The Harajuku-based brand KAWAII MONSTER CAFE has announced a traveling store, KAWAII MONSTER SHOP. As the project’s first event, a Halloween pop-up shop named ‘KAWAII MONSTER SHOP - Colorful Halloween’ will open for 10 days starting October 19 in the birthplace of the brand, Harajuku.   KAWAII MONSTER CAFE is an entertainment restaurant that embodies the vibe of Harajuku in Tokyo, a town that swallows fashion and culture from places around the world and reimagines them into unrestrained originality. Originally opened in 2015 and produced by artist Sebastian Masuda, the colorful and crazy space offered photogenic food and drinks, and guests were served by the iconic Monster Girls clad in future Harajuku fashion. It became a ‘new Tokyo landmark,’ attracting over 700,000 visitors from both Japan and abroad. Even after the restaurant closed in January 2021, its one-of-a-kind concept has lived on in pop-up shops, events, and collaborations with various brands and creators.   The pop-up shop, open in Harajuku for a limited time starting October 19, offers food and drinks, merchandise, special experiences, and photo spots themed around the spooky Halloween season. Additionally, a collaboration with the popular Harajuku accessory store 6%DOKIDOKI will be held from October 19-22. Colorful hair accessories will be on sale, and shop girls with Monster Girls makeup experience will be giving seasonal makeovers to visitors.  

■FOOD & DRINK

During the first half of the event, the pop-up shop will be serving food made in collaboration with the hot dog specialty restaurant HOTDOG CAFE STAND STATION TOKYO. The limited-edition menu includes the crazy Monster Dog, consisting of a monster holding a sausage in its mouth, and the monstrous Philly Cheesesteak, made with juicy tenderloin and tons of cheese.   The second half of the event will feature the Colorful Pop Burger Blue Monster (Teriyaki Chicken) from KAWAII MONSTER CAFE’s popular menu, along with French Fries with Monster Dip served with five different colorful sauces. Visitors are welcome to get into the Halloween spirit by enjoying the Monster Float during the pop-up event. <10/19~10/22 Exclusive Menu> Monster Dog: ¥880 (Tax Included) *In collaboration with HOTDOG CAFE STAND STATION TOKYO Philly Cheesesteak: ¥1,350 (Tax Included) *In collaboration with HOTDOG CAFE STAND STATION TOKYO   <10/26~10/31 Exclusive Menu> Colorful Pop Burger Blue Monster (Teriyaki Chicken): ¥1,200 (Tax Included) French Fries with Monster Dip: ¥700 (Tax Included) Monster Float: ¥800 [Rose/Passionfruit/Kyoho Grape]  

■GOODS

New KAWAII MONSTER CAFE goods will make their first appearance at this pop-up shop! Guests can visit the Sweets Factory to create their own candy assortment by filling their favorite containers with chocolates, gummies, and other goodies. Harajuku Icing Cookies will also be available in collaboration with SHONPY, a popular cake shop. Be sure to grab some incredible souvenirs!   In addition, popular KAWAII MONSTER CAFE collaboration items from years past will be available, along with adorable plushies from the globally beloved brand Ty. Visitors can also snag some unique zipit pouches and flexible PLUS PLUS blocks starting October 26.  

■EXPERIENCE

During the event, KAWAII MONSTER CAFE’s iconic Monster Girls and the character Choppy will greet guests and take photos, as well as shoot cute Halloween-inspired videos together. Visitors wishing to be transformed into Monster Girls themselves can speak to the store girls, clad in Decora fashion and rocking accessories from 6%DOKIDOKI. These ladies will provide POP Harajuku Monster makeovers featuring original tattoo stickers and unique hair accessories to get you ready for Halloween.

■PHOTO SPOT

At the event, guests will find the 3-meter tall Sweets Cake Balloon inspired by the Sweets-Go-Round Cake, the symbol of KAWAII MONSTER CAFE. Surrounded by colorful decorations and captivating monsters, visitors are sure to leave with plenty of special memories. Guests of all ages are invited to spend the Halloween season surrounded by the unique wonders of Harajuku!

On July 30, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took the outdoor stage at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL ‘23 at Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata.

 

This marks the first time that the artist has performed at the legendary Japanese music festival. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has completed five world tours in the past, also performing at Coachella in the U.S. in 2022 and at Primavera Sound in Spain this June. The artist was the first performer during the Sunday Session on July 30, the final night of the festival.

 

The Red Marquee housed the Sunday Session performances, and the venue was nearly overflowing with excited fans. As the audience began to chant Kyary’s name before she appeared on stage, a DJ wearing a rabbit mask appeared as DE.BA.YA.SHI 2021 began to play. The crowd’s chant only increased in intensity, and soon after, Kyary appeared wearing the famed pink outfit from her world tour held earlier this year.

Immediately after, the popular singer performed Candy Racer and Dodonpa from her newest album, with the festival-like anthem Harajuku Iyahoi quickly following in a nonstop DJ mix. The crowd’s excitement reached a fever pitch, and fans began chanting along with the familiar tracks. Isshin Doutai, Perfect Oneisan, and Kyary’s debut track PON PON PON quickly followed.

The sense of unity in the venue was amplified as the singer’s first song rang out, and when the intro to Ninja Re Bang Bang entered the mix, the crowd erupted in a thunderous cheer. Kyary continued with CANDY CANDY, Tsukematsukuru, and Mottai Night Land, with the excitement continuing unabated until the MC.

“Thank you so much for coming to my first performance at Fuji Rock! I’d love to do it again,” the singer said emotionally. “The next song will be my last! It’s the most ‘rock’ of all of my songs, so would you mind getting pumped up with me?” Fashion Monster marked the finale of Kyary’s first Fuji Rock performance, and the event at the packed Red Marquee concluded with huge success.

The original nonstop DJ mix for the event was created by Yasutaka Nakata. The crowd was shocked by Kyary’s ‘cool’ persona during her performance, her on-stage aura no doubt honed by her time spent overseas. After the show was over, social media was immediately filled with praise for the performance.

 

Kyary will be performing at several other music festivals around Japan this summer, so keep an eye out!

  Photo：Ruriko Inagaki  

[Setlist]

1. DE.BA.YA.SHI. 2021
2. Candy Racer
3. Dodonpa
4. Harajuku Iyahoi
5. Isshin Doutai
6. Perfect Oneisan
7. PON PON PON
8. Ninja Re Bang Bang
9. CANDY CANDY
10. Tsukematsukeru
11. Mottai Night Land
12. Fashion Monster

Following her successful seven-city world tour across four countries including a show at Primavera Sound, one of Europe’s largest music festivals, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has once again taken the stage in her native Japan. On July 15, the artist performed a stunning solo show, Celebrating 100 Years: Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Special Live 2023 ~Midnight Sun~, at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall in Tokyo.

 

The performance itself was part of a larger project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Hibiya venue. Fittingly, the theme of this one-night-only show was ‘the biggest celebration of your life,’ inspired by the ‘both joyful and terrifying festival held beneath the Midnight Sun.’ Kyary Pamyu Pamyu directed the performance herself, and the final product felt like it was pulling the audience into a movie world rather than a live performance.

 

The costumes, made exclusively for this performance, were created by fashion stylist Yudai Ichinosawa. Stunning special effects makeup was provided by Kaiho, who has worked with Kyary in the past. In addition, the floral stage decorations for the live performance, made to be sustainable, were created in collaboration with Hibiya Kadan, whose headquarters are located inside Hibiya Park. Fresh flowers and greenery along with colorful artificial flowers were used to create a unique space for the special occasion.

To begin the show, the curtain was raised as joyful Celtic music was played by a band of elves. The ‘Kyary Family’ marched onto the stage, their faces hidden by veils. The daughter, Kyary, appeared with dancers dressed as her father, mother, and twin sister, and as the characters removed their veils, the artist began with a performance of Easta, an Easter-themed song.

During the MC portion of the show, Kyary shared her heartfelt congratulations to Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall for its 100-year history. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a colorful outdoor stage before,” she continued, inviting the audience to take in the gorgeous scenery.

 

Kyary also shyly addressed her marriage in front of an audience for the first time. The artist also announced that she had invited the person who found her lost shoe sole in Harajuku months ago to the show, causing plenty of excitement in the audience.

It was a night of celebration at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall, between the 100th anniversary of the space, Kyary’s marriage, and the recovery of her beloved shoe sole. The setlist included 22 songs along with an encore, blending both classic and new tracks, including songs not often performed live. The performance was punctuated with Celtic flare, giving the entire show an odd yet welcoming air as the audience celebrated the Midnight Sun with Kyary’s unique family.

The official Midnight Sun playlist, which includes some special content, is available on major music streaming sites now. During certain portions of the concert, fans were allowed to film, so you can also expect to find some video footage scattered around social media.

 

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is scheduled to perform at LuckyFes on July 17 and FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL on July 30. As she continues to take the stage at festivals around Japan, fans are invited to come and see this internationally-acclaimed pop star as she continues to wow audiences.

 

Photo: Aki Ishii

  ■Playlist Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Special Live 2023 - Midnight Sun - https://lnk.to/KPP_Midnight_Sun  

Model and talent Kouma Takase is now starring in an ad for TITANAIL PRO, a professional nail care product from Titanist Laboratories.

 

Harajuku-based artist Kyary Pamyu Pamyu charmed overseas fans during her first world tour in five years. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu WORLD TOUR 2023 -POPPP- took the artist to seven cities in four countries around the world.

 

In May, Kyary began the U.S. leg of her tour, stopping in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago with French DJ/trackmaker Moe Shop as her opening act.

 

The artist performed in Paris and London in June, along with Barcelona and Madrid for Primavera Sound 2023, one of the biggest music festivals in Europe.

NATHAN GEY – NATHAN GEY

NATHAN GEY – NATHAN GEY

 

The Cabaret Sauvage in Paris and the London Earth Hall in London were filled to the brim with local fans, eager to see Kyary Pamyu Pamyu live for the first time in years. The audience sang the popular track Cherry Bon Bon in unison, dancing along with the legendary choreography.

 

The London show featured Hannah Diamond as Kyary’s opening act. Signed to the UK label PC Music, Diamond is a leader in the HyperPop scene.

KPOP CONCERT – FANNY LE MONNIER

JAME WORLD – VANESSA LE PENNEC

 

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, who continues to be active around the world, wowed the packed London venue with her expert dance moves and musicianship.

 

At Primavera Sound, a festival taking place over two weeks in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain, a large crowd gathered in front of the stage, instantly captivated by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's unique style and Yasutaka Nakata’s addictive electro sound.

 

Clips of the world tour have been posted on Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's Twitter and Instagram. Also, check out the Primavera Sound playlist on Spotify.

 

On July 15, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform a solo concert at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall, which will also mark her triumphant return to Japan following her successful world tour. The artist will also perform at several summer festivals. Audiences around the world are enthralled with the Kawaii performer, and it’s only a matter of time before she performs for global audiences yet again.