Hoshinoya Tokyo, a traditional ryokan in Otemachi, has announced the New Year’s Kabuki Plan, a two-day, one-night stay from January 5 until January 7, 2023. During the Edo Period, citizens enjoyed watching Kabuki plays during the New Year’s holidays, often sipping tea at connected teahouses. This event will invite visitors to experience what this was like, complete with traditional food and decorations.

Watching Kabuki was a chic way for those in Edo to ring in the new year. Theater teahouses were also a popular gathering place–along with arranging tickets, the teahouses offered plot notes, tea, sweets, boxed lunches, snacks, and other drinks.*

*Hiroshi Fujita, Yoshihide Tomizawa (2012) / The Updated Kabuki Dictionary, Kashiwa Shobo

Relax Before Enjoying Tea and a Play

Guests are invited to relax in the Ochanoma (Living Room) Lounge, decorated to look like a traditional teahouse with fans, ukiyo-e prints, and formal curtains. Hanabiramochi, or rice cakes with flower petals, will be served with green tea. These rice cakes are said to date back to the New Year’s tradition of eating hard foods like daikon and rice cakes in the hopes of prolonging one’s life. Characterized by its curious burdock root aroma, the cakes are sweetened with white miso bean paste. 

Enjoy a Post-Viewing Mont Blanc Shaped like Soba with Sweet Dessert Wine

At theater teahouses in the Edo period, sake, snacks, and desserts were served one after another. During this special event, a menu inspired by this practice and prepared by Hoshinoya Tokyo Executive Chef Noriyuki Hamada will be served! Soba noodles were often served after a play in the past. Inspired by this tradition, Mont Blanc made with chestnut paste and sponge cake will be served up to look like this popular dish. Paired with a dessert wine aged in oak barrels, the sweet will be served in a traditional lacquerware basket. In addition, the dish will be paired with Wasabi Pralines, Shichimi Meringue, and Ginger Pate de Fruits. 

Take a Rickshaw to the Kabuki-za Theater

Guests will be taken on an Edo-style tour on their way to the Kabuki-za Theater. Passing through the Nihonbashi area, the first stop will be the Fukutoku Shrine. It’s said that Hidetada Tokugawa paid a visit to and praised the shrine on New Year’s Day in 1614. The next shrine on the docket, Hodo Inari Jinja, was enshrined in Edo Castle during the Edo period to protect the heir to the Tokugawa family. It’s said that the shrine provides blessings for child rearing, matchmaking, and business prosperity. 

This tour will provide a more elegant way to explore Tokyo as guests enjoy exposition from their chauffeur. To make the rickshaw ride even more enjoyable, guests can rent kimonos for an extra charge.

Would you like to take a step back in time this New Year?

SPYxFAMILY continues to take the world by storm. In 2023, fans will be able to test their skills as part of the Forger family at Universal Studios Japan! From February 17 until July 2, the SPYxFAMILY Secret Mission will be underway at the Osaka location. Guests will need to decipher a mysterious code to take part in an immersive experience with the popular characters. 

SPYxFAMILY is the fastest-selling comic in the history of Shonen Jump. It ranked in the top spot in the animation category of the Yahoo! Search Awards 2022, pulling in audiences with its blend of hard-hitting action and sweet family comedy. 

This special attraction is the first-ever interactive experience inspired by the series. Guests can enjoy two separate instances: a puzzle-solving rally taking place at different locations around the park, and a live show that only those completing the rally can enjoy. During the rally, guests will act as rookie WISE agents as they decipher mysterious codes around the park. Of course, fans can expect to see Loid, Yor, and Anya while on their mission!

※1　The first-ever puzzle-solving rally & live show in the history of the series!

※2　Shonen Jump+, which began publishing the series in 2014, has announced that for the first time in its history, the total number of copies sold, including digital copies, has exceeded 10 million as of the release of the seventh volume.

※3　SPYxFAMILY won first place in the animation category of the Yahoo! Search Awards 2022, seeing a sharp increase from the previous year.

SPY x FAMILY Secret Mission – Attraction Details　　　　　　　　

The SPYxFAMILY Secret Mission will allow fans of the hit series to step into the shoes of a WISE agent as they seek to unravel a mystery at Universal Studios Japan!

Guests will take on a top-secret mission with the Forger family as a new WISE agent connected to Operation Strix. Using their wits, they must decipher a series of codes hidden around the park. Successful spies will be granted a top-priority mission from Loid to participate in a live show featuring all three members of the beloved family.

Come enjoy the world of SPYxFAMILY at Universal Studios Japan in 2023!

©遠藤達哉／集英社・SPY×FAMILY製作委員会

原作／青山剛昌｢名探偵コナン｣(小学館｢週刊少年サンデー｣連載中)

© 2023 青山剛昌／名探偵コナン製作委員会

© SCRAP All Rights Reserved.

©CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment

Universal Studios Japan TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

Universal Studios Japan is holding its NO LIMIT! Christmas event from November 11, 2022 until January 9, 2023. 

During this period, the new Super Nintendo World area will be decorated with winter decorations for the first time since it opened. The area’s entrance is bringing the holiday cheer with Mario and Luigi snowmen, perfect for using as a photo spot. Upon entering the area, visitors will find a Christmas tree decorated with familiar Nintendo items along with wreaths and garlands. 

Fans won’t want to miss visiting during this special season, as special menu items and merchandise will be available for a limited time. This is a winter experience you won’t find anywhere else!

During the NO LIMIT! Christmas event, Minions and other popular characters will appear around the park in Christmas costumes. Two special Minions meet and greet sessions will be held as well! Come spend the holidays with your favorite characters dressed as Santa, reindeer, trees, angels, and more!

 WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2022 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
© Nintendo
TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

From November 11, 2022 until January 9, 2023, Universal Studios will hold its NO LIMIT! Christmas event!

Christmas is associated with romance for many in Japan, but this year, USJ wants to give visitors a new way to celebrate this special winter holiday. Under the theme of a ‘Red Hot Christmas,’ this super-energetic event is sure to be the most exciting Christmas event on the scene this year.

This year, the Crystal Christmas tree will make its return this year after a 3-year hiatus. The tree broke the Guinness World Record for nine consecutive years from 2011 to 2019 for the World’s Most Illuminated Tree. In 2019, the tree had 591,850 lights and also received Guinness certification for the World’s Largest Christmas Snowflake Ornament.

The Super Nintendo World area will be decorated for winter for the first time in 2022, while Minions and other popular characters will appear in special Christmas costumes. Limited-time food and merchandise will be available as well. 

An Exciting Christmas Experience for All Five Senses! The NO LIMIT! Crystal Tree

NO LIMIT! Crystal Tree

This year, the Crystal Christmas tree will make its return after a 3-year hiatus with a totally new look! Guests will be bathed in colorful lights and visitors won’t want to miss taking a photo with this magnificent sight. 

*On October 28, 2019, the tree won the Guinness World Record for Most Lights on an Artificial Christmas Tree with 591,840. 

The Spectacle of Lights, Complete with Heart-Pounding Music

NO LIMIT ! Christmas

During the event period, the Spectacle of Lights will be held in Gramercy Park. 

The entire area around the Crystal Tree will be completely transformed, and the space will feature projection mapping and countless lights. The blend of Christmas music fused with the magical lights will create a moment you’ll never forget.

Super Nintendo World to be Decorated for Winter!

Super Nintendo World’s Winter Decorations

Super Nintendo World, the newest area in the park, will feature winter decorations for the first time in 2022. At the entrance to the area, Super Star Plaza, guests will be greeted with a giant gift box and Mario and Luigi-themed snowmen. 

Guests will find wreaths and garland decorating Peach’s Castle, along with another Christmas tree decorated with iconic Nintendo characters and items. 

Limited Time Greetings and Stage Shows

Limited-Time Special Greeting & Stage Shows

Guests won’t want to miss meeting their favorite characters while they’re dressed in holiday outfits! A special meet and greet will be held for children and adults to join the Minions for a special winter celebration. 

Hello Kitty’s Christmas Happiness with the Happiness Brass Band

Hello Kitty’s Christmas Happiness with the Happiness Brass Band

Hello Kitty and the Happiness Brass Band will perform Christmas music multiple times a day, so families are invited to sing and dance along while getting into the Christmas spirit! You won’t want to miss Hello Kitty in her special winter wardrobe.

The Peacock Theater’s Popular Universal Party–Reimagined for Christmas!

In 2022, Universal Studios Japan will introduce Universal Party ~ The Showtime & Taste of Christmas. This dinner show requires a separate ticket and will offer some incredible entertainment and menu items. The experience will be held at the Peacock Theater on select days during December 2022.

*A Studio Pass or Annual Pass is required to enter the park. 

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)

Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2022 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

© Nintendo

TM & © 2022 Sesame Workshop

© 2022 Peanuts Worldwide LLC 

© 2022 SANRIO CO., LTD.　APPROVAL NO. EJ2091601

TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment

TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

Shin Yokohama Prince Hotel will be offering a special room and collaboration menu inspired by the popular anime series The Vampire Dies in No Time from September 22 until November 30, 2022. Reservations will open on the hotel’s official website starting September 12 at 1:00 PM. 

The Vampire Dies in No Time follows the hilarious adventures of the vampire Draluc and the vampire hunter Ronaldo. Set in the city of Shin-Yokohama, it makes sense that this collaboration would be taking place!

Original Goods

Collaboration Menu

Guests and fans of the series will be able to enjoy a fully-decorated room and collaboration menu inspired by characters from the popular anime series.

The concept room, located on an upper floor overlooking the Shin-Yokohama cityscape, is decorated with illustrations of Draluc, Ronaldo, and other characters. The guest-only goods feature newly-drawn illustrations. 

Sweets plates and drinks will be served at the restaurant on the top floor of the hotel. Guests can enjoy desserts shaped like Ronaldo’s red hat and Draluc’s ashes, so don’t miss it!

©盆ノ木至（秋田書店）／製作委員会すぐ死ぬ

Art subscription service Casie is collaborating with HOTEL SHE, KYOTO! A special art exhibition titled GALLERY HOTEL SHE, will be held from September 17 until October 16, inviting guests to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience of staying in a gallery overnight!

During the event period, guests of HOTEL SHE, KYOTO will be able to select their favorite piece of artwork from an on-site gallery. The piece will then be hung in their guestroom, and visitors can spend the night appreciating it at their own pace. This is a great way to learn more about art appreciation, and guests can enjoy discussing the art world with their friends and family. 

“Although we may view art in museums and other venues, it is rare to have the opportunity to select and display a work of art of our own choice,” the project description reads. “Through this unique experience, we aim to provide guests the chance to actively engage with art and inspire them to make art a part of their daily life going forward.”

The popular series Jujutsu Kaisen is getting its first theater show at Universal Studios Japan! Jujutsu Kaisen: The Real 4-D will open at the theme park on September 16, 2022 for a limited time only. For the first collab between the park and the globally-popular series, fans will be able to experience the ultra-realistic world of Jujutsu Kaisen through 3D imagery and special effects. 

Jujutsu Kaisen: The Real 4-D

The 4D ride will tell an entirely new story, allowing guests to experience a fight between the main cast and Cursed Spirits. Yuji Itadori and friends are fighting to prevent a conspiracy targeting the opening of a Jujutsu High School in Osaka. This will also mark the first time that characters from the series will appear in 3D. Along with Yuji, fans will be able to see Megumi Fushirugo, Nobara Kugisaki, Aoi Toudou, and Satoru Gojo in an entirely new way. Along with engaging graphics, fans can expect to experience seat vibrations, water splashes, and more. 

Jujutsu Kaisen x Hollywood Dream – The Ride ~Kaikai Kitan~

Along with the 4-D theater show, Hollywood Dream – The Ride will be transformed for the collaboration. The theme song for Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaikai Kitan by Eve, will be played on the ride for a limited time, from September 16, 2022 until January 18, 2023. The track is incredibly popular, and the opening for the series has been watched over 250 million times on YouTube. Listening to it on a roller coaster will be an entirely new experience and one that you can only experience at Universal Studios Japan!

Additionally, there will be Jujutsu Kaisen-themed food and merchandise available during the crossover event. More information will be announced in the future.

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ WBEI. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2022 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
Universal Studios Japan TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
© Nintendo
©芥見下々／集英社・呪術廻戦製作委員会

The Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo will offer a special suite inspired by the upcoming Toshio Suzuki Studio Ghibli Exhibition from July 1 until August 31, 2022. This will include tickets to the exhibition, which will take place at Warehouse Terrada in Shinagawa from July 1 until September 7. 

Toshio Suzuki, a producer at Studio Ghibli, has worked with both Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata on a number of beloved masterpieces. The exhibition will feature a large bookshelf housing 8,800 of Suzuki’s publications and favorite tomes. Many of these were published before Suzuki joined Studio Ghibli, and guests are invited to see how the producer was inspired to join the legendary studio after working as an editor at a manga magazine. To commemorate the exhibition’s opening, this special suite is filled with books written by Suzuki along with other books that visitors may enjoy during their relaxing stay. 

In the suite, guests will find a list of 106 books that influenced Suzuki the most. This list will be available to take home. Visitors will also find reproductions of Suzuki’s calligraphy. 

©TS ©Studio Ghibli

Banyan Tree Group, one of the world’s leading independent hospitality groups, held the grand opening of Galleria Nijo Castle Kyoto, on Friday, June 17, 2022. This is the first of the group’s hotels to open in Japan.

Hotel Exterior

Located south of Nijo Castle, a World Heritage Site, and named after the beautiful winter flower, Galleria Nijo Castle Kyoto is a small, modern, and minimalist luxury hotel that offers simple guests a chance to recharge themselves.

Wellbeing Room

For the grand opening, a new Wellbeing Room has been opened where visitors can experience quiet meditation.

Visitors can stroll through nearby gardens, temples, and shrines, take a tour of Kyoto’s many historical sites, or spend time in the Wellbeing Room meditating or practicing yoga to recharge their batteries away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The French Restaurant Singular will also offer up healthy and tasty meals with a focus on local ingredients and producers.

Enjoy a visit to Kyoto in this peaceful space perfect for resting both body and soul.

Universal Studios Japan has announced that it will be opening a selection of Jujutsu Kaisen attractions for a limited time starting September 16, 2022. The anime series has been a global smash hit since it premiered. 

The original Jujutsu Kaisen manga series has sold over 65 million copies worldwide, and the recent Jujutsu Kaisen 0 film grossed over ¥13.7 billion at the domestic box office.

Attractions will focus on the theme of “curses,” though there are no details as of yet as to what they will be or involve. Jujutsu Kaisen follows the story of Yuji Itadori, who becomes the host of a powerful curse named Ryomen Sukuna in order to protect his friends. Yuji then joins the Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School to train and become a sorcerer so that he can avoid an execution, as well as to help others fight against Cursed Spirits. Guests will be able to immerse themselves in the series’ world, and we’re excited to find out more details about what attractions will be coming to USJ this fall. 

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ WBEI. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2022 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
Universal Studios Japan TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
© Nintendo
©芥見下々／集英社・呪術廻戦製作委員会

To commemorate the upcoming film Minions: The Rise of Gru, a new apparel collection has been unveiled! The new items were made by VERDY, the artist behind popular projects like Girls Don’t Cry and Wasted Youth, both of which have been noticed by celebrities overseas. Prior to the collection’s launch online on July 1, fans can buy items from the limited-edition collection at Universal Studios in Los Angeles starting June 17 and at Universal Studios Japan starting June 24. 

VERDY is an incredibly popular artist who has garnered attention around the world, and his products are often seen with celebrities and big names in Japan and abroad. He has collaborated with a number of top brands in the past.

Collection

The first collaboration between the two, Minions x Vick, was released in 2020 to huge popularity, selling out within one minute of release. This second collaboration was created to satisfy huge fan demand, offering up tons of items featuring Otto, a Minion who will appear in the new film, and VERDY’s signature character Vick. Fans can purchase T-shirts, hoodies, long sleeve shirts, hats, keychains, skateboards, and more. 

This is the only time you’ll be able to snag these unique items, so don’t miss out!

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ WBEI. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s22)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2022 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
Universal Studios Japan TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
© Nintendo

From July 1 until October 2, 2022, fans of the long-running series One Piece won’t want to miss taking a trip to Universal Studios Japan! This year’s event promises to be extra special as fans celebrate the 25th anniversary of the manga series and the 15th anniversary of the One Piece Premier Show, the annual event at USJ. A special menu featuring tasty treats inspired by the series will be available alongside unique merchandise only available on-site. 

This summer’s limited menu and goods lineup are each inspired by a music festival. The event itself will draw inspiration from the film One Piece Film Red, scheduled to release on August 6, 2022.

The Discovery Restaurant in the Jurassic Park-themed area of Universal Studios Japan will be transformed into the One Piece Summer Banquet Restaurant during the event period, featuring a selection of tasty dishes inspired by each main character. This year, menu items inspired by Robin and Jinbe will be available for the first time.

Plenty of original merchandise will be on sale, with one specific item serving as a highlight of the new collection: the 15th-anniversary book. This tome includes details and images from each of the past One Piece Premier Shows and is a must-have for any fan. It also includes a message from the original series author Eiichiro Oda. 

One ‘music festival’ themed item is the Festival Towel. Playing a major role in the 2022 version of the One Piece Premier Show, the item is decorated with a limited edition 15th-anniversary design. Guests can also grab a collectible bracelet and salted candy in a unique soda can-inspired package. Of course, it wouldn’t be a One Piece event without some straw hats for sale!

This year’s menu includes everything from Nami’s Orange Frappe to Frankie’s Super American Hot Dog. Each of these tasty dishes will be perfect for posting on social media! Next to the Lost World Restaurant, guests can enjoy some additional goodies from the One Piece Food Cart including Sanji’s Pork Ribs and Sanji’s Peach and Lemon Frozen Smoothie, perfect for beating the heat.

Everyone, young and old, is invited to immerse themselves in the world of One Piece during this special celebration.

© 尾田栄一郎／集英社・フジテレビ・東映アニメーション