Azabu-Juban – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Thu, 26 Jun 2025 03:00:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 Azabu-Juban – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Canned Japanese whisky highball has a sophisticated history https://soranews24.com/2025/06/26/canned-japanese-whisky-highball-has-a-sophisticated-history/ https://soranews24.com/2025/06/26/canned-japanese-whisky-highball-has-a-sophisticated-history/#comments Thu, 26 Jun 2025 03:00:49 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=705788 
Unraveling the mystery of the canned highball “Azabu”.
During a recent visit to a liquor store in Japan we spied something unusual on the shelf — a canned whisky highball called “Azabu”. This instantly sparked a memory, as we recalled seeing a bottled version of “Azabu” somewhere before, but we’d never seen it in a can so we picked it up for a closer look.
While the name immediately conjures up images of Azabu in Tokyo, a high-class area that’s home to embassies, international schools, and Sailor Moon, we found something rather unusual when we looked at the back of the can — it was made by Aichi-based Cheerio Chubu and distributed by Osaka-based company With One, so it didn’t seem to have any Tokyo connection at all.
Still, the Azabu name lent a sophisticated, high-class air to the highball, and the label echoed this sentiment with the words, “A masterpiece in pursuit of the ultimate highball”. However, the label also reads, “A blend of Scotch whisky and carefully selected whiskies from around the world, blended with spring water from Mt Fuji”, so it’s not truly a pure Japanese whisky.
This was a confusing mash of facts to comprehend, so we decided to put the highball to the test, picking up a couple of cans for 396 yen (US$2.73) each and taking them home for a taste. Cracking open a can, we were met by a satisfying “psshh” as the air was released, sending a faint smoky aroma wafting up to the nostrils. Pouring the drink into a glass, we saw it had a yellowish hue typical of a highball.
Taking a sip, it wasn’t as smoky as the aroma suggested, with just a gentle hint that made it incredibly easy to drink. There was a bright, fruity note with a subtle toasty flavour, and it was relatively light with a clean taste and no jarring quirks, making for a tasty tipple. While it was nice on its own, we imagine it’d go nicely with a meal, and when we closed our eyes, we were able to imagine the fancy scenery of Azabu.
With Azabu in our mind’s eye, we were reminded of the puzzling mystery behind the drink’s name. The inconsistency between product name, manufacturer, and distributor was something we needed to get to the bottom of, so we put in a call to the distributor and received the following reply.
“The canned highball ‘Azabu’ originally stems from ‘Azabu Pure Malt Whisky’, which was co-developed with a company headquartered in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo. We chose the name ‘Azabu’ because the area encapsulates a sophisticated urban culture and high aesthetic sensibilities, which matches the image we wanted for the product.”
The representative went on to say that the popularity of the pure malt whisky led them to make the canned highball, with Cheerio Chubu chosen as the trusted manufacturing partner. Through this collaboration, the canned highball “Azabu” was born.
So in the end, we discovered that the product name “Azabu” does indeed refer to the posh area of Tokyo in which Azabu-Juban resides, and after tasting the highball we can confidently say the sophisticated image of the neighbourhood is a good fit for the sophisticated taste of the drink.
Photos© SoraNews24
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2025/06/26/canned-japanese-whisky-highball-has-a-sophisticated-history/feed/ 0 705788 Japanese whisky Azabu Highball Tokyo Osaka Aichi shop drink news 1 Sailor Moon manhole covers to be installed in Tokyo at sites linked to the anime/manga series https://soranews24.com/2024/02/03/sailor-moon-manhole-covers-to-be-installed-in-tokyo-at-sites-linked-to-the-anime-manga-series/ https://soranews24.com/2024/02/03/sailor-moon-manhole-covers-to-be-installed-in-tokyo-at-sites-linked-to-the-anime-manga-series/#comments Sat, 03 Feb 2024 01:00:11 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=649915 
Artistic covers will lead you on a walk through Sailor Moon history.
For all of its fantastical locations like the Moon Kingdom and Crystal Tokyo, a whole lot of Sailor Moon takes place in an actual part of real Tokyo. Ordinary schoolgirl Usagi Tsukino is shown as living and going to school in Minato Ward’s Azabu Juban neighborhood, and even after her magical girl powers awaken, the area is frequently the battleground for the Sailor Senshi’s fights with their monster-of-the-week/story arc foes.
The connection between the hit anime/manga franchise and the downtown district is about to get stronger still, as Minato Ward has just announced that they’ll be installing a series of artistic Sailor Moon manhole covers, each placed in a spot with special significance to the Sailor Moon story.
Starting things off is a cover for Sailor Moon and her sharply dressed, barely disguised beaux, Tuxedo Mask. This will be located at the entrance to the Azabu Juban Shopping Street (shotengai), which can be seen in multiple scenes in the series and where Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi frequently went for leisure and inspiration while drawing the manga.
Next, the whole Inner Senshi team stands together on this cover in front of the Minato Library, near Shiba Park and also near the in-series Shibakoen Middle School that Minako (Sailor Venus) attends. Oh, and if you noticed that the second cover has a blue background, just like the image color of Sailor Mercury, the second Sailor Senshi to joint the team, you can probably guess this isn’t a coincidence.
The core cast appears in kimono finery on this cover with a Sailor Mars-red background, which will be installed near Toyo Eiwa Jogakuin, which served as the model for the fictitious T.A. Girls’ Academy which Rei/Sailor Mars attends.
The Sailor Senshi are back in their battle gear in front of a Sailor Jupiter-green cover which will be placed near Tokyo Tower, inside Shiba Park in front of the Shiba Water Supply Station.
And finally, the fifth cover will be at the entrance to the Keio-nakadori Shopping Street, as a treat for fans with a deep appreciation for the franchise’s lore who remember the location from Sailor Moon’s predecessor Codename: Sailor V, in which Minako was the main character.
Exact locations for the manhole covers haven’t been disclosed, but the approximate addresses, in order of the images above, are:
● Azabu Juban 2-1
● Shiba Koen 3-2-25
● Roppongi 5-6-14
● Shiba Koen 3-6-7
● Shiba 5-20
The covers are scheduled to be installed in mid-March, and considering how much fun we had tracking down all the Pokémon manhole covers in Yokohama, it looks like we’ve got another urban exploring walk in our near future.
Source, images: Minato Ward
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2024/02/03/sailor-moon-manhole-covers-to-be-installed-in-tokyo-at-sites-linked-to-the-anime-manga-series/feed/ 0 649915 SM 1 Permanent Sailor Moon restaurant opening in Tokyo with live stage shows every day! https://soranews24.com/2019/07/18/permanent-sailor-moon-restaurant-opening-in-tokyo-with-live-stage-shows-every-day/ https://soranews24.com/2019/07/18/permanent-sailor-moon-restaurant-opening-in-tokyo-with-live-stage-shows-every-day/#comments Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:00:12 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=458432 
Moon power, every night.
There’s a steady parade of anime-themed cafes and restaurants that pop up in Japan. Fun as they are, though, there’s usually only enough love for a single specific series to power the eateries for a few weeks, after which they close up shop and otaku palates move on to the next.
Sailor Moon, though, is a special case. Though the series started in 1991, it’s yet to be dethroned as Japan’s premier magical girl anime/manga franchise, and so there’s a permanent Sailor Moon restaurant opening in Tokyo next month!
Called Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo, the restaurant of course offers Sailor Moon-themed food, like the Pretty Guardian Lunch Box and Moon Prism Rice Burger for lunch, or the Sailor Planet Round Sushi, Mako-chan-invented Somen cold noodles, or Tsukino Family’s Bunny Curry for dinner.
As for drinks, in the afternoon you can choose from the Usagi Strawberry Smoothie or Mamoru Ice Coffee, with the lineup expanding to pink lemonade, blue cider, red cider, green nectar, golden mango, and black sugar coffee to cover each Sailor Senshi, and Tuxedo Mask’s, image colors at night.
But the biggest draw of all isn’t what’s on the menu, but what’s on stage! While lunch is strictly a dining and drinking affair, every evening a live Sailor Moon stage show will be performed for fans who’ve come to the restaurant for dinner.
With three performances per night, each role is played by one of two actresses, in order to lesson the workload on any single thespian. For Sailor Moon, the part is shared by Reona Samejima and Shina Tanaka.
As for the rest of the Sailor Senshi:
▼ Kokona and Yui Hayashi as Sailor Mercury
▼ Mika Taguchi and Ayaka Ozaki as Sailor Mars
▼ Mayuka Ida and Ayaka Ozaki as Sailor Jupiter
▼ Nanae Abe and Yu Nakanishi as Sailor Venus
And finally, as Tuxedo Mask, Hikari Aoba and Sufa.
As for where in Tokyo the restaurant will be located, you won’t find it in Akihabara, Ikebukuro, Nakano, or any of the other otaku hotspots. Instead, Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo will be opening in the swanky Azabu Juban district, the neighborhood where Usagi/Sailor Moon lived in the anime/manga, as well as where series creator Naoko Takeuchi has lived for a significant part of her life.
In a unique system, individual menu items has no specific price. Instead, you purchase a “ticket” to the restaurant, which gets you your choice of one food item and one drink. At lunch, tickets cost 3,500 yen (US$32), and dinner tickets (i.e. the tickets for if you want to watch the stage show) are priced at either 7,500 or 8,500 yen, depending on the specific seat. Lunch is served from noon to 1:30 p.m., while the 100-minute dinner seating start at 4, 6:30, and 9 p.m., with their respective 40-minute stage shows beginning at 5, 7:30, and 10.
Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo’s grand opening will take place on August 15, and from then until the end of October, seating will be by prior reservation only. Reservations open to the general public on July 21, and can be made through the restaurant’s official website.
Restaurant information
Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo / 美少女戦士セーラームーン -SHINING MOON TOKYO-
Addess: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Azabu Juban 1-10-10, Jppule A, basement level 1
東京都港区麻布十番1-10-10ジュールA B1F
Website
Source: Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo via Comic Natalie via Anime News Network/Jennifer Sherman
Top image: Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo
Insert images: Sailor Moon Shining Moon Tokyo (1, 2 3)
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2019/07/18/permanent-sailor-moon-restaurant-opening-in-tokyo-with-live-stage-shows-every-day/feed/ 0 458432 SM 1 Rumi Rock’s line of edgy yukata is in pop-up shops, just in time for the summer festival season https://soranews24.com/2016/06/27/rumi-rocks-line-of-edgy-yukata-is-in-pop-up-shops-just-in-time-for-the-summer-festival-season/ https://soranews24.com/2016/06/27/rumi-rocks-line-of-edgy-yukata-is-in-pop-up-shops-just-in-time-for-the-summer-festival-season/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:00:47 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=329149 
We’re guessing that this is the only place where you can find a yukata featuring a Loch Ness Monster design!
Rumi Rock is a Tokyo-based brand started in 2005 best known for their unique, unisex kimono and yukata (casual summer kimono) which fuse elements of traditional and modern Japanese design:
While Rumi Rock has no permanent retail store, the brand opened a limited-time shop in Tokyo’s Azabu-Juban district on June 24 to showcase their latest yukata collection. This shop will be open until July 4, after which it will move to Tokyo’s Daikanyama district for the period between July 6-24. The openings come at a perfect time as more and more Japanese towns will begin holding summer festivals, during which it’s popular for both men and women to wear yukata. Based on some of their edgy, “rock”-style visual design elements, these yukata would also be perfect to wear at Japan’s annual Fuji Rock Festival next month (nudge nudge)!
To get a feel for some of Rumi Rock’s designs, check out the following products from their 2016 Yukata Collection. All prices displayed are for ready-made yukata for either men or women, sizes small through large, with tax included. Tailored yukata and fabric are also available for different prices, along with a range of yukata accessories such as zori sandals, folding fans, and obi (sash) customizations.
Picture yourself wearing these gems on a night out on the town, in Japan or otherwise!
▼ “Fairy/フェアリー“: Let out your inner child with this gorgeous pattern reminiscent of the 1970s (44,280 yen/US$435).
▼ “Stormy/ストーミー“: Different weather elements combine to make this eye-popping, graphic thunder/hail/rain/snowstorm (42,120 yen).
▼ “Killer/キラー“: The designer says that this eerie design was inspired by Edo era (1603-1868) craftsman who engaged in assassination attempts using their ordinary tools of trade (42,120 yen).
▼ “Nessie/ネッシー“: Yup, this is probably the first-ever yukata that features Scotland’s very own Loch Ness Monster, Nessie (44,280 yen)!
▼ “Collector/コレクター“: Colorful bird feathers and butterfly wings grace this stimulating design (42,120 yen).
▼ “Hair Wave/毛波“: The beautiful hairstyles depicted on Edo era ukiyo-e woodblock prints inspired this yukata (42,120 yen).
▼ “Crocodile/クロコダイル“: Here’s a lovely stenciled design paying tribute to the hide of crocodiles (42,120 yen).
▼ “Seediqbale/セデック・バレ“: This yukata was inspired by the 2011 Taiwanese film Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, which tells the story of the Taiwanese aboriginal Seediq people during World War I (42,120 yen).
▼ “Bremin/ブレーメン“: Pictures of different animals, including donkeys, cats, and owls, are deftly incorporated into this design (42,120 yen).
Here are some other bonus Rumi Rock fabric designs that left us spellbound:
For more photos of the 2016 Yukata Collection, visit the first group and the second group on Rumi Rock’s official website or Facebook page. Now’s the time to prepare for all of your summer festival needs!
Shop Information
Rumi Rock Yukata Shop / ルミロックゆかたショップ
June 24 – July 4, 2016:
Palette Gallery Azabu-Juban / パレットギャラリー麻布十番
Address: 106-0045 Tokyo, Minato-ku, Azabu-Juban 2-94
106-0045 東京都港区麻布十番 2-94
Open: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; closes at 3 p.m. on July 4
July 6 – 24, 2016:
Gallery Natsumikan Daikanyama / ギャラリー懐美館 代官山
Address: 150-0021 Tokyo, Shibuya-ku, Ebisunishi 1-31-14
150-0021 東京都渋谷区恵比寿西 1-31-14
Open: 12 p.m.-8 p.m.; closes at 6 p.m. on July 24
Source: Japaaan Magazine
Top image: Facebook/Rumi Rock Store
Insert images: Rumi Rock
]]> https://soranews24.com/2016/06/27/rumi-rocks-line-of-edgy-yukata-is-in-pop-up-shops-just-in-time-for-the-summer-festival-season/feed/ 0 329149 Rumi Rock Rumi Rock Rumi Rock6 Rumi Rock4 Rumi Rock5 Rumi Rock2 Rumi Rock3