Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has made waves around the world since performing at Coachella, one of the world’s largest music festivals, in April.    Currently embarking on the second half of her 10th anniversary 31-show nationwide tour, the singer is gaining momentum as she aims for her solo concert at Nippon Budokan in October. As part of her tour, the singer has continued to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities with the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project. At each tour location, the artist collaborates with a local company, creating special collaboration logos and products that have become the talk of social media. Details of Kyary’s collab project in Nagasaki have been revealed after the artist performed in the prefecture on July 18.   In Nagasaki, the artist will collaborate with Hamburger Shop Hikari, a beloved local restaurant that originally opened in 1951. Sasebo burgers are well known in Japan, and all ingredients are sourced from Sasebo City in Nagasaki. These burgers are much larger than the burgers you may be used to and have become a local delicacy throughout the country.   After the war, a U.S. military base was established in Sasebo. The recipe for the Sasebo burger is said to have originated from a recipe found on this base in the 1950s. The collaboration with Hamburger Shop Hikari, known as the origin of these famous burgers, pays tribute to Kyary’s new single Maybe Baby. The adorable visual shows a waitress at the shop delivering tasty burgers in a hurry.A collaborative T-shirt is also on sale featuring the new logo and the singer’s 10th-anniversary logo. The shirt is available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website for two weeks only starting July 17, so grab one while you can.

From July 15 until November 6, 2022, the ‘teamLab: A Forest Where Gods Live’ exhibition at Mifuneyama Rakuen, an ancient forest at the Takeo Hot Springs in Saga Prefecture. The massive event is held each summer and fall and was named CNN World’s ‘Best Outdoor Art Exhibition to Visit’ in 2021 and one of the Top 10 Art Installations in the world by DesignboomMagazine in 2017.   Works on Display   Universe of Water Particles on a Sacred Rock, 2017Drawing on the Water Surface Created by the Dance of Koi and Boats - Mifuneyama Rakuen Pond, 2015   Ever Blossoming Life Rock, 2017    Life is Continuous Light - Azalea Valley, 2017   Rock Wall Spatial Calligraphy, Continuous Life - Five Hundred Arhats, 2017   Split Rock and Enso, 2017   Resonating Forest - Cherry Blossoms and Maple, 2017   Megaliths in the Bath House Ruins, 2019   Graffiti Nature - Living in the Ruins of a Bathhouse, Red List, 2017-   Resonating Forest in the Ravine, 2019   Abstract and Concrete - Forest Entrance, 2018   Flowers Bloom in an Infinite Universe inside a Teacup, 2016   Forest and Spiral of Resonating Lamps in the Forest - One Stroke, Summer Forest, 2018Mifuneyama is said to have risen from the Ariake Sea 3 million years ago. The 500,000 square meter Mifuneyama Rakuen Park was created in 1845, at the end of the Edo period. The park is home to megaliths, caves, and forests that have been slowly shaped over thousands of years. teamLab believes that the shapes and textures of these objects are important, serving as traces of ancient people and natural changes over time.  The concept of the project is that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it. The creative team will be holding a number of other high-profile exhibitions this year, including installations in Paris, Tallinn, Shanghai, and Geneva. Their sauna collaboration with TikTok for teamLab Reconnect in Roppongi made huge waves in 2021--guests would take alternating hot and cold baths to experience intense physical sensations while surrounded by digital art.

Starbucks will open the first Starbucks Tea & Cafe location in Kyushu at AMU Plaza Hakata on April 27, 2022. This spin-off shop specializes in colorful, aromatic tea-based beverages, and has locations in Tokyo, Toyama, and Osaka.  Starbucks Coffee AMU Plaza Hakata, the first Starbucks Tea & Cafe to open in the Kyushu area, is a new store on the second floor of Amu Plaza Hakata directly connected to JR Hakata Station.  

Yuzu & Citrus Lavender Sage Tea / Japanese Chai Tea Latte / Strawberry & Passion Tea Frappucino®

  Starbucks Tea & Cafe will offer a lineup of 13 types of tea-based beverages, including tea lattes and tea frappuccinos made with seasonal ingredients. The Japanese Chai Tea Latte is new this season and includes hojicha with spices like yuzu peel, ginger, Japanese pepper, and cinnamon.    Come enjoy this cozy space and enjoy a warm cup of tea at this unique Starbucks where tea is the main attraction!

Huis Ten Bosch, a theme park in Nagasaki, will be screening ‘ENLIGHTENMENT,’ a film series for world peace from April 1 until April 28, 2022.   The event is taking place as a way to show support for the people of Ukraine and to pray for world peace by blending together short videos expressing love and compassion from video creators around the world. These videos are being projected on buildings and signage in countries around the world amidst the concerning current situation in Ukraine.    The film has already been shown in more than 16 countries around the world and is now coming to Huis Ten Bosch, which boasts the world's largest illumination event with 13 million light bulbs.

The Nordisk Village Goto Islands glamping facility has started offering tent saunas to further heighten the guest experience.    This is the first time a tent sauna has been offered in a lodging facility in the Goto Islands. The main body of the sauna tent is made by MORZH, and sauna enthusiasts will appreciate the well-researched specifications and execution.     A wood-burning stove is used in the sauna, and guests can adjust the temperature while enjoying the view of the dancing flames. The facility also offers an original aroma oil scented with Camellia and herbs, perfect for relaxation.   Zero gravity chairs are also available for outdoor air bathing, and visitors can enjoy lounging under the starry sky and swaying trees. Why not travel to these islands in Nagasaki Prefecture for your next getaway?  

Offered by BANDAI SPIRITS, Ichiban Kuji is a popular brand of lottery in Japan, in which players are guaranteed to win a piece of merchandise. This no-lose game is often seen in collaboration with popular anime and game series, and a number of dedicated BANDAI SPIRITS Ichiban Kuji stores are starting to pop up around Japan. Now, the fourth of these shops is opening in Fukuoka on September 9, making it the first in Kyushu.  

Upcoming Products

  Ichiban Kuji - Disney’s Twisted Wonderland, Vol. 4 Release Date: September 10, 2021     Ichiban Kuji - Monogatari Series Release Date: September 18, 2021     Ichiban Kuji - Kirby Series KIRBY’S BURGER Release Date: September 24, 2021     Ichiban Kuji - Mobile Suit Gundam Gunpla 2021 Release Date:  September 25, 2021     Prior to opening brick-and-mortar stores, Ichiban Kuji took place at convenience stores, bookstores, and game centers across Japan. In December 2020, the first dedicated shop opened in Umeda, Osaka, with the following two opening in Ikebukuro in Tokyo and Yokohama in Kanagawa in March 2021. Popularity is only increasing, as fans continue to enjoy the unique collection of products.   The new Fukuoka location is the largest of any Ichiban Kuji shops to date, and also features the Ichiban Coffret, a lineup of high-quality pop culture-inspired cosmetics for purchase.