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.

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.

Sauna Town Shimokitazawa, a sauna event currently being held at a special vacant lot event space in the popular Tokyo neighborhood of Shimokitazawa, will hold a collaboration event with the Odd Taxi anime series from February 26 until March 19, 2022!

The visual was inspired by the concept of ‘Odokawa visiting Sauna Town,’ and features an illustration of the man himself wearing a Sauna Town T-shirt and holding bath goods in his hand.

Odokawa Transport Promo Towel: ¥700 (Tax Included)

Clear Folder (Odd Taxi x Sauna Town): ¥1,000 (Tax Included)

3-piece Sticker Set (Odd Taxi x Sauna Town): ¥600 (Tax Included)

A total of five collab items will be sold at the event space, including a promo towel, clear folder, and sticker set.

To commemorate the release of the upcoming Odd Taxi in the Woods film on April 1, guests can also purchase special cards to give them a ¥100 discount off one purchase. An Odd Taxi panel will also be set up as the perfect photo spot for fans, so be sure to check it out!

© P.I.C.S. / 映画小戸川交通パートナーズ

Hoshino Resorts OMO7 Asahikawa has announced a new ‘Animal Sauna,’ inviting guests to spend time with cute animals to heal the body and soul. The sauna will be open from March 1 to May 31, 2022. 

Fans of Gashapon capsule toys know that animal sauna figures are popular among sauna enthusiasts. These figures are only about four centimeters big, but during this sauna event, they will be life-sized and placed within the sauna space! These massive figures were made with the help of Bandai. 

Sauna hats protect guests’ heads and hair from the heat, and sauna ponchos prevent guests from getting too cold after emerging from the space. Now, these hats feature cute animal ears, and the sauna mats are covered in animal prints as well. These will also be available to rent or buy! 

The lounge space will also be transformed, and a drink bar with animal-themed glasses will help guests to rehydrate after time in the sauna. Yes, the lounge space also features life-sized animals, perfect for nature lovers. 

Gashapon figures will be available to purchase on the first floor, so be sure to grab one as a souvenir! 

ⒸBANDAI

From October 30 until November 23, 2021, a unique underground experience is taking place at a former quarry in Oyamachi, Utsunomiya. UnderMuseumChallenge 01 GATE invites guests to enjoy massive pieces of artwork while pondering the boundaries between society, nature, daily life, and the body. The main focal point of the exhibition is the Genki Furnace, a piece of sauna-inspired art.

Usually, this old quarry isn’t open to the public. This year’s event will offer two types of tickets: one allowing visitors to view art and drive through the underground space, and the sauna art experience. Takashi Kurimayashi’s art will certainly stick with you, so either choice is a positive one. The sauna art experience will invite guests to stand within the furnace as they are surrounded by hot herbal steam. The website asks that visitors bring a swimsuit, change of clothes, and their own towel. 

The quarry is located about a 30-minute drive from the center of Utsunomiya. Stone from the area is well-known across Japan, and this particular region was named a Japanese Heritage Site in 2018. Last year, more than 700,000 tourists visited the region. 

‘Saunatte Iiyone!’ is a new street x sauna apparel brand from the mysterious Sauna-ryman (sauna + salaryman) Sauna Manager (@sauna_bucho37), a Tokyo-based Instagrammer who really loves saunas!

Sunglasses Bag Logo Long-sleeved T-shirt

Logo Towel

The manager checks out locations nationwide in search of the perfect sauna, conveying the charms of saunas each day through their Instagram. Their sensational and fun new brand fuses street with the sauna, conveying the owners knowledge and love for the experience. The first items include a long-sleeved t-shirt and towels featuring the brand logo.

They will continue to produce new sauna goods while paying careful attention to fabric and details, so be sure to keep an eye on them!

Prepare for the ultimate comfy camping and dining experience! The Riviera Zushi Marina in Zushi City, Kanagawa, is opening a glamping-themed restaurant, Malibu Farm Kamakura Terrace, for a limited time only. Returning from a popular run last year, the comfy spot will be open from October 1 until February 28, 2022, with reservations now open. 

In addition to Malibu Farm’s commitment to fresh, organic, and local ingredients, this year’s menu will feature sustainable ingredients, with plenty of seafood and vegetables. Guests can relax in the luxurious comfort of their own private tent, enjoying a meal and the crisp sea air. 

Malibu Farm, incredibly popular with celebrities from L.A., opened its Japan location last March at the Riviera Zushi Marina Resort. Looking over the ocean, the locale offers breathtaking scenery with over 900 palm trees and a collection of luxury cruisers and yachts. 

Introduced last winter, the Kamakura Terrace is perfect for winter, with each private tent heated while not obstructing the view and giving guests a safe place to enjoy time with family and friends. This is the ideal location for birthdays and anniversaries, and watching the sunset will offer an unforgettable way to celebrate. 

Ryusenji no Yu is a chain of bath facilities throughout Japan, offering saunas, bedrock baths, and artificial hot springs. Saunas are surprisingly popular throughout the country, and recently, a beverage called Oropo has been called the perfect drink to enjoy after sitting in the heat. A mixture of the vitamin drink Oronamin C and sports drink Pocari Sweat, it’s a perfect blend to refuel after all that sweating. 

The Nagoya Moriyama location will begin selling Oropo-branded goods by BEAMS starting September 16!

Merchandise sold in the odd collaboration will include mugs featuring markings to help mix the perfect amount of Oronamin C and Pocari Sweat to make the ultimate Oropo. T-shirts with pop-up store character Oropo-kun are already the talk of social media. Those who purchase a certain amount of goods will be given a bonus sticker. 

As expected, Oropo will be served during the campaign, along with Oropo Shaved Ice, created by the queen of shaved ice Asako Harada!

​It may seem like a strange collaboration, but RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto is teaming up with Sega Toys to offer a limited-time hotel stay guests will never forget. From August 12, 2021 to March 31, 2022, visitors can stay in a tropical jungle-themed room beneath the stars. Sega Toys is well-known for their ‘Homestar’ series of home-use planetariums, and the new ‘twinkling stars’ functionality will make its debut in this magical room. 

Starry Sky Glamping Room

Sega Toys ‘Homestar,’ On Sale August 12, 2021: Guest Room

‘Galaxy Ttungcaron,’ created by RIHGA Royal Hotel Kyoto’s Chef Pâtissier

Red Ring Solar Eclipse Ttungcaron

This unique ‘Starry Sky Glamping at the Hotel’ plan will commemorate the launch of a new ‘Homestar’ home-use planetarium, set to go on sale August 12, 2021. These popular items have sold over 1.7 million units, and those who book this jungle-themed room will be able to go stargazing while in the comfort of their hotel room. Originally, this plan was concocted by female staff at the hotel as a way to provide comfort and happiness to those who have been unable to travel easily, or who have experienced lifestyle changes due to the current situation around the world.

A reservation won’t have guests walking into just any hotel room: one room has been completely stripped of furniture, and is completely decorated with imitation greenery to create an immersive jungle atmosphere. Tents, rugs, and lanterns are all provided, making it feel like you’re really in the great outdoors. When it’s time to sleep, feel free to use the Dream Switch, which projects moving picture-books onto the ceiling–perfect for children! If you have a sweet tooth, try the scrumptious ttungcarons developed by the hotel’s Chef Pâtissier and currently hugely popular on social media. The outer space theme continues with the limited ‘Homestar’ ttungcaron set, featuring a Red Ring Solar Eclipse sweet, and the Sega Toys collaboration ttungcaron, with images of the Earth, the Moon, and Jupiter!

This hotel glamping experience is the perfect way to refresh and recharge. Would you give it a try?

Miyako Hotel Kyoto Hachijo launched a new hotel plan on July 26 which includes a ticket to bathhouses around Kyoto, a bath amenity set, a hotel-original sento t-shirt, and more.

Available until March 30, 2022, the plan was conceived as a way for tourists to enjoy the ordinary, everyday Kyoto in a way that’s different from people’s usual tourist and sightseeing experiences in the city. Kyoto continues to be a hub for sento bath culture.

Hinode-yu, a bathhouse in Minami Ward, Kyoto

Hotel-original tees are available as part of the plan

Receive a bath amenity set and bathhouse ticket

Kyoto is home to around 100 unique sento bathhouses where people can enjoy a relaxing soak in a giant public bath while chatting. It’s a huge part of Kyoto culture and one which is seeing a steady increase in popularity again with the younger generation.

If you’re staying in Kyoto this year or planning a trip early next year, don’t miss out on this limited-time hotel plan.

Job Live, who run the Unpopulated Island Project, opened bookings for the next location of their Survival Plan last month which places people on Tsumaga Island – an island home to not a single human being. This is the second island to make the project following Jino Island in Wakayama Prefecture.

Tsumaga Island is enveloped by the gorgeous blue ocean

The pier where guests are dropped off at Tsumaga Island

Shota Gima is challenging people to 30 days survival as part of the project

The island is only accessible via charter boat

You’ll have to catch and prepare your own food

There are traces of people who used to live here

There’s also a private beach available to one group per day

Tsumaga Island is part of the city of Iki in Nagasaki and can be reached in as little as 5-minutes from Indoji Port. It was formerly used for rice cultivation and people lived there peacefully, but in 2002, its final permanent resident left the island.  The island is in a region where the Sea of Japan and Tsushima Current meet. The area is rich with sea life, home to many species of fish and abundant with plankton. It has long been known as something of a holy grounds for fishing amongst Japanese fishers. Campers on the island will catch and prepare their very own fresh fish.

30 Days Survival on a Deserted Island

The 30-day survival camping plan hopes to revitalise the city of Iki by using its unpopulated island. Shota Gima, a man from Okinawa, desired to be a part of this project and decided to move to Iki Island. He too is currently on a mission to survive on the island for 30 days and has been since May 13. He hopes to make it until June 30, and hopes that his efforts will spark people’s interest in getting involved.

Campers will arrive on the island and will need to prepare their own food, use bamboo to cook rice, and everything else that goes into surviving on an unmanned island. You can check Shota’s progress on the official Tsumaga Island social media pages below.

HOSHINOYA Fuji, a hotel which opened as Japan’s first glamping resort, has announced the Glamping Fruits Breakfast summer plan which is set to run from June 20 to August 31.

HOSHINOYA Fuji is located in Japan’s prefecture of Yamanashi, a place that enjoys a bounty of fruit cultivation. Yamanashi has been called the “Fruit Country,” offering a variety of different fruits. In fact, it has been the biggest producer of peaches, grapes, and plums in Japan for over 10 year. The glamping masters of HOSHINOYA Fuji have had knowledge bestowed on them from the growers of these sweet gems who have advised on the safety and best ways to prepare land for fruit growing, characteristics of fruits grown throughout the year, and other means of support. Now, guests at HOSHINOYA Fuji are set to serve these fruits to guests at breakfast this summer.

Dine outdoors from a terrace with a breathtaking view

Guests will enjoy their breakfast out on a sofa on a private terrace that overlooks Mount Fuji and Lake Kawaguchi. With the support of the hotel’s Glamping Master, food will be prepared outdoors using a skillet and burner. The main dish is roasted peaches made with bacon and fresh herbs. The salty bacon and sweet peach make for a delightful combination. Best of all, ingredients and condiments are all prepared for guests in advance so they can enjoy a hands-free outdoor experience.

Indulge in high quality fruits

Eight varieties of fruit are available during the breakfast experience including peaches, Shine Muscat, pione, and more. And only the tastiest fruit is served to customers.

An optional tour is available with the plan which offers guests a chance to depart HOSHINOYA Fuji early in the morning to visit a peach farm in the city of Fuefuki. Guests are given exclusive access to the farm where they can learn all about how the peaches are grown from the farmers. At the end, they can tuck into some freshly-picked peaches with a glass of sparkling wine in hand.