come a line of cloth crafts. You can switch on the lights inside to light up each piece which radiate the natural colours of the material. There are many cloth work pieces on display to enjoy.

This is what it looks like when looking up the 100 Step Staircase from the bottom. You will come to several rooms when ascending the stairs with light displays in them.

This is the first room inside which is a display created by bamboo lighting artist NITTAKE from Nichinan, Miyazaki. The bamboo is beautiful on its own but even more so when the lights are turned on in a dark room as the entire room is turned into artwork itself.

Continuing on you come to the “Nagasaki Lantern Festival.” You can see the lights before you even enter the room and they plunge you into that Japanese festival atmosphere. It’s truly spectacular inside. It’s different from the previous room which was dark with lights hanging from it. It’s even more bright and colourful. It made me want to visit the real Nagasaki Lantern Festival which boasts 1 million visitors every year.

This room contains umbrella art using Japanese umbrellas from Yamaga, Kumamoto. The colours of the umbrellas turn the room into something magical. The room has a relaxing, soothing vibe to it that makes you want to gaze in silence.

Dangling further up the stairs are wind chimes which continue the summer vibes.

There are many unique art pieces too such as these goldfish from Yanai, Yamaguchi. There is artwork from around 40 individuals and groups so there is lots to be discovered. Take your time to admire each and every thing in there.

The stairs actually go up to 99. Once you have seen the final exhibition on the top floor it’s time to return to the bottom where you take your shoes off.

Whether you’re interested in art or Japanese culture, this exciting event is one not to be missed this summer.

Starbucks Reserve® Roastery Tokyo’s second floor Teavana™ tea bar and third floor Arriviamo™ have come together to create a new line of tea cocktail beverages.

Roastery Tokyo boasts the biggest Teavana™ in the world where they stock their own loose leaf Signature Blend Tea and Pure Tea. The tea leaves they use are a mix of three Japanese-style leaves: gyokuro, sencha and genmaicha. The tea bar pays respect to Japan’s tea tradition that has been around since ancient times by ensuring that every time you drink their tea it is a refined and graceful experience.

The tea bar also makes use of Rostery Tokyo’s unique mixology skills to create revolutionary tea beverages, tea desserts and loose leaf tea blends. Their Signature beverages are made with only the best ingredients and calculated with perfection to draw out the colour, flavour and fragrance of the tea leaves to their absolute max.

Citrus Mint Tonic: ¥850 (Before Tax)

The Citrus Mint Tonic is a refreshing summertime mix of Citrus Lavender Sage Tea, lime and mint.

Shun You: ¥1,200 (Before Tax)

Shun You is inspired by the sights you see walking through Saigōyama Park in Tokyo during springtime. It’s made with sweet Uji gyokuro tea, dill and lemon peel. The herb and citrus adds a refreshing quality to the tea.

Arriviamo™ is Starbucks Japan’s first authentic bar service where they serve revolutionary cocktails and craft cocktails at Roastery Tokyo. Inspired by Italian aperitif, the bar serves coffee with alcohol in it, caffeine free cocktails, aperitif, wine, beer, the non-alcoholic Spirits Free and more. The bar menu was conceived by esteemed mixologist Julia Momose .

Ichigo Shakerato: ¥2,000 (Before Tax)

The Ichigo Shakerato is made with sweet and sour strawberries and Aperol and is accented with a faint flavour of matcha and mint.

Hello, Old Pal: ¥1,800 (Before Tax)

Hello, Old Pal is a combination of spritz and genmaicha, creating a beautiful amber colour.

P→★ of Japanese pop dance and vocal group TEMPURA KIDZ loves animals, and this is his featured series in which he visits animal cafes around Tokyo. For diary entry No. 5, our P→★ heads to mipig cafe, Japan’s first ever micro pig cafe that opened in Meguro just last month.

Micro pigs are a super small type of pig bred in the UK through selective breeding. They are smaller than miniature pigs. The concept of the cafe is “A Backwoods For Micro Pigs.” The pigs are given a huge space to live and play around in. As soon as you enter the cafe they are there to greet you.

The building is four storeys high. Each floor has been made into a house for the micro pigs. The initial entry payment is ¥800 for 30 minutes and an extra ¥500 for every 30 minute extension. If you want a drink the prices start from ¥600. The cafe is very new and so is very popular right now, so if you’re looking to visit we recommend making a reservation in advance. It’s possible to get extensions on the day but you won’t be able to if lots of reservations have been made.

The pigs are very friendly with people. As soon as P→★ entered the room the pigs came right up to him. They climbed straight onto his lap.

They stayed in P→★’s arms the entire time without moving. Perhaps it’s because they feel safe and relaxed when embraced. P→★ was happy with it too: “I feel so peaceful♡. I want to stay here forever!” he announced.

Micro pigs aren’t their own species, they are mix of different species, so even if the piglets are born at the same, their size and colour will be completely different. The four pigs in the photos above are all 4-month-old siblings. Currently there are 10 micro pigs at the cafe. Pigs are tidy and very intelligent animals, so with enough practice they can be trained like dogs. There are pigs in the mipig cafe that can turn around and sit on command.

Since the pigs are so friendly with humans, one meeting is enough to have you captive and want to stay with them. They will stay close to you and not move so there’s plenty of opportunities for photos!

As well as drinks the cafe also serves food including cakes. They even serve “Tokusei Cheesecake” (¥850 before tax) from Hasegawa Minoru, a top dining restaurant in Japan. The restaurant is so popular that you have to make reservations up to 2 years in advance. And on weekends and holidays only the cafe sells 10 servings of their special “Pig Cake.”

It’s common in the US and UK for people to have pet pigs, but in Japan they’re still mostly regarded as domestic animals. mipig raises their micro pigs in a way like cats and dogs are in Japan. They are also in contact with farms in the UK and sell micro pigs too. Although they are called micro pigs they can weigh up to 40kg when fully grown. There is a floor in the cafe where you can see a grown up micro pig as shown in P→★’s photo above. Perhaps you can add a new member to your family too. But since the pigs are popular right now it could take over a year for you to receive one.

How did you find the mipig cafe, P→★?

“Of all the animal cafes I have been to so far this one was the most fun! It was fun being able have contact with them the entire time. Now I want a micro pig of my own! They don’t smell either, I could be with them forever. I wasn’t able to get an extension because there were a lot of reservations, so I recommend booking a long stay when you make one! And the cheesecake was super tasty too, so definitely be sure to try it yourself!”

If you’re in or planning a trip to Tokyo then be sure to get your reservations in for the newly-opened mipig cafe in Meguro ASAP!

Model: P→★（TEMPURA KIDZ）@0830_pika

Photo: Haruka  Yamamoto

Text: Sayoko Ishii

Translation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Meguro River is famous for its cherry trees which line stretch 4km along the waters and bring beautiful cherry blossoms in spring. This winter, ‘Megurogawa Minna no Illumi 2018’ will take place from November 9, 2018 to January 6, 2019. Translating to ‘Meguro River: Illuminations for Everyone,’ the event will see the path along the river decorated with lights which will reflect off the water’s surface.

The event was created out of locals’ love for the town of Meguro. It’s a time of mutual bonding and a reminder that winter is here. Last year, apartments in the neighbourhood and restaurants collected 5,500 litres of waste cooking oil which powered the generator for the lights. Waste cooking oils will be recycled again this year as biodiesel to power 100% of the illuminations.

The Fuyu no Sakura® (‘Winter Cherry Blossoms’) flower viewing spot which was a huge hit last year will make an appearance again this year. People will be able to enjoy the ‘winter cherry blossoms’ーthe pink illuminationsーfrom the comfort of one of the three garden igloos which all have different interiors. Sitting in one of these means you don’t have to worry about wind, rain or cold weather.

Fuyu no Sakura

Locaion: Gotanda Fureai Waterside Square, Shinagawa

Running: November 22, 2018 – December 26, 2018

This year marks the 9th run of Fuyu no Sakura®. The 100% local energy illuminations were picked up by news media both in Japan and overseas last year. The event also won second-place in the 2017 A’ Design Award.

If you missed the spring cherry blossoms in Japan and are travelling there in wintertime then enjoy some ‘flower viewing’ at Meguro River!