Sanrio Café Harajuku Store

The cutest stop down Takeshita Street, the Sanrio Café Harajuku Store is a pink, neon fever dream where you can dine with your favorite Sanrio characters and pick up adorable merch.

What is the Sanrio Café & Shop Harajuku like?

This mega store is the next best Sanrio spot in Tokyo — beside from Sanrio Puroland. With its amazing photo spots, such as the rainbow neon Hello Kitty statue at the front of the store and overwhelming amount of merch, this is the one-stop shop for all Hello Kitty fans.

The third floor of this store is where you’ll find the Sanrio Café. Here, you can enjoy a variety of character-themed food ranging from roll cakes to burgers.

There are also some cute hot and cold drinks on the menu like the blue Cinnamoroll drink above. Similar to other cafés of this kind, expect to pay anything from ¥300 to ¥2,500. If you’re feeling fancy, you could even order the afternoon tea, which costs ¥6,000 per person.

Should you be lucky enough to get one of the booth seats, you can dine with your favorite Sanrio character. After eating with them, you can snap a photo, and even get a nice goodbye when you leave.

Do they sell merchandise?

More than merchandise. This thre-floor Sanrio store is a haven for those who love Hello Kitty and her friends. On the first floor, you’ll find plushie keychains galore, as well as Harajuku-limited items such as socks and magnets.

At the back, you’ll find traditional Japanese-style merchandise — think Kuromi in a kimono or a Hello Kitty dressed up as a sushi keyring.

Fun fact: There’s also an one-of-a-kind rare Hello Kitty kimono plushie selling for a cool ¥110,000.

As you head up to the second floor, there is more fun to be had. Here, you will find the Patch Deco Station, where you can customize a range of goods from plushies to pouches with your favorite Sanrio characters.

You can also fill up a bottle with small “Tsumetene Figures” — tiny 3D mascot figures of the cute crew. Of course, there’s lots of other Sanrio merch waiting for you here too.

What to know before you visit the Sanrio Café & Shop Harajuku

Do you need reservations for the Sanrio Café Harajuku?

No, you don’t need a reservation to dine at this café. However, it is likely that you may have to grab a numbered ticket and wait to be seated.

If you are want a guaranteed spot, and to snag one of the private booths, which have the interactive character screens, then we recommend booking. You can do so online — just note that there is a minimum of a 2-person booking and a ¥800 per person seating charge which will be added onto your bill.

There’s more: After checking out the Harajuku Sanrio Café, why not make a visit to the one in Ikebukuro?

by Jane Pipkin