The popular anime series Free! will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special event at Saitama Super Arena on August 13, 2023. Cast members from the series, including Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Mamoru Miyano, Tsubasa Yonaga, and Daisuke Hirakawa, will be in attendance. Free! -the Final Stroke- The Second Volume will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 5, 2023, and will include a priority purchase application ticket for the special event. Check out the official website for details!

The Free! anime franchise, which is loosely based on the High Speed! light novels by Kouji Ooji, began in 2013 and includes three TV series and multiple films produced by Kyoto Animation. The three anime series–Free!, Free! Eternal Summer, and Free! Dive to the Future–have been incredibly popular around the world. The first part of Free! The Final Stroke was released in theaters last year, with the second part hitting theaters in April 2022. Fans won’t want to miss out on the exciting 10th-anniversary activities in 2023!

©おおじこうじ・京都アニメーション／岩鳶町後援会2021

Kawagoe Prince Hotel, located in an Edo-period castle town in northwest Tokyo, will begin offering a special afternoon tea set starting July 1, 2022. Inspired by the Japanese folktale Momotaro, the summer fruit-filled tower of treats will be available until August 31, 2022.

Top Plate

Middle Plate

Bottom Plate

Savory

The top plate of the three-tiered set features tasty peach and cheese mousse, peach meringue, macadamia nut chocolate, and Kibi Dango put together to resemble the hero of the story, Momotaro. On the middle tier, visitors will find sweets inspired by the many animals found in the story, from the monkey and dog to the pheasants. Guests can enjoy many summer fruits including mango and kiwi. 

Those who come to the store in a yukata (summer kimono) and follow the official Kawagoe Prince Hotel Instagram will receive a special fruit platter.

Come enjoy the world of Momotaro as you wander around this historical Japanese town!

From June 1 until August 31, Keio Plaza Hotel Hachioji is inviting guests to travel to the adorable world of Moomin by partaking in two tasty buffet events at the Le Clair Restaurant on the second floor. In Moomin’s home country of Finland, people start enjoying the summer following the solstice in June. The theme of this project is ‘Moominvalley Turns Jungle,’ inspiring the hotel’s chefs to create a spectacular original menu. A tasty lunch buffet will be held Tuesday through Friday during the event period, while a sweets buffet will take place on weekends and holidays. The restaurant’s interior will be decorated with artwork from Tove Jansson’s 1956 comic Moominville Turns Jungle.

The Moomin Lunch Buffet is titled ‘Jungle Party in Moominville,’ and will depict a fun summer lunch get-together in the titular character’s home village. The lineup of foods includes smoked salmon canapes, marinated herring, and sardine sandwiches, all typical of Scandinavian cuisine. Plenty of spiced dishes and veggies will be available, the latter looking like they came from Moominmamma’s garden. August 9 is Moomin Day, and the chefs will be preparing some extra goodies for each guest on that day only.

The Moomin Sweets Buffet will feature adorable desserts created by expert pâtissiers and will be inspired by Moomin and his friends enjoying the summer. From red velvet cake made to look like Little My’s dress to chocolate mousse in the style of Moominpappa’s Silk Hat, fans of the series will want to snap plenty of pictures before they dig in! Tons of sweets will include popular Scandinavian ingredients like red currants, raspberries, and blueberries. The welcome plate, limited to one per person, will change monthly, with a Tropical Parfait coming in July and an Edible Jungle coming in August. Light meals will also be available to compliment the sweets.

The Sweets Buffet will also include a special table plan limited to three per day, using plates and mugs included in the Moomin by Arabia 2022 Summer collection. Guests participating in this plan can order a special non-alcoholic cocktail created by the restaurant’s bartender and made with rose-colored ice inspired by Moominmamma’s love for flowers.

Ryusenji Temple in Saitama is offering some exclusive summer goshuin! Goshuin are stamps or seals given to worshippers at shrines and temples around Japan, where somebody will stamp your goshuin-cho (stamp book) with the site’s unique seal along with the temple’s name and the day you visited handwritten in ink.

The two new goshuin feature summer fireworks and a cooling fan design. These will be available from June 1 until August. They might sell out, though, so be quick!

Summer Exclusive Paper-Cut Overlaid Goshuin: Fireworks and a Wish for Peace

The Fireworks and a Wish for Peace goshuin use five kinds of paper to depict fireworks in the summer night sky.

Fireworks are a popular summer tradition in Japan. It’s said that fireworks were born following the discovery of gunpowder and its use in guns when some decided to use the substance to make something beautiful rather than use it as a weapon. 

Because of this, many see fireworks as a symbol of peace. The current war between Russia and Ukraine has seen gunpowder used as a horrific weapon used to end the lives of many innocent people, and this special goshuin was made in the hopes that the war will come to an end as soon as possible. Gunpowder should be used in fireworks to bring people happiness instead.

Summer Exclusive Paper-Cut Overlaid Goshuin: Refreshing Good Luck Charm

The Refreshing Good Luck Charm shows a traditional Japanese summer scene with a fan and goldfish swimming in clear blue water.

Fans are used by many Japanese to keep cool during the summer months, and some are even said to have the power to ward off illness and evil spirits. Goldfish are often seen during summer festivals, where visitors try to scoop them up using an easily-breakable net in a fun game with family and friends.

Goldfish became popular during the Edo period and were considered to be lucky creatures capable of bringing happiness into one’s home and bringing financial fortune. 

If you’re heading to Saitama, why not add these intricate goshuin to your book?

Since January 2022, EJ Anime Hotel, an experimental hotel offering rooms in collaboration with various works of anime, comics, and games, has offered a Shirokuma Cafe room at participating Hotel Monterey locations around Japan. The collab is to celebrate the anime series’ 10th anniversary and is also available at Kurumayama Kogen Skypark Hotel in Nagano Prefecture. Due to popularity, the room will be available to book until May 31, 2022. This is the first collaboration room produced by EJ Anime Hotel to be developed for a resort hotel.

Guest Room (Hotel Monterey Sapporo)

Exclusive Take-home Goods – Shironuma Cafe Luncheon Towel

Original Picnic Basket Dinner (Hotel Monterey Only)

Bonus: Original Pin

In the collaboration room, guests can enjoy newly-drawn character panels, special voiceover messages for guests only, and collaboration goods that they can be taken home. Hotel Monterey locations will offer an optional picnic-themed dinner that can be brought to the room!

During the collaboration period, Hotel Monterey Ginza, Hotel Monterey Osaka, and Hotel Monterey La Soeur Osaka will be holding a giveaway event to celebrate the 10th-anniversary of Shirokuma Cafe, so don’t miss it!

©ヒガアロハ／しろくまカフェ製作委員会 2012
*Actual products may differ from the above images.

Seibuen Amusement Park in Saitama Prefecture is ready to open an attraction based on the popular anime and novel series Fushigi Dagashiya Zenitendo! The incredible experience will open on April 27, 2022. 

Fushigi Dagashiya Zenitendo is a children’s novel series written by Reiko Hiroshima and illustrated by Jyajya. With 16 volumes currently in circulation, an anime series was adapted by Toei Animation in 2020. The story centers on the mysterious candy shop Zenitendo, which only lucky people can find. The shop’s owner is an old woman named Beniko who can recommend the perfect candy for each person’s troubles. But things might turn out as hoped if people eat the sweets in the wrong way…whether Beniko’s sweets bring fortune or misfortune is up to the people who receive them. 

Guests visiting the park will be able to visit Zenitendo, which is located somewhere on Sunset Hill Shopping Street–but the exact location will not be revealed. Only lucky guests will be able to find its location, but once you do, it will feel as though you’ve been transported into the story!

Beniko will be handing out mysterious candy that has never appeared at the park before, so don’t miss out on this unique experience!

Mysterious Candy ‘Possibly Lucky Cookie’

Baku Baku Wafer / Dou-dou Donut

Along with this new attraction, visitors will be able to experience Zenitendo in plenty of other ways! Plenty of merchandise inspired by the series will be on sale, including apparel and sweets.

*The attraction is currently under development. The final product may differ from the above images.

Hiroshima PARCO is currently hosting Moomin Market 2022, an exhibition offering special merchandise inspired by the Finnish character Moomin. The event is open now at PARCO FACTORY in the facility’s main building until May 8, 2022. 

Selected Goods Lineup

The Moomins have continued to be loved by audiences around the world since the release of Tove Jansson’s novel The Moomins and the Great Flood in 1945. The event is offering a number of new goods, including those from the Moominmamma’s Rose series, which are perfect for Mother’s Day. Guests should also look forward to the Moomin House on display at the venue!

The Moominmamma Rose Fair is ready to brighten the spring season from April 16 until May 8, 2022!

Moominmamma always brings happiness to those around her and warmly looks after those in need. The adorable mother figure will play a leading role in this event, which is also being held in conjunction with the Spring Festival.

Fruits Sandwich

Latte Art

Original Pin Making

Limited-Edition Goods (Selection) / Pancake Mix

Limited Design Goods Purchase Bonus: Original Card

Guests can enjoy washing their hands with rose-scented water at the Floating Flower Walk, and a selection of limited-time food items will be sold during the event. Visitors can also take place in unique workshops where they can make their other Mother’s Day gifts.

Popular Rilakkuma and Sumikko Gurashi characters will be taking over Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Saitama from April 16 until May 22 during the Rilakkuma & Sumikko Gurashi Festival! Guests will be greeted by the characters themselves, and will be able to participate in tons of fun activities, photo spots, and more!

The festival will have a full lineup of exclusive merchandise only available at Tokorozawa Sakura Town, from cute and useful items like clear folders to fans to use during the summer heat.

A limited collaboration menu with Kadokawa Shokudou will also be available during the event. The ‘Rilakkuma & Sumikko Gurashi Festival Picnic Plate’ is full of fun finger foods that are easy for both adults and children to eat and includes a special lunch mat. Guests can also participate in a commemorative photo session with the characters dressed in new costumes!

©2022 San-X Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

From March 30 until April 12, fans of Moomin will want to visit the Odakyu Department Store in Shinjuku for a special pop-up store!

Lineup

Odakyu Preorder Items　

Toto Bag

Synthetic Leather Coaster

Masking Tape

Event Exclusives

T-Shirt

Acrylic Keychain

Stainless Steel Tumbler

Purchase Bonuses

(March 30 ~) Bonus for purchases of ¥6,600 or more

Pocket Thermos Bottle, Joxter Cloud Design (Not for Sale)

(April 2 ~) Bonus for purchases of ¥3,300 or more

Sea Orchestra Acrylic Keychain (Not for Sale)

(April 9 ~) Bonus for purchases of ¥5,500 or more

Snufkin & Joxter Acrylic Stand Set (Not for Sale)

The pop-up store, which was very well-received last year, focuses on Snufkin, one of the most popular Moomin characters. This year, Snufkin’s father, Joxter, will also be making an appearance. The venue will be decorated with original artwork, and a wide variety of Moomin merch will be available, including plush toys, sundries, apparel, and much more.

Select Moomin Cafe locations in Japan are now offering Moominmama’s Afternoon Tea for a limited time!

This afternoon tea fully expresses the hospitality of Moominmamma, who always warmly welcomes guests. Each set comes on a two-tiered tea stand with wooden plates with a Scandinavian feel, and features desserts and light meals with two different themes: the upper tier being ‘Friends of Moomin Valley’ and the lower tier being ‘Nordic Finland.’

The upper tier will feature sweets such as five-tiered mini pancakes and Snufkin’s hat-inspired tarts, while the lower tier will feature a potato and anchovy gratin pie based on Jansson’s Temptation,  a familiar Scandinavian home-style dish. In addition, there is a choice of seven types of tea available, including the aromatic Scandinavian Söder tea and Earl Grey, as well as Moomin Café’s original flavor of blueberry pancake milk tea.

Moomin Stand, a drink stand chain based on the popular Finnish fairy tale, is now holding a ‘Sweet Chocolate’ fair. Two new products–Chocolate Mint Milk and Strawberry Ruby Chocolate–are now on sale for a limited time.

Chocolate Mint Milk

Strawberry Ruby Chocolate

The refreshing Chocolate Mint Milk drink is topped with whipped cream, chocolate chips, and a bitter cocoa cookie perfect for balancing the sweetness of the beverage. The Strawberry Ruby Chocolate drink is made from ruby chocolate, a naturally occurring substance with a bright red color, and is topped with whipped cream and sweet and sour strawberry pulp. 

Which of these drinks would you be grabbing for Valentine’s Day?