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Japan’s newest concept restaurant held its grand opening on August 1 in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, which is well-known as Japan’s mecca for zany subculture fashions and youth culture.

We haven’t had a chance to go to the Kawaii Monster Cafe yet, but based on the pictures of its lavish decorations positively bursting with color and Alice in Wonderland-esque bizarreness, we’d say it looks well worth the trip!

The Kawaii Monster Cafe is a collaboration between Art Director Sebastian Masuda, a pioneer of Japanese kawaii [cute] culture, and Diamond Dining. Masuda is also the founder of Harajuku’s 6%DOKIDOKI shop, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and has even collaborated with Japanese pop and fashion icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu.

The quirky and fabulous Sebastian Masuda

Before we move on to a description of the Kawaii Monster Cafe’s interior, take a moment to watch the following promotional clip released before its grand opening:

Hopefully those decadent sweets have whetted your appetite for more!

First-time visitors will immediately get a taste (no pun intended) of what’s in store for them as they approach the cafe’s entrance, which features its very own monster mascot character, Mr. Ten Thousand Chopsticks (“Choppy”).

You’ll then be greeted by an actual revolving merry-go-round in the shape of a lavishly decorated cake, appropriately dubbed the “Sweets-Go-Round.” It’s a perfect spot to snap a commemorative photo of your visit.

The fun’s just beginning when you enter the restaurant proper, since you get to choose your seats from four different zones within the restaurant, each of which has its own extravagantly themed decorations. Here they are in all of their hallucinatory glory:

▼ Mushroom Disco: Colorful mushrooms and alien vegetation surround you for this psychedelic dining experience.

▼ Milk Stand: The place to go if giant rabbits, sheep, and unicorn heads drinking milk from baby bottles are your thing. It’s definitely unlike any nursery we’ve ever been to.

▼ Bar Experiment: Prepare to take a journey into the dark ocean’s depths (or just to be enveloped by a giant, flickering jellyfish). This one’s a more sophisticated setting for the adult crowd.

▼ Mel-Tea Room: A veritable sweets paradise embellished with ice cream, chocolate, and macarons will make all your dreams come true.

As if the eye-popping decor wasn’t enough to take in, the cafe is also run by five carefully selected Monster Girl staff members, whose individual concepts were developed by Masuda to embody the different styles of the cafe and to promote Japanese cute culture abroad.

Introducing the Monster girls! Clockwise, from top-left: Nasty, Crazy, Dolly, Candy, and Baby (yes, those are the actual names given to them).

▼ Strangely enough, even political types such as Akie Abe, wife of current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, dropped by to meet the Monster Girls in person.

Now that we’ve taken a look at the interior decor, let’s turn our attention to what you’re probably most anxious to learn about–the food!

You’ve probably gleaned by now that the Kawaii Monster Cafe isn’t going to offer your typical cafe fare. True to form, the menu items are quite varied and whimsical, if not a tad on the pricey side. Also, those of you who are a bit squeamish about eating unnaturally colored foods should be forewarned–you may want to stick to the drinks for this one. Let’s take a look at some of the offerings pulled from the website below.

 “Colorful rainbow pasta (painter)” (1,300 yen/US $10)

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▼ “Mad BLT” (900 yen)

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“Colorful Poison Parfait Extreme” (2,300 yen)

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“Colorful Poison Cake (Chemical)” (2,800 yen)

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“Non-alcoholic Cocktail Non-drug (Night lights)” (720 yen)

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“Non-alcoholic Fruity Heavenly (Real fruits)” (780 yen)

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The cafe also boasts a shop where you can buy a smattering of souvenirs, including ballpoint pens, tin badges, card cases, tote bags, T-shirts, strobe rings, and the two items listed below:

▼ Ring notebook (630 yen)

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▼ Tissue box (500 yen) 

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On one final note, the Kawaii Monster Cafe also offers “The Fall in the Stomach Monster” point card, which gives you many special offers such as free goods and even exclusive food options. You can upgrade your card a maximum of three times depending on how often you come to the cafe and where you sit. Even the names of the point cards–Pearl Pink, Mystic Purple, Champagne Gold, and the especially alluring Emerald of Secret–are well thought out to reflect the unique nature of the cafe.

What’s your initial impression after seeing a bit of the Kawaii Monster Cafe? Is the Lady Gaga style right up your alley, or is the whole concept a bit too gimmicky for you?

Cafe information
Kawaii Monster Cafe Harajuku
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 4-31-10, YM Square building 4th floor
東京都渋谷区神宮前4丁目31‐10 YMスクエアビル4F
Open 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. (last seating at 9:30 p.m./last order at 10:00 p.m.)
Telephone: 03-5413-6142
Website
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Source: PR Times
Top image: Kawaii Monster Cafe
Insert images: Kawaii Monster Cafe, YouTube (Kawaii Monster Cafe)