It's a Cinnamoroll World! — Everyday Kawaii

Meiji Jingu is a destination where you could spend your whole day, but we wanted to see as much as we can in Tokyo. After Meiji Jingu and Harajuku, we took the Tokyo Metro to Shinjuku. What’s in Shinjuku? Cinnamoroll Café, of course!

If you are into everything kawaii, the character café culture is a must-see in Tokyo. The name says it all: These cafés feature anime and cartoon characters in their food and décor. Most of them are only open temporarily, so be sure to check Moshi Moshi Nippon, which publishes a detailed, up-to-date list of character cafés in Tokyo every month. Thankfully, the Cinnamoroll (my favorite) Café has a permanent home at the Marui Annex mall in Shinjuku. (It also has one with a different theme in Kyoto!)

The café doesn’t take reservations, so be prepared to wait! When we arrived at the Cinnamoroll Café at around 1 p.m., we were surprised (and ecstatic) that there was no line. After taking a few shots with the giant Cinnamoroll sign outside, we walked inside the café, only to find out that there was indeed a line! It was at the side door of the café… and there were already three parties in line!

Since we had another destination planned after lunch and the line didn’t seem to be moving even after half an hour, I was starting to give up hope. Just then, the line started to move a little, and we were finally seated after a 50-minute wait.

And boy, was it worth waiting for! The café looked tiny from the outside, but it was in fact very spacious, had a high ceiling, and quite a few tables. All the signs, wall art, and framed photos on the wall showcased none other than my dearest Cinnamoroll. Even the curtains behind me were printed with pictures of this Sanrio character and his friends.

Another great thing about character cafés: They leave plushies around so you can cuddle, play with, or just sit with them. In my case, the café was quite busy, so I didn’t get one at our table, but after the party next to us left, I got a plushie of none other than Cinnamoroll himself!

Cinnamoroll Café offered a special summer menu, including a Cinnamon and Espresso’s summer shaved ice, Espresso’s melon soda, and Cinnamoroll’s blue soda, complete with summer-exclusive stickers on the straws and coasters. We went for the blue soda, goodnight omurice (omelet rice), sky blue stroganoff, and shortcake. Both main dishes and the dessert cost about $11 to $12, and the drink was about $7.

You may be thinking that taste is not prioritized in dishes that are made specifically to look cute, but that cannot be further from the truth! Everything was delicious—the scrambled eggs in the omurice was well-seasoned and fluffy, and the side salad paired really well with the rest of the food. The only thing I didn’t like was the crown that tasted like a wafer but was a bit soggy. It was a tiny part, so it wasn’t a big deal. Plus, it’s a specialty of the Tokyo Cinnamoroll Café since its theme is Cinnamoroll kingdom.

There is a gift shop near the cash register where you can buy Cinnamoroll goods. Simply by dining at the restaurant, you have souvenirs because you are free to take the stickers, coasters, and placemats home!

All fueled up with food, we made our way to the teamLab Borderless exhibit in Odaiba, which will be the subject of the next Kawaii Life post. Until then!