[category]
[title]
The Kawaii Monster Café was an OG Tokyo attraction of the 2010s; a neon fever dream that nailed the overseas, Gwen Stefani-tinted idea of ‘Harajuku girls’, in the middle of the real Takeshita Street. It was the closest thing Tokyo had to a portal: a mad-hatter wonderland where a giant cake carousel sat under club lighting, the space was split into colour-coded zones, and the Monster Girls turned the whole place into a living set. Even the food looked suspicious, like it had been harvested from a unicorn rather than cooked in a kitchen.
In 2021, the café announced it would close for good, and Harajuku lost one of its most unapologetically loud landmarks. Now, it’s back, though with less revival and more renaissance – as Kawaii Monster Land, a rebuilt ‘attraction-first’ version of the original.
If the old café was chaotic in a charming way, this one is clearly designed to move people through smoothly. You enter through the Magic Spiral Gate, then follow a set flow into different areas: Choppy’s Mel-Tea Cup Ride, a Kawaii Monster Carnival zone, game-like stops, and Colourful Snack Street, where the food-and-drink counter sits alongside a bar called Pink Mirage. There’s also a Harajuku Gift Bazaar for merch, because no one leaves a place like this empty-handed.
Despite the few changes, the Monster Girls are still the main event: a cast of hyper-cute performers who bring back that ‘Harajuku turned up to 200%’ energy, but with sharper styling that feels closer to today’s street fantasy.
One leans into glossy cyber-goth – black lace gloves, metallic fabrics, bold graphic details and doll-like makeup that reads cute until you look twice. Another is pure decora joy: neon green lace, rainbow faux-fur cuffs, rhinestone armour shoulders, and layered textures that feel handmade in the best way. You’ll catch sweet-lolita references too: froth, bows, pastel fluff, heart patches, candy colours, plus the kind of exaggerated wigs and accessories Harajuku does better than anywhere else.
Kawaii Monster was never subtle, and this comeback isn’t either – it’s just been rebuilt for 2026. But the point is the same. The monsters are back, Harajuku has its fever dream again, and this time it looks like it’s here to stay. Get your kawaii monster on.
Kawaii Monster Land is open daily from 10am to 9.40pm. For ticketing information and more details, see the website.
More from Time Out Tokyo
Free shinkansen tickets for foreign tourists to Kagoshima prefecture in Kyushu are coming soon
Starbucks Japan unveils its 2026 cherry blossom collection
The world's largest immersive Pixar exhibition is coming to Tokyo in March
PokéPark Kanto is officially open, but is it worth the hype? Here's what we think
The stunning Dior Bamboo Pavilion in Daikayama is now open
Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.