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Cafe in Japan will hook diners up with a virtual girlfriend to keep them company while they eat

Casey Baseel Jul 1, 2017
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Virtual idol Hatsune Miku takes time out from her busy schedule to sit down for some sweets in augmented reality event.

Smartphones have made eating out by yourself a much less awkward situation that it used to be. Instead of twiddling your thumbs as you wait for your order to arrive, then single-mindedly wolfing it down once it does, you can whip out your phone and peruse the wonders of the Internet like any proper technologically savvy sophisticate of the 21st century.

Still, while there’s plenty of mentally stimulating and emotionally compelling stuff online, you might still find yourself feeling a little lonely. But once again, smartphone technology is ready to come to the rescue, as a cafe in Japan will be providing select customers with an augmented-reality virtual girlfriend to keep them company while they enjoy their food and drink.

Oh, and it’s not just any girl from the digital world that customers are getting hooked up with, but Vocaloid superstar Hatsune Miku herself.

On July 8, 9, 15, 16, and 17, Blue Leaf Cafe in the city of Sendai will be outfitted with a number of special smartphones loaded with a new iteration of the Miku Stroll augmented reality program. Only you won’t be doing any strolling in Miku Stroll Cafe Edition, but sitting down for some light fare with the world’s most successful virtual idol, as part of a promotion with telecommunications provider (and Blue Leaf Cafe operator) au/KDDI and Crypton Future Media.

While Miku herself will only be at the cafe for the five days listed above, the restaurant will be offering a number of Miku-themed items between July 8 and 31, some saluting the 10th anniversary of her debut.

▼ The 800-yen (US$7.20) roll cake doesn’t sound particularly pungent, but non-virtual diners ordering the 900-yen Miku Sandwich with Pastrami and Refreshing Pickled Green Onions will probably want to pop a breath mint afterwards.

▼ Miku Summer Tropical Soda (700 yen) and Miku Latte (650 yen)

And, as customers have come to expect at otaku-oriented dining events in Japan, character art coasters will be given out to patrons while supplies last.

As a virtual idol, Miku is technically capable of being anywhere at any time. But while time and space pose no problems for the Vocaloid herself, Blue Leaf Cafe only has so many smartphone setups to spare, and so those hoping to go on this date with the virtual idol will have to register for the AR experience here.

Restaurant information
Blue Leaf Café / ブルー・リーフ・カフェ
Address: Miyagi-ken, Sendai-shi, Aoba-ku, Ichibancho 3-8-8 Ichibancho stear
宮城県仙台市青葉区一番町3-8-8 一番町stear
Open 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Website

Source:, images KDDI

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he wonders if the organizers of the contest to go on a date with Mousekateer Annette Funicello ever imagined what the future held.