Despite being nowhere near as famous as his feline counterpart abroad, Sanrio’s Pom Pom Purin has a very loyal fan base in his homeland, so much so that the pastel-yellow “pudding” dog managed to clinch fourth place in this year’s Sanrio Character Ranking, at one point leading the pack.
But while Hello Kitty, My Melody and Kiki & Lala have all been given their own themed cafes, poor old’ Pom Pom has had to wait on the sidelines like the patient pup he is. But by the looks of it, the first ever Pom Pom Purin Cafe was well worth the wait, with the Harajuku location boasting a super-kawaii menu with meals, desserts and drinks featuring everyone’s favorite Sanrio canine as well as adorable merchandise available only at the cafe.
Even before its grand opening on October 22, there was already plenty of hype about the cafe on social media. In fact, on the big day, fans started queuing early in the morning to receive numbered tickets that would guarantee them entry at a specific time later in the day in order to avoid chaos on-site.
▼The long line to enter the cafe snaked out of the building in which the cafe is located
(* ・∀・)o彡° ( ・ิω・ิ)o彡°<ブログ! 『「ポムポムプリンカフェ 原宿店」がオープン!オープン初日は夕方前に受付終了となる大盛況に。混雑緩和のため整理券の配布も』http://t.co/9ZTgsyE4UB pic.twitter.com/WgAsTx1KUs
— 表参道&青山インフォメーション (@omotesando_info) October 22, 2014
However, if you were lucky enough to get a number and patient enough to endure the long wait, the cuteness welcoming you at the end is definitely worth every hour in the line. Some lucky Twitter users have documented their adventures:
▼Coconut Milk Chicken Curry in the shape of Pom Pom Purin!
原宿・竹下通りの「ポムポムプリンカフェ」に行ってきた! - ぬんびりぶろぐ http://t.co/WpX3IVWq5W#ポムポムプリンカフェ #ポムポムプリン pic.twitter.com/evnBn6iRZp
— 👾 ぬん 👾 (@nun_) October 23, 2014
▼A super adorable Purin Latte
https://twitter.com/ntm_9186/status/525383832984641536▼Loco Moco shaped like Pom Pom Purin – replacing his hat with a patty is quite a creative touch
▼Nothing ends a meal better than a tower of pancakes
▼Or a parfait or two!
After a satisfyingly kawaii meal, you can grab some of these wonderful Pom Pom Purin special merchandise before going home too! A T-shirt costs 2,900 yen (US$26.8) while a tote bag will set you back by 1,500 yen ($13.9).
Rumor has it that the cafe is already popular with female celebrities, with the likes of popular idol group AKB48‘s Takashima Yurina recently posting a photo of herself indulging in Pom Pom cuteness. Perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to bump into one of your favorite idols while being surrounded by Pom Pom Purin! Be sure to check out this new attraction in Tokyo next time you’re in town!
Cafe information
Pom Pom Purin Cafe
Cute Cube Harajuku (third floor)
Jingumae 1-7-1
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Source/images: Pom Pom Purin Cafe
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