A combination we’d never imagined, but is it one we’ll want to forget? The stock called dashi is one of the most ubiquitous ingredients in Japanese cooking. Made from kombu (kelp) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes), dashi can be found in miso soup, the broths for udon and soba noodles, and even as an ingredient in non-soups such as oyakodon (chicken and egg bowl) and gyudon (beef bowl). However, you usually won’t find dashi in ice cream. We say “usually,” though, because ice cream with dashi in it is exactly what we found recently in Niigata Prefecture. While walking through the CoCoLo shopping center attached to Niigata Station in Niigata City, our Japanese-language reporter Udonko stopped to browse at On the Umami, a dashi specialty shop. Udonko, who’s from Niigata, had previously picked up some dashi packets at On the Umami and was amazed by how well the soup she made from them turned out, so she was thinking about grabbing a few more, or maybe trying some of their dashi mixes that you pour into your rice cooker along with the grains. But all those thoughts were suddenly overpowered when Udonko saw the shop’s poster for Dashi Soft Serve Ice Cream (だしソフト). And no, “dashi” isn’t being used here as a tongue-in-cheek term for something else. This ice cream really does contain dashi, with the poster boasting that it’s a blend of three different types of kombu dashi. At 400 yen (US$2.70), this is just a bit on the pricey side for a cup of takeout soft serve, but considering that in all the years Udonko has been on this planet she’s never once come across dashi ice cream, she figured it could be equally as long until her next opportunity to taste it, and so she decided to give it a try. On the Umami doesn’t have its own eat-in space, but Udonko found a rest area not far from the shop where she could snap some photos and do her taste-testing. Visually, the Dashi Soft Serve is quite beautiful, a bright white with just the right amount of enticing contouring, with no appearance quirks that would give you reason to suspect it’s made with such an unorthodox ingredient. The fact that it looks like regular ice cream, though, made it all the more difficult to predict how it would taste. Would it be sweet like a dessert, salty like seafood, or something else entirely? But the old adage that “the first bite is with the eyes” is meant metaphorically, so the only way for Udonko to get the answer she sought was to take a bite with the mouth… …and was greeted by a fantastically creamy milk flavor! Thinking back to the poster for the Dashi Soft Serve, aside from the dashi, it also mentioned that it’s made with milk from Guernsey-breed cows. There are only about 300 Guernsey cows in all of Japan, and only 20 of them in the Niigata town of Nagaoka, where the ice cream sources its milk from. Guernsey milk is praised for having a rich flavor yet a clean finish, and those qualities shine through in the Dashi Soft Serve too. As for the dashi, it waits a while to make its presence felt. It was hard to notice at first, but as the ice cream began to melt a bit, Udonko could feel her tongue’s salt receptors starting to wake up. On the Umami has wisely deduced that ice cream fans don’t want the flavor of their sweet treat to be predominantly dashi, and so that element hangs in the background, but still builds to a gentle saltiness that helps accentuate and draw out more of the cream’s sweetness, Udonko says. So while the concept had Udonko’s mouth agape in shock, the result left her with a smile on her face and the knowledge that ice cream and dashi can be a combination that’s at least as tasty as coffee and sesame oil. Shop information On the Umami Address: Niigata-ken, Niigata-shi, Chuo-ku, Hanazono 1-1-1, JR Niigata Station building CoCoLo Niigata 2nd floor East Side 新潟県新潟市中央区花園1-1-1 JR新潟駅構内 CoCoLo NIIGATA 2F EAST SIDE Open 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Celebrate the fall season with chestnuts, grapes, and decadent matcha treats. For a limited-time this fall, matcha lovers throughout Japan will have the opportunity to indulge in a luxurious offering of some of Japan’s favorite autumn delights at Hotel New Otani Osaka. The “Super Sweets Buffet 2025: Autumn-colored Chestnuts and Matcha” is serving up a range of gorgeous seasonal sweets, combined with the elegant taste of matcha. The Super Sweets Buffet will be held from October 7 to November 30 and is open for anyone to enjoy. Guests can choose to be taken on an international Mont Blanc tasting journey, comparing three distinct versions of the dish from France, Italy, and Japan. Each of them offers their own distinct charm: Japan’s with its rich sweetness and fragrant aroma, France’s elegant and delicate sweetness, and Italy’s rich and moist texture. ▼ Left to right: France, Italy, and Japan You can also spend the whole 90 minutes indulging in the Matcha Roll Cake, Matcha Pannacotta, Matcha Cream Puff, and Matcha Gelato, among many other mouthwatering treats that are all yours for the taking, all for the price of 6,500 yen (US$42.50) on weekdays, or 7,200 yen on weekends. If you love all things matcha, and you simply can’t get enough of that rich green tea flavor, there’s an irresistible treat waiting for you: a Matcha Shot. Using Uji’s long-established tea maker Yamamasa Koyamaen’s Samidori matcha, which retains the true flavor of matcha while keeping bitterness and astringency to a minimum, an extra 500 yen will get you a glass of what tastes like pure essence of matcha. Or there’s the beautiful Matcha Latte for 1,500 yen, which contains a rich blend of matcha, milk, espresso, brown sugar syrup, ice cream, and marshmallows. Every sip brings you a deep, layered flavor that combines the refined sweetness of the brown sugar, the bitterness of the espresso, and the gentleness of the milk. To truly splurge and add some fruity sparkle to your meal, just pay an extra 3,200 yen and you’ll be brought the premium mocktail Vine of Grapes, a luxurious drink crafted with Shine Muscat and Nagano Purple, two top-class varieties of grapes. However, if you were thinking about paying extra for any of these delicious drinks, you’ll want to make a reservation beforehand, as unlike the buffet, they’re limited to only those who have booked online. At the end of all of this, if your cravings for matcha have still not been sated, Hotel New Otani has got you covered with an irresistible treat: extra matcha. Regardless of what is on your plate, be it desserts, pancakes, or salads, you can sprinkle over as much matcha as you like to create the perfect taste for you. For the ultimate experience, the hotel is offering a special accommodation plan that includes a guaranteed buffet reservation, a sumptuous breakfast, a complementary Matcha Shot, a Yamamasu Koyamaen tea bag set, and a serene stay in a room that has a stunning view of Osaka Castle. Plans start from 30,000 yen a night per person, assuming two guests are sharing. With a buffet packed with elegant sweets, the refined taste of matcha, and the seasonal flavors of chestnuts and grapes, Hotel New Otani Osaka’s buffet promises to be as delicious as it is beautiful, making it a perfect way to enjoy some of the best flavors that Japanese autumn has to offer. Hotel information Hotel New Otani Osaka / ホテルニューオータニ大阪 Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Shiromi 1-4-1 大阪府大阪市中央区城見1-4-1 Buffet open: (weekdays) 11:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (last entry 2:30 p.m.); (weekends and holidays) 11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (last entry 3:30 p.m.) Website Related: Buffet information and online reservation, Yamamasa Koyamaen Source and images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

My haramaki Totoro. It’s hard to imagine Totoro ever feeling chilly. Part of that is because the events of the My Neighbor Totoro anime take place mostly in summer, but even in the end-credits illustration that shows the Ghibli star standing in the snow, he seems completely unfazed by the cold. From that, we can deduce that Totoro’s fur must be very warm, especially the section that covers his ample stomach, and with cold weather on the way, thankfully there’s a way to have a cozy Totoro tummy of your own. Pictured here is Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku’s Totoro haramaki. Meaning “stomach wrap,” a haramaki is an old-school Japanese garment that slides around your midsection and stretches roughly from your navel to your lower hips. Made with soft, warm material, the fit is snug but comfy, and keeps your body heat locked in, acting like a constant warm hug. And as if the Soot Sprite on the front wasn’t already cute enough, there’s another on the backside, plus a rendering of Totoro’s tail. While haramaki are generally used as an inner layer when worn out and about, at home they can be used as outer-layer roomwear. As for why some of Donguri Kyowakoku’s photos show two Totoro haramaki together, that’s because they’re being offered in both kids’ and adult sizes, with identical designs. The item’s official name is the Totoro Tummy Marshmallow Haramaki, and while the acrylic/nylon/polyurethane fabric has some stretch to it, size-wise Donguri Kyowakoku recommends the adult size for wearers with a waist measurement of between 64 and 77 centimeters (25.2 and 30,3 inches), and the kids’ for waists between 47 and 55 centimeters. The adult Totoro belly warmer is priced at 3,080 yen (US$21) and the kids’ size at 2,860 yen, and following a restock they’re both available now through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here. And if you’re looking to keep your feet just as cozy, they’ve got a whole line of Ghibli character marshmallow socks too. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Yufuin is often thought of as Oita’s “other” hot spring town, but this ryokan plays second fiddle to nowhere. Oita has more hot springs than any other prefecture in Japan, and no city in Oita has more hot springs than Beppu. However, some onsen (hot spring) enthusiasts will say that the best bathing in Oita is to be found in Yufuin (a district of the city of Yufu) which has a reputation not only for excellent water but also a refined, elegant atmosphere that differentiates it from the more mass-marketed Beppu. Which of the two to spend the night in is ultimately a matter of personal taste, but making a strong case for Yufuin is the ryokan (traditional inn) Gettouan. We recently paid a visit to Gettouan as part of a press tour organized by travel agency Skyscanner. The inn is located about 10 minutes by taxi from Yufuin Station, nestled in the mountains such that it feels like its own little world. Stepping into the lobby to check in, you’re actually inside a nearly 400-year-old village headman’s manor, which originally stood in Yamanashi Prefecture before being disassembled, transported to Yufuin, and put back together and given periodic renovations. ▼ The irori (hearth) in the sitting area is a nice classical touch. However, there aren’t any guestrooms in this building. Gettouan is what’s called a hanare, or “detached,” style of ryokan, meaning that the guestrooms housed in their own separate structures, scattered around the grounds. As such, we knew we’d have a bit of a walk to our room, but what we weren’t expecting was for that walk to take us across a bridge in a breathtakingly beautiful forest, which passes over a stream that flows off from the nearby Shirataki River. Once on the other side, the path is lined with villas which contain individual guestrooms, as well as a common-use lounge and communal baths. There’s also an open-air private bath that can be rented out by couples or families, located next to the stream. Gettouan has a variety of room types, which can be perused on the hotel’s website here, and we were booked in one of the Standard rooms. However, “standard” is a relative term, and as you can see from these interior photos from the inn’s website, the Standard rooms are still very luxuriously appointed. Our room even included its own open-air bath with genuine hot spring water filling it. Gettouan’s meals are in keeping with its beautiful aesthetics and high-class atmosphere as well. Everything was delicious, but that was especially so for the sukiyaki made with locally raised Bungo beef and shiitake mushrooms. Gettouan even has its own exclusive sake, produced by Oita brewer Kuge Honten. Also called “Gettouan,” the sake has a gentle sweetness to it, making it pair nicely with pretty much anything you might be dining on. And if you’ve got a sweet tooth, back in the lobby building there’s a store… …and in the store is a refrigerator… …and in the refrigerator are the matcha green tea ice cream and kabosu citrus fruit sorbet made specially for the inn. Gettouan is in what feels like an ideal location for a hot spring inn getaway. It’s located close enough to a train station to be easily accessible, but far enough away from the city center to feel tranquilly secluded, rustically enchanting while still giving you all the amenities you need to relax and de-stress. It’s the kind of place where you probably can’t help but feel a little bittersweet when it’s time to go home, but at least you get one last trip across that beautiful bridge on your way to check out. Hotel information Gettouan / 月燈庵 Address: Oita-ken, Yufu-shi, Yufuin-cho, Kawakami 295-2 大分県由布市湯布院町川上２９５−２ Website Standard room interior photos: Gettouan All other photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Enjoy the lit-up structures of an important shrine inside of Ueno Park this autumn complete with special omamori and more. Ueno Park is usually known as one of the best places in Tokyo to view cherry blossoms in the spring, but the park’s dazzling fall foliage is also nothing to scoff at. This year, the park will also receive its own literal glow-up when a special illumination event titled “The Night of Light when Dreams Come True” takes place at Ueno Toshogu Shrine within its grounds from October 25 through November 9 every night between 5 and 7 p.m. Established in 1627, many of Ueno Toshogu’s remaining structures date back to the early days of the Edo Period (1600-1868) and are now designated Important Cultural Properties by the Japanese government. World-class Japanese light designer Motoko Ishii devised the special lighting equipment that was installed at the shrine last November, much of which serves to enhance the golden nature of the buildings with a soft glow. Visitors will be able to admire the intricate details of various shrine carvings at night thanks to the illumination. The pathway leading up to the main shrine building will be lit up with a stunning variety of colors. Even the goshinboku sacred tree and rock garden on the grounds will be illuminated by their own soft yellow light. Tying in with the theme of the event, omamori amulets specifically for making your dreams come true will be on sale for 800 yen (US$5.25) each. Their special design features a starry sky with a shooting star and two dragons flying over the roof of the main shrine hall. The dragons are actually important lore at Ueno Toshugu, deriving from the two dragon carvings that grace the shrine’s large karamon Chinese-style gate. Legend says that they take to the skies every night, just as depicted on the amulets. In addition, a special goshuin shrine seal will also be available for 1,300 yen for the duration of the illumination event. The seal’s deep green paper is decorated with intricate gold foil and features fall foliage over a full moon as well as one of the dragons. Its iridescent colors will leave anyone spellbound. Finally, special lanterns are also available for free rental, though numbers are limited. A unique detail is that each lantern projects the Tokugawa family crest on the ground directly beneath it. Admission to the Night of Light when Dreams Come True illumination event at Ueno Toshogu Shrine is 700 yen for adults and 300 yen for children of elementary school-age. Those younger than that can enter for free. There are plenty of more ways to enjoy the season throughout all of Japan, especially if you don’t mind going a bit off the beaten path such as by visiting Mino City’s festival of paper lanterns. Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Guile, as usual, is waiting. As the cultural anthropologists who make up SoraNews24’s readership are well aware, autumn is tsukimi/moon-viewing burger season in Japan, when the nation’s hamburger providers serve up sandwiches topped with fried eggs that resemble a beautiful full moon. However, it’s specifically early autumn that’s moon-viewing season, coinciding with the timing for the moon-viewing parties which courtly nobles use to hold. That means, sadly, that it’ll soon be time to say goodbye to this year’s tsukimi burgers, as the official McDonald’s Japan Twitter account reminded us on Tuesday. ▼ “It’s almost time for them to go back to the moon.” そろそろ月に帰ります。 pic.twitter.com/CtXBBSWbZR— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) October 14, 2025 It’s a bittersweet moment, to be sure, but the very next day McDonald’s Japan gave us something new to get excited about. ▼ “Waiting for something…” 何かを待っている…。 pic.twitter.com/802TOIfDSi— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) October 15, 2025 So just what’s being waited for, and who, for that matter, is the shadowy figure doing the waiting? The first clue is the detailed pixel-art aesthetic, evoking memories of a pre-polygon era of video games, but not so far back as to be taking inspiration from the earliest days of the medium. But the more telling clue? Well, they say that one mark of good character design is when you can recognize who the character is from their silhouette alone, and that silhouette clearly belongs to Guile, from the Street Fighter franchise. ▼ You might think Guile’s hair is the most “could only work in a video game” thing about him, but that distinction actually goes to his crouching block, as we painfully found out. And it doesn’t look like Guile is the only one getting set for a round at the Golden Arches, as the McDonald’s Japan Twitter account then posted another teaser featuring even more members of the Street Fighter cast, along with the name of series developer Capcom. 明日発表、やつらが会いにくる。 pic.twitter.com/cT0kcD69zL— マクドナルド (@McDonaldsJapan) October 15, 2025 The Street Fighter franchise spans nearly 40 years, with six mainline numbered entries and dozens of spinoffs and semi-sequels. For this collaboration with McDonald’s Japan, though, the focus looks to be on Street Fighter II, as the silhouettes in the tweets are all exact matches to poses the characters strike in its entries (though the second tweet’s use of the original 12 Street Fighter II characters suggests that the new challengers added for Super Street Fighter II and Super Street Fighter II Turbo won’t be part of the festivities). The second tweet also includes the message “They are coming to meet you,” a play on Street Fighter II’s tagline in Japan, “I’m off to go meet someone stronger than myself.” As to what exactly the team-up is going to entail, a Street Fighter Happy Meal would seem like the most obvious choice, but McDonald’s Japan has been running into some problems with its high-profile Happy Meal collaborations as of late, so we might be getting special Street Fighter sandwiches like McDonald’s made for Godzilla, or they could be releasing sold-separately merch like the McDonald’s Evangelions. More info is expected to be announced later this week. Source: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan Top image: Twitter/@McDonaldsJapan Insert image: SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Sometimes great travel experiences come in little-Kyoto packages. With its cultural importance and elegant aesthetics, Kyoto is one of Japan’s most beautiful cities. However, Kyoto is currently receiving more visitors than ever, and many would say the appeal of the place is diminished when your only view of the sights is beyond a mass of tourists in the foreground. So if you’re craving some of the Kyoto atmosphere, but without the Kyoto crowds, the solution might be a visit to one of Japan’s sho-Kyoto, or “little Kyotos.” Sho-Kyoto is an unofficial term for towns or neighborhoods that have classical architecture and a traditional atmosphere. As the “little” part implies, sho-Kyoto aren’t as large in scale as Kyoto City, but that means the tourist crowds aren’t as big either, which sometimes makes for the more enjoyable visit. You can find sho-Kyoto in various parts of Japan, and we recently took a trip to one called Shuzenji in Izu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo. ▼ It’s about three hours from Tokyo Station to Izu City’s Shuzenji Station by regular train, and about 90 minutes if you take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Mishima Station for the first part of the journey. Shuzenji is in the north part of the Izu Peninsula. The map below, which we snapped a photo of at the station, is a little confusing because it’s drawn with south at the top instead of north, since it’s oriented in the direction you’re facing while looking at it (i.e. because of where it’s placed in the station, as you look at the map you’re physically facing south). ▼ How the map would look with north at the top, and Shuzenji circled in red We ended up in Shuzenji based on the recommendation of a friend of our Japanese-language reporter Udonko’s, but arrived with no other advance information besides that it’s a sho-Kyoto worth checking out. Looking at the map, we spotted a number of onsen/hot spring baths in the town, marked with the kanji characters 温泉. The station also has maps you can take with you, with local points of interest marked on it, and which also said that we could hop on a bus for an eight-minute ride to the Shuzenji Onsen bus stop, in the main sightseeing area. ▼ Alternative, it’s about a 30-minute walk from the station to the bus stop. Once off the bus, we simply followed the flow of foot traffic, taking us through a neighborhood of charming restaurants and souvenir shops… …and, past that, a sudden treat of breathtaking forested mountain scenery… …and a striking crimson bridge. The sho-Kyoto vibes got even stronger when we noticed that this bridge is called Togetsukyo, which also just so happens to be the name of a bridge in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district. ▼ Togetsukyo (渡月橋) ▼ The walk from the bus stop to Togetsukyo The bridge is here to get people over a river, but there’s also a footpath you can take that runs alongside the waterway. On the day of our visit, there was a steady drizzle, but that just added to the ambiance, with the sounds of the river mixing with the pattering of raindrops on the stone walking surface. Despite the overcast skies, it wasn’t a particularly chilly day, and the feeling was actually nice and cozy. After walking a little further, we came to another picturesque bridge, this one also coincidentally sharing a name with one in Arashiyama, Katsurabashi. ▼ From Togetsukyo to Katsurabashi But the most beautiful sight we saw on our visit came a little further on… …when we reached Chikurin no Komichi, or “the Bamboo Path.” ▼ From Katsurabashi to Chikurin no Komichi This beautiful pathway through a bamboo grove even has a circular bench in the middle, where you can sit down, tilt your head back and look up at the greenery, and bathe in the sounds of the nearby river as you rest your soles and soul. Unfortunately, our schedule this day didn’t allow us enough time to stop by Shuzenji Temple, which was founded in the ninth century and from which the neighborhood gets its name, or for a soak in one of the district’s many hot springs, which include public baths, baths for hotel guests, and even an open-air foot bath, Tokkonoyu, that flows from a spring said to have been discovered by traveling monk Kobo Daishi, a.k.a. Kukai more than 1,200 years ago. ▼ Shuzenji Temple As a “little Kyoto,” Shuzenji isn’t big enough to fill up your entire Japan trip itinerary. It is, though, a way to get a taste of traditional Japan without huge crowds (we went on a weekday afternoon, and as you can see from the photos, it wasn’t at all crowded), and it’s a doable day-trip from Tokyo or Atami, as well as conveniently positioned for an overnight stay if you’re looking to break up your trip along the Tokyo-Kyoto route that many travelers trace while in Japan. Related: Shuzenji Onsen official tourism website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Tea with Totoro, anyone? Fall is the most relaxing season, isn’t it? Nestled between the go-go-go excitement of summer and the chill of winter that makes staying in bed with your head under the covers all day feel like the wisest course of action, autumn is a time of year conducive to stretching out on the sofa with a good book and a nice cup of tea close at hand. Of course, when you’re not holding that cup of tea, you’re going to want a coaster to put it down on, and if you’re a Ghibli fan, you’re going to want a Ghibli coaster, right? So here to help keep your interior adorable and your furniture finish protected is Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, which has just restocked a trio of its cloth coaster sets. Each bundle consists of four designs, with the My Neighbor Totoro collection featuring the grey/big Totoro… …white/small Totoro and Soot Sprite… …Mei… …and the Catbus. ▼ It’s unclear if beverages are allowed onboard the Catbus, but they can definitely be placed on this Catbus. The gobelin-weave fabric provides an elegant touch, while still conveying the enchanting details of Ghibli art. Check out, for example, how the designers made sure to include the coloring on Kiki’s cheeks in the Kiki’s Delivery Service set, where the texturing almost gives it the vibe of a mid-’90s Japanese PC game. Also appearing in the set are black cat Jiji… …plus his appearing-in-the-ending credits kids and the bread sign Kiki uses to advertise her courier venture. Finally, there’s the Howl’s Moving Castle set. Oddly enough, the eccentric and elusive wizard himself is nowhere to be seen, leaving it to Calcifer, Turnip Head, Heen, and the moving castle itself to hold down the figurative fort. ▼ Though we suppose you could make an argument that the moving castle is the real star of the movie, since they titled it Howl’s Moving Castle, not “Some Dude Named Howl.” While variation-on-a-theme anime merch often takes the form of random gacha/blind-buy items, all three of the coaster sets are being offered as complete bundles of their four designs, priced at 2,200 yen (US$15) and available for order through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Godzilla’s greatest rival comes to challenge him for his Shinjuku crown. Downtown Tokyo’s Hotel Gracery Shinjuku has a good location. It’s situated on the edge of the Shinjuku neighborhood’s Kabukicho section, providing easy access to Japan’s biggest nightlife quarter, but it’s also near many of Shinjuku’s more relaxed shopping and dining options, plus it’s very close to the extremely useful Shinjuku Station, with train and subway lines connecting quickly to just about every sightseeing attraction in the city center. However, its biggest claim to fame, both figuratively and literally, is that it’s “the Godzilla hotel.” Since the hotel’s opening in 2015, Godzilla himself has been popping out of the the building, with his head at the same height as it would be per his size in 1992’s Godzilla vs. Mothra. That’s not the only treat for kaiju fans, either. Step off the elevator on the 8th floor to enter the lobby, and you’ll find what almost feels like a mini museum, with Godzilla figurines, dioramas, and a movie poster retrospective on display. However, a rival has arrived to challenge Godzilla for the Gracery Shinjuku kaiju crown, as the hotel recently added a special Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah room to its offerings, and that was what had brought us to the hotel this day. The room is located on the 30th floor, the top floor of the hotel, where all of the elevator doors feature Godzilla artwork. ▼ This one is especially cool, because it looks like Godzilla is tearing the doors open every time an elevator comes. Lining the hallway are production photos from films in the series… …and it’s easy to tell when you’ve arrived at the Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah room, since in addition to this plaque… …both combatants’ tails are depicted on the door. ▼ Even the room’s key card is unique. So what’s waiting for you when you open the door? Gigantic statues of Godzilla and King Ghidorah! The two giant monsters glare at each other from across the room, their eight collective eyes showing that they’re ready for a fight… …and to set the scene, there’s a scale cityscape being crushed under Godzilla’s feet, while Ghidorah soars above the buildings in the night sky. Of course, you may find yourself wanting to strike fighting poses too. To help you get in the mood and snap the perfect picture, the room includes a control panel with buttons you can press to play sounds of Godzilla and Ghidorah roaring or to add extra illumination to them. The operations are explained in pamphlets provided in both Japanese and English. On the other hand, if seeing Godzilla up-close has you thinking about what it would be like to direct a kaiju movie, the room includes props for that daydream too. The theming extends to the cushions and tissue holder… …and even into the bathroom, where the toilet and tub are surrounded by movie imagery and dialogue text. Meanwhile, back down on the lobby level, in the Gracery Lounge cafe that can be used by hotel guests and non-guests alike, there’s a trio of Godzilla menu items currently on offer. The art latte and art peach lemonade soda are tempting, but the most eye-catching of the bunch is the “Godzilla vs. Mothra Decisive Battle at Pancake Island.” This edible throw-down features a chocolate Godzilla and Mothra atop a thick, black sesame-flavored pancake. The detail on the Godzilla is really impressive, and the chocolate has a surprising amount of weight to it too. However, the dual nature of Godzilla is that while he’s awesome, he’s also kind of scary, right? That phenomenon manifests itself in these menu items too, as the Godzilla vs. Mothra Decisive Battle at Pancake Island is 3,300 yen (US$22.30) and the drinks 1,870 yen each, which are steep prices even by downtown Tokyo Hotel standards. And the Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah room? A one-night, two-person stay on a weekday will run about 140,000 yen, and the rate is, naturally, higher on weekends on holidays. Still, there’s no denying that the room itself is very, very cool. Related: Hotel Gracery Shinjuku Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

A beautiful way to add a calming sense of escapism to your day. Every animated film from Studio Ghibli will take you on a journey, but in the case of the 1989 movie Kiki’s Delivery Service, that journey begins right away, with young witch Kiki packing for a year of witch training. As she rushes around her room, picking out favourite items to pack, she reaches into her bookshelf to retrieve a red tin that’s been secreted away before stuffing it into her knapsack as one of her must-take items. Now, that special tin has jumped out of the anime world and into the real one, thanks to a new range of teatime products produced by Ghibli specialty chain Donguri Kyowakoku. While the tin in the film has a round blue accent on one side, the details of the design remain unclear. That gives Donguri Kyowakoku a bit of creative freedom with the product, and they’ve decided to place Kiki inside the blue circle, where she can be seen rattling the tin with a smile, just as she does in the moment she retrieves the item from her bookshelf in the film. ▼ A sweet case of Ghibli inception. Other details around the tin depict some of the items seen in Kiki’s room, including the stuffed toys on top of her chest of drawers… …and her knapsack, with the items she packs into it, as well as her father’s red radio, which she takes with her. One side of the tin features Kiki’s feline friend Jiji, peering upwards and with tail upright, recalling the cat’s stance during the pre-journey bedroom packing scene. And on the lid, we have a witch on her broomstick, with the sun and moon on either side, as a nod to the three images seen on the signboard outside Kiki’s home. With gold accents throughout, the tin is beautifully made, and the attention to detail extends to the eight original tea bags inside, which contain a blend of Ceylon tea and chamomile. The tea is said to have a fruity aroma and is gentle and easy to drink, and the tag is gorgeous to look at, as it recalls the witch motif seen on the wooden board outside Kiki’s family home. ▼ The colourful appearance of each teabag is reminiscent of the tinctures and potions made by Kiki’s mother, Kokiri. With the words “I’ve been excited about making this trip” appearing on one side of the tin, every sip of the tea will add a calming sense of escapism to your day. ▼ This product is aptly called “Kiki’s Departure Original Tea Blend“. Once you finish all the teas inside, you can still enjoy the magic by repurposing the tin as a container for small items. Storing it behind the books in your bookshelf will really add to the anime charm. With teas this good, you’ll want something equally enchanting to drink them in, and for that the chain has two options for us to choose from. The Kiki’s Delivery Service One-Cup Tea Mug Jiji and Bread Wreath is the obvious choice for a cup of Kiki’s Departure tea. This heat-resistant glass mug has been made by respected Japanese manufacturer Hario, and it comes with a convenient strainer that makes it easy to brew a single serving of tea. The strainer is removable, so you can easily use the mug with teabags or loose-leaf teas. And if you turn the lid upside down, it acts as a stand to place the strainer on after brewing. ▼ With muted beige colour details, the color of the tea truly shines. ▼ The mug features Jiji on the front… ▼ …and a bread wreath design on the back. Fans of My Neighbour Totoro will want to add the “Large Totoro and Soot Sprites” mug to their teatime collection. ▼ This design also comes with a lid and removable strainer. ▼ On the front of the glass is Totoro (or “Large Totoro” as he’s sometimes known)… ▼ …and on the back is a trio of cheeky Soot Sprites. The Totoro mug is perfectly suited to green tea blends, which will give the characters a charming forest-like backdrop. All these new products will warm your heart and your body as the cool weather descends, and they’re not too much of a splurge, as the tea tin is priced at 3,080 yen (US$20.20) and the mugs at 2,860 yen each. They can be purchased now at Donguri Kyowakoku stores around Japan and online (links below), where you’ll also find a collection of coasters that’ll add even more joy to your anime teatime. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!