Japan has already a reputation as a country with crazy ideas and products. So it is no surprise that you can always find some new and exciting things going on.
Here are the two most prominet concepts of the Japanese gastronomy industry, which caught my eye.
The first one is named "Kawaii Monster Cafe", which opend in 2015 in Harajuku. Harajuku is a young and hip district of Tokyo. "Kawaii" is a word you will hear, e all around you, especially within the young generation. It means something like "cute" or "adorable". Almost everything can be named "kawaii" and it is more than a word, it became a "lifestyle".
So the title of the cafe means "cute monster cafe".
And this is how Japanese people imagine "cute monsters":
The concept of this themed cafe is an atmosphere similar to Disneyland.
The interior is nothing like minimalistic. It is overwhelming with color and shapes.
Also the menue fits perfectly into the concept of mulitcolour. The design layout runs consequently through all parts of the restaurants. This love to detail is what makes this restaurant so special.
Another innovative concept has the robot restaurant. It is located in Shinjuku. Also a district in Tokyo. However it is more like a business area with famous entertainment and nightlife. It already open
ed in 2012. And it since has become one of the must sees on a Tokyo trip.
You don`t come to this restaurant for eating. This is only an incidential part of the visit. You come here for the show. So in fact this is more like a vaudeville than a restaurant. The takes the main part of your visit. At the beginning you are served a very basic menue. After that you can enjoy the show, which takes about one hour.
So this restaurant takes the customer entertainment to the next level.
Japan always comes up with unusual, out of the box ideas. And it is worth it to keep track of the latest trends there.