Family Mart becomes Family Nyart with new range of sweets for Cat Day in Japan

Japanese convenience store chain serves up the cutest treats for cat lovers .

In Japan, 22 February is Cat Day, due to the way the triple twos in the date sound like “nyan nyan nyan” (“meow meow meow”) as the numbers read “ni ni ni” in Japanese. It’s a day when cat lovers can indulge their passions for all things feline, and stores like Family Mart are keen to cater to those tastes with limited-edition releases celebrating the beauty of cats.

This year, Family Mart will be holding its third annual “Family Nyart Daisakusen” (“Family Nyart Major Campaign”) to celebrate the special day, renaming itself with the meow-sounding “nya” and releasing a slew of cat-themed sweets for the occasion.

Our reporter Marie Morimoto was able to get a preview of the sweets before their official 18 February release, where she was introduced to the 21-strong lineup presented in a beautiful display. If some of the cat illustrations look familiar, that’s because they’re part of the “mofusand” line of characters created by illustrator Juno, who previously lent her designs to the chain for their past Cat Day ranges.

▼ This year’s is the largest collection ever, so let’s take a look at each one in more detail below, starting with the “Koneko Manju” (left) and the “Nikukyuu Marshmallow” (right).

Priced at 180 yen (US$1.19) and 135 yen respectively, the English names for these products — “Sweet Buns With Milk Bean Paste” and “Pad Marshmallow” — don’t do justice to the eloquence of the Japanese names, which translate as “Kitten Sweet Bun” and “Paw Pad Marshmallow”.

Next up, we have the “Nyantomo Oishii Cheesecake” (248 yen), which doesn’t appear to have an English name, but translates as “Incredibly Delicious Cheesecake”, with an image of a kitty drawn by cat illustrator Coony.

Another collaborator on board for the campaign is Japan’s Yamato Transport, a top delivery company that commonly goes by the name “Kuroneko” (“Black Cat”) due to its distinctive logomark.

▼ The Kuroneko treat goes by the name “Kuroneko to Shironeko Biscuit Sand” (“Black Cat and White Cat Biscuit Sandwich”) and retails for 258 yen.

Super popular Japanese snack brand Happy Turn also makes an appearance, with a new product called “Happy Nyan” in Pollock Roe Butter Flavour (186 yen), which has a pink hue to resemble pink paw pads.

▼ The packs come in two designs, with mofusand cats on the packaging.

Famous bread and sandwich pack makers Yamazaki Pan have whipped up the “Nyanchi Pack” (178 yen), which features mofusand cats on the packaging and a gorgeous kitty pattern on the bread, which is filled with fresh caramel cream & whipped cream.

The mofusand Mug & Hakutou Jelly (“Mug and White Peach Jelly” [930 yen]) gets you a gorgeous mug that you can keep forever.

Other items include the Banana Nyate (248 yen), which puts a meow-ish spin on the Banana Latte, the Nikukyuu no Melon Pan (“Paw Pad Melon Bread” [168 yen]) filled with custard whipped cream, the Nikukyuu Sweet Potato (190 yen), and the Nikukyuuin no Koshian Dorayaki (“Paw Pad Imprint Smooth Red Bean Paste Dorayaki” [198 yen]), which is a pancake-like confection.

If you prefer to join in the feline fun without having to worry about the calories, Family Mart also has a selection of miscellaneous goods and daily necessities adorned in kitty designs, including a mofusand mini pouch, and a tote bag, a box of tissues, and hand soap in Coony designs.

▼ Matatabi is a species of kiwi fruit that also goes by the name “cat powder”, due to the catnip-like effects it has on felines. Wash your hands with this soap before petting your kitty and your cat will be left purring in delight.

It’s a cat lover’s paradise, and felines get to benefit too, as Family Mart believes Cat Day is a way to “repay the cat”, with a portion of profits from the campaign donated to the Japan Animal Welfare Association. One store in Tokyo and three stores with the word “neko” (“cat”) in their branch name will also be holding a “Pet Food Drive”, with a specially marked box for receiving out-of-date pet food, which will be donated to the Japan Animal Welfare Association.

▼ This box will be set up at the Kawaguchi Nekobashi branch in Saitama Prefecture, Chikusa Nekododori in Aichi Prefecture, Nekoyacho in Hiroshima Prefecture, and Musubu Tamachi in Tokyo.

The Family Nyart Cat Day campaign will run from 18 February until 3 March, but you’ll want to get in quick to avoid missing out on the fun as the exclusive products will only be available while stocks last.

Related: Family Mart
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