With its beautiful character design and story that have captured the hearts of people from around the world, it’s no wonder that Sailor Moon is still a popular series today. As someone who grew up with the English dub of the anime in America, I am proud to say it is still one of my all time favorites. Though there have been a number of pop-up Sailor Moon cafes that last for a limited time, a new and permanent theater show restaurant called Shining Moon has permanently opened this year. I decided to check it out with one of my best friends and I genuinely enjoyed my experience here. The live performances definitely added a lot to it!
During dinner time two immaculate shows with professional actors are performed. One is recordable and the other is non-recordable. Both will keep you on your toes because they feature a lot of fighting, singing, and dancing with colorful visuals. One began with Usagi dancing at a ball with Tuxedo Mask, only to wake up and find it was all a dream! Another was completely original and showed the girls visiting different areas of Tokyo (like Harajuku and Asakusa), then being swarmed by villians that they need to defeat. The shows did a good job in showcasing each girl’s abilities and giving them equal time on stage. It really felt like I was watching a live version of the anime.
At this time the restaurant only features the inner senshi and it is unknown if other characters will be featured. I see it being possible in the future as long as this restaurant continues to attract customers (which it is).
Before entering the cafe, you must make a reservation online in advance (we did a few days before) and pay by using credit card. This cafe is a bit more expensive compared to the other themed ones; dinner is 8500 yen for S seats and 7500 yen for A seats. The lunch time option is only 3500 yen but doesn’t include the show. However, a drink and a meal is included in all of these prices. Here are some of the things that we ordered:
I genuinely enjoyed the Jupiter Seafood Pasta and Venus Crepes I ordered. They had drinks for all of the Sailor Scouts too! Every food item that you order comes with a free Sailor Moon plate which makes the entry fee worth it. They also have a gift store you can buy special goods from. The menu items seem to rotate every month, so please check the online menu in advance to see what’s available. Fortunately they had some vegetarian options available.
At the end of the shows, all of the actors will come out and wave at you! It was amazing to see them up close. Their outfits were very detailed and they stayed enthusiastic until the very end. It was a very memorable experience!
Address
〒106-0045 Tokyo, Minato City, Azabujuban, 1 Chome−10, ジュールＡ
Pop-up Sailor Moon Cafe (2017)
Earlier in 2017 I went to a pop-up Sailor Moon Cafe that was available for 2 months in Omotesando. Here are some old photos that I took. I really enjoyed the design of the Usagi and Mamoru pancakes, and the cotton candy Luna drink:
This cafe is now closed, but sometimes they have themed collaboration cafes that open in this rental space and it’s possible there will be another Sailor Moon one in the future. I will be sure to write about it if it happen!