Tetsuya Chiba is one of Japan’s leading manga artists, known internationally for his most popular work Ashita no Joe. 

In March 2022, Chiba became the first manga artist to be named a member of the Japan Art Academy, solidifying his position as a master of the Japanese manga world. From July 13 until July 18, the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store will host a Tetsuya Chiba Exhibition to commemorate this incredible achievement.

Approximately 60 prints, including limited edition prints commemorating the inauguration of the membership, will be exhibited and sold on-site.

Limited Edition Commemorative Prints for Sale

Turned to Pure White Ash…

You Must Fight!

Until I Burn Out!

Ore wa Teppei 2

Harris no Kaze 2

©ちばてつや　©高森朝雄・ちばてつや／講談社

The NFT platform ‘Adam by GMO’ will offer the creative company NAKED’s first piece of NFT art. Sakura Ousai has been featured in the hands-on art exhibition NAKED FLOWERS held in Nihonbashi, Nijo Castle, Hong Kong, and Korea. The NFT will be available in late March and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to support Ukraine.

Since its establishment in 1997, NAKED has constantly produced incredibly unique art installations to fit with the times. Starting with the projection mapping of Tokyo Station in 2012, the company has created unprecedented art and entertainment experiences by combining real space with virtual experiences. The current theme is ‘borderless creativity,’ and creating NFT art fits into this vision.

NAKED FLOWERS, one of NAKED’s signature events, has been held since the New Year 2016. The NAKED FLOWERS experience has now been converted into a piece of NFT art for the first time, and buyers can enjoy these cherry blossoms no matter their location!

McDonald’s Japan will start selling the new Sakura Mochi Pie starting March 23, 2022 for a limited time only.

The new pie is inspired by sakura mochi, a traditional wagashi sweet popular during spring. 

Sakura mochi is typically made from mochi rice cakes filled with a sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf. The McDonald’s pie is filled with azuki red bean paste and a chewy, sakura-flavored mochi that features bits of pickled sakura leaves.

The packaging will also feature spring designs and each pie costs just ¥150. They will be available until mid-April. 

Flower Miffy, a flower shop inspired by the popular Dutch picture book Miffy, has begun selling a new series of cherry blossom-inspired items! A limited number of postcard sets are also being offered as purchase bonuses. 

Flower Miffy Glass – Sakura Gradient Pink / Pearl: ¥1,595 (Tax Included)

Flower Miffy Sakura Plate: ¥2,090 (Tax Included)

Flower Miffy Mini Towel – Sakura Pink / Ivory: ¥770 each (Tax Included)

The series features original artwork, and fans of Miffy can get their hands on unique glassware, cherry blossom plates, and mini-towels. 

Those spending ¥3,300 (including tax) or more will receive a set of two limited edition postcards. The offer will end as soon as they’re gone!

*Offer does not apply to flower arrangements.

Illustrations Dick Bruna Ⓒ copyright Mercis bv,1953-2022　www.miffy.com

To celebrate the arrival of spring, Q-pot Cafe is introducing a cherry blossom-themed menu for a limited time!

Cherry Blossom Romantic Dress Cake  Plate with Drink: ¥2,100 (Tax Included)

Enjoy this pink cherry blossom mousse and pure white whipped cream to celebrate the end of the gloomy winter season.

Rich pistachio mousse, strawberry pulp, fragrant almonds, and fluffy genoise come together in a scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth explosion of flavor.

Romantic Berry Blossom Tea: ¥850 (Tax Included) / Set Menu +¥200 (Tax Included)

A play on Q-pot Cafe’s popular Flower Garden tea, the Berry Blossom Tea has a rich cherry blossom aroma with raspberries and milk added. 

Romantic Berry Blossom Tea with Bottle: ¥1,296 (Tax Included)

Take-out drinks in patterned bottles are also available! By bringing the bottle with you, the Berry Blossom Tea will be discounted to ¥750 (tax included). 

TZEN, a company dedicated to promoting traditional Japanese culture around the world, has teamed up with Yamamasa Koyamaen, a tea wholesaler in business since the Edo period, to open a new matcha cafe in Tokyo!

ATELIER MATCHA, a quick walk from Ningyocho station, is harnessing the concept of ‘the third wave of matcha,’ serving up premium matcha in a cozy atmosphere. 

MATCHA Cookies & Cream Shake: ¥748 (Tax Included) 

MATCHA with Warabimochi and Red Bean Topping: ¥748 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Jelly Cider: ¥660 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Granola and Yogurt Latte: ¥715 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Cotton Candy Milkshake: ¥748 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Affogato: ¥660 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Shot (Espresso Style): ¥220 (Tax Included) / MATCHA Water: ¥275 (Tax Included) / MATCHA Green Tea: ¥330 (Tax Included)

Supreme MATCHA Terrine: ¥660 (Tax Included)

(This is a partial menu, all prices are for those dining in.)

Matcha is becoming popular around the world. ATELIER MATCHA was created to offer customers a unique experience which showcases the true taste and culture of this beloved tea grown in Japan. 

Yamamasa Koyamaen is a Kyoto institution, cultivating and grinding matcha tea leaves for 160 years. Over 1,000 tea retailers, department stores, domestic and international trading companies and hotels stock their high-grade matcha, gyokuro, sencha, and other specialty teas, making them one of the most recognized and respected names in this traditional Japanese art. The company even prefers to call themselves a ‘studio’ rather than a ‘factory’, using the 800-year history of tea cultivation in Uji, Kyoto as a starting point to create their masterpieces. 

ATELIER MATCHA is Yamamasa Koyamaen’s first cafe, and also the company’s first experience selling directly to consumers. 

Blending the highest-grade matcha with locally made sweets, the cafe hopes customers will enjoy these original creations while surrounded by the relaxing aroma of tea. 

The matcha used in the cafe includes signature Yamamasa Koyamaen blends, including Ogurayama and Tennozan, both varieties often used in tea ceremonies. For a limited time, the cafe is offering a single-origin blend with one rare variety of matcha, as well as a beverage made with tencha, which are the leaves used to make matcha before being ground down in a stone mortar. Visitors can also enjoy gyokuro and hojicha teas, made from carefully selected leaves. 

Pulling recipes from Yamamasa Koyamaen’s book ‘Kyoto Uji-Koyamaen: Simple Matcha Drinks to Enjoy at Home,’ the menu features refreshing drinks blending the traditional with the modern, with unexpected combinations of soda, fruit and yogurt. Seasonal drinks will also be making an appearance, including shaved ice in summer and chocolate drinks in winter. 

The name MATCHA SHOT packs a punch, using matcha instead of espresso for a needed pick-me-up. MATCHA WATER, a refreshing cup of watered-down tea, offers a way to fully enjoy the fullness and more hidden flavors of this popular Japanese tea. 

As expected, ATELIER MATCHA also has a sweets menu set to impress: these sweet treats feature only the best, created with the top 0.03% of total national matcha production. This insanely high-quality matcha is a part of Yamamasa Koyamaen’s ultimate matcha experience project, titled “ALL FOR ONE,” which provides these rare leaves to some of the country’s top professionals in various fields. 

At opening, only limited qualities of the Supreme MATCHA Terrine, made by well-known pâtissier Toshi Yoroizuka, will be available. 

These authentic matcha creations are perfect for a hot summer’s day, or as a gift for a friend. When in Tokyo, don’t miss it!

Eitaro Sohonpo Co. Ltd. has released two new seasonal shaved ice desserts at Nihonbashi E-Chaya in Tokyo for summertime.

Uji Matcha Yamamotoyama x Eitaro | ¥660

Made with Uji matcha from Yamamotoyama and honey from Eirato, this shaved ice is topped with adzuki beans from Hokkaido. A refreshing delight for the hot Japanese summer that’s not overly sweet.

Peach & Cream Cheese | ¥660

This flavour is made with lots of white peach puree from Yamanashi along with fresh peach pieces and Eitaro’s honey. It’s finished with cream cheese from Hokkaido and peach fluffy cream. Another perfect pick for cooling down this summer.

nel craft chocolate tokyo, a craft chocolate shop located in Nihonbashihamacho, Tokyo, released two chocolate shaved ice desserts last Wednesday for the hot summer season. The desserts are also being sold at Saryo Tsukikage, a restaurant inside the hot spring ryokan Yuen Bettei Daita in Setagaya.

Left: Cacao Kintoki | Right: White Cacao Kintoki

Cacao kintoki is a type of shaved ice made with specially-selected cacao beans from Vietnam. It uses a ‘bean to bar’ method where the shaved ice is made from scratch, roasting the beans fresh to create the dessert.

The two new treats at nel use a chocolate base and add cacao pulp to the mix, adding a natural fruity flavour derived from the bean. Each is also served with a special cacao sauce for extra flavour. The white cacao version is made by combining with in-house white chocolate. It also comes with an Okinawan passion fruit and cacao pulp sauce, resulting in a sour kick and refreshing taste.

Saryo Tsukikage

The open-air baths at Yuen Bettei Daita

A special matcha version of this shaved ice can also be enjoyed while bathing in the open-air baths at Yuen Bettei Daita. It’s made with nel’s homemade white chocolate as well as dark chocolate, cacao pulp, and specially-selected yame matcha from Shimokita Chaen Ōyama, a cafe in Setagaya.

The popular French characters Gaspard and Lisa are getting their own themed menu at Le Cafe la Boutique du Joel Robuchon in Tokyo. The menu will be served from April 24 to May 9 and takes inspiration from Anne Gutman and Georg Hallensleben’s children’s book series.

Gaspard and Lisa One Plate & Cocktail Set | ¥3,300 (Tax Included)

Non-Alcoholic Strawberry & Lychee Cocktail | ¥990 (Tax Included)

Strawberry Galette (With Coffee or Tea) | ¥2,420 (Tax Included)

Coasters

Pouch

The first 500 customers who order something from the menu will receive a free coaster, and those who spend over ¥5,000 will get a special pouch.

Enter the charming world of Gaspard and Lisa with this cute themed menu.

(C) 2021 Anne Gutman & Georg Hallensleben / Hachette Livre

Japanese aromatic raw chocolate brand MAISON CACAO is launching a new Kamakura-based brand called Shiki to Maison (“Four Seasons & Maison”) which will feature chocolates that capture the events and culture found throughout the four seasons in Japan.

The first entries to the series are cherry blossom chocolates which are available from March 26 to April 4, as well as cherry blossom drink which can be enjoyed on March 27 and 28.

Aroma Raw Chocolate SAKURA ¥2,200 / Cacao Vinegar Soda SAKURA ¥550 (Before Tax)

Aroma Raw Chocolate SAKURA

Indulge in a box of these luxury cherry blossom chocolates which are made with 100% cacao powder which have a refreshing white chocolate aftertaste. The chocolates are made with cherry blossom as well as a fresh cream laced with salt-pickled cherry blossom. They also include a paste made from liquid drawn from cherry blossom petals. It’s a taste of Japanese spring with every bite.

Cacao Vinegar Soda SAKURA

This springtime beverage includes a cacao vinegar made from cacao pulp and is coupled with fragrant cherry blossom. This one is available at the Komachi and Cacao Hanare branches as well as at CHOCOLATE BANK.

Spring has arrived at TREE by NAKED Yoyogi Park, a cafe run by NAKED that’s located in Yoyogi Park in Shibuya, Tokyo. On Monday, the cafe launched a seasonal menu which incorporates a variety of spring flowers like cherry blossoms, showy’s baby breath from Kumamoto, keiou-zakura from Yamagata, and more.

TREE by NAKED Yoyogi Park first opened in July 2017. It’s an experience-based art restaurant where customers can enjoy Japan’s latest cutting edge technology and next-generation gastronomy. Its popularity has risen rapidly, earning itself a reputation for offering an experience that stimulates all five of the senses, as well as for its photogenic interior decor.

With the pandemic restricting travel in Japan, people are unable to visit places far away across the country, and so the cafe is bringing a little bit of different places around Japan, namely their flowers, in collaboration with JA Kumamoto Uki and JA Yamagata.

Kumamoto is the only place in Japan that grows show’s baby breath. They are raised with the prefecture’s rich water and soil to blossom beautiful white and pink. These flowers can not only be enjoyed at TREE by NAKED Yoyogi Park as decorations, but customers can actually buy a bouquet of them too. Thanks to the skills of producers, the flowers can be grown out of season over a long period running from December to April, allowing people to enjoy their gorgeous springtime hues even if it’s not spring.

Açaí Lemonade – Eat In ¥825 / Takeout ¥810

Cherry Blossom & Strawberry Nicecream – Eat In ¥770 / Takeout ¥756

“Power & Healthly” are the concepts for the lunch and cafe-time menu which includes both food and drink. The cafe’s popular homemade açaí lemonade has been turned into a springtime version with fresh cherry blossom petals. There’s also a vegan-friendly ice cream made with banana, avocado, soy milk, and a blend of strawberry and cherry blossom. It has a slight salt tang to it.

Vegan Cherry Blossom Latte – Eat In ¥770 / Takeout ¥756

Vegan Avocado & Sprout Sandwich – Eat In ¥1,100 / Takeout ¥1,080

The cafe’s popular cherry blossom latte from last year returns with a soy milk base. There’s also sandwiches, including a vegan one fried in coconut oil.

Strawberry Mille-Feuille – Eat In ¥1,650

The cafe’s strawberry mille-feuille is so popular that they have to make a limited batch each day. It’s even been featured on Instagram. With the strawberry season here, customers can enjoy fresh whole strawberries topping their dessert.

The cafe will also be running an evening cafe and bar experience with a range of desserts, food, and alcohol.

PEANUTS Cafe Nakameguro is now serving up two new cherry blossom beverages for the spring season: the Sakura Lemonade and Sakura Charred Marshmallow Latte, both of which are now available to order until April 11.

Sakura Charred Marshmallow Latte ¥700 (Before Tax) / Sakura Lemonade ¥650 (Before Tax)

PEANUTS Cafe Nakameguro serves limited-time drinks every cherry blossom season in Japan, and this year is no different. Both beverages capture the cute pink tones of the country’s national flower which invite feelings of springtime walks and Hanami flower viewing.

(C) 2021 Peanuts Worldwide LLC