Final Fantasy Square Enix cafe, Shinjuku Robot restaurant, Kagaya Shinbashi: Tokyo’s weirdest theme restaurants.
Bizarre theme restaurants are maintaining their stronghold on the Japanese imagination. While in Tokyo, I visited two new themed cafes — robots and Final Fantasy — and an old favorite, Kagaya. Read on for scantily-clad fem-bots!
The Shinjuku Robot Restaurant has been raising eyebrows, for obvious reasons. I haven’t been to it yet, but apparently, 5000 yen buys you dinner inside a disco-neon space where women in bikinis para-para dance and battle each other on giant robots.
To promote the recently-opened theme restaurant, a truck drives around blasting loud music, with these two fembot killer machines attached. (Address: B2F Shinjuku Robot Building, 1-7-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku)
I did make it to the Square Enix Artnia cafe and gift shop, dedicated to all things Final Fantasy. (Address: Shinjuku Eastside Square, 6-27-30 Shinjuku)
Artnia is a giant egg next to the towering Square Enix headquarters, where video game magic happens.
Inside, you can buy stuffed toys and memorabilia of your favorite characters, and posters of FF’s Cloud. (Doesn’t he remind you of Sebastiano?)
The Slimes (who are possibly the cutest villains ever) are popular Dragon Quest characters.
We had lunch at Artnia cafe, which serves themed food. (Photography by First Mate Naomi)
I ate every last bit of these chocolate-banana pancakes, fittingly stamped with a Chocobo bird.
I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with Square Enix characters. Do you recognize the figures that adorn these sweets?
How about these cute blue creatures?
In the back, there is a Final Fantasy VIII concept art gallery that runs until April 28th.
The character models are surrounded by dramatic lighting and mirrors. A fountain sits in the center.
For us Pirates, no Tokyo TV mission is complete without a visit to Kagaya izakaya in Shinbashi. (Address: Hanasada Building B1F, 2-15-12 Shinbashi)
I don’t want to spoil the surprise for you, but Mark (the owner) has endless tricks and delights up his sleeve, including prank drinks and costume-crazy performances. You can glimpse the fun in this video of my 2010 visit.
Hungry to learn more about Japan’s weird theme restaurants? I hope you’ll check out my book, which covers Ninja, vampire, Lock-Up, Christon, Alice in Wonderland, Princess, Butler and more.
Are you a Final Fantasy fan? Would you like me to visit and report on the robot restaurant? Tell me in the comments and on my Facebook.
PS: Tons of international travels coming up… can’t wait to announce where I’m heading next!
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LA CARMINA
34 Comments
That Square Enix cafe looks so cute! AND my hotel was in East Shinjuku last time I visited – looks like I’ll have to go back :)
Yess you must! I love staying in this area.
SWEET
:o those r awesome!
Brilliant photos
D:
Amazing
Chocobo pancakes
Wanna try them
they are sooo good
I want to eat chocobo pancakes sitting in front of a robot lady.
hah
That is just awesome .. IM so jealous lol I want to see.
Yellow birds- Chocobos
The character on the pancakes – Moogles (moguri (jp)
Green character with lamp and knife – Tonberry
Black with yellow eyes – Heartless from Kingdom Hearts
The crazy cat-looking blue and white with horns is from Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance.
I have too many if those stuffed characters lol
I need the Heartless
thank yu!!!
Amaaaazing!!
haha, maybe Ill take my new colleagues to Kagaya tonight moahaha! love that place
how did the night go?
Loved this… <3
This is awesome.
that’s fantastic.
My bf & I just booked our flights to Tokyo in June, I’m definitely saving everything in this blog entry on our Google map! I following your blog
Amazing!! yay!!!
it’ so cute!
You live a supremely awesome life.
I <3 Cloud
this makes my heart pump
doki doki doki
yeahh
That looks like a buster sword in the parfait. I haven’t played much of the Final Fantasy games myself, but I love the character designs and the Advent Children movie was just visually stunning. I have a lot of friends who would enjoy the Square Enix cafe.
That’s right – buster sword!! Forgot what it was called.
looking more fabulous beside that hat (ﾉ)´∀｀(ヾ)
haha
My god I want
Zap so cute