This is a bonus post from the #CheesieInKanagawa blog posts.
[You can read also Ep1: Yokohama, Ep2: Miura, Ep3: Kamakura &Fujisawa, and Ep4: Hakone]This Hello Kitty Cafe Restaurant is part of Yokohama’s experience, but it’s so awesome it deserves a separate blog post!
HKCR can be found in Motomachi, Yokohama.
I didn’t have a better and brighter photo because it was about 7pm when we visited the cafe. Before we came here, my local guide Iwate san told how it would be quite different from all the other Hello Kitty Cafes i’ve been to. I was so excited as this was the last stop before heading back to Haneda airport. And i am so so glad i made it there.
This cafe is pretty near China Town in Yokohama, (exact address at the end of this post) and may be a little hidden as it doesn’t sport the usual in-your-face loud, pop pink facade that nobody would be able to miss.
In fact, that’s pretty much the whole concept of it. It’s a little like finding the “Hidden Mickey” in Disneyland, the pleasure is in opening your eyes and heart and paying attention to the details and to explore, discover and appreciate.
Just like this little entrance leading to the cafe upstairs, it looks just like any other gate you wouldn’t look twice at, but one more glance and you will discover the camouflaged surprise.
The middle part of the bow is actually a cherry (small apple?) if you look closely!
The unexpected interior took me by surprise!
I was prepared to be blown away by all things so quintessentially kawaii it would make you feel embarrassed by not being 15 years younger. But no, the setting was classy, elegant, everything is just so fine, oh so fine.
The concept of the cafe restaurant is “Kitty’s Home”. It looks just like a house, with a spacious living space, a bookshelf or two, even a TV screen and a little yard.
It reminds me of a little English cottage in winter (subtle Christmas deco are up, i’m not sure if it’s for the festive seasons or there all year long), it even has a fireplace to make you feel warm and cozy.
The kitchen bar.
The exquisitely refined furniture and tableware is nothing i’ve seen of Hello Kitty before. It’s a refreshing change of mood, and made me look at Hello Kitty from a whole new perspective.
I was told that this cafe restaurant is made for the Otona, something both adult male and female could appreciate. It’s just that not a lot of people know about this, and so the mature and macho shy away due to their impression of the overly kawaii character.
But yes, do visit, no matter your age or gender, to come and spend some time over a cuppa and discover all the sophisticated subtleties.
The cafe is kids friendly too, seeing they have Kitty Bow printed highchairs.
Everything with just a little hint of Kitty cuteness!
Some pieces are more distinctively Kitty, like this checkerboard table. Wooden you love to dine here?
There are also larger tables to accommodate a bigger crowd. Christmas dinners, anyone?
And… free Kitty WiFi, of course.
And sometimes, you just have to look all the way through the bottom of my heart glass.
Tea time!
Daniel and Kitty latte art.
One thing though, if you come here expecting popular page worthy kitty-face-adorned frilly shortcakes, this themed cafe may disappoint you.
Apart from Daniel and Kitty latte, the menu here is modest, unembellished, but deliciously satisfying.
Still aiming for a pop-page photo (it was), i ordered this Mini Scone Brochette specially. ♡
Overwhelmed with the selections of sweets in the menu, we asked for the most ninki (popular) dessert in the menu. The shop staff recommended Apple Pie, a favorite of Hello Kitty herself. We didn’t go wrong with that. Simple and no-frills (other than the additional apple chips and cocoa Kitty logo), it was easily one of the best apple pies i’ve had.
Just playing guest at Hello Kitty’s haos.
Before we gobbled them all up.
I was told to check out the bathroom as well.
(Now i’m pretty sure that it’s a mini apple and not cherry)
And unusual mirror right outside the bathroom.
And… here’s how it looks…
I mean!??!?
It’s so roomy and too pretty it feels weird that a toilet is sitting there, completely out of place.
The make up desk
And changing station omg?
Even the toilet paper?!
Can they be any more detailed?! Mind you, it is not a printed motif as there’s only one logo on the entire roll, meaning you use the first sheet and it’s just an ordinary toilet paper roll. Which means somebody will have to stencil stamp it every so often to keep it forever freshly stamped with Kitty logo.
That dedication.
Lastly, with the lovely shop staff in their uniform (which is thought was a little cutesy).
Make this a compulsory stop if you ever visit Yokohama (and if you are not anti-Hello Kitty)!
Awesome & Sophisticated
Wow! Really elegant place! 😀 Mostly other hello kitty cafe what i have seen in the photos their designs are more cute 😮 Btw have you visit Moomin cafe in Tokyo yet?
I’ve heard of it but i haven’t!! It looks a little far out >.<
That vanity table though… SO GORGEOUS
i’d like one but it won’t match my room XD
This is INSANE, i can’t believe that they have Hello Kitty stamped toilet paper. I want to live there. The Hello Kitty Con came to Los Angeles recently and it was Hello Kitty overload also!
Come! 😀
This is a surprise! Whenever I heard of Hello Kitty the first thing that comes to my mind is pink / cute… I love the interior its so elegant.
Yes it’s rather unusual right? 😀
It looks so cute, but in a really mature way. Like my fantasy house hehe. We just had a Hello Kitty cafe open here in Australia, which I reviewed on my blog. I wish I’d taken as many photos as you but I’m too embarassed! You can have a look and compare the two different cafes maybe 🙂
My blog is http://roseteablog.wordpress.com/ by the way!
I love it! They should have stenciled the whole toilet paper roll… it would make a good gift 😛
Awww, I’m so sad. I had looked at this blog post with my friend in March earlier this year and we had put it on our agenda for our trip in November. We got all the way into Yokohama before I realized that this restaurant is closed (permanently)! I thought maybe the wifi wasn’t working well and that’s why the website didn’t load.
It’s really too bad because I looked at the hours listed on your blog post but didn’t even consider checking if the restaurant had shut down until it was way too late lol.