My Neighbor Totoro is one of Studio Ghibi’s most celebrated animated feature films, adored by people around the world. If you’ve visited Japan, you’re bound to have run into something Totoro-related, but did you know there’s actually several locations in Kyushu which takes it to the next level, bringing the world of the film to life?

Today, we are joined by Rie who posts her Kyushu travels on her Instagram page. She has provided us with photos of these amazing spots, which are must-visits for Totoro fans, along with her thoughts.

Tataragi Bus Stop | Hita, Oita Prefecture

When you roll up to Tataragi Bus Stop (多々良木バス停) in Oita’s city of Hita, you are welcomed by a giant piece of wall art made into the moss that grows on the wall. This bus stop is actually a stop used exclusively by school buses, so ordinary people can’t actually catch a bus here. And unfortunately, you won’t see any cat buses running down the street if you wait long enough in the rain, but it’s still a must-visit for fans.

Address: Amagasemachi Gota, Hita, Oita, Japan (In Japanese: 大分県日田市天瀬町合田)

Totoro’s Forest | Saiki, Oita Prefecture

This area is visited by many tourists and sightseers throughout the year because of how similar it looks to something from My Neighbor Totoro. There is a small park near the bus stop which is known as Totoro no Mori (Totoro’s Forest).

Being surrounded by nature, enveloped by the green trees and foliage, makes you feel like Mei and Satsuki from the movie. It’s like being transported back to my childhood. It’s a strange place that makes you feel nostalgic even if it’s your first time visiting.

Address: 1368 Ume Oaza Minamitabaru, Saiki-shi, Oita Prefecture (In Japanese: 大分県佐伯市宇目大字南田原轟1368)

Takahara, Miyazaki Prefecture

The next spot I want to show you is where an ordinary person made their very own Totoro statue. If you hold up an umbrella in the rain you can take a photo that recreates that one scene from te movie. There is a sign nearby the statue with a caution written on it as the Totoro is actually inside a family garden. When visiting to take a photo, please make sure to follow the caution and not cause any trouble for people in the neighbouring area.

Address: 7538-6 Kamamuta, Takaharu, Nishimorokata-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture (In Japanese: 宮崎県西諸島県群高原町大字蒲牟田7538-6)

Rie posts photos of all her visits around Kyushu on Instagram, so if you’re thinking of ever visiting there, be sure to follow her for ideas on where to go.

Photos by Rie

*The information listed in this article is correct at the time of publishing

The MOSHI MOSHI BOX Harajuku Tourist Information Center, which was established by the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON Project under management support from the Shibuya City Tourism Association, officially closed its doors in January 2019.

Since opening 4 years ago, the MOSHI MOSHI BOX (MMB) has always striven to provide tourist information and aid to sightseers in Harajuku, especially foreign visitors to Japan, by offering official multilingual maps from the Shibuya Tourism Association, guidance in multiple languages, foreign money exchange, baggage storage and more. This enabled the MMB to become recognised as a landmark of Harajuku overseas that is used by countless tourists.

What has attracted remarkable attention at the MMB is the huge World Clock that decorates the outside of the building. Created by Sebastian Masuda, the clock became a popular photo spot amongst tourists in Harajuku. Many people have posted photos of themselves next to the clock on social media, making it become a monument that symbolises Harajuku culture. We have received a lot of wishes from people to preserve the clock. The date on which the clock will be taken down has yet to be decided but it will be disassembled at some point.

With only a year left until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics there is much construction work going on at the event’s main site which is located in a neighbouring area. Harajuku and its station, which will be the doorstep to Harajuku, is also undergoing reconstruction. The MOSHI MOSHI BOX too biding its time and is waiting for the opportunity to move and undergo renovations in the brand new Harajuku.

It is expected that many more overseas visitors and tourists will be coming to Japan. We will take advantage of the valuable experience we have earned by running the MMB by continuing to promote and deliver Japanese pop culture to the people of the world both on our website and at events and see what kind of information and services people will be demanding in the future.

Thank you to everyone that has used the MOSHI MOSHI BOX. We ask for your continued support of the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON Project.

Japanese telecommunications operator KDDI is setting up photo spots based on the INFOBAR mobile phone at “au” branches across Japan, beginning in Tokyo before moving to Nagoya, Osaka and Sendai. People are free to snap pictures at these spots and post them to social media.

The exhibition is being held to commemorate the release of the INFOBAR xv which hit the market on November 29, 2018. The photo op spots are inspired by the colourful buttons on the phone, an iconic part of its design.

The set was designed by Japanese balloon artist Emi Jinguu who has competed and won in US competitions.

Head to one of the au branches below and snap some stylish pictures!

Hi, everyone. Midori here, editor at MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON.

Have you heard about ‘cheese tea’? It’s a drink that’s getting a lot of attention right now. It’s tea topped with cheese foam which results in a perfect match of sweetness from the tea and sourness from the cream cheese.

Related Article: Drink Tea in Style With FORTUNER tea-box’s Cheese Tea Tapioca in Harajuku

I heard that The Alley, a well-known bubble tea cafe recognised by its deer logo, released its own cheese tea so I took a trip there straight away!

I went to the branch in Omotesando. There are lots of other branches too so head to the closest one to you. The one in Omotesando sits right next to Gong Cha, another bubble tea store.

Cross the intersection at Laforet towards ICE MONSTER and turn the corner at the flamingo (pictured above).

You’ll come to a road with Cafe Ron Ron on the left and Gong Cha on the right.

Turn right at the FamilyMart at the end of the street and you’ll find The Alley!

The photo above was taken on a weekday before opening hours so there was no line,  but it was a different story in the afternoon on the weekend!

Ta-da!

The line is so long it’s hard to know where the end even is! It sure is popular. According to the staff working there, the line is constant on weekends from opening hours to when they close, so if you don’t want to line up they recommend visiting during the week.

There’s also a stylish indoor section where you can enjoy your drink.

Other menu items include the following:

Bonsai bubble tea and aurora drinks are really popular on Instagram in Japan right now!

When talking about The Alley you’ve got to mention the deer! There was a big one drawn on the wall inside.

I went with the brown sugar tea from the cheese foam series.

I recommend drinking cheese tea without the lid. If you drink it with the lid on it’s hard to get the cheese foam and tea at the same time. The Alley is best known for its tapioca bubble teas, but they have other ranges too like this one.

Now, onto tasting! Mixed in with The Alley’s famous fragrant tea is brown sugar. It has a smell that is sure to make you happy. The cheese doesn’t have that super sour taste, it’s a mellow flavour. The drink isn’t served hot but “mild hot” so you can get to drinking right away without burning yourself. It’s safe for those with sensitive tongues too. I have to let hot drinks cool down first before drinking them too so I was glad with my choice.

Head to The Alley to try out their new cheese tea yourself!

Yuna Yabe and MIOCHIN bring the second entry to their featured article series. In the first article, they visited 6 different second hand clothing stores in Harajuku. This time, they head to various photogenic places around Harajuku. The locations they visited were submitted by their followers on social media who were asked to recommend Instagram-worthy locations in Harajuku. They took plenty of photos, so let’s see how their trip went!

Instagram Worthy Spots in Harajuku Recommended by People

Yuna Yabe and MIOCHIN go through Harajuku almost every day. But just because they’re always there, they may still be unaware or not know about some spots. So here’s some spots recommended by their followers!

Yuna: “This is from @killer_princess2. Doesn’t it look amazing?! It’s completely black! You’ll be able to take a super cool picture if you wear a monotone outfit! Personally, I definitely want to go and see this.”

Yuna: “This is from @misa.s.world. Is it a shop display? What an extremely cool place! It made me think that although I’m in Harajuku almost every day there’s still place I don’t know ahout.”

MIOCHIN: “This is from @kanon_thx. This is the World Clock monument at the MOSHI MOSHI BOX Harajuku Tourist Information Center managed by the MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON Project. It’s a famous spot for photos in Harajuku. It’s easy to find and colourful so I definitely recommend it!”

MIOCHIN: “This is from @twintail.g__. The colourful graffiti is cute! It looks like a place where you could take an Instagram photo if you match outfits with a friend♪”

Thank you to everyone who submitted recommendations. Yuna and MIOCHIN will now set off into Harajuku to take some pictures!

Visiting the Recommended Places!

The first place they went to is the “Now Is Forever” graffiti located just a short walk from Family Mart on Shibuya Cat Street. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call this place the most popular with people visiting Harajuku for taking Instagram photos. It’s a bit of a walk form the station, but its colours make it stand out so it’s very easy to find and an easy location for snapping shots for your page.

Next, they headed in the direction of Takeshita Street with the “Now Is Forever” to the back of them. They went through Cat Street and took the first left to find the black concrete wall.

Yuna: “When I looked at the photo of this that a follower sent, I really wanted to come here! It’s simple but you don’t really see walls like this, so I recommend it to people!”

★TIP
When taking a photo of something black, you can make the black colour more compact and take a better photo by lowering exposure. Depending on what app or device your using the interface will be different, but most use a sun icon for exposure.

Cat Street is a graffiti gold mine. You’ll run into many great photo opportunities just by walking.

↓

★TIP
Harajuku’s streets are narrow and there’s a lot of obstructions, but if you take advantage of that you can take some very different looking photos from other people. This photo is made gorgeous with the flower bed in a blurry foreground.

Yuna: I put on the VSCO C1 filter on my app. Normally I’m the type to not add flashy things, but the VSCO filters look natural and stylish so I recommend them!

The brick wall at MICO Jingumae*, a commercial complex in Cat Street, is also a recommended spot. It’s easy place to take simple photos in full outfits. *Address: 4-25-4 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo

↓

★TIP

When taking a photo try to make skilled use of blank spaces. By adding stamps later on it’s easy to incorporate more of your style into it!

MIOCHIN: “I used the LINE Camera app and added stamps. The colourful stamps are cute and stand out because the photo has a simple background!”

↓

There’s a sudden refreshing path when you climb the stairs at MICO Jingumae. You can get away from the hustle and bustle of Harajuku and have a breather.

This street has a European vibe to it. From Cat Street it’s close to Omotesando Crossing along Meiji-dori. Walk along the little path beside Laforet Harajuku.

This street goes by the names Mozart Street and Fontaine Street. The two of them discovered a water fountain in front of the building with the beauty salon. Despite being smack in the middle of Harajuku it had an exotic atmosphere.

Did you enjoy this trip? Yuna and MIOCHIN went to stroll around photogenic spots in Harajuku and there were many they hadn’t been introduced to yet. Part of Harajuku’s appeal is how shops, displays and graffiti/illustrations change every day. No matter when you go, you’re sure to have a great time. Why not visit yourself this summer?

This series can also be enjoyed on YouTube. Be sure to check it out below!

Hi, everyone! I’m Midori Blackmore and I work at MOSHI MOSHI BOX, the Harajuku Tourist Information Center.

Today, I went to Cafe Hohokam with fellow MOSHI MOSHI BOX colleague Ellie, so I wanted to share my experience with you all.

Hohokam is located behind MOSHI MOSHI BOX and can be found up the staircase past FABIUS Cafe.

Head up these stairs to find the entrance.

Hohokam is decorated to look like a motel you would see in Arizona. I’ve never been outside Japan before so I had to look up what exactly they’re like. Arizona is a state in the southwestern region of the US. It’s bordered by Mexico to the south, is very hot, and is home to the Grand Canyon. It also has the largest Native American population.

*We have blurred the faces of the people inside to protect their identities.

‘I see,’ I said to myself and looked around. So that’s the atmosphere they’re going for. It’s very stylish but also feels incomparable to anything else.

We both ordered an orange cream soda with a Hohokam burger and French toast that comes topped with Nutella, bananas and whipped cream.

How amazing does this look? It looks like the cream soda you only see in manga. I was really surprised. It’s tall and the colour is gorgeous. Really just the best. This must be the proper way to make it in the cream soda industry. When you drink your cream soda, don’t you think to yourself, ‘Summer has arrived,’ too?

It’s strange when you first take a sip because although it’s blue it has an orange flavour. The soft serve cream on top is also sweet and really delicious!

There’s four cream soda flavours to choose from: melon, raspberry, lemon and orange, and they’re all supposed to be colourful and taste good. It might be a fun idea to order different coloured drinks with your friends.

Next up is the Hohokam burger! The menu said it has chili beans, cheese and a jalapeno patty.

Tada!

The flag on top is cute, isn’t it? You can wrap the burger with the napkins provided on the table before biting into it, but we both shared it.

This is how it looks cut in half. The red part is the chili beans. It’s spicy when you take a bite, but it’s not overly spicy at all! For me I thought it was a refreshing kind of spiciness like that of Mexican cuisine. I’m no good with spice and even I could eat it.

The meat inside was made very well. It was just the kind of hamburger you’d expect at a hamburger shop.

There’s a bunch of other burgers to choose from too, like the mozzarella burger, barbeque burger, cheeseburger and more.

Last up is the French toast with Nutella & Banana & Whip cream!

Something looking like this has got to be delicious.

The burgers at Hohokam are of course delicious, but I personally want to give the nod to their desserts. They’re seriously something else!

The fluffy French toast is topped with sweet Nutella and whipped cream, but it’s not heavy at all. We were already quite full but we were able to lap it up easily.

They also have a terrace smoking area. The atmosphere there was fairly nice too! Dining outside can make eating your food taste good too, can’t it?

Another great thing is that everything at Hohokam can be ordered for takeout! We recommend getting a delicious burger and having a picnic in Yoyogi Park!

So, do you like the sound of Cafe Hohokam? It’s great for lunch or dinner, and we also recommend using it as a café to stop by when you’re out shopping.

If you’re in Harajuku and have an empty stomach, or you’re in need of a dessert, then please try Cafe Hohokam for yourself.

Vinyl Museum―a participation-based art exhibition―will make its return at BALLY Ginza, running from July 21 to August 5.

We previously covered the first holding of this event which brings together a variety of art displays specifically intended for people to take photos of for their Instagram pages. Last year’s event in Omotesando drew in 5,500 people and over 7,000 posts were posted on Instagram.

This second event will take place in Ginza and hopes to bring in more foreign tourists. They have increased the number of booths on show, and the attendee rate is expected to be around 7,000.

Did you know that there are lots of places to eat irresistibly delicious curry in Harajuku, but not that many people know about them yet? Now you can get in on the secret.

From standard Japanese-style curry to more unique flavours, here’s our list.

Suzuki Satomiさん(@_suzukisatomi_)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 7月月6日午前1時36分PDT

YOGORO

This spinach-based chicken curry (¥900) is a reputable item on YOGORO’s menu, made in a tetsunabe pot! There are two types to choose from: one with spicy tomato as the base and fresh cream, and a milder version made with spinach. You can pick from pork and chicken for the meat to enjoy an original combination. We also recommend it topped with the soft-boiled egg!

@beggar_manがシェアした投稿 – 2018年 5月月3日午前6時34分PDT

Minoringo

This Keema curry (¥900) looks just like a decorative cake. The top of the curry is flooded with cheese. Its rich flavour is simply irresistible! We also recommend the standard Keema curry without the cheese too♡

カレーとスプーンさん(@curry_spoon)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月5日午前8時09分PDT

Curry Up
This curry house is produced by ‘A Bathing Ape’ founder NIGO. The beef & butter chicken curry (¥1,100) has a distinct mild yet rich taste to it. It’s enjoyable to enjoy two different flavours in one as seen in the picture. You can also combine your own flavours to your liking.

Akiko Shibataさん(@akiko.shibata)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 3月月25日午前5時21分PDT

SHANTi
If we’re talking soup curry, then where else to go than SHANTi. The spice is on point and there’s a hearty serving of vegetables. There’s also many varieties of curry to choose from, so expect to be spoilt for choice. During lunchtime you can get a large serving of rice for free, and you’re free to enjoy a second helping, so if you’re a big eater, look no further.

@mi__ko__がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 5月月4日午前4時01分PDT

BRITISH INDIAN CAFE 1930
You wouldn’t think that this is a curry house, with its landmark stylish red wall. They serve Indian curry made the way the British do. Their popular butter chicken curry mixes together honey and fresh cream to give it its distinct sweet flavour. The faint spiciness and milk sweetness has made it a particularly popular dish with female customers. The softness of the tandoori chicken is great too. Being British-style, the curry goes well together with black tea.

@i.nori_jpがシェアした投稿 – 2015年 5月月15日午後9時02分PDT

HENDRIX
You could call the chefs at HENDRIX spice masters. They’re extremely thorough and attentive with the timing of when they put their spices in the curry. A popular dish on their menu is their pork curry. It’s cooked gradually with a large amount of spice and has a deep flavour that doesn’t just simply scream ‘hot.’ They’re also particular about their saffron rice which complements the curry. They use only koshihikari rice from the city of Inzai in Chiba Prefecture. The fact they’re even particular about the rice means you can look forward to some truly layered flavours!

MOKUBABZA

This keema curry restaurant is located on the corner of a secluded street. It originally used to open only as a night bar, but keema curry became the talk of the town for being delicious, so it came to be open during lunchtime too. The most popular item on their menu is undoubtedly their ‘Cheese Keema Curry.’ It offers a large serving of rice topped with keema curry and melty mozzarella cheese. Placed again on top of that is a perfectly round egg yolk, giving it a unique appearance. This exquisite dish is cooked thoroughly with carefully selected spices.

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/38757/2

Drooling yet? You’ve absolutely got to try the exquisite curry hidden away in Harajuku. Tuck in during lunchtime or dinnertime!

There must be a lot of people out there wondering how to do their nails for spring and summer this year. At the MOSHI MOSHI BOX Harajuku Tourist Information Center we’ve directed many foreign tourists to popular nail salons.

So, we’re compiling a lot of some of the popular locations you’ll find in Harajuku! Check them out alongside the list of trending nail styles by popular models that follows.

HOMEさん(@homeharajuku)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月29日午後5時44分PDT

HOMEさん(@homeharajuku)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 5月月4日午後5時43分PDT

HOME
This is a nail and eyelash salon who offer a huge range of top class eyelash extensions and high-quality nail painting art. They position themselves as your indispensable partner, leading you on the way to drawing out your natural beauty, offering new a lifestyle. The comfort at the salon is outstanding, set up in an open environment with plenty of light. And the fact that they can do both your nails and hair is enticing!

Anranjuさん(@anranju_)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月29日午前6時58分PDT

Anranjuさん(@anranju_)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年12月月27日午前6時58分PST

Anranju
This place is open from 10am to 10pm, so you can even pop in after a bit of sightseeing. You can never get tired of their gel nails which come in designs based on what’s trending each month, as well as their variety of nail parts and colours. Customers can take in art with them to show the staff, so we recommend Anranju who want to enjoy their nails done exactly in accordance with what they like.

cocotte harajukuさん(@cocotte_harajuku)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 5月月4日午前12時46分PDT

cocotte harajukuさん(@cocotte_harajuku)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月30日午前1時47分PDT

Cocotte Harajuku
This nail salon is recommended for people to want to get their nails done like their favourite artist during a concert, as well as character art nails, intricate nails, and more. The staff have a lot of experience with nails and have done so many that it’s impossible to count them. They are very talented, and their designs are constantly incorporating the newest trends.

Trending Nails by 5 Popular Models

菅沼ゆりさん(@yurippa93)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 3月月29日午前1時30分PDT

Yuri Suganuma: Primary colours and glitter make cute, flashy nails
Yuri Suganuma went for different colours across all her nails. Changing the colours of each nail is impactful and gives a pop vibe. As a pointer, glitter using glitter colours makes them look fashionable, doesn’t it!

しばさき 柴田紗希さん(@shibasaaki)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月1日午前4時57分PDT

Saki Shibata: Attractive nails made with dull colours
Dull colours are aplomb and raise your level of maturity. Shibasaki is using gentle, organic nails from Ambiente, so this one’s recommended for people who like to do their own nails.

木村ミサ🐰 (Misa Kimura)さん(@misaxmas)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月11日午後8時00分PDT

Misa Kimura: Supporting the springtime vibe with nail art
Misa Kimura is serving spring with her nail art. The holographic nails raise the level of their gorgeousness. Take note of the top coat which is matted!

長澤 メイさん(@xxmeixx1208)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月13日午前12時21分PDT

Mei Nagasawa: Sweet and lovely nails with hearts and pink
Mei Nagasawa’s beautiful nails use pink as the base colour. The little hearts popped on there are super cute, aren’t they? ♡ This design will completely up the appeal of your girliness, so try it for yourself.

瀬戸あゆみさん(@setoayumi)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月12日午後11時24分PDT

Ayumi Seto: Girly dots and rainbows
The dot and rainbow design matches Ayumi Seto’s image perfectly. They’re completely coated in glitter, making them shine and look cute when hit by the light. Colourful nails work well with simple outfit co-ords!

Did you enjoy this list? Use these trending designs by models as a reference and enjoy creating your spring and summer nails!

Moreru Mignon is a purikura haven that prides itself on the concept of offering the world’s cutest purikura photos. Now, the shop is opening a new branch inside IKSPIARI®, a commercial facility located inside Tokyo Disney Resort®.

SHIBUYA 109 store：https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/62982

The interior of the shop is a pink photogenic wonderland. This will be the first Moreru Mignon to open in Chiba Prefecture. It boasts as the biggest puri machine chain in Japan.*

*As of February 2018, recorded by FuRyu.

The Maihama IKSPIARI branch of Moreru Mignon calls itself a town where people can become special guests. They offer a range of outfits and services for your purikura experience. Enjoy taking lots of photogenic pictures in this puri paradise ♪

PINK MONUMENT

The PINK MONUMENT is an art display in the shop decorated in pop colours. The inspiration behind the design is parks, and the centerpiece is the giant letter ‘P’ which towers over the surroundings.

PINK GENIC BOOK STORE

This location is made to look like a foreign arty bookstore. The huge books and hands are like trick art, and the decorative and unique walls and floor make for great photos. Check out the lit-up book title and vividly coloured bookmarks too.

PINK TOWN TV

The TVs fit into the world of Moreru Mignon too and actually play videos on how to enjoy yourself at the shop, cautions to keep in mind, and more. The pink coloured picture tubes also make this a perfect photo spot.

marché mignon

This pink bus sells colourful snacks and miscellaneous items. Some of the products also come in limited edition Moreru Mignon Maihama IKSPIARI packaging. They even sell colour contact lenses.

People who take photos in one of FuRyu’s 12 popular machines or use the main space will be able to buy some original merchandise.

Enter Moreru Mignon, the world’s cutest purikura shop, and snap some kawaii pictures!

Hi, everyone. I’m Shiota, the Director of the MOSHI MOSHI BOX Harajuku Tourist Information Center.

Foreigners coming to Japan love ramen, as shown in our questionnaire where it ranked 2nd place. I’m sure there’s a lot of you reading those who like it too.

AFURIさん(@afuri_official)がシェアした投稿 – 2017年 8月月27日午前2時15分PDT

Did you know, there’s actually a famous ramen place in Harajuku listed by Michelin? Today, I’ll introduce you to AFURI Harajuku, a ramen shop recognised worldwide.

It’s easy to get to. Just take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station and it’s a 3-minute walk from there. Head left out of Takeshita Exit and make a right when you come to Nescafe Harajuku. You’ll be able to see it on your left.

The restaurant itself has a very stylish and modern exterior. You’ll actually wonder whether it’s really a ramen shop when you see it. It has a welcoming atmosphere even if you go by yourself. When we went, despite it being 3pm on a weekday, most of the seats were taken up. And half of the customers were non-Japanese! As expected of such a popular restaurant.

The smell of citrus hits your nose upon entering the restaurant, something you wouldn’t expect in a place that sells ramen.

The inner section of the U-shaped counter is in fact an open kitchen, giving the whole restaurant a feeling of openness, and the background music that plays is calm. It feels like you’re in a fancy café.

I ordered the Yuzu Salt Ramen (¥980).

The toppings are simple. It comes with juicy mizuna, a boiled egg, bamboo shoots, char siu chicken fillet, and refreshing yuzu skin. You can choose from a boiled char siu packed with the chicken’s good flavour or a light and healthy chicken char siu.

Infatuation Denverさん(@infatuation_den)がシェアした投稿 – 2016年12月月12日午前9時34分PST

The noodles are thin and a healthy mix of wholewheat flour from Hokkaido and rye. The soup is made with carefully selected ingredients such as roast chicken,  seafood and potherbs that have been carefully cooked in natural spring water from Mount Afuri. The flavour is both full-bodied and light and will have anybody who’s tasted it addicted.

Maria Eduarda Costaさん(@duudacostaa)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 3月月14日午後8時23分PDT

There’s also a vegan ramen (¥1,350) option too made with seasonal vegetables for vegans, vegetarians and healthy eaters. It’s made with freshly-harvested Kamakura vegetables. No animal products are used in the dish, whether that’s in the noodles, soup or toppings. The salted soup goes perfectly with the vegetables. This option is also recommended for people who aren’t good with thick ramen.

AFURI in Harajuku is celebrated not only by worldwide fans of ramen, but healthy eaters and vegetarians too. There’s no doubt you’ll become hooked once you give their food a try.

Hey, everyone. Shiota here, the Director of the MOSHI MOSHI BOX Harajuku Tourist Information Center. Harajuku is a candy and sweets battleground, with many different stores lining the streets. Today, we take a look at Instagram-worthy goodies from much talked about newly opened stores!

“THE PARFAIT STAND” – Takeout Parfaits
Located exactly ZERO minutes from the Takeshita Exit of Harajuku Station is THE PARFAIT STAND, the sister store to popular cheese tart shop BAKE CHEESE TART.

Topping the parfait isn’t fresh cream, but meringue! The taste and texture of the parfait is irresistible throughout, with ice cream, purin, mousse and more. Just holding it is kawaii and something new to take onto the streets of Harajuku with you♡

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/100198

“LONG! LONGER!! LONGEST!!!” – Japan’s Longest Food & Sweets
Opening as Japan’s first shop to center around the ‘length’ of food, LONG! LONGER!! LONGEST!!! is located along Takeshita Street. The menu has three size variations, the same as in the store’s name. ‘LONGEST’ in fact offers the longest food product in Japan!

They have lots of products on offer, including soft serve ice cream, tornado potato, churros and more. You’ll never forget about their crazy length once you try one!

Full Details: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/93395

ｰ`, M☽ ‘､ｰさん(@m.lxiii)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月9日午前3時53分PDT

“GOMAYA KUKI” – Sesame Ice Cream
GOMAYA KUKI is a store selling sesame ice cream which has received support from inside and outside Japan. They have opened a store in Ura-Harajuku. One serving is covered in close to 9,000 sesame seeds!

Their menu is full of new, unique products including ice cream made with sweets friend in sesame oil, Japanese-style parfaits sprinkled with sesame seeds, and more. They also offer takeaway ice cream in cups.

Q-pot. & Q-pot CAFE. OFFICIALさん(@qpot_official)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 4月月7日午後9時19分PDT

“Q-pot CAFE.” – Accessories Turned Into Sweets
This café is inspired by Q-pot., an accessory brand who create kawaii products themed around sweets.

The café is decorated in all things sweet as far as the eye can see. The interior has a fairy-tale like atmosphere that female customers will love. The sweets here are both sweet in appearance and taste looking exactly Q-pot.’s necklaces, rings and so on.

The Pie Hole Los Angeles™️さん(@thepieholela)がシェアした投稿 – 2018年 2月月22日午後4時43分PST

“The Pie Hole Los Angeles” – Original Pies from LA
This popular store hails from Los Angeles and sells their own original pies and organic coffee, and it’s found its way to Takeshita Street in Harajuku!

Since April 4, they have been holding their second all-you-can-eat session for all their pie products every Wednesday. From sweet pies to classic pies, each and every one is handmade with care and attention. Why not head to one of their all-you-can-eats to try them yourself?

Are you hungry now? Be sure to use this list as reference if you’re looking for a café in Harajuku!

And if you’re unsure of how to get to any of these places, then pop into the MOSHI MOSHI BOX and we’d be happy to help!