The historic Nagoya Castle will hold a special nighttime viewing event for 14 days only, from November 25 until December 8, 2022. During this period, Honmaru Palace will be open to the public at night, and the Chrysanthemum Corridor inside will be open to visitors for the first time. 

The Ninomaru Garden will also be illuminated and will transport guests to a different place and time by showing a space only possible during dark hours.

Inspired by the relationship between light and shadow, this event focuses on changes that occur over time and the creation and emergence of new ideas and things.

Honmaru Palace, Typically Closed to the Public, to be Open at Night

Nagoya Castle’s Honmaru Palace was completed in 1615 and served as the primary residence of the Lord of the Owari Domain and as the Domain’s government office. The interior of the palace was lavishly decorated with paintings and other art pieces and was praised as a masterpiece. Sadly, it was destroyed by an air raid in 1945. Restoration work began in 2009 and was completed in 2018 with unparalleled accuracy. The Honmaru Palace gives off a completely different aura at night. 

First Public Viewing of the Jodan-no-ma in the Joraku-den

The Joraku-den was added to Nagoya Castle to accommodate the third Shogun, Iemitsu, on his way to Kyoto. It is the most luxurious of all the Honmaru Palace buildings, and this event marks the first time that the Chrysanthemum Corridor on the north side will be open to the public. Visitors are welcome to admire the golden-blue paintings as they stroll through the historic site.

See Spectacular Paintings when Entering the Tsugi-no-ma Room

During this period, visitors can enter the Tsugi-no-ma room to view classical period paintings, giving a more clear idea of how people acted and dressed during this time in history.

[Ninomaru Garden Special Viewing] 

~Witness a Never-Before-Seen Feudal Lord’s Garden through a Spacial Presentation~

Scenography for this unique show was provided by the creative label PERIMETRON. In order to show another side of the Ninomaru Garden at night, the company focused on light’s characteristics, from reflection and transmission to refraction and absorption. Light and shadow intertwine in various ways, and guests will be transfixed by this curious showing.

HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX, a theater and restaurant offering Hello Kitty-themed shows and meals on Awaji Island, and HELLO KITTY APPLE HOUSE, an apple-shaped observation theater based on the popular character’s home, are both currently holding the Apple Halloween 2022 event until October 31! 

Guests can enjoy a mystery-solving event and some adorable photo spots inspired by apples and the Halloween season. By solving certain riddles, visitors will be rewarded with candy!

Come have fun this Halloween with Hello Kitty, friends, and family!

Started in October, the New Show ‘HELLO KITTY THE PARTIES’ Gets Rave Reviews

HELLO KITTY THE PARTIES, a new show at the theater and restaurant HELLO KITTY SHOW BOX, will run until December 30, 2022. The show features a new theme each month and currently features a jazz band.

October’s theme is Happy Halloween Party, and visitors can listen to a number of famous songs while enjoying tasty and healthy dishes packed with autumn flavors. At the end of the performance, a meet and greet with Hello Kitty will be held. November’s theme will be Hello Kitty’s Birthday Party, while December will focus on a Christmas Party!

Tsujiri, a staple of Uji, Kyoto, has announced an exclusive autumn menu! Guests can enjoy the Tsujiri Soft Autumn Parfait, the Kyo Latte Smoothie with Purple Sweet Potato, and the Kyo Latte with Hojicha at the Kyoto location and three other stores starting September 1, 2022.

Tsujiri Limited Time Autumn Menu

These three limited-time items are filled with fall flavors. The Tsujiri Soft Autumn Parfait is filled with Uji green tea carefully selected by tea masters and topped with purple sweet potato paste, sweet potato nectar, and other gorgeous goodies.

The Kyo Latte Smoothie with Purple Sweet Potato features an autumn-only flavor combining purple sweet potato bean paste, cream, and sweet potato nectar with Tsujiri’s matcha green tea smoothie. The Hojicha version is made with luxurious Uji Hojicha and milk for a soothing experience.

Enjoy autumn with these tasty treats filled with seasonal flavors!

Pocky is one of the most popular Japanese snacks around the world, and a new way to enjoy it is here. Since the 1970s, Pocky on the Rocks has been a popular way to enjoy the tasty treats during the summer. A modern version has just been unveiled, and six special boxes with exclusive designs will be released on June 14 along with a new campaign, recipe submission contest, and a collaboration with select cafes around Japan. 

Pocky on the Rocks was first introduced in an ad campaign in 1976. People began putting Pocky sticks in a cool glass filled with ice or using the sticks as muddlers for alcoholic drinks. This stylish summer snack has been reimagined for 2022, and customers are inspired to pair the sticks with their favorite drink, stick them into ice cream, or add them to a cup of seasonal fruit!

Pocky on the Rocks in the 1970s

Pocky on the Rocks Today

Collaboration with 5 Cafes in Tokyo and Kansai

Cafe Roman – Takadanobaba, Tokyo

Cream Soda

Cafe Negura – Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
Dark Cherry Soda

DORSIA – Sannomiya, Kobe
Heart Strawberry Milk

Sunshine Cafe – Higashi-Umeda, Osaka
Almond Mixed Juice

Poem Cafe – Motomachi, Kobe
Lemon Squash

Pocky’s limited edition packaging, coming June 14, will feature a recipe for the 2022 Pocky on the Rocks. A recipe submission contest will also be held on Instagram, and anyone can participate. On the campaign website, fans can find collaboration recipes made in conjunction with five different cafes around Tokyo and the Kansai region. Of course, you can also grab these treats at each shop!

Fans can win retro goods in another ongoing campaign simply by snapping a picture of a Pocky receipt.

You’ve probably tried Pocky before, but have you ever tried Pocky on the Rocks? 

High-casual brand MOUSSY has revealed the Disney SERIES CREATED by MOUSSY 2022 Autumn Collection! The items are now available to preorder at a number of online outlets.

QUATTING Design Series

BOA Series

THERMAL Series

The 2022 Autumn Collection lineup features original art drawn exclusively for MOUSSY. Each design was inspired by MOUSSY’s classic 70s and 80s feel, while also incorporating some 90s street style. The Mickey QUATTING Design Series is more casual, and for those wanting to stay more comfy and warm during the fall months, the THERMAL series has been updated with Mickey Mouse designs all over the fabric. 

An original acrylic stand featuring the Mickey Mouse QUATTING Design is available while supplies last when preordering any items from the 2022 Autumn Collection at the SHEL’TTER online store.

©Disney

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!

Bandai’s Japanese confectionary project Tabemas has been transforming popular characters into tasty treats for years. Starting April 5, over 16,600 FamilyMart stores nationwide will offer sweets inspired by illustrator nagano’s popular characters Chiikawa and Usagi!

This is the first time these characters have been featured in the Tabemas series. Fans can grab Chiikawa with sparking eyes or smiling with red cheeks, a sparkly-eyed Usagi, and the adorable cat Hachiware. It will be difficult to eat something so painfully cute, but each is sure to taste delicious! The Chiikawa sweets are milk and custard flavored, Usagi is sweetened with caramel, and Hachiware offers the taste of strawberry milk. 

(C)nagano / chiikawa committee

Fujiya is celebrating 111 years with a special collaboration with Hoshino Resort! The sweets company is well-known for ‘Milky,’ one of the most popular candies in Japan, and now, fans of these sweets can surround themselves completely with retro vibes. To inspire younger generations to travel again, a Milky-inspired room plan is now available to book. 

Four Unique Features of the Milky Sweet Accommodation Plan

１. A Milky Sweet Room with a Retro Feel!

This sweet room is completely covered with retro Milky style! The candy’s mascot Peko-chan takes center stage in Taisho clothing, and guests can enjoy a Milky snack set and Milky bath salts to complete this one-of-a-kind experience.

2. Become Peko-chan with Adorable Costumes!

Dress up as Peko-chan with your best friend and take some hilarious pictures! These tops and overalls are included with the room, but feel free to wear them out and about.

3.  Milky-flavored Popcorn Available in Collaboration with TAMARIBA!

Popcorn sweetened with Milky powder is now available at TAMARIBA. Enjoy this tasty treat as you explore the grounds, and enjoy the special bag featuring Peko-chan. 

Location: TAMARIBA / Available: 15:00-19:00 / Price: Free
*Available while supplies last

4.  Enjoy Special Experiences at BEB5 Karuizawa and BEB5 Tsuchiura

BEB5 Karuizawa

Find Retro Peko-chan in Karuizawa Hoshino!

All-you-can-eat French Toast with Milky Sauce

BEB5 Tsuchiura

Make a Milky Smoothy on a Bike!

Peko-chan Retro Photo Cycling Tour in Tsuchiura!

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her major label debut, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is staying active in 2022. Next month, the singer will finally take to the stage at Coachella 2022 in California. In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities. Finally making it to the northern Japan city of Hakodate, details surrounding the singer’s sweet new collaboration have been announced!

Kyary is teaming up with the traditional Japanese confectionary shop Senshu An in Hakodate, founded over 162 years ago. This time, the special collaboration logo was inspired by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s 2012 hit Candy Candy. The logo was originally written traditionally in black ink, but it’s recieved a major pop makeover in pastel shades of yellow and green to pay homage to the set of the Candy Candy music video.

The shop is well-known for its original Yama Oyaji, a popular souvenir from Hokkaido. The new collab product feature Kyary’s face and dancers, perfect for fans of the singer–though they might be a little too adorable to eat. Made one by one by skilled craftsman using carefully selected Hokkaido azuki beans as the base, each sweet features soft pastel colors to welcome spring. The sweets are placed in a special package wrapped in original collaborative wrapping paper. Be sure to grab them from the online store before they’re gone on April 18!

A collaborative T-shirt is also on sale featuring the new logo and the singer’s 10th-anniversary logo. Get one from the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website by March 30!

Tohouen, a Japanese confectionary maker in Gifu Prefecture, has begun selling a springtime version of its popular cat-inspired manju. Inspired by the many cats that like to stroll around the shop’s headquarters, the new release includes cherry blossom-colored cat paws. 

A traditional sweet in Japan, Manju is made from flour, rice powder, and buckwheat, with a tasty sugar and anko (red bean paste) filling.

Do you think these are too cute to eat? 

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her major-label debut, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is back in the news. The artist will perform at this year’s Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in the United States, and recently released her first full-length album in three years ‘Candy Racer’ in October 2021.  On January 16, Kyary embarked on the largest tour of her career, ‘Kyary Pamyu Pamyu 10th ANNIVERSARY JAPAN TOUR 2022 CANDY WAVE,’ which will see the singer performing 30 shows across Japan. In conjunction with the nationwide tour, the “LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project” was launched to energize Japan through the appeal of regional towns and cities. Following a T-shirt collaboration with a 156-year-old kamaboko shop in Kanagawa, Kyary has teamed up with Gunma-based ekiben maker Oginoya to release her own bento box!

On February 6, Kyary held a concert in Okayama–the next stop on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project. This time, the singer is collaborating with a 165-year-old Japanese confectionary shop named Koeido. The store is famous for its original kibidango, a type of sweet mochi dumpling.

As part of the ‘Collaboration Logo’ project, partner companies see their traditional logos transformed as a tribute to Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s works. This time, the motif was inspired by ‘KPP BEST,’ an album released in 2016.

Original Kyaridango: ¥1,300 (Tax Included) / 15 pieces 

These tasty ‘Original Kyarydango’ have the same taste as traditional kibidango, but feature Kyary’s face printed in edible ink. These sweet sets were sold in limited quantities at the Okayama Civic Hall, and are now available to purchase on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website until February 20.

A T-shirt featuring the collaboration logo has also been revealed. The front features the Original Kyarydango and the updated logo, while the back is decorated with the Kyary 10th Anniversary logo and project logo. The shirt is also available on the LOCAL POWER JAPAN Project website. 

Starting December 26, 2021, participating Starbucks locations in Japan began selling the ‘Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Frappuccino,’ the ‘Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Tea Latte,’ and the ‘Oolong meets Citrus Tea Latte.’ Each beverage is available in hot or cold versions. 

The Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Frappuccino combines roasted green tea (hojicha) with a sweet caramel sauce.

Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Frappuccino / Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Tea Latte

The Frappupccino contains a base made with hojicha and black tea, mixed with a hojicha-infused caramel sauce that contains roasted hojicha powder. The flavor is deep and rich, without too much sweetness. 

The Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Tea Latte mixes in fresh cream and white mocha syrup to bring out the flavor of the tea. Perfect for a dreary winter day, the drink is topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce. 

Oolong meets Citrus Tea Latte ／ Hojicha meets Caramel Cream Tea Latte ／Caramel Apple Redbush Tea

The Oolong meets Citrus Tea Latte combines TEAVANA Zen Clouds Oolong tea, with its refreshing scent and flavor, with steamed milk. Topped with a freeze-dried blend of Satsuma mandarin and yuzu peels, it tastes just like the winter season. Oolong tea pairs well with slightly tart fruits, with the milk and whipped cream cutting the acidity of the citrus. The Caramel Apple Redbush Tea combines classic South African Redbush tea with apple cinnamon pulp, topped with fresh whipped cream and caramel sauce.

These limited-edition drinks will be on the menu until January 18, 2022.