There’s a place in Nagoya called Kirby Café. First, a word about Kirby: it’s a character from the Kirby games and manga, and this is a shop selling goods and food built around that character. Japan has two permanent branches, and the Nagoya one opened as a limited run — and getting a reservation turned out to be no easy thing.

A place like this

You have to book months ahead, so your entry time is already fixed and you just turn up for it. There’s no showing up early and queueing.

The takeout notice

So they sell steamed buns..

Like this..

Goods..

The counter

Eating inside takes a hard-won reservation, but if you just want to buy goods or grab takeout, you can simply line up.

Takeout menu

Like this..

Books like this..

Illustrations like this

Plate and spoon

They use their own, and you can buy them too. A character café really ought to go this far..

Mouthful Mode! Car Mouth Cake

A very showy cake turns up. It’s already assembled before you order, so it comes out fast, and it tastes pretty decent too.

Nut cake

This one was pretty good as well.

Cream stew

It looks cute, but the stew had gone cold, so the taste was nothing special.

Kirby 30th Anniversary Art Collection Latte

Kirby’s Marshmallow Latte

Shrimp katsu sandwich

The shrimp was substantial, so it ate better than it looked.

Roast beef

Just so-so..

The laboratory

A curious menu item, where

you mix ingredients like these

and a drink like this comes together.

So it’s a sort of hands-on drink.

Seats like this..

A steamed bun for takeout

I bought souvenirs, got takeout, and came away having tried all sorts of things. It was a fun day.

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