Sanrio Characters’ Collab Café has extended the opening period of the cafe at Narita International Airport passenger terminal 2 until July 30. The café serves a menu of food and drink collaborated with Sanrio’s beloved characters Cinnamoroll, Hello Kitty and My Melody.

 

Additional Menu: Cinnamoroll’s Fluffy Egg Pancake

 

Cinnamoroll’s Fluffy Egg Pancake is on sale for a limited quantity from June 19 to celebrate Cinnamoroll’s 1st place at 2021 Sanrio Character Ranking. The pancake represents the fluffy clouds in the sky. Additionally, the 2nd edition of visit campaign limited to weekdays has been launched from June 14.  2 original coasters will be given for each menu item ordered for a limited quantity so don’t miss out! 

 

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Imabari is a city in Ehime Prefecture that faces the Seto Inland Sea. Since olden times, it has flourished as an important location for marine traffic. It’s home to a bounty of recognised national treasures and historical heritage sights, and is also famous for its production of citrus fruits such as mikan. Japanese pop star, model, and icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took a trip to this ancient city to discover its wonder and beauty.

 

A Visit to the Historical Sea Route

 

 

Oyamazumi Shrine

A ‘power spot’ revered by prominent people

Oyamazumi Shrine has been revered by prominent figures throughout history as a place dedicated to the god of the mountain, god of the ocean, and the god of war. It’s home to numerous Important Cultural Properties which are available for viewing by the public such as the armour worn by the military commander Minamoto no Yoshitsune when the Minamoto clan won the Genpei War (1180-1185), armour worn by women, and more. The shrine is also a notable power spot for the ancient tree that has stood there for 2,600 years and is now recognised as a natural monument of Japan. Power spots are places in Japan where the spiritually-inclined draw energy from.

 

Information

Oyamazumi Shrine

Address: 3327 Omishimacho Miyaura, Imabari, Ehime 794-1393, Japan

TEL: 0897-82-0032

Opening Hours: Sunrise to 17:00

National Treasure Building: 8:30-17:00 (Last Entries 16:30)

Official Website: https://oomishimagu.jp/

 

Kurushima Kaikyo Service Area

Lip-smacking food aplenty

If you’re one for great views, then the Kurushima Kaikyo service area is a must-visit, offering a panoramic look at the Kurushima Strait of the Seto Inland Sea. The service area is very well know particularly for the Jaguchi Mikan Juice, something of a city legend in Ehime where you can enjoy fresh mikan juice straight from a tap. You can also tuck a rice bowl dish made with tachiuo hairtail caught in the Seto Inland Sea that’s made to look like Kurushima Kaikyō Bridge, or try Imabari’s soul food dish: the Imabari Yakibuta Tamago Meshi, a pork, egg, and rice bowl. Don’t pass up the chance to snap a photo at the designated photo spot with the Seto Inland Sea in the back either like Kyary above.

 

Information

Kurushima Kaikyo Service Area

Address: 3-9-68 Ohamacho, Imabari, Ehime, 794-0002, Japan

Food Court: [Weekdays] 8:00-21:00 / [Weekends & Holidays] 7:00-22:00

Shops: [Weekdays] 8:00-21:00 / [Weekends & Holidays] 7:00-22:00

Outside Shopping Area & Cafes: [Weekdays] 9:00-17:00 / [Weekends & Holidays] 9:00-18:00

Official Website: https://www.jb-highway.co.jp/sapa/kurushima.php

 

Murakami Suigun Museum

Dedicated to the Imabari heroes who protected the ocean

Murakami Suigun Museum is dedicated to kaizoku—pirates, or lords of the sea—something which conjures to mind villainy or bad guys, but the Murakami pirates were also considered heroes who helped maintain order and protect the sea during the Sengoku warring period of Japan. The museum features many displays of Murakami family treasures including the battle surcoat which the pirate leader wore over his armour, proudly bearing the Murakami family crest. Visitors can wear replicas of this coat, which Kyary tired herself: “Now I’m sorta like a military commander too,” she said.

 

Information 

Murakami Suigun Museum

Address: 1285 Miyakubocho Miyakubo, Imabari, Ehime 794-2203, Japan
TEL: 0897-74-1065

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: Mondays (or Tuesday if the Monday falls on a public holiday) / New Year Holidays (Dec 29-Jan 3)

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/museum/suigun/

 

Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan

A bundle of fun and entertainment in one place

Roll on up to Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan to enjoy a shichirin BBQ feast with fresh seafood caught in the Seto Inland Sea while gazing out across Kurushima Kaikyo. This building complex serves as a resting spot and is also the perfect place to purchase local souvenirs including Ehime specialty products. It’s also famous for its offering the chance to board a boat to ride around Kurushima Kaikyo, renting out bicycles, and more. You’ll also be able to meet Koro-chan, a popular fish who has lived there for 30 years.

 

Information

Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-iki-kan

Address: 4520-2 Yoshiumichomyo, Imabari, Ehime 794-2114, Japan

TEL: 0897-84-3710

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Restaurant: 10:00-16:00 (Last Orders 15:00)

Closed: New Year’s Day (and certain days in winter)

Official Website: http://www.imabari-shimanami.jp/ikiiki/

 

Dolphin Farm Shimanami

Meet the cute and friendly dolphins

 

Dolphin Farm Shimanami, which is connected to Hakata Beach, is the best and biggest place in Japan to interact with dolphins. Visitors can get close to them and the dolphins will show off their tricks and skills. There’s even a car camping area you can stay at.

 

Information

Dolphin Farm Shimanami

Address: 1673 Hakatacho Kanoura, Imabari, Ehime 794-2302, Japan

TEL: 0897-72-8787

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: On days with bad weath

Official Website: https://www.df-shimanami.com/

 

Hakata Beach

A white sandy beach rolling out 200-meters 

 

 

Hakata Beach is located at the base of Oshima Bridge in Hakata. The beach is famous for its salt which is best tried on their popular sweet-tasting sea salt ice cream.

 

Information

Hakata Beach

Address: 1668-1 Hakatacho Kanoura, Imabari, Ehime 794-2302, Japan

Sea Bathing: Early July – Late August

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/spot/?a=198

 

Imabari Towels

High quality towels woven with tradition and technique

 

Imabari is the biggest producer of towels in Japan. Even their white towels alone have countless types you can choose from, allowing you to pick which level of softness and comfort you want. The iconic brand logo is also impactful, capturing the quality, production, and enthusiasm that the makes have for the product. Kyary herself uses them all the time!

 

Information 

Imabari Towel

Official Website: https://www.imabaritowel.jp/

 

Sunrise Itoyama

Need a bike?

Sunrise Itoyama, located in the Imabari Central Cycling Terminal, is a rental bicycle service that has bikes and helmets for everyone’s needs. Rent out a bike and ride the Shimanami Sea Route which connects Ehime and Hiroshima with a series of bridges that hop across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

 

Information 

Sunrise Itoyama

Address: 2-8-1 Sunabacho, Imabari, Ehime 794-0001, Japan

TEL: 0898-41-3196

Rent-a-Cycle Details: https://www.sunrise-itoyama.jp/archives/rentacycle/

Official Website: https://www.sunrise-itoyama.jp/

 

Marutomi

The famous restaurant known to every local

If you want the real experience of Imabari’s yakitori soul food, you should visit Marutomi, a yakitori eatery. Imabari yakitori is different from the usual Japanese yakitori as it doesn’t come skewered. Instead, the chicken is cut into small pieces and fried that way. One of the most popular ways to have it is with the skin on so the outside is crunchy and the inside succulent. It goes perfect with a cup of sake too.

 

Information 

Marutomi

2-3-6 Katayama, Imabari, Ehime 794-0063, Japan

TEL: 0898-23-2740

Opening Hours: 17:30-22:00

Closed: Wednesdays

Official Website: https://maru-marutomi.jp/

 

Imabari Castle

A castle by the sea

Imabari Castle, built by the daimyo Tōdō Takatora, is known famously as one of Japan’s three “Castles on the Sea” and was also listed in Japan’s Top 100 Castles. When it was first constructed, boats could enter the moat from the ocean. It’s a site that breathes the prosperity that Imabari has enjoyed as a significant location for maritime traffic, the same Imabari that the Murakami pirates sought to protect. Head on up to the top of the castle to stand on the observation deck and gaze at an unbroken view of the city.

 

Information

Imabari Castle

Address: 3-1-3 Toricho, Imabari, Ehime, 794-0036, Japan

TEL: 0898-31-9233

Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00

Closed: December 29 – December 31

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/museum/imabarijo/

 

Kirosan Observatory Park

A breathtaking spectacle to remember

Kirosan Observatory Park is officially recognised by Setonaikai National Park. Standing atop the observation deck fills the eyes with wonder as they gaze upon a panoramic stretch of Imabari, the Seto Inland Sea, and Kurushima Kaikyo all at once. Kyary wrapped up her time in Imabari here as the sunset coloured the sky and sea in warm evening hues.

 

Information 

Kirosan Observatory Park

Address: 487-4 Yoshiumicho Minamiura, Imabari, Ehime 794-2115, Japan

No Fixed Holidays

Open 24-hours a day

Official Website: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/spot/?a=182

 

Imabari Tourism Information: https://www.city.imabari.ehime.jp/kanko/

 

We hope you enjoyed joining Kyary on her adventures across Imabari, and perhaps she even got you a little curious in wanting to visit the city yourself. It’s a treasure trove filled with vistas by the sea, in nature, and in the city itself with its Important Cultural Properties. Food is also a big part of travel for many people, so you can rest assured that your belly will be satisfied in Imabari as you try their speciality mikan, fresh seafood fished in the Seto Inland Sea, and more.

Narita Anime Deck opened its Gintama pop-up event last Tuesday which is set to run until July 15.

 

The Narita Anime Deck opened inside Narita International Airport Terminal 2 in November 2019. It’s an entertainment facility where travellers from around the world can experience and enjoy Japanese anime culture in various forms such as with character merchandise, food, events, and a variety of photo spots.

The event sees anime series characters Gintoki Sakata, Toshiro Hijikata, and Okita Sougo dressed as pilots and Shinsuke Takasugi as a traveller. These designs are featured on a range of merchandise, decorations, and the food menu.

 

One must-grab item is the face mask case which arrives in four designs – one for each character.

The food line-up includes the Uji Gintoki Don & Katsudon Hijikata Special Set. This meal and dessert comes with an Uji matcha syrup-covered anko bowl which is based off the food that Gintoki gives to a cat. You can also order a latte featuring latte art of your favourite character. For every item ordered on the menu, you get a free coaster. These come in two design collections: one is available now and will be replaced by the other on June 19.

 

And if you spend over ¥3,000 on Gintama merchandise at the event, you’ll receive a free card. Fans can also get a free lunch mat if they spend over ¥4,000 and the shop or eat-in restaurant and show their receipts.

KADOKAWA revamped and reopened the eat-in restaurant at Narita Airport’s Narita Anime Deck on October 27. Visitors can now look forward to dining at Zenkoku Gensen! Aji no Tabi Ramen Walker.”

 

The Narita Anime Deck opened inside Narita International Airport Terminal 2 in November 2019. It’s an entertainment facility where travellers from around the world can experience and enjoy Japanese anime culture in various forms such as with character merchandise, food, events, and a variety of photo spots.

 

The new dine-in restaurant features a long ramen menu of ramen dishes carefully selected by Ramen Walker, Japan’s biggest information site for ramen. There are nine strictly-selected dishes to choose from, as well as over 50 ramens for people to buy and take home with them.

The menu will change its line-up from time to time

Customers can order any of the nine ramen dishes on their own, or they can order from several set menus which enables them to taste different ramen dishes from around Japan. There are also over 20 ramen toppings to choose from, so guests are sure to be spoilt for choice.

The restaurant will also sell their own range of exclusive ramen-related merchandise.

 

But that’s not all, as Ramen Walker Chicken is also set to open at Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama on November 6 as the world’s first booking-style facility where you can book a table at the most popular ramen bars across Japan.

A pop-up event for the hugely popular TV anime series Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World is set to open at Narita Anime Deck—which is located on the Main Building second floor of Narita International Airport Terminal 2—for a limited time from October 9, 2020.

 

The event will include a themed menu, pre-sales on Re:Zero merchandise, and more. The first week of the event will introduce a booking-only system as a precaution against COVID-19. Bookings for the cafe will run from October 9-15 and for the merchandise store from October 13-19.

 

Re:Zero Entertainment Cafe

Running: October 9, 2020 – January 11, 2021

Fans of Re:Zero can look forward to tucking into a menu of themed food, drinks, and desserts, including a traditional Japanese plate topped with Emilia, Rem, and Ram wafer cakes, as well as super spicy Natsuki and Subaru black noodles, and more. Customers who order from the menu will receive a free Re:Zero coaster and lunch mat. These are limited in stock, and there are two sets of designs to get your hands on: the first will be available from October 9 and the second from November 27.

And for the first four days that the cafe is open, from October 9-12, they will serve up a special matcha mont blanc cake based on the Re:Zero character Betelgeuse. Only 30 will be served per day.

 

Merchandise Shop

Running: October 13, 2020 – December 14, 2020

Fans can get their hands on a merchandise pre-sales featuring items designed for the event itself. The theme of the line-up is “Isekai Inn” and includes pins, acrylic stands, mini folding screens, charms, and more.

Bonus Items

But that’s not all. Customers who spend over ¥3,500 (tax included) on the merchandise in one transaction will receive one of the above postcards.

 

The merchandise sold at the pop-up event will also be sold at KADOKAWA’s Da Vinci bookshop which is set to open inside Tokorozawa Sakura Town on November 6.

Solo Sauna Tune is a new sauna that offers “total privacy” which is set to open its first branch inside UNPLAN Kagurazaka in Tokyo this November.

Most sauna facilities in Japan cater to groups, but at Solo Sauna Tune, all guests are given their own space where they can undress, bathe, and relax in their own private room. This is especially desirable during the current pandemic where social distancing is paramount, and is a great opportunity for people not wanting to travel in groups.

The solo saunas are heated using sauna stoves imported from Finland. Adding water to the sauna stones lets guests control the amount of steam in the room so they can adjust as they like. There is also a Japanese white birch aroma provided to the löyly (Finnish for ‘steam’).

 

Guests can also cool off in cold water. The Chiller provides water at 15℃. There are also overhead showers for cooling down, and the showerheads can be adjusted to make the water come out like mist.

The relaxation area is coloured in a stylish black where guests can kick back for a while.

After using the sauna, guests can visit the powder room where there are a varieties of free amenities. There’s also a café which serves craft beers, food, and other treats.

Narita International Airport Terminal 2 is set to host a pop-up event for the TV anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba at its 2nd floor Narita Anime Deck from September 10 to October 9. Fans can get their hands on exclusive and pre-sale merchandise, tuck into food themed on the series, and participate in an event to find Nezuko who is lost in Narita Airport.

Uchiwa fans

The Nezuko event has players going to each terminal at Narita International Airport to solve puzzles dotted around them. Those who clear the event will receive one of three possible uchiwa fans with original art.

To participate in the Nezuko event, you must first pick up a kit which you can get at the pop-up store.

 

©Koyoharu Gotouge/Shueisha・Aniplex・ufotable

Greenport Agency, a group managed by Narita International Airport Corporation (NAA), opened a new online service titled “Narita Airport Kengaku Tour” on August 5 which offers a range of digital content to users, including a detailed tour of the airport with commentary by members of the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences, and more.

Limited spaces are available for the online tour. To apply, users need to apply through Ouchi Soku Tabi, an online travel service operated by Orange Inc. The service was made in tandem with NAA, the Museum of Aeronautical Sciences, and areas surrounding the airport. It was launched to give people a chance to feel like they’re on holiday abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic in a time when remote work and working from home is the new norm.

KADOKAWA is set to open a Hello Kitty themed cafe on the Narita Anime Deck—which is located on the Main Building second floor of Narita International Airport Terminal 2—for a limited time from July 3, 2020 to October 2, 2020.

 

The Narita Anime Deck

The Narita Anime Deck opened inside Narita International Airport Terminal 2 in November 2019. It’s an entertainment facility where travellers from around the world can experience and enjoy Japanese anime culture in various forms such as with character merchandise, food, events, and a variety of photo spots.

 

Hello Kitty Cafe

The facility has collaborated with numerous anime series to open up limited-time cafes since it opened. This time around it is joining paws with Hello Kitty, a face known to all across the globe. As well as themed food, drinks and merchandise, customers can take a Hello Kitty quiz, learn the history behind Hello Kitty, and more.

 

An Original Food Menu

Hello Kitty’s Lovely♡ Pink Curry: ¥1,500

Hello Kitty’s Gurakoro Burger: ¥1,500

Hello Kitty’s Strawberry Pancake: ¥1,400

Hello Kitty’s Strawberry Parfait: ¥1,200

 

An Original Drinks Menu

The incredible drinks menu is diverse, including lattes where you can get 46 different latte art designs of Hello Kitty from 1974-2019. It could be fun to pick your birth year, or a year where you have fond memories.

Hello Kitty’s Colourful Tapioca Drinks (Matcha Milk/Strawberry Milk/Milk Tea): ¥720 Each

 
Hello Kitty’s Marshmallow Coffee: ¥800

Hello Kitty’s Latte (46 Designs): ¥720 Each

 

Novelties

For every item you order from the collaboration menu, you can also receive one of 46 possible original coasters once again featuring a different design of Hello Kitty between the years 1974-2019.

 

1st Line-Up: July 3, 2020 – August 2, 2020

2nd Line-Up: August 3, 2020 – September 2, 2020

3rd Line-Up: September 3, 2020 – October 2, 2020

If you’re travelling through Narita Airport anytime this year up to October, then be sure to head on up to the Narita Anime Deck to dine at the Hello Kitty Cafe.

 

© 1976, 2020 SANRIO CO., LTD.　APPROVAL NO. L611439

Fufu Nara is set to be the first luxury hotel to open inside Nara Park on June 5, 2020. Designed by industry-leading Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the hotel promises a unique dining experience with food served using herbal medicines that can only be tasted here, and guest rooms that are covered in art made by Nara-based artists who use traditional techniques. Both the dining and accommodation experiences aim to immerse guests in the culture of Nara.

Witness the handiwork of Nara’s artists

Nara is a city steeped with beautiful history and culture. This has been captured by the artists who have collaborated with Fufu Nara in the form of paintings, crafts, entrance decorations, and more. A stay at Fufu Nara is an opportunity to witness first hand the deep traditions and techniques of Nara’s art world.

There are 30 rooms in total which are split into five different types. For example, one room type is designed around the old Japanese style of sitting on the floor. Inks and woods are used in the room to enhance that feeling that you’re in Nara, and the colour tones too are chosen to bring to mind the ancient city.

 

Fufu Nara’s dining concept

Nara Prefecture is closely tied to herbal medicines. Herbal medicine came about in the year 611 during the monarch of Empress Suiko. It is written in the Nihon Shoki that the use of herbal medicine had already been adopted by the time Prince Shōtoku was serving under the Empress. Many different traditional herbal medicines are still used in Nara today, including Angelica root, shakuyaku peonies, fennel, and so on. Traditional herbal medicines have become popular again in the prefecture in recent years.

 

The food prepared at Nara Fufu makes use of ingredients grown and produced in Nara, from vegetables to herbs and beyond. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner all incorporate Japanese and Chinese herbal ingredients.

 

Spa by sisley

The hotel also has a spa made in collaboration with French luxury skin care brand Sisley. There, guests can enjoy Fufu Nara’s medicated baths.

While the world is on lockdown, embark on a global adventure from the comfort of your own home with kawaii virtual character Emma.

The newly-launched EMMA Travel project follows the adventures of Emma as she travels from country to country, discovering and learning new things.

Satisfying your thirst for adventure couldn’t have been easier. Emma will be uploading pictures of her adventures to Instagram so you can enjoy travelling without leaving your house. All her travels will be documented in English to cater to foreigners who are eagerly awaiting the chance to visit Japan.

 

While global lockdown measures are still in place, join Emma as she takes you on a virtual tour of must-visit sightseeing locations.

Japanese creative studio 1→10, Inc. opened up Singapore’s first ever permanent interactive land art exhibition “Magical Shores” on January 23 this year together with Lighting Planners Associates (LPA), a lighting company based in both Tokyo and Singapore.

 

Magical Shores spans 400 meters of Sentosa’s Siloso Beach, turning it into an immersive, multi-sensory experience of AI-operated lights and sounds which elevate the beauty of the surrounding natural environment.

 

Guide To Magical Shores | Siloso Beach, Sentosa:

AI technology responds to visitors on the beach, giving them a breathtaking and unique performance. Sensors are dotted around the area which use sensing data to react based on people’s movement around the beach. The AI is constantly developing as it collects big data about the temperature and climate of Siloso Beach as well as that of people’s movements.

In two of the interactive areas, people can witness the “Circle of Life” beginning with the big bang. After that there is magma, followed by heavy rainfall and eventually flowing water which gives birth to life. Cells divide as plants begin to sprout, fish swim in the sea, and birds and insects sing in the mountains. At the end, life falls, and the process begins again.

Japanese musician Masakatsu Takagi was put in charge of the music and sound design of the exhibition. Takagi is known for having written the music for Wolf Children and The Boy and the Beast. He took inspiration from his music project “Marginalia,” a sound diary where he would record the sounds of birds, insects, the wind, rain, and so on from his studio window. Takagi did field recording on the beach to capture the sounds of nature to use for the art exhibition.

 

Kuniyuki Takahashi also offered his musicianship to the exhibition. Based in Sapporo, he is an internationally-recognised composer. He also recorded the sounds of Siloso Beach, and together with Takagi, created the perfect soundtrack for Magical Shores.

 

Magical Shores is currently temporarily closed as a result of the coronavirus but will resume once more as soon as the situation allows it.