The Harajuku-based brand KAWAII MONSTER CAFE has announced a traveling store, KAWAII MONSTER SHOP. As the project’s first event, a Halloween pop-up shop named ‘KAWAII MONSTER SHOP – Colorful Halloween’ will open for 10 days starting October 19 in the birthplace of the brand, Harajuku.

KAWAII MONSTER CAFE is an entertainment restaurant that embodies the vibe of Harajuku in Tokyo, a town that swallows fashion and culture from places around the world and reimagines them into unrestrained originality. Originally opened in 2015 and produced by artist Sebastian Masuda, the colorful and crazy space offered photogenic food and drinks, and guests were served by the iconic Monster Girls clad in future Harajuku fashion. It became a ‘new Tokyo landmark,’ attracting over 700,000 visitors from both Japan and abroad. Even after the restaurant closed in January 2021, its one-of-a-kind concept has lived on in pop-up shops, events, and collaborations with various brands and creators.

The pop-up shop, open in Harajuku for a limited time starting October 19, offers food and drinks, merchandise, special experiences, and photo spots themed around the spooky Halloween season. Additionally, a collaboration with the popular Harajuku accessory store 6%DOKIDOKI will be held from October 19-22. Colorful hair accessories will be on sale, and shop girls with Monster Girls makeup experience will be giving seasonal makeovers to visitors.

■FOOD & DRINK

During the first half of the event, the pop-up shop will be serving food made in collaboration with the hot dog specialty restaurant HOTDOG CAFE STAND STATION TOKYO. The limited-edition menu includes the crazy Monster Dog, consisting of a monster holding a sausage in its mouth, and the monstrous Philly Cheesesteak, made with juicy tenderloin and tons of cheese.

The second half of the event will feature the Colorful Pop Burger Blue Monster (Teriyaki Chicken) from KAWAII MONSTER CAFE’s popular menu, along with French Fries with Monster Dip served with five different colorful sauces. Visitors are welcome to get into the Halloween spirit by enjoying the Monster Float during the pop-up event.

<10/19~10/22 Exclusive Menu>
Monster Dog: ¥880 (Tax Included) *In collaboration with HOTDOG CAFE STAND STATION TOKYO
Philly Cheesesteak: ¥1,350 (Tax Included) *In collaboration with HOTDOG CAFE STAND STATION TOKYO

<10/26~10/31 Exclusive Menu>
Colorful Pop Burger Blue Monster (Teriyaki Chicken): ¥1,200 (Tax Included)
French Fries with Monster Dip: ¥700 (Tax Included)

Monster Float: ¥800 [Rose/Passionfruit/Kyoho Grape]

■GOODS

New KAWAII MONSTER CAFE goods will make their first appearance at this pop-up shop! Guests can visit the Sweets Factory to create their own candy assortment by filling their favorite containers with chocolates, gummies, and other goodies. Harajuku Icing Cookies will also be available in collaboration with SHONPY, a popular cake shop. Be sure to grab some incredible souvenirs!

In addition, popular KAWAII MONSTER CAFE collaboration items from years past will be available, along with adorable plushies from the globally beloved brand Ty. Visitors can also snag some unique zipit pouches and flexible PLUS PLUS blocks starting October 26.

■EXPERIENCE

During the event, KAWAII MONSTER CAFE’s iconic Monster Girls and the character Choppy will greet guests and take photos, as well as shoot cute Halloween-inspired videos together. Visitors wishing to be transformed into Monster Girls themselves can speak to the store girls, clad in Decora fashion and rocking accessories from 6%DOKIDOKI. These ladies will provide POP Harajuku Monster makeovers featuring original tattoo stickers and unique hair accessories to get you ready for Halloween.

■PHOTO SPOT

At the event, guests will find the 3-meter tall Sweets Cake Balloon inspired by the Sweets-Go-Round Cake, the symbol of KAWAII MONSTER CAFE. Surrounded by colorful decorations and captivating monsters, visitors are sure to leave with plenty of special memories.

Guests of all ages are invited to spend the Halloween season surrounded by the unique wonders of Harajuku!

Last year, the HARAJUKU COLLECTIVE collaboration appeared at AF Gallery in Harajuku from August 10 until August 28, garnering massive acclaim from fans. The collection is now being sold at Shinsaibashi PARCO until March 12, 2023.

HARAJUKU COLLECTIVE is a Studio Ghibli-inspired apparel collection by the popular American counterculture chain Hot Topic. Bringing more Japanese culture to the ongoing Studio Ghibli collaboration launched in 2014, Hot Topic stores began selling original items produced by nine Japanese creators and brands, as well as some original American items produced by Hot Topic’s executive designers.

The lineup of Japan-original items includes T-shirts, tote bags, and other items featuring exclusive artwork by up-and-coming creators. These items depict beloved characters from Studio Ghibli’s works, as well as logos created for the collaboration. Fans won’t want to miss grabbing these unique items!

Details on the Previous HARAJUKU COLLECTIVE Pop-Up Store: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/ja/625747

Laforet Harajuku will host a pop-up shop inspired by the up-and-coming idol group FRUITS ZIPPER from February 1 until February 14! The FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine Pop-Up Shop will be found on the 5th floor MAKE THE STAGE area.

FRUITS ZIPPER debuted in April 2022 and embodies a simple concept: “From Harajuku to the World.” The group’s second single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro exploded in popularity on TikTok, pulling in over 600 million views. In February, the girls will embark on their first solo concert tour in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. This is the first FRUITS ZIPPER-inspired limited-time shop, and during the event, visuals of the group’s members will be displayed in the show windows found on the first floor of Laforet Harajuku.

◆About the FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine Pop-Up Shop

When entering the venue, fans will be greeted by a 5-meter-wide board where visitors can write and attach their messages to the FRUITS ZIPPER members on heart-shaped cards. Costumes that the members have worn on stage will also be on display, allowing fans to see each stitch up close.

Exclusive items featuring new photos of the members will be on sale at the pop-up shop. Fans can enjoy seeing the girls in their own personal style, and these items will only be available during the event! Starting February 4, tour merch for the group’s upcoming solo concert series will also be available for purchase.

◆Collaboration with Fruit Sandwich Specialty Store ‘Fruits Box Daikanyama’

Last year’s popular collaboration with Fruit Box Daikanyama, a well-known fruit sandwich shop, is happening again in 2023! Fans can find the Collaboration Gift Box for sale, including seven baked meringue goods each featuring one of the member’s colors. The box also comes with snapshots of the members, and for a few lucky fans, these snaps might be signed! The idol group and sandwich shop have also teamed up to create the Collaborative Lucky Grab Bag Lottery, including popular FRUITS ZIPPER goods and original items from Fruits Box Daikanyama. The lucky first-prize winner will receive a special set of all available February tour merchandise in all sizes.

◆Member Appearance Planned on Valentine’s Day

On February 14, the final day of the pop-up shop, the members of FRUITS ZIPPER will make an appearance! Guests will be able to participate in the first-ever hands-on event with the members, so keep an eye out for more details!

Stay up to date with the latest FRUITS ZIPPER news at the official Twitter page (@FRUITS_ZIPPER).

FRUITS ZIPPER Pop-Up Shop Exclusive Goods

Random Photo – Valentine pop-up ver. (21 varieties): ¥330 (Tax Included)

Random Pin – Valentine pop-up ver. (7 varieties): ¥500 (Tax Included)

Random Purikura Stickers – Valentine pop-up ver. (14 varieties): ¥600 (Tax Included)

The Winter 2022-2023 issue of the revived fashion creator magazine Zipper went on sale on December 23.

This issue focuses on this winter’s must-know trends and is packed with coordination tips, outfit plans through spring, snapshots, hair and makeup tips, and much more.

Zipper ended its 24-year history in December 2017. In March 2022, ASOBISYSTEM teamed up with DONUTS Inc. to revive the magazine as a quarterly release. The fashion magazine, popular with Gen Z, is known for sharing details aspects of Harajuku culture and will continue to share more from the creative center of Tokyo for years to come.

Standard Edition (Cover: Nagisa Saito)

Another Edition (Cover: FRUITS ZIPPER）

The global online fashion brand SHEIN has become wildly popular, shipping goods to over 150 countries. The world’s first permanent brick-and-mortar SHEIN store will open in Harajuku, Tokyo on November 13, 2022, displaying popular styles and items perfect for the Japanese market. All items on display will be available for purchase on the official SHEIN app simply by scanning the QR code on the tag. While items won’t be available to purchase in-store, the location will be a place where curious customers can try things on and explore new trends. The store has two floors and carries women’s and men’s wear, as well as kids’ wear, pet goods, and accessories. In addition to standard fitting rooms, there will also be a photo booth and SHEIN gacha machine!

This summer, the brand held its first pop-up event in Japan, traveling to five cities over two days. In October 2022, the three-month-long SHEIN POPUP OSAKA event invited customers could try on clothes and discover new styles.

 “SHEIN TOKYO is planning to hold a number of events to make the SHEIN brand more familiar to new customers. Please visit us and enjoy perusing our reasonably priced but high-quality items,” an official comment reads. 

Momoko Sakura’s popular series Chibi Maruko-chan is filled with beloved characters, and Coji-Coji has remained a fan favorite for decades. Starting in October 2022, fans will be able to grab goods from the new COJI-COJI BABY brand. 

The made-for-babies merchandise line will feature new artwork. The first theme is ‘outer space,’ and little ones will love the pastel colors and playful illustrations. A promo video has also been posted to the official Coji-Coji YouTube channel.

About COJI-COJI BABY

“A snooze on the moon…

From childhood to the faraway future, 

Coji-Coji is always cozy-cozy.

Such a valuable life.

Grow together with your baby.

Snuggle up with your family. 

Be there to relax with those you love. 

Spend irreplaceable time together.

After all of these desires and thoughts came together,

COJI-COJI BABY was born.”

Product Release Information

Sales of COJI-COJI BABY products began on October 12, 2022 on the official Eightex Japan online store.

Coji-Coji Costume Romper: ¥9,900

COJI-COJI BABY Fair Now Open!

Starting on October 15, the COJI-COJI BABY Fair is being held at Kiddy Land Harajuku and Kiddy Land Osaka Umeda.

During the event period, those who purchase over ¥4,000 (including tax) on COJI-COJI BABY products will receive an original mini shikishi. This is a perfect frame for your baby’s handprint or footprint!

LDFS Co. Ltd., which operates six cafes and brands in Tokyo, has opened a new location! The company currently operates THE GREAT BURGER, a gourmet burger shop in Harajuku, The Little BAKERY Tokyo, and GOOD TOWN DONUTS. Now, they’ve brought the old-school burger store Jennifer Seven to Harajuku!

Jennifer Seven is a combination general store and burger store that sells apparel, kitchen items, and groceries. While it may seem like a general store with a coffee stand at first glance, the back door opens to reveal a secret burger shop! The innovative location will serve simple burgers, not the hearty and massive gourmet burgers available next door at THE GREAT BURGER.

General stores are found in rural America and carry a wide range of daily necessities, much like a yorozu-ya in Japan. Jennifer Seven sells original apparel, sundries, and goods with a vintage flare, as well as tableware and other items from the U.S. In addition, guests can find unique food items like handmade jellies and jams, fresh fruits and local veggies, natural wines, small gifts, and plenty more.

The drive-thru coffee stand attached to the store sells GOOD TOWN COFFEE, and Chinese-American steamed buns are also available at the Harajuku location!

Each classic burger will come with simple and tasty ingredients, including the beef patty, ketchup, mustard, original burger sauce, pickles, and onions. The restaurant’s simple interior features white and vintage wood with blue-grayish green accents and was designed by the owner himself, inspired by diners and school cafeterias in rural America.

Come enjoy a classic burger at this secret burger joint!

HARAJUKU COLLECTION, a Studio Ghibli-inspired apparel collection by popular American counterculture chain Hot Topic, is offering licensed Ghibli goods for fans in the U.S. and Canada. The collection opened its online store for those in Japan on August 10, and a limited time pop-up store has been opened in Harajuku to celebrate the release of this incredible apparel!

Japan Original Items

American Original Items

The store has a colorful exterior that shows Totoro and the Susuwatari playing together. Once inside, guests will be greeted by a massive rainbow Totoro! The shop blends the world of Ghibli with the style of Harajuku.

“If there were colorful and kawaii mushrooms in Totoro’s forest, and if it rained acorns one day, maybe he’d need a mushroom umbrella!” This colorful Totoro was inspired by this adorable thought.

The walls are decorated with artwork drawn by the creators of the original Japanese items, and guests are able to see and purchase the products in this special space. Why not visit?

© 1988 Studio Ghibli
© 1989 Eiko Kadono – Studio Ghibli – N
© 1997 Studio Ghibli – ND
© 2001 Studio Ghibli – NDDTM
© 2004 Studio Ghibli – NDDMT

Last year, Chiikawa Land, the first official Chiikawa shop, opened at the Harajuku and Osaka Umeda branches of KIDDYLAND. Both locations will celebrate the 1st anniversary of the shop’s opening with a special fair on August 5, 2022.

Chiikawa is a popular character first revealed by Japanese illustrator Nagano on Twitter. In December 2020, the official online store Chiikawa Market opened, and Nagano released a book compiling the manga panels they drew and posted on Twitter. The characters have become massively popular, with the artist’s social media accounts racking up over 1.1 million followers. From collaboration cafes and exhibitions to a recent anime series, the sky’s the limit for these adorable characters!

Purchase Bonus

「Holographic Sticker (Not for Sale) *Designs will differ between the Harajuku and Osaka Umeda locations.

Holographic Pin (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥3,300 or more (including tax)

Picnic Blanket (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥5,500 or more (including tax)

Mug (Not for Sale) / For guests spending ¥8,800 or more (including tax)

Limited Edition Chiikawa Land Harajuku x Marion Crepes Collab

Limited Edition Chiikawa Land Harajuku x Marion Crepes Goods

Chiikawa Land Osaka Umeda Limited Edition Goods

Both the Harajuku and Osaka Chiikawa Land locations are visited by fans each day, and each store has developed unique products to celebrate the first anniversary.

The Chiikawa Land Harajuku location will offer products in collaboration with Marion Crepes, while the Osaka Umeda location will sell limited edition products featuring the characters in cute traditional costumes. Special bonuses will also be handed out to guests spending particular amounts, so why not come out and grab some new goods?

©nagano / chiikawa committee

Reebok has appointed a number of popular artists in Japan and abroad to take part in their new campaign titled ‘Life is Not a Spectator Sport -Move, Move!-’ This collaboration started in March 2022.

As a part of this collaboration, Reebok is teaming up with the manga series Eren the Southpaw. Kappa’s popular ensemble drama highlights a number of creators, and has a very poignant tagline: “To all those who couldn’t become geniuses.” Reebok’s brand message matches this and is meant to be a manifesto for life, telling people to never give up, act on their own convictions, and find their own path. 

Reebok Classic Store – Harajuku Interior

Stickers / Pins

Original Scene from Eren the Southpaw 

To commemorate the release of Reebok’s flagship model INSTAPUMP FURY 95 in Sax Blue, a huge piece of window art was redrawn by Kappi. The artist also provided an original manga featuring an entirely new story. Fans can find this at the Reebok Classic Store Harajuku and on the official Reebok Twitter page. The Reebok stores in Harajuku and Shibuya have also been completely taken over by Eren the Southpaw, completely decorated from top to bottom in images from the series. 

Jeddah Season 2022, a cultural entertainment festival in Saudi Arabia, ran from May 2 until July 2, 2022. During the festivities, a special collaboration concert event featuring MONSTER GIRL from KAWAII MONSTER CAFE in Harajuku and RAM RIDER took place at the Anime Village area, an interactive event filled with popular Japanese IPs produced by Avex. 

This was the first overseas collaboration with musician RAM RIDER, who worked to bring the world of KAWAII MONSTER CAFE to life. The audience was thrilled by this special set that included a stunning dance performance directed by content director Harris and a DJ set by RAM RIDER that included a variety of popular anime tracks. 

KAWAII MONSTER CAFE was a popular Harajuku entertainment restaurant loved by tourists and locals alike. At Jeddah Season 2022, MONSTER GIRL’s presence took the audience by storm, and the performers strolled around the venue taking photos with fans.

At the Anime Village, fans could engage with tons of popular Japanese IPs like Boruto, Captain Tsubasa, Godzilla, Pac-Man, and many more. For the first time in the Middle East, a giant Gundam diorama measuring approximately 6 meters was put on display. The entrance gate was inspired by the Kaminarimon gate in Asakusa, and visitors could enjoy Japanese food in a futuristic environment. 

The Anime Village managed to bring Japanese culture to the people of Saudi Arabia, and hopefully, this incredible event will take place again in the near future.

Produced by: KAWAII MONSTER CAFE
DJ: RAM RIDER
Performer: MONSTER GIRL (Ciel, Catherine)
Performance Director: Harris
VJ: Kohei Taki (yenter)

KAWAII LAB. is a project spearheaded by ASOBISYSTEM with the aim of introducing the world to popular Japanese idol culture. The idol group IDOLATER was born from this idea, and in April, the girls welcomed two new members, transforming it into a fresh new 5-member group. Announced at the group’s solo concert ‘New IDOLATER’ on April 24, Fuuka Oishi and Ririka Satsuki joined the lineup consisting of Ayu Okuda, Kurumi Tsukishiro, and Yukino Fushiki.

A typical idol group is peppy and filled with energy, but IDOLATER is doing things a little differently. What is their appeal? How do they want to shake things up? 

A Group Formed by Finalists from ASOBISYSTEM’s First National Audition

IDOLATER debuted in April 2019. In the spring of 2018, ASOBISYSTEM, the management company behind Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and a number of other popular talents, announced its first large-scale nationwide audition, ASOBISYSTEM THE AUDITION 2018. IDOLATER’s history began with five audition finalists–Fushiki, Okuda, Tsukishiro, and two others. The catchphrase for the audition was fitting for the group: “Seeking the next generation of talents to shape Japanese pop culture and share it with the world.”

IDOLATER Welcomes Solo Singer Ririka Satsuki & Model Fuuka Oishi

Following the departure of two members and intense restrictions imposed on the group’s activities due to the pandemic, IDOLATER continued to operate with only three members. Although they didn’t manage to get a ton of media coverage or appeal in large-scale events, the group continued to pull in new fans and gain recognition in the idol community. After a while, Fuuka Oishi and Ririka Satsuki joined the group, giving a much-needed boost to IDOLATER’s activities and energy.

Ririka Satsuki is a solo artist based in Fukuoka with an incredible husky voice. Fuuka Oishi has previously worked as a model and is popular with creators for her sweet yet listless atmosphere. Despite their incredible confidence, this is the first time either has worked as an idol!

IDOLATER and the Concept of ‘Idols’ 

The word ‘idol’ can conjure plenty of images to mind, but what does the word mean to the members of IDOLATER?

The group’s music blends together elements of city pop, future funk, and house, while still keeping true to traditional J-pop roots. The familiarity of their music makes it easy to approach, and Yukino Fushiki’s powerful voice alongside Ririka Satsuki’s melodies shower fans with some of the best vocals in the idol world. 

The group’s choreography is provided by YU-KA, formerly of TEMPURA KIDZ. Her experience as both a dancer and an idol makes her an asset, and her refreshing moves are a highlight of each IDOLATER show.

A former pattern maker for a Japanese fashion brand designed the group’s costumes. 

If this sounds like the idol group for you, come and check out an IDOLATER event to see the girl’s incredible appeal for yourself.

On June 19, IDOLATER will hold their second regular performance, ‘Camel,’ at Ebisu CreATO. (The title of the show was chosen because it sounded fun, not for any other specific reason.)

Stay tuned for the next report, where we’ll delve a little deeper into the life of each member of IDOLATER!