
Enjoy the sight of cherry blossoms, then get a taste of outer space.
If you can’t wait for sakura season to begin in Tokyo (because apparently many businesses and restaurants in Japan can’t, either), swing on by a planetarium. Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo (located in Tokyo’s Yurakuco neighborhood) plus the Konica Minolta Planetarium branches in Ikebukuro Sunshine City and Tokyo Sky Tree Town are giving you a chance to immerse yourself in digital cherry blossoms before the actual blooms even start to open.
If you visit any of the three locations between certain times in March through May to see one of the planetarium’s featured shows, you’ll be treated to a 360-view of giant, up-close preview video of cherry blossoms. And since it’s before the main feature at the planetarium, you’re allowed to take all the pictures, video, and selfies that you want.
You can see the spectacle at the Konica Minolta Planetarium in Sunshine City anytime between now and May 16 with the sakura appearing before the start of the Starry Globe, Aurora Night, and Hoshi no Kazu Hodo programs. At Sky Tree Town, the sakura only last until April 11, and can be seen before the Gift of Light, Songs for the Planetarium Vol. 1, and Toki wo Kizamu Kono Hoshizora shows. Finally, if you visit Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo before May 12, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms before the Starry Tales, Hoshi no Tabi, Starry Island, Starry Globe, and Songs for the Planetarium Vol. 1 programs.
In addition to looking at the sakura, at the Planetaria Tokyo you can sip on a limited-time Sakura Berry Latte in the facility’s cafe. It costs 770 yen (US$7.09), and it’s packed with sakura, berry, cheesecake, and raspberry flavor that makes it all worth it.
Planetaria Tokyo is also releasing a limited-time series of drinks and goods starting March 18 with the tantalizing title “Outer Space Smells Like Raspberries“. If you’re lost, we’ll fill you in: ethyl formate, the substance that gives raspberries their pleasant smell (though it smells like rum to some), is also found in abundance in outer space, hence the event’s theme!
▼ The exclusive menu boasts a bubbly cocktail, an Instagram-worthy Milky Way Fruit Sandwich, and a raspberry-rich red mocktail.
The cocktail and mocktail are named Eta Carina and Omega, respectively. The event also features the planetarium’s popular glowing tea drinks called Starry Bottles; these ones are brimming with the smell of raspberries as well.
▼ Come for the sakura, stay for the raspberries.
So if you simply can’t wait until cherry blossom season begins in Tokyo or you just really like raspberries, make a stop by any of those three Konica Minolta locations after eating up your cherry blossom curry.
Related: Konica Minolta Planetaria Tokyo, Konica Minolta Planetarium Ikebukuro Sunshine City, Konica Minolta Planetarium Tokyo Sky Tree Town
Source, images: @Press
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