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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Japan’s adorable pudding chick becomes a transit card mascot Elliot Hale
    One of Japan’s most popular dessert mascots is set to go with you as you tap through ticket gates. Last year, one of Japan’s many railway companies, JR East, announced that they would be retiring their iconic mascot character featured on their rechargeable prepaid transit card, Suica, much to the dismay of many of its fans. Meanwhile, JR Central, another rail company, has decided to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Nagoya’s beloved dessert Piyorin with a special release of its Toica card. Des
     

Japan’s adorable pudding chick becomes a transit card mascot

29 May 2026 at 02:00

One of Japan’s most popular dessert mascots is set to go with you as you tap through ticket gates.

Last year, one of Japan’s many railway companies, JR East, announced that they would be retiring their iconic mascot character featured on their rechargeable prepaid transit card, Suica, much to the dismay of many of its fans. Meanwhile, JR Central, another rail company, has decided to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Nagoya’s beloved dessert Piyorin with a special release of its Toica card.

Despite the similar sounding names, the massive JR (Japan Railways) network is split into independent regional companies that operate within their own territories. For example, JR East handles Tokyo and northern Japan, while JR Central manages the lines surrounding Nagoya and the central Tokai region. Unlike several countries where trains are state-run, Japan’s rail networks are entirely privately owned by companies such as these (though the JR network was previously the government-run Japanese National Railways from 1949 until 1987).

As a result of this regional division, each JR company issues its own transit card, commonly referred to as an IC card, for daily travel. Travelers arriving into Tokyo are usually introduced to the Suica (JR East) or Pasmo (Tokyo Metro and many other non-JR lines around Tokyo) cards that let them tap through ticket gates seamlessly. In the Central Japan region around Nagoya, the local equivalents are the Toica (JR Central) and Manaca (Nagoya Subway, Meitetsu, and other non-JR lines around Nagoya) cards.

While these cards are issued separately within their own regions and feature different mascots, which can lead some to travel around Japan collecting them, many of the cards are completely interoperable.

▼ I have a long way to go.

A Toica card purchased in Nagoya, for example, can be used on Tokyo subways, Kyoto buses, and at thousands of convenience stores nationwide.

The commemorative Piyorin Toica card has the standard Toica chick mascots alongside Piyorin on the face of the card.

Piyorin itself is a famous Nagoya fresh dessert made from locally sourced eggs, consisting of pudding wrapped in vanilla bavarois and covered in crumbly sponge cake.

People looking to grab the new Piyorin Toica card will need to make their way to the region operated by JR Central (Nagoya and its surroundings) where it will begin being dispensed in late May 2026 from automatic ticket vending machines and customer service windows at major train stations. For those further away, sales will start at JR Tokai ticket windows at major Shinkansen stations along the Tokaido line from September 1, 2026. Smaller stations within the coverage area will also get access to the Piyorin card supply at this time. Each card will cost 2,000 yen (US$13), which includes 1,500 yen as a usable amount and a 500 yen deposit.

As part of the celebration JR Central released a special online-exclusive Piyorin Toica card in a paulownia wood storage box costing 4,980 yen. However, the 3,000 sets were completely sold out within a couple of days of its launch, attesting to Piyorin’s popularity.

If you’re expecting to go out tomorrow and pick up a Piyorin Toica, you might face some disappointment, as they’ll only start to be dispensed when current Toica card stocks run out, so the start date of the sales will vary depending on the station. Sales of the Piyorin cards will also end when they run out at each station, so there is definitely an element of luck to getting one, if the online sales are anything to go by. That being said, a Piyorin card is a great way to make a souvenir of your travels just a little bit sweeter.

Related: Online-Exclusive Piyorin Toica Card, JR Tokai Ticket Window Locations, Toica Usage Information
Source: PR Times
Top and insert images: PR Times
Insert IC card collection photo ©SoraNews24
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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Studio Ghibli adds mini pillows and massive mats to its anime merchandise store in Japan Oona McGee
    My Neighbour Totoro is here to help you look and feel cool in traditional Japanese style.  With the weather heating up in Japan, people across the nation are reaching into their cupboards and bringing out their fans, cotton bedding, and other cooling items to help cope with the rising temperatures. Those who like to stay cool in traditional Japanese style, however, will be reaching for items made with igusa, a soft rush grass that has been used here for centuries. Commonly used for tatami floo
     

Studio Ghibli adds mini pillows and massive mats to its anime merchandise store in Japan

18 May 2026 at 15:00

My Neighbour Totoro is here to help you look and feel cool in traditional Japanese style. 

With the weather heating up in Japan, people across the nation are reaching into their cupboards and bringing out their fans, cotton bedding, and other cooling items to help cope with the rising temperatures.

Those who like to stay cool in traditional Japanese style, however, will be reaching for items made with igusa, a soft rush grass that has been used here for centuries. Commonly used for tatami flooring, products made with igusa have an earthy scent, natural deodorising effects, and excellent moisture-regulating properties – when humidity levels are high, igusa absorbs excess moisture, and in dry environments, it slowly releases moisture, providing comfort without the use of air conditioning.

▼ The cooling, air-cleansing properties of igusa are part of what makes Japanese homes so special.

Image: Pakutaso

Igusa is a common element in traditional countryside homes where the old ways still hold strong, like the Kusakabe family home that features in the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbour Totoro. So it makes sense that Studio Ghibli would release its own series of igusa products, adorned with motifs and characters from the movie.

▼ The first item is the Igusa Seat Cushion, which comes in two gorgeous designs.

The cushions measure 40 centimetres (15.7 inches) in height and width, and are two centimetres thick, with a smooth surface that makes them very comfortable to sit on, even for long periods of time.

The first design, “Drop“, gives us a Soot Sprite, Small Totoro, and Medium Totoro, with a handful of sweets for added colour and cuteness.

The second design, “Retro Style“, adds a dash of retro colour to a Soot Sprite, a Small Totoro and a silhouette of the Large Totoro, accompanied by an auspicious traditional shippo pattern.

These two designs also feature on three other cushions, starting with the “Mini Flat Pillow” which is filled with breathable polyethylene pipes.

▼ Drop

▼ Retro Style

▼ Next up, we have the Bale Pillow, which is filled with low-rebound urethane chips.

These chips have excellent resistance against sagging, so the cushion is less prone to losing its shape, giving you just the right amount of neck support for summertime naps.

▼ The final cushion is the Candy Pillow, so-called as the rolled shape and ties on each end resemble a candy roll.

Filled with breathable polyethylene pipes, this pillow is less prone to heat buildup, making it another summer naptime essential.

For the ultimate nap, you can pair the pillows with an igusa rug, and there are two to choose from in the collection, both cutely named “Wagororo“.

Wagororo combines the word “wa” (“Japanese style”) with “gorogoro” (“to lounge around”), and that’s exactly what these mats are designed for.

▼ The rectangular mat comes in two sizes, 140 x 200 centimetres and 176 x 230 centimetres.

▼ The round mat is 176 centimetres in diameter. 

Every item in the range is made with domestically sourced igusa, and protected with “Hiba Essence” extracted from Hiba trees in Aomori Prefecture, using a special process unique to the manufacturer. Hiba essence contains a natural substance called hinokitiol, which adds further antibacterial and deodorizing properties to each product.

According to stockists Donguri Kyowakoku, the scent of grass and the expressions of Totoro and his friends will help “soothe away the fatigue of everyday life”. That’s something we could definitely do with when Japan’s humidity starts zapping our energy levels, and the entire range is available to purchase now, at Donguri Kyowakoku stores in Japan and at the online store (links below).

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

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  • ✇Openclipart
  • Cartoon Sperm 1 qubodup
    Sperm cell with cartoony eyes. Basic shape hand-drawn in method.ac and then edited in Inkscape. Optimized in SVGOMG. Inspired by discussion about the Audacity 4.0 logo.
     

Cartoon Sperm 1

7 June 2026 at 20:54
Sperm cell with cartoony eyes. Basic shape hand-drawn in method.ac and then edited in Inkscape. Optimized in SVGOMG. Inspired by discussion about the Audacity 4.0 logo.

  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason Casey Baseel
    Children’s Peace Monument is going to be a quieter place for a while. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is located in the center of Hiroshima City, right across the street from where the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. Aside from being a tranquil green space, the park contains several monuments to those who lost their lives in or after the bombing, one of which is the Children’s Peace Monument. The Children’s Peace Monument was built in 1958, following the death of Sadako Sasaki, who wa
     

Memorial bell inside Hiroshima’s Peace Park has been silenced, but for a sweet reason

22 May 2026 at 14:00

Children’s Peace Monument is going to be a quieter place for a while.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is located in the center of Hiroshima City, right across the street from where the atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. Aside from being a tranquil green space, the park contains several monuments to those who lost their lives in or after the bombing, one of which is the Children’s Peace Monument.

The Children’s Peace Monument was built in 1958, following the death of Sadako Sasaki, who was a 2-year-old girl living in Hiroshima when the bomb was dropped and died from leukemia 10 years later. The monument’s central structure consists of a statue of a child standing atop a stone dome, and suspended underneath it is a bell that visitors can ring as a symbol of their wish for peace.

As of May 18, though, the bell has been silenced, but not because of vandalism or a change in public opinion. The reason why is something much more heartwarming: a family of sparrows is moving into it.

A pair of sparrows has been seen gathering branches and placing them inside the bell in order to build a nest. The animals’ activity was first reported by a visitor to the park on May 18, and once administrators confirmed the nest’s presence, the decision was made to detach the chain by which the bell can be rung, in order to keep the nest from being shaken apart or its eventual eggs and hatchlings from being damaged.

▼ The bell’s design has a folded paper crane motif, as the tradition of folding 1,000 cranes to have one’s wish granted is heavily associated with Sasaki.

With Japan’s rainy season on the way, the bell provides a nesting spot that’s protected from the elements and also out of the line of sight of crows and other predators. The Hiroshima City government has said the sparrows are welcome to stay for as long as they need for their babies to grow large enough to leave the nest, at which time workers will remove it and replace the bell’s chain. A similar situation unfolded five years ago, when a different nest was discovered inside the bell and was left in place until its avian occupants vacated it.

Online reactions to the park’s decision have been overwhelmingly positive, and providing a place for new life to come into the world dovetails with Peace Memorial Park’s mission of being not just a place of remembrance, but also a symbol of hope for a compassionate future, and the Hiroshima City government has asked that parkgoers “Please be kind to the sparrows during your visit.”

Source: Chugoku Shimbun, FNN Prime Online
Top image: Wikipedia/Taisyo
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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Cup Noodle hamster wheel is the new adorable pet toy animal lovers in Japan want[Video] Casey Baseel
    Instant ramen maker shows that even hamsters will fall in love with Cup Noodle, if given the chance. Pretty much everyone loves Cup Noodle, from hungry kids to busy college students to adults who don’t want to go through the hassle of cooking after a long day at the office. As a matter of fact, it turns out that the instant ramen brand’s appeal transcends humanity, as a new video shows the massive untapped potential of a new Cup Noodle fanbase: hamsters! Now, we should be clear that the Cup No
     

Cup Noodle hamster wheel is the new adorable pet toy animal lovers in Japan want[Video]

5 June 2026 at 13:00

Instant ramen maker shows that even hamsters will fall in love with Cup Noodle, if given the chance.

Pretty much everyone loves Cup Noodle, from hungry kids to busy college students to adults who don’t want to go through the hassle of cooking after a long day at the office. As a matter of fact, it turns out that the instant ramen brand’s appeal transcends humanity, as a new video shows the massive untapped potential of a new Cup Noodle fanbase: hamsters!

Now, we should be clear that the Cup Noodle manufacturer is not recommending letting your pet hamster eat instant ramen, as the nutritional needs of humans and hamsters are entirely different. Instead, they’ve created a Cup Noodle hamster wheel.

ハムスターがてけてけ夢中になる
カップヌードルを作りました。 pic.twitter.com/BLpQ50FBLg

— カップヌードル (@cupnoodle_jp) June 1, 2026

“We’ve made a Cup Noodle that hamsters love running in,” says the post from Nissin’s official Twitter account, along with an adorable video of a hamster taking it for a spin. However, look closely and you’ll see that isn’t a repurposed ramen container. To make the running motion as natural as possible, the apparatus is a straight cylinder, unlike Cup Noodle packages that widen as you move from the base to the brim. The interior of the cylinder also has little notches to give the hamster better traction as it runs.

The exterior design, though, is an exact match to the classic, iconic Cup Noodle packaging, and with the video representing a meeting point of Japan’s love of instant ramen and its love of cute animals, the online reaction has been overwhelmingly positive and envious.

“I want to let my pet ham-chan run on this too!”
“This…this would be a huge seller!”
“Please offer these for sale. I’ll do anything for one.”
“Add a noodle pattern to the inside, and it’ll be perfect.”
“I want to hook this up to a generator and use the power to boil water to cook my Cup Noodle with.”

As we’ve seen before, Nissin likes to let its design team share photos of its crazy and/or creative prototypes, and sometimes what starts out as just quirky fun actually does end up making it to market if the response is strong enough. That’s what happened with the Cup Noodle Measuring Cup and Cup Noodle Squid Fork, and considering that Japan is a country that has Final Fantasy scratching pads for cats and Dragon Quest dog houses, it seems like there’s probably a market for Cup Noodle hamster wheels too.

Source: Twitter/@cupnoodle_jp via Hamster Sokuho
Top image: Twitter/@cupnoodle_jp
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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos] Casey Baseel
    Pikachu and Gyarados invite you to come by for a relaxing soak as Noto town recovers from disaster. A lot of storylines in the Pokémon anime and video games follow the journeys of Pokémon Trainers as they roam far and wide in search of rare Pocket Monsters as part of their training to become Pokémon Masters. No matter how strong your resolve is to be the very best, though, eventually you’re going to need to take some time to stop and rest along the way. Likewise, if your real-life travels take
     

Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]

26 May 2026 at 02:00

Pikachu and Gyarados invite you to come by for a relaxing soak as Noto town recovers from disaster.

A lot of storylines in the Pokémon anime and video games follow the journeys of Pokémon Trainers as they roam far and wide in search of rare Pocket Monsters as part of their training to become Pokémon Masters. No matter how strong your resolve is to be the very best, though, eventually you’re going to need to take some time to stop and rest along the way. Likewise, if your real-life travels take you to Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture, there’s now a Pokémon-themed hot spring where you can rejuvenate yourself.

You’ll find this place in the town of Nanao, on the Noto Peninsula. This part of the prefecture is part of the collection of communities called Wakura Onsen, which has a number of onsen (hot spring) inns. Many of these facilities were damaged during a powerful earthquake that struck the peninsula in 2024, but the latest sign of the region’s recovery comes with the completion of renovations to the ashiyu foot bath in Yuttari Park. Earlier this month, the foot bath reopened following renovations, and visitors can now enjoy a soak in the company of several different Pokémon, including Pikachu, Gyarados, Vaporeon, and Psyduck!

The photos of the now-open facility show that the designers have done a fantastic job delivering on the promises of the concept renders. The footbath uses legitimate hot spring water, but unlike with a full-fledged onsen, visitors don’t have to be nude to make use of it. Just slip off your shoes and socks, the slide your feet in. Since you’re not completely submerged, you won’t need anything more than a hand towel or handkerchief to dry yourself off afterwards either, making this equally appealing to those looking for a long soak or sightseers who just want a quick Poké-relaxation session before moving on to the rest of their itinerary (such as tracking down the area’s Pokémon manhole covers). Aside from the obvious appeal of the Pokémon statues and murals, the foot bath also faces out onto the waters of the bay adjacent to the park, so you get some beautiful natural scenery to admire as well.

And as cool as the place is, it won’t cost you a single yen to use. Wakura Pokémon Footbath is completely free, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Location information
Wakura Pokémon Footbath / わくらポケモン足湯
Address: Ishikawa-ken, Nanao-shi, Wakuramachi Hibari 1-1
石川県七尾市和倉町ひばり1丁目1番地
Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Source, images: PR Times
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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Art exhibition coming to Tokyo this month brings the cute, scary, and weird to ukiyo-e Krista Rogers
    Animals & Monsters: Cute, Scary, and a Little Weird is the perfect exhibition for anyone who delights in art that doesn’t take itself too seriously. This summer, once you’re done shopping in the trendy streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku district, you won’t have to go far to enjoy a little taste of high culture. In fact, there’s some conveniently located right in front of Tokyo Metro Meiji-Jingumae Station and just around the corner from JR Harajuku Station at the Ota Memorial Museum of Art, a pre
     

Art exhibition coming to Tokyo this month brings the cute, scary, and weird to ukiyo-e

2 June 2026 at 03:00

Animals & Monsters: Cute, Scary, and a Little Weird is the perfect exhibition for anyone who delights in art that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

This summer, once you’re done shopping in the trendy streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku district, you won’t have to go far to enjoy a little taste of high culture. In fact, there’s some conveniently located right in front of Tokyo Metro Meiji-Jingumae Station and just around the corner from JR Harajuku Station at the Ota Memorial Museum of Art, a preeminent museum of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints and drawings. However, this repository is offering a fun twist in its upcoming exhibition that might leave you laughing in the gallery.

From June 23-August 23, the Animals & Monsters: Cute, Scary, and a Little Weird exhibition will have 140 works on display, approximately one-fifth of which are new to the museum’s collection. The event will also be split into two parts that will display entirely different works of art during each.

So what makes it “cute, scary, and a little weird,” you ask? It’s the fact that even master artisans from 200 years ago weren’t afraid to be a little bit silly with their craft. Take this print that’s part of Yoshikazu Utagawa’s Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido series, for instance. At first glance, it appears to show some people being startled at a potato with a tail and legs (for the record, it’s actually a stone tiger–which still leaves us with lots of questions).

▼ “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road: Oiso” by Yoshikazu Utagawa

If anthropomorphized animals are more your thing, you’ll enjoy the series of cat-humans (human-cats?) going about daily life in a variety of settings such as at a public bathhouse. This print would make for an excellent addition to your bathroom with the ability to potentially disturb your guests.

▼ “Cats’ Bathhouse” by unknown artist

Meanwhile, these cats seem to have rented a property with a bunch of their Japanese yokai friends and are throwing an all-night rager.

▼ “Cats’ Blowdart Stand” by Yoshifuji Utagawa

 

On the cuter side of things, there are plenty of prints of animals engaging in all kinds of antics. Take this fox that seems to be wearing the latest in cabbage couture and practicing the choreography to “Thriller.”

▼ “Dancing Fox” by Koson Ohara

Moving into the realm of the bizarre, don’t be weirded out by this chimera of all 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac that’s supposed to bring good luck to the household. Good luck in getting people to give a name to this guy, that is…

(Hey, at least it doesn’t look like it’s about to say, “Ed…ward…”)

▼ “Twelve Animal Signs of Oriental Zodiac Gathering to Form One Animal” by Yoshitora Utagawa

Finally, the jury’s still out on whether the below image is bizarre versus downright scary, but we’ll let you decide for yourselves. In all honesty, though, hopefully the museum will be selling merch with this print so that we can commemorate our visit to the real-life pond in Japan where human-faced fish are supposed to live with one.

▼ “Goldfish Resembling Kabuki Actors” by Yoshiiku Ochiai

Admission to the Ota Museum of Art is by cash only, at 1,200 yen (US$7.53) for adults and 800 yen for university and high school students. Junior high school students and younger enter for free, though you’ll have to be the judge of whether any kids you take with you will find the artwork to be hysterical or terrifying.

Come to think of it, our team of writers will have to take a field trip to see the exhibition when it opens. They’ll fit right in with all of the strange antics being depicted.

Exhibition information
Animals & Monsters: Cute, Scary, and a Little Weird / アニマル&モンスター  かわいい・怖い・ちょっと変
Ota Memorial Museum of Art / 太田記念美術館
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 1-10-10
東京都渋谷区神宮前 1-10-10
Duration: June 23-August 23 (Part I: June 23-July 20, Part II: July 25-August 23)
Open: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.)
Closed: June 29, July 6, July 13, July 21-24, July 27, August 3, August 10, August 17
Website

Source, images: Ota Memorial Museum of Art press release
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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Dragon Quest Slimes appear on Baskin-Robbins ice cream cakes in Japan, Critical Hit flavor debuts Casey Baseel
    Critical Hit-flavor ice cream and Mimic containers among the sweet adventures waiting at Baskin-Robbins. Generally speaking, customers wouldn’t be happy to see slimes at the restaurants and sweets shops they visit. But just like your kindergarten teacher told you, capitalization is important, and so the appearance of Slimes at Baskin-Robbins Japan is a cause for joy across the nation. Yes, the mascot monsters of the Dragon Quest video game franchise have drawn near to Thirty-One, as Baskin-Rob
     

Dragon Quest Slimes appear on Baskin-Robbins ice cream cakes in Japan, Critical Hit flavor debuts

5 June 2026 at 01:00

Critical Hit-flavor ice cream and Mimic containers among the sweet adventures waiting at Baskin-Robbins.

Generally speaking, customers wouldn’t be happy to see slimes at the restaurants and sweets shops they visit. But just like your kindergarten teacher told you, capitalization is important, and so the appearance of Slimes at Baskin-Robbins Japan is a cause for joy across the nation.

Yes, the mascot monsters of the Dragon Quest video game franchise have drawn near to Thirty-One, as Baskin-Robbins is known to fans in Japan. Among the treats that made their debut on June 1 is the Slimes Draw Near Ice Cream Cake.

This 11.5-centimeter (4.5-inch) diameter cake features a two-tiered Slime Island with edible frosting Slimes, decorative paper ones, and a command window-style chocolate plate with a message of your choice written on it (the one in the above photo announces “Papa has reached level 31!”). The cake’s interior is made up of four different flavors of ice cream: Double Chocolate, Caramel Ribbon, Strawberry, and Popping Shower, the last of which is so deeply loved in Japan that Baskin-Robbins had to remove it from the voting in their popularity polls.

Arriving at the same time as the Slime cake is a new ice cream flavor called Critical Hit Golden Pineapple Lemonade (or Kaishin no Ichigeki Golden Pine Lemonade in Japanese) that tips its hat to Dragon Quest’s RPG gameplay mechanics.

The looks here are a little deceiving, as the sky-blue sorbet here isn’t the Ramune/Blue Hawaii flavor usually associated with this color in Japan, but instead is a lemonade-flavor sorbet, while the yellow is golden pineapple sorbet. The “critical hit” comes from the red ribbons of sour lemon flavor and the mixed-in pieces of Baskin-Robbins Japan’s newly crafted pachishuwa/“fizzy popping” candies, giving this refreshing new ice cream flavor a stimulating kick too.

▼ The introductory video even features the Dragon Quest critical hit sound effect, plus pop-up damage scores of 31, 310, and 3,131.

Of course, Baskin-Robbins’ whole deal is that they have a bunch of different flavors, and if you’re in the mood for far more than just one, there’s a Dragon Quest 40th Set (since this year is Dragon Quest’s 40th anniversary) that puts eight ice cream flavors of your choice inside a Mimic. Each flavor comes in a special cup with Dragon Quest overworld map pixel artwork, and the bundle also includes a Popping Shower Slime keychain.

▼ In order to lure in gold-seeking adventurers, Mimics usually disguise themselves as treasure chests, but here in the real world is there any container more tempting than a box filled with ice cream?

And finally, for those focused enough to only need one scoop of ice cream, or perhaps those cultured enough to always want whipped cream and sprinkles, there’s the A Slime Draws Near Battle Sundae, which includes one of 10 random decorative character illustrations.

The Battle Sundae is priced at 580 yen (US$3.75), the Slime cake 4,300 yen, and the Mimic box 3,000 or 3,500 yen, depending on whether you choose small or regular-sized scoops of ice cream. The Dragon Quest collaboration is scheduled to run until June 30.

Source: Baskin-Robbins Japan via Otakomu
Top image: Baskin-Robbins Japan
Insert images: Baskin-Robbins Japan (1, 2, 3)
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  • ✇SoraNews24 Japan
  • Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe reopens this month with brand-new sweets and Pikachu show Casey Baseel
    Renovations wrapping up in Tokyo, new menu items on their way to Osaka too. If you’re a Pokémon fan, heading to Japan’s Pokémon Cafe as soon as possible probably seems like a no-brainer. However, if you can hold out for a few more weeks, you’ll be rewarded for your patience, as there’s a slew of brand-new, incredibly adorable new items being added to the menu. The arrival of the new entree, dessert, and drink options coincides with this month’s grand reopening of the Pokémon Cafe Tokyo. At th
     

Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe reopens this month with brand-new sweets and Pikachu show

4 June 2026 at 01:00

Renovations wrapping up in Tokyo, new menu items on their way to Osaka too.

If you’re a Pokémon fan, heading to Japan’s Pokémon Cafe as soon as possible probably seems like a no-brainer. However, if you can hold out for a few more weeks, you’ll be rewarded for your patience, as there’s a slew of brand-new, incredibly adorable new items being added to the menu.

The arrival of the new entree, dessert, and drink options coincides with this month’s grand reopening of the Pokémon Cafe Tokyo. At the time of its opening in 2018, Japan’s first permanent Pokémon restaurant was already an awesome place to visit, and the newly redone interior will feature even more species of Pokémon in its art and decorations.

Among the menu items making their debut is the Chocolate and Berry Pikachu Parfait, a mixture of sweet, fruity, and creamy flavors topped with strawberries and a Pikachu made of mousse with chocolate facial features.

Continuing with the sweet treats, there’s also the Eevee Colorful Fruit Pancake, which gives a nod to Eeevee’s many possible evolutions with a rainbow of dried fruit pieces and recreates the Pokémon’s tuft of fluffy fur with Mascarpone cream.

We’d be the last ones to criticize fans for ordering double dessert, (our independent research has found that it’s the most important meal of the day), but we’d highly recommend saving room for some savory stuff too, like the Pikachu and Pichu Friends Curry Plate, with a Pikachu-shaped serving of saffron rice and a Poké Ball-style hamburger steak.

The sleepiest Pokémon couldn’t be bothered to wake up for the Napping Snorlax Teriyaki Burger, but he does at least let you use his tummy for the top bun of this teriyaki chicken and scrambled egg sandwich, and he contributes some carrot Zs to the accompanying veggie mix.

Rounding out the new entree choices is the Mimikyu Disguise Omelet, recreating the mysterious Ghost/Fairy-type’s covering in egg form, with a salad and cup of corn chowder, with Pokémon-shaped pasta, on the side.

And last, to wash everything down there’s the new Go! Greninja! White Peach Smokescreen Drink. Floating in the glass is a gelatin Water Shuriken, and the Pokémon Cafe promises that the drink also shows off Greninja’s Smokescreen ability, which could mean that it has some sort of foamy or cotton candy-cloud creating effect.

The visual appeal of dining at the Pokémon Cafe isn’t limited to the food on your plate or the art of the walls, either. Seatings are done in set time blocks, and each of them includes a visit by some species of Pokémon. To celebrate the debut of the new Pikachu parfait, there’s also a new show, Let’s Make a Pika Pika Parfait, a 10-minute performance featuring a trio of culinary Pikachus.

▼ From left to right these are Waitress Pikachu, Chef Pikachu, and Patissier Pikachu, but they also look like they could be the panel of a Pokémon-themed Iron Chef reboot (which someone should make immediately).

▼ The same three also appear on special Pokémon 30th anniversary stickers given out randomly with drink orders.

Prices for the above items range from 1,375 yen (US$9) for the Greninja drink to 2,090 yen for the desserts and 2,530 yen for everything else. The new menu items will be available at both the Tokyo and Osaka Pokémon Cafes starting June 17, which is also the grand reopening date for the renovated Tokyo branch, which has been closed since late March.

Related: Pokémon Cafe
Source: Pokémon Cafe (1, 2, 3)
Top image: Pokémon Cafe
Insert images: Pokémon Cafe (1, 2)
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  • Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan Oona McGee
    Kitakitsune Milk celebrates the charm of Hokkaido with kawaii style.  Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido is famous for many things, including high-quality milk, thanks to the region’s many dairy farms, and the indigenous Ezo red fox, known locally as the “kitakitsune” (“northern fox”). Both these renowned claims-to-fame are now being honoured in a new Krispy Kreme product called the “Krispy Kreme Premium Hokkaido Kitakitsune Milk“. The “Krispy Kreme Premium Hokkaido” series is a line
     

Krispy Kreme releases new limited-edition fox doughnuts at only four stores in Japan

25 May 2026 at 02:00

Kitakitsune Milk celebrates the charm of Hokkaido with kawaii style. 

Japan’s northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido is famous for many things, including high-quality milk, thanks to the region’s many dairy farms, and the indigenous Ezo red fox, known locally as the “kitakitsune” (“northern fox”).

Both these renowned claims-to-fame are now being honoured in a new Krispy Kreme product called the “Krispy Kreme Premium Hokkaido Kitakitsune Milk“.

The “Krispy Kreme Premium Hokkaido” series is a line of premium doughnuts developed with a focus on Hokkaido’s ingredients, local products, and culture. According to the chain, the kitakitsune doughnut is a limited-edition exclusive that once appeared in Hokkaido three years ago, but now it’s back with an even cuter expression and an updated flavor that truly captures the essence of Hokkaido.

This new version features a fluffy dough filled with smooth milk cream made with Hokkaido milk and covered in a rich, pudding-flavoured coating. Dark chocolate is used to faithfully recreate the fox’s slightly upturned, almond-shaped eyes, and coffee-flavoured chocolate is used to represent the tiny nose. The whiskers are made with white chocolate, while the pointed ears are formed with the help of sesame cheese crackers, creating an adorable expression that’s true to the look of the animal.

Cute and delicious, this doughnut represents Hokkaido’s natural beauty and charm, and will only be available this summer. Just as the kitakitsune can only be found on Hokkaido, these doughnuts will also be exclusively available there, at the island’s four store locations. Sales will commence at these stores (listed below) from 3 June for a limited time., with each doughnut priced at 388 yen (US$2.44) for takeout or 396 yen for eat-in.

Store information

Krispy Kreme Sitatte Sapporo Store / クリスピー・クリームSitatte sapporo 店
Address: Hokkaido-ken, Sapporo-shi, Chuo-ku, Kita 2-jo Nishi 3-chome 20-1, Sitatte Sapporo B1F
北海道札幌市中央区北2条西3丁目20-1 sitatte sapporo B1F
Open: 8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (Mon–Fri); 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (Sat–Sun)
Website

Krispy Kreme Sapporo Pole Town Store / クリスピー・クリーム札幌ポールタウン店
Address: Hokkaido-ken, Sapporo-shi, Chuo-ku, Minami 3-jo Nishi 4-chome, Pole Town B-72
北海道札幌市中央区南3条西4丁目 ポールタウン B-72
Open: 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (Mon–Fri); 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. (Fri–Sat); 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (Sun and public holidays)
Website

Krispy Kreme Sapporo Le Trois Store / クリスピー・クリーム札幌ル・トロワ店
Address: Hokkaido-ken, Sapporo-shi, Chuo-ku, Odori Nishi 1-chome 13, Le Trois 1F
北海道札幌市中央区大通西1丁目13 ル・トロワ1F
Open: 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Website

Krispy Kreme Chitose Outlet Mall Rera Store / クリスピー・クリーム千歳アウトレットモール・レラ店
Address: Hokkaido-ken, Chitose-shi, Kashiwadai Minami 1-2-1, Lot 1220
北海道千歳市柏台南1-2-1 1220区画
Open: 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Sat and Sun only)
Closed Mon-Fri
Website

Source, images: Press release
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