Rilakkuma’s augmented reality magic is back on the menu at Tokyo projection mapping cafe

Character themed cafes are a common sight in Tokyo, but Harajuku AR box takes the cuteness to a new level. It's a table projection mapping cafe created in association with Sony, using augmented reality technology to bring table settings, and even food, to life with interactive animations.

The cafe has previously collabed with Rilakkuma before, on an event in December last year called ‘Korilakkuma in the Mirror’, which used the technology to enable characters to run amok on the table and project awesome designs onto the food itself.

But if you missed out on the irresistible combination of adorable characters and projection mapping last time, there’s another chance coming along. The theme of this latest instalment is ‘Rilakkuma Fruits Cafe’. This iteration was postponed but now is finally opening to the public on 12th June 2020. You can expect the same doses of interactive fun, showing your favourite characters frolic around the table and play with your food.

The menu includes mains, desserts and drinks all with adorable characters and some form of AR contrivance to surprise and delight customers.

The mains include classic western-style fare such as salad and pasta, all with some form of fruit included. This ranges from the usual, such as lemon cream pasta (1690 yen), to the unexpected, with orange-segment topped beef burgers (1690 yen) and peach and tomato pasta (1690 yen).

While the main dishes are somewhat eccentric, the desserts are predictably cute. Carrying on the theme of fruits, these fruit tree parfaits (1590 yen) are adorable and come in several versions with different characters and different fruity decorations. Like the other dishes, they come alive when interacted with by the diner, thanks to the magic of AR projection mapping.

There’s also some light bites on the menu, including a sweet strawberry daifuku (690 yen).

If you like surprises with your desserts, you can go for one of the two mystery pancakes (1590 yen). Who knows what kind of kawaii wizardry will occur when you order one of these?

Cold and hot drinks are available, all with adorable motifs based around Rilakkuma and his friends.

Rilakkuma super fans will want to book ahead since there’s a reservation present of an original sticker, and you can even get a coaster too if you order a drink.