Shimajiro Becomes a Companion for Adults Too: PR Team Reports on “Cafe & Shimajiro,” the Limited-Time Café in Harajuku Celebrating the Launch of the New Brand “& Shimajiro” | Event Report

Hello everyone! I’m Nakamura from SUNNY SIDE UP.

Shimajiro is the character from Benesse Corporation’s kodomo challenge. Many of you may have spent time with him during your childhood, right?

Now, Shimajiro has taken a new step forward as “& Shimajiro,” a presence that also supports the adult generation. Today, PR representative Nakamura brings you a report on “Cafe & Shimajiro,” a collaborative café celebrating the birth of “& Shimajiro”!

The Vision Behind the New Brand “& Shimajiro” That “Also Supports Adults”

Shimajiro will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2028.

Moving beyond its previous role as “a presence that supports children’s growth” to take another step forward as “a presence that supports adults’ daily lives even more”—this vision gave birth to the new brand “& Shimajiro.”

The brand concept is “Smiling together & Shimajiro—Let’s keep smiling together.”

The “&” embodies the desire to deliver a “place of smiles” where everyone can be themselves, as well as the hope that people will connect through smiles and share daily joys.

This collaborative café opened at “café STUDIO” in Harajuku—a neighborhood where young people and discerning adults gather—as the first domestic location where visitors can experience this worldview in real life.

SUNNY SIDE UP serves as the PR agency for this event, handling everything from café concept proposals to operations, and even supervising collaborative menu items and merchandise!

Trending on Social Media! Authentic Collaborative Menu Items That Satisfy Adults

While many people associate Shimajiro with yellow, this time we adopted a spring-inspired pink as the primary design color. We incorporated Harajuku’s sophisticated café style while creating an experience that delivers “warm, gentle moments” with Shimajiro—whether enjoyed with other adults or during solo time.

Perhaps due to this unexpected approach, the café generated significant buzz on social media even before opening, with approximately 600 reservations for over 2,000 guests!

Reservation slots have sold out on certain days, drawing enthusiastic attention from the adult generation who grew up with Shimajiro!

Upon entering the café, you’re first greeted by a pink Shimajiro—the theme color for this collaboration!

©Benesse Corporation 1988-2026 / Shimajiro

Of course, familiar friends Mimirin, Torippi, Nyakki, and Hana-chan are also present throughout the café.

©Benesse Corporation 1988-2026 / Shimajiro

Nostalgic characters and other adorable touches are scattered throughout the café, making you want to take photos everywhere!

Of course, the collaborative café also offers a substantial lineup of gourmet items.

The menu features five items total, including “Cheese Melt Burger & Shimajiro,” an arrangement of the café’s popular menu item, and “Cake Parfait & Shimajiro,” inspired by Mimirin’s favorite shortcake.This is an authentic menu lineup created by “café STUDIO” that transcends the typical character café framework.

My personal recommendation is the “Kids Plate & Shimajiro”! This special plate is packed with excitement, featuring dinosaur-shaped nuggets that Shimajiro loves and adorable octopus-shaped sausages. It combines yellow turmeric rice inspired by Shimajiro with colorful vegetable curry.

Despite its name, the Kids Plate is a menu item that both adults and children can enjoy, embodying the vision behind ” Shimajiro” as “a presence that supports all people across ages and generations.”

©Benesse Corporation 1988-2026 / Shimajiro

©Benesse Corporation 1988-2026 / Shimajiro

Original merchandise is also available for purchase by visitors!

The exciting lineup includes mugs, canvas tote bags, acrylic coasters, and more—all designed to blend seamlessly into adults’ daily lives.

Additionally, we’re running a campaign offering “Original Stickers” to the first 1,500 people who follow the official social media accounts. We’ve incorporated features that allow visitors to take home not just the “experience,” but tangible memories as well.

The Connection Between “Cafe Shimajiro” and SUNNY SIDE UP

“Cafe Shimajiro” is not merely a character café—it’s a place where “we as adults” can reunite with Shimajiro and share smiles together.

©Benesse Corporation 1988-2026 / Shimajiro

As the PR agency for this project, SUNNY SIDE UP values how to deliver the brand’s “kindness” and “sense of excitement” as “experiential value.”

To enhance this experiential value, our corporate planning team joined the usual PR team, which we believe led to the realization of this café concept.

While staying close to childhood memories, it adds excitement to our current daily lives. Please experience the appeal of ” Shimajiro” for yourself in Harajuku.