Have you ever wondered what it is like going to a Maid Cafe in Japan? Join me and Lani for another Kawaii filled day in Tokyo, starting in Shinjuku.
Today’s plan was sushi for breakfast (all day every day while in Japan), go to see the Detective Pikachu movie in the cinema (it was in English with Japanese subtitles!), some more shopping in Harajuku and visit our first Maid Cafe.
It was at this point of the day that the flash on my Sony camera fell off. I would have picked it up to repair later had I known at the time.. big sad.
Quick morning stop at 7/11, a mandatory daily ritual while here.
We kicked our day off with some sushi train. I won’t list the place here as it wasn’t the best sushi we had and I honestly wouldn’t really recommend visiting. I had my usual three dishes Tuna, Salmon, Eel and Flying Fish Roe.
The new Godzilla movie had just come out so as you can imagine there was themed merch absolutely everywhere. I love shamelessly love the Godzilla franchise so much, I was living for this.
We visited Toho Cinema in Shinjuku to see the new Detective Pikachu movie. I say new writing this in 2023.. This was at the same time as the final Marvel Movie came out, not that new now. The cinema was great, at the end of the day you can always rely on cinemas to be pretty consistent worldwide. We had some popcorn and a choc top, pretty standard cinema snacks. Movie was great, if you still haven’t seen it, sort it out.
Maidcafe Maidreamin
〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 1 Chome−8−10 バウハウス 2F
The Maid Cafe we chose to visit for our first time was called Maidcafe Maidreamin and is located in Akihabara Electric Town. We went during the day, after hours it turns into a Party Maid Cafe. The entry fee is 880 yen and for this price you have 1 hour to enjoy the cafe. They ask you order 1 drink per hour which obviously is so fine because the drinks and desserts are ADORABLE! We ordered a bear, bunny and puppy themed dessert. They were Ice Cream Sundaes that were all different flavors and with all the toppings as you can see in the photos.
For only 880 yen this is a pretty fun quintessential Japanese kawaii experience. The maids are very sweet and fun, we actually didn’t get any photos with them which is very random. But the desserts were delicious. I would recommend coming at night, the menu is different and it looks like a more rowdy experience. It was a bit random just having a dessert and alcoholic beverage in the middle of the day. But for most attractions it is pretty common that you order one drink in addition to the entry fee for most themed cafes.
After the movies we travelled back to Harajuku area to do a bit more damage to our wallets.
This is me taking photos of shirts I wish I bought. Looking back, I still wish I bought these tees.
And this Britney-esque skirt.
Lani and I stumbled across this place in Harajuku just off Takeshita-Dori street called ‘Dream Station JOL’ which stands for ‘Joy of Life’. It’s a really cute little mall that has everything from accessories, cosmetics, clothing, food and even hosts live performances. We didn’t end up seeing any performances while we were there but we did see a lot of people waiting in line for the next show.
We did stop over for some very kawaii bubble tea from a place called the Pearl Lady. Lani got a very colorful drink with lots of whipped cream and candy, I am not even sure if there is tea in that.
While Lani was ordering her tea concoction I went to a place called Bull Pulu Tapioca and got my own tapioca drink. Couldn’t tell you what it was but I can assure you it tasted delicious. I also got a cheese dog, another delicacy in Tokyo that I became very quickly obsessed with.
We decided to get some more food while we were here because there was honestly just so much to choose from. We got a Okonomiyaki which is a savory pancake that can have a variety of ingredients added. The one we got had pork and scallions an was absolutely delicious! You should definitely netly try one of these when you visit Japan.
Another pet shop, another inbred chihuahua..
You know a place is bad when they say “No Photos”. You will find this in most Japanese Pet Shops because this is how they look. Tiny glass cubicles with tiny inbred puppies begging for help. These shops grind my gears so much. A lot of the dog breeds in Japan have been diluted/ mixed with Chihuahua and that is why you see so many tiny versions of popular breeds such as Dachshunds, Pomeranians, Poodles and every other breed under the sun. There is no such thing as a ‘Teacup’. It just means inbreeding dogs that shouldn’t be bred together and will have health issues in the future. These pet shops are so sad.
Have you ever been to a store that exclusively sells Squishys? Just off Takeshita Street you will find a quirky shop called MOOOSH Harajuku that specializes in just that. At this store you will be greeted with wall to wall squishys in every look and smell you could possibly imagine.
You will also find a play pit of squishy Peanut Butter and Jelly Toasts that you can jump into. I have recently found out that this pool of squishys is regularly updated. Let me know what it is when you go!
I like the concept but I don’t think it’s something I necessarily need in my life. They sure are fun to squish and smell though. I think my favorite would be the Giant Peach if I were to get one. They smelt so insanely good.
I regret not buying this shirt so much it hurts.
Panama Boy
〒150-0001 Tokyo, Shibuya City, Jingumae, 1 Chome−16−6 原宿７７ビル
Panama Boy and features a lot of American Vintage, Secondhand and up-cycled wears for men and women. Upstairs you can find a lot of remade clothes, fabrics and even doll outfits. There really is something for everyone at these stores.
I particularly love how the vintage stores are so uniquely styled in Japan. It makes visiting each one an experience in itself. Every time you go there will always be something new and exciting to see.
Takeshita Street really does provide a little bit of everything. Whether you are after some vintage threads, gothic garments, kawaii core or some new and trendy modern pieces to add to your wardrobe. Every taste and style is catered here. WEGO is a personal favorite store of mine to visit. Teenage Erica would have absolutely LIVED in WEGO.
The infamous Harajuku crepe shop.
Harajuku by night is a whole different experience visually. As with most Japanese cities, everything comes to life at night. The colored LED’s, the smells of the street food and the sounds of banter in the Izakaya’s. I really love exploring Tokyo at night, Harajuku is especially colorful and the most stores are open until 9pm. Night and Day are such unique experiences, if you have the chance to explore Harajuku I would highly recommend it at any time.
erica