Shopping Guide
Tired of walking around? Hungry, thirsty, or aching for a sweet treat? The cafés on this list are sure to please! Character cafés are great for buying limited-edition goods and snapping Instagram-worthy food pics. With locations in Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, and Kyoto, these character cafés are within walking distance of other popular tourist areas and are perfect for a quick pit-stop. Although there are other character cafés for the same characters, these cafés are permanent compared to their pop-up counterparts. Shop for souvenirs, cuddle with your favorite characters, and relax while you wait for your food. Just don’t forget to take a pic before you take a bite~!
1. Fujiko F. Fujio Museum Café
Doraemon is perhaps one of the world’s most widespread anime, capturing the hearts of both adults and children with new movies being released each year. 2017 marks the series’ 40th anniversary, which was celebrated with limited-time exhibitions in the Fujiko F. Fujio Museum as well as fun and quirky additions to the café’s menu.
The museum’s café is on the third floor and offers a menu that’s perfect for nostalgic adults and little picky eaters.
This café is conveniently placed for those who are visiting the museum and need to rest for a while. Rebuild your energy with a quick snack or a hot latte! However, please note that only visitors with tickets to the museum are able to access the café and conjoining gift shop. Tickets need to be reserved ahead of time and can be purchased at any Lawson convenience store.
Fujiko F. Fujio Museum Café Access
2-8-1 Nagao, Tama-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa
Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm (Last order: 5:30 pm)
(Closed every Tuesday)
2. Café Mugiwara Boushi
Just about every anime fan in the world has heard of Studio Ghibli, and most tourists at least contemplate visiting the famous Studio Ghibli museum in Mitaka while in Japan. (Whether they can get a ticket or not is another story…) However, some people might not know about the cute character café inside the museum grounds!
Café Mugiwara Boushi offers sandwiches, cakes, and lunch plates that look like they’ve come right out a Ghibli film! Unlike other character cafés, the shop focuses less on stamping characters’ faces everywhere and instead focuses on creating an atmosphere reminiscent of Hayao Miyazaki’s greatest hits.
Rest your feet and calm your heart while you enjoy a wave of nostalgia. This café is perfect for lovers of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart, and The Cat Returns!
Café Mugiwara Boushi Access
1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo
(Inside Inokashira Park)
Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
(Closed every Tuesday)
3. Shirokuma Café
Since its anime aired in 2012, Shirokuma Café’s unique and interesting characters have captured the hearts of many anime fans. This official café located in the heart of Tokyo delivers filling food at reasonable prices, with special plates and desserts dedicated to each character in the series.
The interior of the café is relaxing and will make you feel as lazy as your favorite characters~
Thankfully, there are tons of great desserts to choose from. Also, if you show your receipt, drink refills are half-off! Shirokuma Café is the perfect place to hang out on days when you don’t really feel like doing anything...
Shirokuma Café Access
TOHMA Takadanobaba 1F
2-1-2 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm (Last order: 9:00 pm)
4. Pompompurin Cafe
Fans of Pompompurin will love this bright and cute café! Literally everything has Pompompurin’s trademark grin... except for the omurice, which acts as a blanket and has lulled Pompompurin to sleep.
It’s easy to tell how carefully the desserts are made.
Besides baked apples and fruit tarts, the café also offers a variety of flavored puddings and parfaits. With faces like those, they’re almost too cute to eat!
Pompompurin Café Access
Harajuku Location:
CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU 3F
1-7-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last order 8:00 pm, drinks available until 8:30 pm)
Yokohama Location:
YOKOHAMA SOTETSU SQUARE
2-1-5 Minamisawai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa
Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last order: 8:30 pm)
Nagoya Location:
BECOMESAKAE 2F
3-32-6 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi
Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last order: 8:30 pm)
Umeda Location:
Hankyuu Sanbangai South Wing B2
1-1-3 Shibata, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka
Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last order: 8:30 pm)
5. Gudetama Cafe
Everyone has felt a little lethargic at times, but Gudetama takes that feeling to the max. Fans of this lazy egg will be happy to know that they can take their time and relax at a Gudetama-themed café in Osaka!
The café is fairly new, but has already drawn in an overwhelming number of fans with its bright atmosphere and delicious food. The café’s menu offers a little bit of everything, from pasta and pot pies to Japanese staples such as tempura and gyudon.
After eating lunch and being surrounded by such lazy faces, you’ll be too tired to even pick up a fork for dessert... as if! Some of the most interesting dishes are on the dessert menu!
Gudetama Café Access
HEP FIVE 7F
5-15 Kakudacho, Kita-ku, Osaka-chi, Osaka
Open 11:00 am - 10:30 pm (Last order: 10:00 pm)
6. Cinnamoroll Café
Try saying ‘Cinnamoroll Café’ three times in a row! This bright café will wow you with its simple yet adorable designs. Just walking inside will make you say, “Cinnamoroll, I don’t think we’re in Tokyo anymore.”
Although the lunch menu is a little limited, everything is healthy and perfectly arranged.
Of course, eating healthy gives you permission to splurge on dessert! The Cinnamoroll Café offers both Western and Japanese-style desserts. It might be hard to dig in when such an innocent face is right under your spoon, though...
Cinnamoroll Café Access
Kawaramachi OPA 3F
Agaru Shijo, Kawaramachi-dori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 am (Last order: 8:15 pm)
7. Café de Miki
Café de Miki is a café themed after Hello Kitty’s hometown, London! It offers a variety of teas, scones, and pancakes. The warm atmosphere is perfect for a touch of afternoon tea~
This Hello Kitty café offers an impressive menu, such as savory bacon pancakes with eggs and cheese and assorted cake plates. If you’re going for dessert, however, we recommend these AMAZING parfaits! Make sure to leave room in your stomach, or bring a friend to share with!
If afternoon tea isn’t your thing, you can also enjoy blended coffee and lattes, all decorated with a cute Hello Kitty design!
Café de Miki Access
Diver City Tokyo Plaza 4F
1-1-10 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Open 10:00 am - 9:00 pm (Last order: 8:00 pm)
8. Hello Kitty Saryo
Hello Kitty Saryo is a character café with two locations in Kyoto and Enoshima. Drawing from the traditional architecture and Japan’s long history, it offers cute characters in a calm, relaxing setting. If you’re hungry from all of your sight-seeing adventures, you can order hearty pastas, soba, curry, and even omurice! Every drink comes with a little Hello Kitty peeking over the rim. Most importantly, the café offers an array of traditional Japanese desserts, such as anmitsu (cream and red bean paste with various mochi) and zenzai (red bean or matcha soup with mochi).
The stores next door to the cafés offer just about everything, from candy to household goods and T-shirts. All of the goods feature cute Hello Kitty designs in subdued colors and traditional Japanese patterns.
Hello Kitty Saryo Access
Kyoto Location:
363-22-2 Masuyacho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
Open 10:30 am - 6:00 pm (Character Shop open until 6:30 pm)
Lunch last order: 4:30 pm
Café last order: 5:30 pm
Enoshima Location:
1-4-12 Enoshima, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa
Open 10:30 am - 5:30 pm (Character Shop open until 6 pm)
Lunch last order 4:30 pm
Café last order 5:00 pm
Hopefully you didn’t read this article on an empty stomach! Were you surprised to see your favorite characters stamped on pancakes and soaking in lattes? Just looking at all these pictures of cakes and parfaits is enough to cause a toothache…
If you do get a chance to visit one of these lovely character cafés, please be sure to check last order times and whether the café is closed on certain days or needs special tickets to get in. They may be permanent, but they’re certainly not open 24/7!
So what are you waiting for? Hop on a plane and come on over - these character cafés will be waiting for you!
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.