Tag: tokyo

Miracle Romance! A trip to Tokyo’s new Sailor Moon Restaurant: Shining Moon Tokyo

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!

Experiencing the Raccoon and Meerkat Cafes in Seoul

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Raccoons are surprisingly friendly creatures–not home wreckers!

As an animal lover, I have been to every single animal cafe in Japan so during my first trip to Korea I decided to visit all of the ones that Japan doesn’t have.  My research led me to find two separate animal cafes for raccoons and meerkats in two of Seoul’s major districts.  In this article I will be reporting my experiences from both cafes as part of my ongoing Korea article series.

Meerkat Friends

Before being locked in a cage with dozens of these creatures and having one try to crawl up my skirt, I had no idea that meerkats were such feisty mongooses.  I thought they would behave similar to ferrets–finicky but overall pleasant and holdable.  Instead these meerkats loved play-fighting with one another and could never sit still so it was very difficult to interact with them (and also take photos, but that’s beside the point).

Upon further research I discovered that they are actually carnivores, so this kind of behavior completely makes sense!  They are so entertaining to watch and this is a rare opportunity to see them up close, so I would recommend coming here if you get the chance.  Just be careful of what you wear because it may get stuck on their claws!  You will be lent an apron when you enter the meerkat playpen.

In addition to the playful meerkats, this cafe also has cats and wallabies in separate areas, so it really is worth the money!  The wallabies were a lot more friendly and could easily be pet and fed.  I was happy to see that the cafe was clean and that all the animals seemed to get along with one another.

Meerkat Friends Address

364-3 서교동, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Entrance Fee: 10,000KRW

Blind Alley

Blind Alley is one of the best animal cafes that I’ve been to!  In America, raccoons have quite bad reputations as animals that break into houses and are quite greedy with stealing food.  However, the ones at this cafe were very calm and relaxed.  The store asks that you do not pick them up, however, if you offer them food they will likely come to you.

A sign at the store reads:

Do not try to hold or put the raccon on your head, it’s the raccoon’s choice, not yours. Only lucky people will be able to enjoy that kind of moment. Sorry

I thought that was very funny!  Fortunately I was one of the “lucky people” and the raccoon climbed on my head for a brief second.  It surprisingly did not hurt at all.  The raccoons have a lot of space at this cafe so they can choose to climb into the rafters or freely interact with visitors.  I think that Blind Alley had a pretty good setup.

In addition to raccoons, there was one baby pig there as well when I visited in 2018.  I was able to hold him in a blanket for a while.

Overall both of my animal cafes in Seoul were very pleasant and the system was similar to Tokyo.  At the raccoon cafe, I was able to stay as long as I wanted so I was very grateful for that.

Blind Alley Address

76 Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Cheongpadong 2(i)-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Entrance Fee: 6,000KRW

Finding Inner Peace while Backpacking through Hiroshima & Miyajima (Japan)

Over the weekend, I had the grand opportunity to explore Hiroshima and its smaller cities: Onomichi, Fukuyama, and the famous Rabbit Island.  Despite the tragedy that occurred here [which you can still see the remains of at places like the Atomic Bomb Dome], Hiroshima has rebuilt itself into a beautiful city where many people live, work, and come to travel–it has both a sense of peace and adventure to be had.

I had previously visited central Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Museum when I was 19 years old and first studying abroad in Japan, but it took me 6 years to find the proper time to come back here.  I feel so fortunate that I was able to go backpacking and explore the fascinating cities here, because they are truly unlike any place I’ve explored in Kanto, Kansai, Kyushu, or Hokkaido.  You’ll notice that this area is definitely more quiet than other places, but it’s perfect for reflecting on life and spending time with yourself.  I found that it’s also easy to make friends at the local eateries and bars as well.

Getting to Hiroshima

From Tokyo, I booked a flight in advance for around 25,000 yen from Haneda Airport to Hiroshima Airport through ANA because that is the fastest an most cost-effective way to get here for someone living as a long-term resident in Japan.

You can also travel by train (which I recommend for everyone who purchased a JR Pass because it will be covered), but it can take up to 5 hours from Tokyo.  It is better to take the shinkansen from Osaka, Nagoya, or Kyoto if you plan on exploring multiple areas of Japan.

I stayed at at Hostel Mallika for just under 1800 yen per night (the accommodations are extremely affordable).

Things to do in Hiroshima

My top recommendations for Hiroshima are going to the Peace Museum and Memorial Park, seeing the castle, trying some okonomiyaki, and also checking out Miyajima Island, which is just a short boat ride away!  I boarded the ferry at the pier near the Memorial Park because it was near by hotel (you can see the exact location and time tables from the Miyajima Tourist Website).  Roundtrip tickets are 4000 yen, but I think the experience is extremely worth it!

Exploring Miyajima Island

On Miyajima Island, you can see friendly deer, visit the highly aesthetic Itsukushima Shrine (you will see it on many postcards in Japan), and eat some fresh oysters.  There is a shopping street, a lovely beach, and a ton of other shrines and historical monuments to visit.  It’s recommended to come here during the summer season since the weather will be more pleasant, but I came during late November and was surprised to be able to see lovely fall foliage around the island.

Though Miyajima is a popular tourist destination (attracting grade school Japanese tourists and some foreign ones as well), you will find that it’s far less crowded and more peaceful than other places in Japan.  I had a lot of fun reminiscing here.  Though it’s been 6 years since I’ve last been here, I was surprised to find that it’s almost exactly the same as I remember.  The only thing that has changed is that some of the shops and cafes have become more modernized, but you can still find traditional Japanese food here.

For food recommendations, I suggest trying the green tea ice cream topped with the deer cookie and the oyster soba sold near the pier.  Though it doesn’t really suit the style of the island, I came across some interesting Rilakkuma burgers sold on the shopping street.  You can choose to have an eel or oyster croquette burger, or a dessert burger made.  I tried the eel croquette burger, and I couldn’t believe how delicious it was!  Additionally, I found a bar called “Oyster” on the same street.  You can order your first alcoholic beverage for 600-700 yen, and refills are 200-300 yen depending on what you order.  This is a cost-effective way to turn up on Miyajima, as the convenience stores are quite limited here.

Another thing I loved about this island is how many people brought their dogs.  I saw five dogs and one deer approaching them out of curiosity, yet all of them coexisted in harmony.  I wish that we [as humans] could do more of this.  The other picture I captured of the deer is arguably the most meme-worthy photo on this trip.  Being on this island really taught me a lot!  The average time that people spend here is usually 2-3 hours.

Eating at an Anime Okonomiyaki Restaurant

After fully exploring Miyajima, I decided to head back to the mainland to meet a friend of my boss.  Since I am an avid anime fan, he took me to a popular anime izakaya called “Momijitei“.  This restaurant is small, but has an amazing atmosphere and absolutely delicious food!  The restaurant is plastered with Love Live and Idolm@ster posters, there are cute anime girls beckoning you to order Coca Cola (and other drinks), and anime openings loop continuously on tiny TV screens.  This place definitely is a vibe, and serves some of the best okonomiyaki in town.

I had a nice conversation with one of the staff about Touhou Project.  He was surprised to know that a foreigner knew about the series, but if only he knew how popular the fanbase was outside of Japan!

I decided to order the seafood okonomiyaki with shrimp, drink a few glasses of wine, and enjoy the small but definitely fun nightlife of Hiroshima.  As a special service, the staff brought out a dessert with little ice cream bunnies.  At this point I was definitely tipsy and overcome with happiness.

The irony was that I was planning on going to the Rabbit Island the next morning, so this was the perfectly chosen dessert.  I was sure to thank everyone there for their hard work and hospitality.

In my next articles, I will be covering smaller towns outside of Hiroshima and also the Pasocom Ongaku Club events I went to at small event spaces here.  If you have any questions regarding Hiroshima, please feel free to ask me!

Take Your Heart: Visiting the Persona 5 Cafes in Japan

One of the best perks of living in Japan and being a gamer is having the ability to attend the amazing pop-up cafes that are available here for a limited time only.  During my stay here, I have been fortunate enough to been able to dine at both the Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal Cafes held at two different locations.  Making a reservation for these cafes can sometimes be a bit difficult as they are quite popular, but I will be sharing my experience in this post to hopefully help and inspire other people to come and visit!

The Original Persona 5 Cafe at Pasela Resorts (Shibuya)

If you’ve played the game, you’ve probably seen a building called “Pasela Resorts” located on the map.  That is because ATLUS had a collaboration with the popular karaoke chain Pasela Resorts in Shibuya from 10/14/2016 – 11/23/2016 with the series.  The original Persona 5 Cafe was located on the 2nd floor of this location and required winning an in-person lottery to attend (meaning it was so popular at the time that you could not make a reservation online).

This was quite a heart-racing lottery, but I was determined to win!  I remember arriving at 10am, lining up with around 100 or so other people on a 6 floor spiral staircase in front of the cafe, and drawing a ticket from a box.  Fortunately, I drew a winning ticket!  However, many people were unable to win.  I went on a Saturday morning due to my hectic work schedule at the time, but perhaps if you went on a weekday you would have a better chance.

Even though I went alone, I had a ton of fun!  I ordered the Ann and Joker drinks as well as the Leblanc curry and dessert pizza.  Being in a room surrounded by other Persona fans filled my heart with joy.  This was one of the first themed cafes I had been to, so it really left a good impression on me.

Persona 5 Royal Cafe at SEGA Collab Cafe (Akihabara)

3 years later I made it to the Persona 5 Royal Cafe in Akihabara–but this time with friends!  Since this was a collaboration held at the SEGA Cafe, the reservation process was much easier.  Online reservation in advance was possible, but you could also look at the cafe’s available seats and walk in on the day you wanted to go if there was space.  That is what we did as a group of six, and we all managed to sit together!  Between all of us, we were able to order almost every item on the menu and swap coasters.  This time they had coasters of both the new P5 art and chibi versions of the characters given randomly with every purchase of a drink or food item.  This cafe lasted from 11/2/2018 – 12/1/2018.  Though I have not played the game yet, I am super excited to now!

If you have missed the dates for these cafes, fear not!  Whenever a new game, movie, or even musical are announced, usually these cafes pop up and you can always search for the special merchandise online.  I hope to attend many more Persona Cafes and events in the future, as it is one of my favorite series that has taught me much about how social relationships can affect you and the world around you!

Laugh of the Day

On our way up to the SEGA Cafe, we noticed a very special claw machine game filled with dozens of Anns… and one sole Ryuji!  What a lucky fellow–if only it were Morgana instead!

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Ryuji Sakamoto is in heaven.

Tokyo’s Extremely Charming Mipig Cafe

Earlier last week I had the pleasure of going to Japan’s very first micro pig (dubbed “Mipig”) Cafe located in Meguro.  What exactly is a micro pig, you ask?  Micro pigs are miniature pigs that are specially bred to be smaller in size and have friendly, dog-like personality traits while they are young.  They have sparked somewhat of a controversy online due to many people wanting them as pets but not being prepared to look after them when they rapidly grow in size.  Though the Japan Times cautions pet owners the risks of owning a micro pig, they are legal to own in this country and can live a healthy lifestyle if properly cared for.  When I entered the cafe, I was happy to see it was clean and that the pigs were both energetic and welcoming of human company.

The Mipig Cafe currently has 2 locations in Tokyo (Meguro and Harajuku) and can be booked in timeslots of 30 or 60 minutes by making a reservation online.  We decided to go to the Meguro location simply because it has less traffic.  Once you arrive, you will be given simple instructions on how to interact with the pigs, and be asked to order a drink around 600 yen.  We also ordered cake for ourselves as well which was surprisingly delicious.  The cost to enter the cafe is 800 yen per 30 minutes, which is quite affordable compared to other animal cafes.  I had previously held a baby pig while I was in Korea, but this was my first time ever seeing them run around:

Interacting with the pigs is quite easy and fun.  As you can see from the video, basically they will come to you!  They are very curious creatures and love to be petted and fed.  We bought some feed for them and instantly they ran over towards us (the food can be purchased for 100 yen and I recommend buying it for them).  Taking pictures of them proved to be quite difficult as they love to move and run around, but I went more for the experience since it’s quite easy to take photographs of baby pigs at farms and zoos.

What happens to the micro pigs when they outgrow their micro status and become adult pigs?  According to the official Mipig FAQ, they are eventually be adopted to a new family after they have acquired social training and sufficient human interaction at the cafe.  That is why I think this cafe is a great place to interact with the pigs without having the risk of being unable to suit their needs as a pet owner.  Though the controversy of breeding these pigs still remains, fortunately there seem to be a growing amount of resources in Japan to educate pet owners on proper care.

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Vol. 2)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Volume 2). ♥ For reference, please see Volume 1 here.

Sweets Paradise (Akihabara Branch)

 

Sweets Paradise is an extremely popular buffet-style dessert restaurant with multiple branches in Tokyo.  You can choose from an unlimited selection of multi-colored pastries for 70 – 90 mins.  However, the branch in Akihabara offers a take-out option with cake that looks like actual ramen!  Even the toppings are edible and have an extremely sweet flavor.  The “noodles” are actually just thick layers of frosting.  This is probably one of the most unreal sweets I have ever eaten (appearance-wise), but the taste was definitely worth it!

New New York Club

 

New New York Club became a meme because of its rainbow bagels stuffed with delicious cream cheese.  These bagels sell out fast so sadly I wasn’t able to get one, but they do have multi-colored bagels you can purchase too!  They still taste the same as a regular bagel despite their strange color, and I prefer them to most Japanese bagels because they are larger and softer in texture.  Ikumimama Animal Doughnuts is another cute bakery that is right around the corner from here!  Be sure to pick up some cute cat donuts if you still have an appetite.

Aoyama Flower Market Teahouse

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Aoyama Flower Market is a popular florist chain that is often found in Tokyo train stations.  Stopping here is convenient if you want to pick up flowers for a special occasion, but certain locations also have cafes with extremely aesthetic food too!  I ordered this delicious parfait with pink jelly and fruit that looks like a work of art at the Kichijyoji location.  They have a seasonal menu that rotates frequently, so be sure to check online to see what they are serving.  All of the food here has an extremely appetizing look and taste.

Salon Ginza Sabou

 

This upscale restaurant exploded with popularity when they released their infamous green tea boxes.  Under a thin layer of green tea-flavored chocolate topped with green tea powder that you break apart with your spoon, you will find the goldmine of all green tea desserts.  Watch my video and see Sabou’s website for more information.  Other restaurants are starting to copy this style of dessert, but this was the original place that invented it.

Liquid Nitrogen Kit-Kats

 

It’s no secret that Japan is infatuated with Kit-Kats.  Walk into any souvenir store and the first thing you will besides the obvious Hachiko-shaped sweets is corn, sweet potato, green tea, and other strange flavors of Kit-Kats.  The Kit Kat Chocolatory and Café offers a whole different level of strangeness with its liquid nitrogen Kit-Kats.  It was surreal to watch the Japanese waiter pour liquid nitrogen onto a platter where it would perfectly chill a sweet commonly found in the US, but it was definitely worth the experience.  You can customize your own Kit-Kats at this cafe as well!  There are a variety of unique toppings you can choose from and the menu changes its featured items each season.

Doubutsuen Ice Cream/The Zoo

 

Doubutsuen was another dessert place that exploded with popularity in Harajuku due to its cute animal cones.  I opted for the tripple scoop piggy the first time I came here.  Originally you would buy a ticket from the front of the shop that looked like a vending machine and they would make your cone for you behind the curtain, but due to the mass amount of people waiting in line on the street, they moved their shop to the end of Takeshita Street under the name “The Zoo” so they could serve more customers.  The ice cream here is not only cute but also delicious, so I highly recommend it!

Other Ice Cream Recommendations

 

Other ice cream spots I highly recommend trying are Edy’s Ice Cream for their cute customizable cones with unicorn and heart-shaped toppings, Milkcow for their rich and creamy soft-serve ice cream, Coisof for their black ice cream with crunchy colored toppings, and Godiva simply for their unmatched rich flavor of chocolate ice cream.  It’s hard to find bad ice cream in Tokyo, it really is!

Bonus: Rainbow Sweets Harajuku

 

Last but not least, if you are looking for brightly-colored photogenic food then I would recommend coming to Rainbow Sweets Harajuku!  This is right off Takeshita Street and attracts a lot of customers, but the food is all take-out so it doesn’t take much time to receive your order.  I ordered the rainbow grilled cheese and the rainbow ice cream.  These were fun to take pictures of, but the taste was so-so.  Instead I recommend trying the ice cream places I mentioned above because they have a way better taste.

Thank you for reading Volume 2 of my dessert cafe expedition in Tokyo.  If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments!  I will be make more volumes in the future!

M3秋2019: Attending M3 for the First Time

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to attend M3, one of Japan’s biggest interactive multimedia events that is essentially the Comiket of music.  M3 is a great opportunity for aspiring artists and record labels because they are able to rent a booth and distribute their music in addition to connecting with other artists and fans.  I like this kind of event because it preserves the culture of physical music distribution and a lot of the music sold here is unavailable online so you won’t be able to find it elsewhere.  The same goes for the merchandise (such as hats and bags) as well.  There is also a space where you can freely listen to select music with your own headphones or have the option of renting some.  It’s very exciting to wander around here because you can literally see the happiness of people as they connect with the artists they love.

Getting to M3

M3 takes place at Tokyo Ryutsu Center, which consists of six exhibition stalls and a conference center with multiple floors.  This complex is actually really close to Haneda airport, so I rode the local Tokyo-Monorail towards Haneda-Airport Terminal 2 to reach it.  The event goes from 11:00 – 15:30, and I arrived at 11:30 just to avoid the initial crowds.  My timing was perfect because it only took me around 5 minutes to register and I was able to visit the 3 booths that I wanted.  The entrance fee is 1500 yen, plus it includes a guide with all of the participants listed and a map which is quite handy.

Navigating M3

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The floorplan of M3秋2019.

Navigating M3 is quite daunting at first, because each booth is identified with a letter and a series of numbers.  The booths are placed side by side and there’s a lot going on so it’s really easy to walk past the one you’re looking for.  Not only do they use all 26 letters of the English alphabet in the booth naming system, but they also use Japanese hiragana and katakana consonants and vowels as well.  There is very little English guidance and I don’t think much of the staff speaks English, so I would strongly recommend researching the artists/circles you’re interested in and finding exactly where their booth is placed before you come here.  It is extremely fun to wander around, but sadly there is not enough time to fully experience each and every artist’s music as this is only a one day event.  I would advise you to plan ahead so you can make the most of your time here.

Buying Music at M3

The CD I was most interested in buying was TVR Compilation Vol. 1, which is from a relatively new independent label in Asia.  One of my favorite artists who I’ve written about before; in the blue shirt, has released a rare song that is only obtainable at M3.

Here is the preview of the compilation that was uploaded a few weeks before:

Fortunately when I arrived there were multiple copies of the compilation I wanted, and the people running the booth were quite friendly and gave me an extra CD along with my purchase so it was an extremely good experience.  The compilation was only 1000 yen and was more than worth the cost.  All of the artists on the compilation have experience in the music industry, so it was quite the noteworthy compilation.

The first time I ever saw in the blue shirt at Lounge Neo in 2017, he played the song 「Dreamin’ of You」as an exclusive song in his set.  I’ve wanted the song for the longest time but I could never obtain it until now.  Finally in 2019 it was officially released as a part of this compilation, and I am very happy to officially have it in my collection now!

In addition to TVR’s booth, I also checked out the booths for Miraicha and Lipgloss Records.  I bought some merch for my friends overseas who couldn’t be here, and also picked up the Departure CD early that a lot of artists I know have collaborated on.  While I was here I saw so many familiar names of Japanese artists like IOSYS and ave;new that I listened to in high school through the internet, so I felt extremely nostalgic even though it was my first time here.  I had an amazing time even though I was only here to purchase a few things.  It truly felt like a dream to be here.

Closing Remarks

Overall M3 is a really friendly event that is perfect for networking and sharing music.  All of the music and merch is extremely affordable (most CDs are sold for 1200 yen on average), and I like knowing that all of the profits go to the artists and record labels (in addition to the booth rental fee).  M3 is quite comparable to Comiket, but not as big and daunting.  The size of the event center was enough to accommodate all of the artists and crowds of people, so I was relieved that I didn’t have to deal with long wait lines or commuter traffic on the trains.  All of the artists I talked to were happy to meet me, so I left the event center with an extremely good feeling.  If you love Japanese music as much as I do, please consider checking M3 out!

*M3 is a seasonal event, so you can check the latest information on their official website here.

Desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Vol. 1)

Here is a collection of desserts that will make your heart melt in Tokyo (Volume 1). ♥

This city has no shortage of of aesthetic foods so I will continue to share cafes that I stumble across in future posts!

Roll Ice Cream Factory

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Roll Ice Cream Factory opened just 2 years ago in central Harajuku and has a colorful array of flavors and toppings that you can mix together to form quite beautiful creations.  Similar to the New York style of roll ice cream, you choose the base flavor you want and watch them craft it into tiny little rolls.  I chose the “American Dream” combo and added a taiyaki to the top of it for fun.  This is patriotism at its finest!  Roll ice cream isn’t quite the same as soft serve ice cream, but it still is worth trying at least once in your lifetime.  They also have matcha and delicious chocolate rolls that you can try as well.

Harebare Pecori

For some of the most monstrous milkshakes in Tokyo, stop by Harebare Pecori in Shinjuku!  Here you will find colossal shakes with ice cream, cotton candy, lollipops, cookies, whipped cream, and many toppings to completely satisfy your craving for sweets.  Finishing one shake by myself proved to be a challenging quest, so I suggest you share one of these with a friend.  I enjoyed the massive amounts of whipped cream and the creative placement of all of the toppings.

Milky Way Cafe

Now this place is classic.  Likely if you’ve researched desserts in Tokyo, you’ve come across Milky Way Cafe in Ikebukero.  This cafe has a different parfait for each sign of the Zodiac, and the quality of the food is really amazing too.  You really can’t go wrong with anything you choose here because the presentation is amazing.  I loved the mini chocolate cake on top of my parfait!  It definitely made my day worth the trip.

Micasadeco & Cafe

This place became a meme due to its wiggly jiggly fluffy stacks of pancakes.  You can wobble the plate and the pancakes will still stick together as if they are compelled by a magic force.  I highly recommend taking a trip to Micasadeco & Cafe in Shibuya if the opportunity arises.  I think these are some of the fluffiest pancakes I’ve seen in a while.

Patisserie Potager

If you are looking for cakes with interesting flavor combinations, look no further than Patisserie Potager!  Here I found tomato cake and avocado pudding as well as other unlikely French-Japanese fusion cuisines that tasted amazing.  Most of these desserts are lighter on calories than regular cakes so they are a healthier option.

Sakura Cafe Mukojima’s Tokyo Skytree Parfait

Like Tokyo’s infamous landmark, this Tokyo Skytree parfait at Sakura Cafe Mukojima mimics the real thing standing at 63.4 cm high, as the actual tower is 634 meters tall.  Loaded with jelly, ice cream, fruit, mochi, and a giant soft-served ice cream cone, this dessert does not disappoint!  I ordered the matcha flavor, but there are other fruity flavors available for purchase.  I was very impressed with how they balanced all the ingredients to make it stand up.

Nanaya

On the subject of green tea and ice cream, Nanaya is another store that should not be missed because it has 7 different intensities of green tea ice cream and other flavors.  I ordered three scoops and tried #1 (the weakest flavor), #7 (the strongest flavor), and the green tea rum raisin flavor.  In my opinion, the less intense and lighter flavors tasted the best.  The store name “Nanaya” means “Shop of 7 (flavors)”, so be sure to choose wisely!

Dominique Ansel Bakery (Now Closed)

Previously I wrote an article on Dominique Ansel Bakery in Omotesando praising their delicious pastries, but I am very sad to see that they have closed their Tokyo branches as of summer 2019.  I will never forget the delicious hedgehog cake I had for my birthday last year, as well as the Zero Gravity Chiffon Cake that was light enough to float in a balloon.  I am hoping that they open a similar cafe in the future!

Thank you for reading Volume 1 of my dessert cafe expedition in Tokyo.  If you have any recommendations, please drop them in the comments!  I will be writing Volume 2 very soon!

 

Sweet Twist: A Vintage Ice Cream Store in Shimokitazawa

Trying unique and adorable ice cream stores scattered across Asia has become a huge hobby of mine. As I was thrift shopping for clothes in Shimokitazawa (which has much better selection than the overcrowded Harajuku), I stumbled upon Sweet Twist–a vintage ice cream store selling a variety of soft cream, gelato, and crepes with customizable toppings.

Like most sweets stores in central Tokyo, the store is tiny, but the bright pink exterior and colorful signs advertising a variety of desserts seemed extremely inviting.  Not to mention the fluffy mascot that’s printed on all of the cups is the epitome of cute!

I decided to try the strawberry topped soft cream first. Like the name implies, the ice cream is extremely light tasting and sweet. The strawberry topping tasted much like strawberry chocolate so I really enjoyed the taste. Since the portion size I ordered was small (I regret not doing the 2 scoop option), I decided to try the raspberry gelato as well. They have a variety of flavors like green tea, coconut, chocolate fruits, etc. and you can choose extra toppings for just 50 yen. I liked the ice cream slightly better due to its sweetness, but I imagine everything here is really good!

The interior design with the neon pink flamingo and framed photos of Audrey Hepburn and other nostalgic icons was also a pleasant experience to take in. This neighbor hood has a lot of vintage shops that you should definitely check out if you have the chance.  I will definitely be back here in the future to try more delicious flavor combinations!

Vegan Lunch at Ain Soph. Journey, Shinjuku

Recently my hobby has been trying out vegan restaurants in Tokyo because their vegetables taste a lot fresher than most places, so I decided to stop by Ain Soph Journey which is right near my boxing gym in Tokyo.

I ordered the vegan taco rice salad and tiramisu cake. Both exceeded my expectations! The taco rice had delicious fresh avocado and tomato, and the “meat” tasted like salsa which was the perfect dressing. The tiramisu cake was very light and creamy! This was definitely one of the best lunches I’ve had here in a while.

Sometimes it’s hard to find a good salad in Japan because they often use cabbage leaves that taste extremely bitter, or sprinkle bits of meat and corn on it which throw off the texture. Fortunately I’ve been finding a lot of luck at local vegan restaurants and my body had felt a lot better. I’ll be sure to share my findings in the future!