Harajuku: The Birthplace of Kawaii! Kawaii Sweets Special
sena kanda
Shibuya is the hub of youth culture. It's famous for having "the world's busiest intersection," the Scramble Crossing, and is bustling with people day and night. With many shops open until late, it's also called the city that never sleeps. It's a constantly changing area, with ongoing construction and new cultural and fashion hubs popping up one after another.
Just one stop away from Shibuya on the JR Yamanote line is Harajuku. It is also located in Shibuya ward and is within walking distance from Shibuya station.
The charm of Harajuku lies in its unique culture, represented by Takeshita Street. Called the holy land of Kawaii, it has many shops pursuing cuteness in various ways.
Harajuku is also known for its many delicious sweets shops and is considered a fierce battleground for sweets. Today, I'll introduce unique "kawaii" sweets in Harajuku.
The Café and Sweets Scene in Harajuku
Harajuku is not only about fashion but is also packed with shops serving delicious and cute sweets, making it a fierce battleground for sweets.
Besides standard sweets like crepes and pancakes, there are shops with Instagram-worthy sweets and the latest trendy sweets, making Harajuku a never-ending topic for sweets lovers.
Especially for pancakes, there are many popular shops where you need to be prepared to wait in line. While there are many takeout shops for crepes, the number of shops where you can enjoy them leisurely inside is increasing.
For the latest sweets, all-you-can-eat Instagram-worthy sweets shops and shops where cute sweets arrive on plates like conveyor belt sushi are trending!
Totti Candy Factory Harajuku Store
Source: Tabelog
If you're looking for Instagram-worthy sweets in Harajuku, Totti Candy Factory Harajuku is recommended. Cotton candy is a staple at Japanese festivals and has long been popular with children. This shop sells incredibly colorful and cute cotton candy.
The most popular item is the Harajuku-exclusive Harajuku Rainbow. It's about the size of a child's umbrella, so it's recommended to share between 2-3 people. Despite its size, it has a light texture that you can enjoy. Each of the 5 colors has a different flavor.
You can often see children watching excitedly as the cotton candy grows bigger and bigger as it's made right in front of you after ordering! There's no eat-in space, so if you're not eating it on the spot, you can also buy cotton candy in cups or buckets.
<Information>
・Address: 2F RYU Apartment, 1-16-5 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: -
・Phone: 03-3403-7007
・Hours: 11:00-20:00 /weekday 10:00-20:00 Saturday & holidays
・Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/totticandyfactory/
GOOD TOWN DOUGHNUTS
Source: Tabelog
GOOD TOWN DOUGHNUTS is a café where you can enjoy American-style doughnuts. The stylish interior with warm wooden accents is comfortable, allowing you to relax and enjoy delicious sweets.
All doughnuts are handmade using carefully selected domestic ingredients such as natural yeast, flour, and sugar. Though they're on the larger side, you can enjoy a crispy exterior and fluffy interior.
For cute sweets, we recommend the doughnuts with colorful icing. There are also many seasonal menu items, such as cherry blossom doughnuts in spring.
Non-sweet items like baguette sandwiches, muffins, and cheesecakes are also popular. Personally, I recommend that they also offer vegan doughnuts.
<Information>
・Address: J-cube B 1F, 6-12-6 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Open daily
・Phone: -
・Hours: 10:00～19:00
・Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/good_town_doughnuts/
Q-pot CAFE.
Source: Tabelog
Q-pot CAFE is a café that offers sweets modeled after the accessories of the brand designed by Wakamatsu Tadaaki. It's recommended for those who want to enjoy cute sweets in a cute space.
In addition to sweets based on their standard accessories, there are many seasonal menu items. You can enjoy sweets full of cuteness tailored to the season, whether it's strawberries, chocolate mint, Valentine's Day, or Christmas.
The recommended item is the afternoon tea set. Although it's a bit pricey at 3,300 yen per person including one drink, you can fully enjoy sandwiches, soup, and colorful sweets.
As it's a popular shop, it's recommended to make a reservation. Reservations can also be made from the English version of the official website.
<Information>
・Address: 1F, 3-4-8 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: Irregular holidays, New Year holidays
・Phone: 050-5593-3678
・Hours: 11:00 - 19:00 (L.O. 18:30)
・Official: https://www.q-pot.jp/shop/cafe/menu/all.html
Pom pom purin Café
Source: Official Website
Located just a 3-minute walk from JR Harajuku Station, the Pompompurin Café is a cute café themed around "Pompompurin," a popular character from Sanrio Company, famous for character goods like Hello Kitty.
The interior is decorated with cute ornaments recreating Pompompurin's world, so you might feel like you've stepped into a fairytale. Every menu item is modeled after Pompompurin, sure to make you happy just by looking at them.
Especially recommended are the Pompompurin Omurice and Mango Lassi. Both are cleverly designed with Pompompurin's character, so you can fully enjoy their cuteness. There are also Instagram-worthy photo spots in the café, so enjoy taking pictures too.
<Information>
・Address: 3F CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU, 1-7-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: None
・Phone: 050-3703-9712
・Hours: 11:00 - 19:00 (Weekdays), 10:00 - 19:00 (Weekends & Holidays)
・Official Website: https://pompompurincafe.com/menu
Cookie Time
Source: Tabelog
Cookie Time is a cookie specialty store from New Zealand, where if you're lucky, you can enjoy hot, freshly baked cookies. The bright and pop interior with a red character and primary colors is a place that lifts your mood just by visiting!
The menu is rich with standard chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, and more, satisfying those seeking rich overseas flavors. Among them, the cookie dough is something you can only taste here. It's rich, so it's recommended to enjoy it with coffee.
For cute and delicious menu items that are also Instagram-worthy, we recommend the cookie sundae and shakes. There are also seasonal menu items, so choose your favorite. There are also friendly staff who can speak English.
<Information>
・Address: 1F Napole Harajuku, 1-21-15 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: -
・Phone: 03-6804-3779
・Hours: 12:00 - 19:00
・Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cookietime.jp/
CAROLINE DINER
Source: Tabelog
If you're looking for a stylish café in Harajuku, CAROLINE DINER is recommended. The interior is decorated with colorful decor reminiscent of 1950s America, giving you the feeling of stepping into a movie set.
This café offers authentic American diner cuisine. The recommended food menu item is the cheeseburger, with its melt-in-your-mouth cheese being exquisite. The dessert menu is also extensive, with the banana split adorned with three types of ice cream being particularly Instagram-worthy in its cuteness. For drinks, the cream soda is cute and recommended.
There's also a small photo booth in the basement of the shop, so you might want to take a commemorative photo. As the shop's location can be a bit hard to find, please check your navigation.
<Information>
・Address: 1F, 2-14-11 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: -
・Phone: 03-6721-1960
・Hours: 11:30 -18:00 (L.O. 17:00)
・Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caroline.diner/?hl=ja
Dolce Marirīsa
Source: Tabelog
Dolce Marirīsa is a patisserie & café where you can enjoy luxurious decorated cakes. Both the cakes and the interior have a chic and refined cuteness that even adult women can enjoy.
The handmade cakes are particular about both the sponge and the whipped cream, and are reputed to be easy to eat as they're not too sweet. The most popular item is Capri, which is particular about both taste and decoration. The decoration changes with the seasons, so please enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Personally, I also recommend the cookie assortment.
You can also order semi-custom and fully custom cakes from the official website. The gallery on the official website and Instagram also showcase photos of custom cakes. It'll make you feel happy just by looking, so please take a peek if you'd like.
<Information>
・Address: 5-2-23 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
・Closed: New Year holidays
・Phone: 050-5868-8281
・Hours: 11:00 - 20:00
・Store URL: https://maririsa.co.jp/shop.html
