Harajuku’s now-closed Kawaii Monster Café has reopened in Osaka

We bid farewell to the iconic Kawaii Monster Café in Harajuku earlier this year. However, it seems like the goodbye is not forever. The weird and wonderful purveyor of Japanese cuteness has just opened up shop again, but in Osaka. Known for its over-the-top décor, performances and equally eccentric food menu, the Harajuku institution was the epitome of Japan’s kawaii culture. Unfortunately, the restaurant and entertainment hub was just one of the many casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic when it shuttered its doors back in January.

Not all is lost, though. The Kawaii Monster Café has just reopened in Osaka’s Hu+g Museum, which showcases the lifestyle and safety practices of Osaka Gas Co. Now called the Kawaii Monster Kitchen, the adorable restaurant channels the old Harajuku space with a colourful food menu and a massive photo spot featuring a whimsical 3 metre-tall cake along with the café's monster mascot Choppy.

The food menu consists of three monster-inspired burger sets: a red-coloured burger with deep-fried pork cutlets and bacon (¥1,380), a blue burger featuring shrimp fritters and tartar sauce (¥1,380), and a mini burger set where you can try a smaller version of both burgers (¥1,280). Each meal set also comes with potato wedges and a drink.

While the Kawaii Monster Kitchen is more of a café than a dinner theatre with dancers in wildly garish outfits, you can sign up for a monster cooking experience to decorate colourful cupcakes. A session costs ¥700 per person, or ¥1,000 with special kawaii monster cutlery you can take home. 

You can also commemorate your visit with a range of Kawaii Monster Café merchandise including T-shirts, keychains, pens and chopstick sets.

Sadly, the Kawaii Monster Kitchen is not permanent. It’s at the Osaka Hu+g Museum only until October 31 2022. Admission to the restaurant is free. For more information, visit the website.

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