Twentythree

No tentacles here, folks! Only beautifully strange plants.

If you’ve spent any time online, the word “hentai” probably conjures up some very specific imagery that you may not feel comfortable talking about with your family. However, Osaka is playing host to an event called the Hentai Shokubutsu Club (or “Hentai Plant Club”), where you can say without shame, “Hey, Mom! Let’s go see some hentai plants.”

To be perfectly clear, this event will involve substantially less tentacle-like appendages than you might be imagining, as in botanical science, “hentai” translates to the process of metamorphosis, or structural transformation. It refers to the fascinating way certain flora abandon typical plant architecture, morphing their leaves, roots and stems into unorthodox shapes to survive, and this summer will see a showcase of unusual yet absolutely gorgeous exotic plants.

Taking place on July 4 to July 5 at the Osaka Nanko ATC Hall, a short walk from Trade Center Mae on the New Tram Line, the Hentai Shokubutsu Club brings a Japanese television show of the same name to life, curated by the celebrity plant explorer Keisuke Hase and Tokyo influencer Botanical Gorilla, and introduces 20 vendors who will be showing off some of nature’s eccentric plants.

▼ Actor and comedian Hyoroku (left) is the face of the Hentai Shokubutsu Club show.

A selection of the transformations you can hope to see, as well as buy, at the venue are:

● Platycerium: These plants feature leaf dimorphism, where they grow two completely different types of leaves, one for trapping food, and the other to catch the sun. The company Groote Plantage specialize in the sale of platycerium and are based in Saitama, often traveling to Thailand to carefully select and import high-quality plants in a wide range of varieties.

● Anthurium: With deceiving heart-shaped “flowers” that are actually leaves that have undergone metamorphosis to trick pollinators, whereas the actual flowers are microscopic bumps on the central spike. The anthurium is on show by Acu’s Forest, based in Osaka, who sell domestically bred variants with a focus on leaf color, texture, and shape. This time, they’ll focus on anthurium with a velvet texture and veins with unique physical characteristics.

● Dyckia: Bromeliads that reflected the rainforest lifestyle, transforming their leaves into water tanks to survive arid cliffs, lining them with vicious-looking thorns to keep thirsty animals away. Thorns and Leaves handle both terrestrial and tank bromeliads, focusing on original dyckia hybridized and grown by themselves.

Alongside the plants, you could even take home some quirky little collectibles, like the adorable Mandragora figures crafted by B-The-U.

However, the activities don’t just stop with the plants, as the Hentai Shokubutsu Club is actually a special exhibition within the larger Reptiles Fever 2026 event, the largest of western Japan’s reptile expos.

Discount advance tickets, priced at 1,200 yen (US$7.50), are available online via platforms like Rakuten Travel, and convenience stores (links below), but it’s also possible to purchase an entry ticket on the day for 1,400 yen.

With how the plants have adapted for survival, they make for great additions to lush, bioactive terrariums for many of the reptiles attending the festival.

▼ Like this little guy!

The venue will be packed with reptiles, amphibians, breeding gear, and a family-friendly petting corner, making it the perfect weekend plan for anyone looking to experience the reptile-keeping hobby.

▼ Cute though they may be, I can’t vouch for how “reptilian” hedgehogs are, but they still make an appearance in the petting zoo.

So, grab your tickets and get ready to be amazed by reptilian beauty and the bizarre world of botanical hentai this summer.

Exhibition information
Hentai Shokubutsu Club / 変態植物倶楽部
Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Suminoe-ku, Nankokite 2-1-10
大阪府大阪市住之江区南港北2-1-10
Dates: July 4, 2026–July 5, 2026
Open 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (last entry 4:30 p.m.)
Website

Related: Hentai Shokubutsu Club YouTube, Rakuten Travel, Lawson Ticket (code: 54813), 7-Eleven Ticket (code: 115-554)
Source and images: PR Times (1, 2)
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times PR Times (1, 2)
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Hatena Coffee continues to make customers smile as they scratch their heads.

The line that separates cafes from regular restaurants can be a hazy one, but most people would say that cafes generally have a more relaxed vibe that encourages you to linger over your drink or meal. And it’s definitely true that Hatena Coffee, which just arrived in Osaka’s Namba neighborhood, isn’t going to pressure you to hurry up and leave. As a matter of fact, Hatena Coffee has a policy in which they won’t even let you go home until you’ve proved your smarts.

The cafe’s name is a tipoff to this unique rule, as “hatena marks” are what question marks are called in Japanese. In addition to beverages and light fare, Hatena Coffee also serves up brain-teasing puzzles. There’s a selection to choose from, with varying difficulties, and solving the puzzle is an official requirement in order to be allowed to leave.

That might sound like the place is an escape room that you can eat and drink in, but Hatena Coffee takes the opposite approach to time. In an escape room you’re given a certain amount of time in which to try to solve the mystery, and when time’s up, you’re let out regardless of whether or not you succeeded. At Hatena Coffee, though there’s no time limit, so you can approach the puzzle at whatever pace feels fun and enjoyable to you…or to you and your date or friends, since the Namba cafe has three types of seating: counters for solo customers, two-chair tables for pairs, or four-chair tables for larger groups.

All of the cafe’s puzzles are produced by Tokyo-based puzzle/mystery design company Experiful. The estimated time needed to solve most of them is in the range of 30 to 60 minutes, but if you want even more mental stimulation, the tougher ones will take up to 90 minutes, the company says (and while not explicitly stated, we’re sure that if you’re really stumped, they’ll let you go home without solving the puzzle, if you ask nicely).

Each guest pays a 1,500-yen (US$9.70) “puzzle fee” and is asked to also order at least one drink, but there’s no timed seat/table charge at Hatena Coffee, so you don’t need to worry about running up a more expensive tab if it takes you an extra-long time to solve your puzzle. Drinks are all priced at 500 yen (whether soft drinks or alcoholic), while snacks start at 500 yen, sandwiches and pasta plates at 700 yen, and desserts at 1,000 yen.

The Namba Hatena Coffee’s grand opening is scheduled for June 1, when it will become the chain’s sixth branch, joining the three locations in Tokyo (in the Ginza, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro neighborhoods), one in Yokohama, and one already open in Osaka’s Umeda neighborhood. With barely more than a year having passed since the initial branch opened in Yokohama, the fast expansion seems to show that there’s an eager market of fans for puzzles in relaxing spaces, and the new branch should make a great place to visit for a coffee after trying the neighborhood’s innovative sushi pizza.

Cafe information
Hatena Coffee (Osaka Namba branch)/ はてな珈琲店（大阪なんば店）
Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Dotonbori 2-3-23, Hermanos Building 2nd floor
大阪府大阪市中央区道頓堀２丁目３−２３ エルマーノスビル２階
Open 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. (no new seating between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
Website

Related: Hatena Coffee
Source: PR Times, Hatena Coffee
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Hatena Coffee
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A flaw in the system makes this Starbucks breakfast less than stellar. 

They say the third time’s the charm, and that’s what happened to us when we attempted to try the super-popular sell-out breakfast at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo in Meguro Ward recently.

▼ The Reserve Roastery Tokyo

The premium breakfast set is so popular that despite visiting twice to try it we were unable to order it as it had already sold out, and on one occasion, it had sold out by 8 in the morning, just an hour after opening.

▼ The incredibly popular menu item is called Roastery Breakfast Mattina.

On our third visit, we almost punched the air like a Starbucks-loving Super Mario when staff told us the breakfast set was available. Placing an order for it immediately, it didn’t take long for our breakfast to be served, and we were able to take a good look at everything it contained.

It looked absolutely delicious, and despite there being no Starbucks branding anywhere, it really had a Starbucks feel to it.

What we received for our breakfast was:

• One croissant (or as Starbucks calls it, a Cornetto)
• Two types of bread
• One frittata slice
• One white sausage
• Salad
• Ham
• Minestrone soup
• Nocciola spread (hazelnut chocolate spread)

To readers living outside Japan, this breakfast might not seem all that special, but here in Japan, where breakfast options are notoriously slim, it’s a rare sight to find something like this outside of a hotel buffet.

▼ We began by tasting the soup, which was hearty and delicious, and a nice nod to the Italian influence behind this particular breakfast.

Next up, we took bites of the salad, ham and fritatta, which all met our approval, before trying the cornetto, which tasted good both dipped in the soup and with some of the chocolate hazelnut spread.

▼ Our favourite item on the breakfast plate, however, was the sausage.

▼ Juicy and flavoursome, it was a high-quality sausage that left us wanting more.

The entire breakfast was flawless in terms of quality and flavour, but as we finished it all, we realised there was one thing missing.

▼ A drink.

This is the major design flaw in the Starbucks breakfast, especially when you’re dining solo. As beverages need to be purchased separately, you end up having to queue twice – once at the Princi bakery counter at the back on the ground floor where the breakfast set is sold, and once again at the drink counter.

Though the two counters are close to each other, it can become a hassle when there are long lines of people waiting to order.

Adding to the hassle is the fact that the place is so popular it can be incredibly difficult to find a seat, so you’ll be faced with a list of priorities when dining alone.

If you’re in a group, one person can find a table while another person orders breakfast and someone else gets drinks, streamlining the process and eliminating stress. When you’re dining solo, though, you have to complete all these tasks alone, which isn’t all that fun, especially when you’re paying 2,250 yen (US$14.13) for the breakfast.

Having to order breakfast at the bakery comes with another set of challenges, as you’ll need a whole lot of willpower not to succumb to the baked delights on display.

So is the breakfast set worth the hype and hassle? Well, for Starbucks fans, yes. There’s definitely an air of exclusivity about it, due to its scarcity, so every bite will make you feel like an elite Starbucks customer.

It’s especially ideal for an early-morning meetup with friends, as long as you get there at 7 a.m. sharp so you can be confident the breakfast won’t have sold out. Solo diners who don’t mind expending some energy and juggling a few things will also enjoy the breakfast, but if you prefer to walk to the beat of your own drum, or want an alternative when it sells out, then this hack will be more up your alley.

Cafe information
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo / スターバックス リザーブ ロースタリー東京
Address: Tokyo-to, Meguro-ku, Aobadai 2-19-23
東京都目黒区青葉台2丁目19-23
Open 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
Website

Images©SoraNews24
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Famed anime house isn’t worried about losing relevancy by limiting access to its films.

Studio Ghibli has a reputation for preferring to do things the old-fashioned way, and so fans weren’t really shocked when the famed anime production house was initially reluctant to licensing its works for online streaming. The studio eventually softened its stance, striking deals with HBO Max in 2019 and Netflix the following year, and while the Netflix agreement has since expired, HBO Max still offers the Ghibli catalog for streaming…but not if you’re in Japan.

To this day, there’s only one Ghibli-produced film that’s ever been made available for streaming within Japan, and it’s the one film that Ghibli itself didn’t control the rights to, Grave of the Fireflies. Everything else, like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle? Not available to view online in Japan.

▼ “Ashitaka, will I ever see you online?”

On-demand online streaming may not dominate the video entertainment landscape in Japan to quite the same extent as it does in many other countries, but things are moving in that direction, especially with Japan’s physical media rental stores fading away at an accelerating pace. It’s getting to the point where one could question whether Ghibli’s attitude about making its anime available for streaming in Japan has gone from being quaintly old-fashioned to detrimentally outdated. That was the sentiment one attendee alluded to at a regular press conference held by Hiroyuki Fukuda, president of Japanese television broadcaster Nippon TV, which acquired Studio Ghibli as a subsidiary in 2023. At the press conference, held on May 25, the attendee asked Fukuda:

“Ghibli’s works remain unavailable for streaming within Japan, which limits their audiences…Concerns have been raised that without opportunities to view these titles, some of them may become forgotten [by the public], so is there any chance of Ghibli’s anime becoming available for streaming on your company’s Hulu service?”

As alluded to in the question, Hulu Japan is a subsidiary of Nippon TV, which would make it the natural, and theoretically easiest to negotiate with, online host of the Ghibli catalog. Users shouldn’t go typing “Ghibli” into the Hulu Japan search box just yet, though, nor that of any other streaming service in Japan, as Fukuda answered that there are no plans to put Ghibli’s films online, because Nippon TV and Studio Ghibli want to preserve the relevance of the TV broadcasts of Ghibli anime.

“Presently, Studio Ghibli and Nippon TV are of the shared belief that we want to preserve the specialness of Ghibli’s films appearing on broadcast TV through our Friday Roadshow program. We are of course aware of the various requests for and different opinions regarding streaming, and this is a matter we intend to continue discussing moving forward.”

Friday Roadshow, or Kinyo Roadshow in Japanese, is Nippon TV’s Friday night movie block, in which it shows a different classic, popular, or family-oriented film each week. Ghibli anime are featured several times per year, with mega-hits like Totoro often saved for dates during summer or other vacation seasons, becoming appointment television for fans.

▼ Hurry home, Chihiro! Friday Roadshow is about to start!

Still, not every Ghibli anime airs every year, and even those that do usually do so only once annually. Nippon TV and Ghibli aren’t currently worried about that lessening the relevance of the studio’s films, though. In his press conference response, Fukuda went on to say that permanent facilities like the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo and the Ghibli Park theme park near Nagoya help build interest and excitement for Ghibli’s anime, as do celebratory events like Ghibli’s art exhibitions that travel around the country. Though Fukuda didn’t mention them, Ghibli’s kabuki stage play adaptations, like the one for Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and the upcoming one for Princess Mononoke, also help to spark interest in their source material, and even if there’s no Friday Roadshow broadcast of them in the near future, Ghibli’s anime are always readily available for purchase on physical media in Japan.

Occasional overseas events and London’s My Neighbor Totoro stage play notwithstanding, the average overseas Ghibli fan has far less access to these kinds of Ghibli touchpoints than fans in Japan do, which in turn makes easier access to the anime movies themselves, though online distribution, a greater necessity outside Japan, which would explain why Ghibli has come around to the idea of streaming its works in foreign countries. And the day may come when Ghibli shrugs its shoulders and says “OK” for streaming inside Japan too. Nippon TV and the studio aren’t at that point just yet, though, and Fukuda’s treatment of Ghibli as a partner, as opposed to just a subsidiary, in the matter is probably a wise call, considering how committed Ghibli is to presenting its creations in the way it feels best conveys their vision.

Source: Nippon TV via Oricon News via Otakomu
Top image: Studio Ghibli
Insert images: Studio Ghibli (1, 2)
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Monster Capsule is a gacha behemoth.

“Monster Capsule” might sound like the name of some cheap Pokémon knockoff, but the capsule being referred to isn’t one meant for carrying creatures around in. No, Monster Capsule is supposed to bring up thoughts of capsule toy/gachapon machines, and the Monster part of the name isn’t because the prizes are beastly in nature, but because the machine itself is gigantic.

Just how big are Monster Capsule machines? Manufacturer Gleeglobe builds them in three different sizes, with the biggest being 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall, as you can see in the scale image below.

Even the most compact Monster Capsule machine is huge, with a height of 2 meters, making it several times larger than a regular capsule toy machine. Because they’re so big, you won’t see long banks of Monster Capsule machines lined up outside random convenience stores. Instead, they show up at special events, and there’s one going on now in downtown Tokyo at the Parco department store in the Ikebukuro neighborhood.

Parco’s Parco Factory event space (on the 7th floor of the Ikebukuro Parco main building) is hosting the 10th anniversary celebration of capsule toy maker Qualia. The event will have merch, photo spots, games, and exclusive capsule toys as the company marks 10 years in the capsule toy world.

Qualia’s lineup includes capsule toy lines such as GhosTee and Wood-Carved Cat Pen Holders, but their most popular is the Niccolino series, which puts simple but distinctive smiley faces on all sorts of everyday objects.

▼ Niccolino onigiri (rice ball), cream soda, octopus sausage, and bread plushies, with little futons to sleep in.

With Niccolino being Qualia’s biggest hit, it’s also going into the big gacha machine, as the Monster Capsule will be stocked with premium Niccolino prizes like T-shirts, tote bags, blankets, pouches, and plushies.

Each play of the Monster Capsule machine is 1,500 yen (US$9.70), and there’s also a 1,000-yen admission fee for the Qualia 10th Anniversary Exhibition itself. The event runs from May 29 to June 22.

Related: Parco Ikebukuro, Qualia 10th Anniversary Exhibition official website
Source: PR Times, Qualia 10th Anniversary Exhibition official website
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Qualia 10th Anniversary Exhibition official website
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Find out if this exclusive drink has what it takes to combat a Japanese summer.

Some might say the best time to enjoy a Frappuccino is in the heat of summer, especially in Japan when the high humidity drains all your energy and has you searching for a much-needed boost. This summer, the chain is catering to that need with the Banana Affogato Frappuccino, which combines the pick-me-up powers of banana, with its natural sugars and healthy carbs, with the caffeine kick of espresso, for a refreshing hit of energy in one icy beverage.

With the days nearing summertime highs already, now is a great time to test the powers of the Frappuccino, so our reporter K. Masami headed out to try the new beverage when it was released on 27 May. As a fan of the chain’s existing Espresso Affogato Frappuccino, a popular menu staple that’s said to have inspired the banana version, Masami wanted to know what the fruit would bring to the new drink.

After placing her order, and following the barista’s recommendation to switch the regular milk in the drink to almond for an additional 55 yen (US$0.34), it didn’t take long for Masami to get her first look at the Frappuccino, and she immediately found she was unable to peel her eyes away from the base of the beverage.

The bottom of the glass was filled with plenty of banana pulp, and not only did it look delicious, it promised to benefit the environment too. That’s because the drink contains bananas that would have otherwise gone to waste, as they were considered substandard for the market due to skin blemishes and size issues. These superficial issues don’t affect the taste of the bananas, so enjoying them in drink form is a clever way to save them from landfill, and every sip will make you feel like you’re doing your bit for the environment.

Sitting atop the banana pulp is a blend of milk and banana powder, with a special espresso sauce made by combining an espresso shot and classic syrup. The syrup works to rein in the bitterness of the espresso, creating a harmonious blend of flavours.

Although Masami had initially been concerned that the espresso might overpower the taste of banana, she needn’t have worried. Upon tasting it, she found that the banana remained the star of the show throughout, largely due to the smooth banana pulp, which was packed with fruit flavour and had a delicious mouthfeel, making every sip a taste sensation.

The almond milk added an earthy note that Masami loved, and although the drink was well balanced, she recommends coffee lovers request an extra espresso shot, as the coffee flavour might seem a little too mild for those who like the bitterness of espresso. In fact, until 21 June, customers who request an espresso shot using the chain’s mobile ordering system will have the usual additional 55-yen fee waived, so it’s a good way to try the customisation.

For 700 yen, the new Banana Affogato Frappuccino gets the thumbs-up from Masami, who felt a jolt of energy coarse through her body after trying the drink. It hit the spot so well that she found herself realising it was exactly what her body had been craving on the hot and muggy day she enjoyed it, so keep an eye out for it when you need to restore your energy levels during the heat of summer.

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Special sweets designed to satisfy your sweet tooth and cool you off in the summer heat.

This year is Pokémon’s 30th anniversary, and the franchise is celebrating in style at the Grand Hyatt Tokyo, with the hotel offering amazing Pokémon-themed rooms including one with 30 Pikachu plushies to keep guests company during their stay. But what if you’ve already got a place to sleep in Tokyo? Does that mean you have to miss out on the collaboration’s fun?

Not at all, because the Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s restaurants are also part of the party, and they’re offering both sweet and savory Pokémon-themed eats all summer long!

Starting things off is the Sora Tobu Pikachu (“Pikachu in the Sky”) Gourmet Burger Set, with a Pikachu-yellow bun, the Hyatt’s original barbecue sauce, and jalapeno pickles. It’s accompanied by curry powder French fries and chilled corn soup, and to drink you get a “Pikachu soda,” which looks to be an ice cream float with boba-style tapioca balls too.

The Pikachu burger is available in the hotel’s Oak Door steakhouse restaurant, but just like wild Pokémon appear in different parts of their regions, there are other Pikachus at the Hyatt’s Fiorentina cafe, which is adding a Sora Tobu Pikachu Summer Parfait to its menu.

Since this is a parfait to be enjoyed during one of Japan’s notoriously hot and humid summers, this dessert bypasses heavy chocolate or caramel sauces. Instead, the key ingredients are mascarpone mousse, peach gelatin infused with butterfly pea, and coconut gelatin, for visuals evocative of a bright blue sky and puffy clouds. The “balloons” that are carrying Pikachu on this flight are actually orbs of frozen mousse in mango, orange, pistachio, blueberry, and raspberry flavors.

And there’s still one more place to score some Pokémon treats. Head to the Hyatt’s Fiorentina Pastry Boutique and you can pick up a Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mango Cake.

This fancy cake has layers of mango and coconut jelly inside almond sponge cake, topped with mango mouse and a bouquet’s worth of mango slices arranged in the shape of roses. But even with all those floral flourishes, fans’ eyes will be drawn to the pair of Pikachu chocolates.

For those looking for permanent reminders of their Pokémon sweets sessions, Fiorentina can also supply Grand Adventure Sweets Trunk Cases, with Pikachu mango cookies, Eevee coffee chocolate cookies, and Gen-1 starter trio chocolates in a bundle with a special tote bag and lunchbox-style case.

…or Grand Adventure Baton Chocolate sets, with an assortment of gourmet chocolates and the tote.

▼ The cookies and starter trio chocolates can also be purchased by themselves, if you’ve already got your carrying equipment needs sorted.

As for pricing, the intricate decadence of the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Mango Cake puts it at 12,600 yen (US$81). The Pikachu burger set, meanwhile, is 6,600 yen, and the parfait 3,520. The Sweets Trunk Case and Baton Chocolate sets are 7,500 and 6,800 yen, respectively. The by-themselves chocolates are 2,200 yen, and Pikachu and Eevee cookie boxes are 1,200 each.

The Pokémon/Grand Hyatt Tokyo collaboration runs from June 20 to August 31, but reservations can already be made for the burger, parfait, and cake through the hotel’s website. Reservations are highly recommended for the burger and parfait, as they’re limited to quantities of 20 each daily, and reservations of at least three days in advance are required to purchase the Pikachu cake.

And if Tokyo doesn’t figure into your Japan travel plans this summer, or if you’ve already got all your meals in the capital planned out, there’s some cool new Pokémon stuff happening in another part of the country too.

Related: Grand Hyatt Tokyo website
Source, images: PR Times
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