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!

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.

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 January 7 until February 24, 2022, two Capcom Cafe locations will hold a special collaboration event featuring menu items and goods from the popular anime and manga series Haikyu!! The menu items have been announced, and the Capcom Cafe Aeon Lake Town in Saitama and the Capcom Cafe Ikebukuro locations will be posting more information on their official sites, so fans should be sure to check them out!

Collaboration Menu

① Hinata’s Tamago Kake Gohan-Style Fruit Daifuku Parfait: ¥1,408 (Tax Included) 

Sprinkle this dish with brown sugar syrup to give it a sweet kick!

② Kageyama’s Stamina Up! Indian Curry: ¥1,738 (Tax Included)
This Indian curry with banana chutney and yogurt sauce was inspired by Tobio Kageyama’s favorite dish, Poached Egg Curry.

③ Bokuto’s Owl Cake: ¥1,738 (Tax Included)
Baked with the image of Koutarou Bokuto in mind, this dome-shaped cheesecake is almost too adorable to eat. 

④ Akaashi’s Original Galette: ¥1,738 (Tax Included)

This galette is covered in buckwheat flour dough and goes perfectly with a side salad. 

⑤ Kuroo’s Strawberry Coke: ¥880 (Tax Included)
A drink made in Kuroo’s image. It was inspired by his school colors!

⑥ Kenma’s Pudding Parfait:  ¥1,408 (Tax Included)
Inspired by the character’s hair color, this parfait is served with apple pie topping and cat cookies.

⑦ Atsumu’s Hot Caramel Cafe Latte: ¥880 (Tax Included)

This piping hot beverage was made with caramel sauce the color of Atsumu’s hair.

⑧ Atsumu’s Black Sugar Syrup and Black Sesame Seed Iced Latte: ¥880 (Tax Included)

This rich drink is perfect for those wanting something a little stronger!

Menu Order Bonus: 1 Original Placemat

Original Drink Order Bonus Coaster (1 selected randomly, 10 varieties) 

For every ¥3,000 yen spent on the cafe menu (including tax), guests will receive one randomly-selected bromide-style postcard. (13 varieties)

©古舘春一／集英社・「ハイキュー!!」製作委員会・ＭＢＳ
©CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

On November 5, 2021, Tokorozawa in Saitama prefecture received three Pokemon-themed manhole covers as part of the ongoing Poke Lids project. 

The new installations feature Dragonite, Dratini, Corviknight, Dragonair, and Skarmory. Each cover was designed to highlight Tokorozawa’s scenery, and these three are the first to be installed inside Saitama prefecture. 

The Poke Lids project features completely original art, and each serves as a PokeStop in the mobile game Pokemon GO. Many are located in smaller towns and areas, and this has brought more tourism and attention to some of Japan’s more charming hidden gems. 

The next time you’re in Japan, try to find ‘em all!

Poke Lid Locations in Tokorozawa

1. Dragonite Poke Lid: 1-13 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama
2. Dratini and Corviknight Poke Lid: 143-3 Matsugo, Tokorozawa, Saitama
3. Dragonair and Skarmory Poke Lid: 1 Hiyoshicho, Tokorozawa, Saitama

©Pokémon. ©Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
ポケットモンスター・ポケモン・Pokémonは任天堂・クリーチャーズ・ゲームフリークの登録商標です。

From November 19 until December 23, 2021, the AEON Lake Town Capcom Cafe in Saitama will be taken over by the Sengoku Basara series!

The main visual for the collaboration shows life-size characters from the series rather than the chibi versions that have appeared at previous Capcom Cafe events. Six famous generals from the Sengoku period are featured: Date Masamune, Sanada Yukimura, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Ishida Mitsunari, Chosokabe Motochika, and Mori Motonari. More details about the menu and merchandise will be released soon, so stay tuned!

© CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Omiya ART GRACE Wedding Chateau in Saitama will hold an all-you-can-eat Halloween buffet on October 31, 2021. Guests can enjoy as many villain-themed treats as they like, all prepared and decorated by the skilled on-site wedding patissier.

In addition to sweets–like the sorcerer’s macaroon, pirate pudding, and cold-hearted chocolate mint ice cream–guests can also treat themselves to all-you-can-eat savory meals, including pirate’s seafood pizza and devil black curry. A photo spot will also be available in the main dining room, which will be entirely decorated for the occasion. This is the perfect event for a girl’s night out or for families with children, so be sure to make your reservation now!

Saitama Ion Laketown kaze’s CAPCOM CAFE will be holding an Ace Attorney collaboration cafe between October 8 and November 18 to commemorate the series’ 20th anniversary.

The never-seen-before main visual is themed around the 20th anniversary and features the Ace Attorney and Great Ace Attorney characters in their fanciest clothes! Look forward to the new collaboration menu and limited goods which will feature the new artwork.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is now on sale.

© CAPCOM CO., LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Cafe BIVOUAC, located in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, will reopen Bath Cafe Hareniwa no Yu on September 18, 21, after a full rebranding.

The space aims to be ‘a garden that clears a guest’s body and mind.’ Visitors can enjoy a full bath and sauna, freshly-picked vegetables at the Haruniwa Dining Room, and a lush green lounge in which to relax and unwind.

The Haruniwa Dining Room, run by The Farm, a resort in Chiba Prefecture, offers healthy dishes filled with fresh local vegetables from Kumagaya with carefully-selected main ingredients.

In addition, a collaboration with fashion brand ‘niko and…’ will also begin upon reopening, offering the perfect comfy clothes to wear while enjoying the property.  The lineup  includes an original bath bag and sauna hat, each sold exclusively at Hareniwa no Yu.

The EJ Hotel, located inside Saitama Prefecture’s Tokorozawa Sakura Town, has unveiled a new collaboration room with the Kakuriyo – Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- anime, with room reservations opening on August 18, 2021.

Kakuriyo – Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- Japanese-style Room

Kakuriyo – Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- Western-style Room

Hotel Limited Goods / Original Furoshiki

Hotel Limited Goods / Original Folding Fan

Hotel Limited Goods / Original Goshuinchō

Hotel Limited Goods / Original Chopstick Rest Set

Hotel Limited Goods / Hand Towel

Hotel Limited Goods / Original Clear File

Collaboration Dinner Sample (6-piece set)

Lunch Menu Sample (3-piece set)

Collaboration Drink: Kabosu Sake (Alcoholic)

Collaboration Drink: Cherry Juice (Soft drink)

EJ Anime Hotel collaborates with a variety of IPs under the concept of “staying in your favorite story.”

In addition to room decor and original merchandise, the hotel offers a new kind of hotel experience by using videos, sound, and lightning, along with an exclusive collaboration restaurant serving a full-course dinner, to allow you to immerse yourself in your favorite anime.

Kakuriyo – Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- is a popular anime based on the novel series written by Yūma Midori and published by Fujimi L Bunko. The 26-episode series aired in 2018.  

The collaboration faithfully reproduces the world from the series in real life: The prosperous and long-established Tenjinya Inn of the Hidden Realm, the world of Ayakashi.

You will be greeted by character panels upon entry to the room and can enjoy a smartphone minigame featuring newly recorded lines from the characters. There are plenty of original goods for you to take home, and the full-course dinner reflects the food from the original series.

The collaboration room will be available between August 17 2021 and March 16 2022.  

The adjacent hotel restaurant Tiam will also offer monthly collaboration lunches that can be enjoyed by guests and non-guests alike, with limited themed drinks and coasters to take home! 

©2018 Yūma Midori･Laruha/ KADOKAWA/ Kakuriyo – Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- Production Committee
※All images are samples and are subject to change