Adorably heart-melting: Tokyo’s Pompompurin-themed café — can you bear to eat it?

Text and photos by /Kuma

Originally planned maple leaf viewing was canceled one after another due to rain, leaving me in quite a gloomy mood. That’s when I needed something cute to lift my spirits. That day, I had arranged to have lunch at the Pompompurin Café in Harajuku. As soon as I walked in, there was so much cuteness everywhere that I couldn’t stop taking pictures. Though it was super adorable, I still really wanted to go see the maple leaves.

It’s about a 3-minute walk from the Takeshita Exit of JR “Harajuku Station” to the three-story building where the Pompompurin Café is located. The sign is a bit small and not very noticeable. Even though it was drizzling lightly that day, it didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for shopping. It’s been several years since I last visited Harajuku, and it’s still just as crowded.

Here’s a map.

Head up to the 3rd floor of CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU, and you’ll see the large Pompompurin head-shaped entrance. Nearby display windows showcase various cute merchandise, but I didn’t take photos because the queue of customers waiting to get in partially blocked the view. I had originally thought to take some exterior photos after lunch, but the line outside was so long that I gave up on that idea too.

Upon entering, you’re greeted by Pompompurin sitting on a pudding and his friends, all super cute. After being led to our seats by the staff, we quickly ordered and then hurried to take photos.

The interior decor and furnishings follow Pompompurin’s soft yellow and pink color scheme. The walls feature cute artwork and pudding-shaped lamps. The seats are quite small, and each seating area comes with a storage basket. If it’s crowded, you’ll need to line up outside first, and the staff will ask how many people are in your party before leading you in group by group.

Next to the entrance is the merchandise area.

The seating area is divided into left and right sections by the central welcoming Pompompurin decoration. The section where I sat already had quite a few guests, so I skipped taking photos of the upstairs area. The Pompompurin wearing an apron is just adorable.

The Pompompurin kitchen—aside from the fridge and potted plants being Pompompurin-themed, the handles are shaped like dog bones, which is also super cute.

Menu.

I felt the Pompompurin Harajuku branch had fewer food options than expected. There were some discrepancies compared to what was listed on the official website. Some items I had hoped to order weren’t available. Was it because they had just launched the matcha tiramisu promotion?

Unlike the winter-themed snow place mats, autumn featured autumn seasonal flavors—colorful and delicious.

The coasters were also adorable—I couldn’t bear to use them and ended up bringing them home as souvenirs.

After a short wait, the food arrived. This time I ordered the Rose Beef & Grilled Beef Rice Bowl and Pompompurin’s Rich Sauce Beef, with a drink of Kiwi Soda Float. Since I was there during the promotion of Kyoto’s popular Matcha Tiramisu from “MACCHA HOUSE,” I also ordered a set meal version to try.

Let’s start with the Rose Beef & Grilled Beef Rice Bowl. A cute Pudding Dog wearing a yellow egg-shaped hat sits in the middle, even extending its adorable round little hands. The beef is tender and juicy, but since my friend doesn’t like the half-cooked texture, he thought it was just okay...^^

Though the dish didn’t look exactly like the photo—Pompompurin didn’t appear to be sitting in roses—it was still very cute.

Pompompurin’s Rich Sauce Beef (Pompompurin’s Mild and Rich Sauce Beef)The sauce was flavorful, and the meat had a nice texture. The beret on top was actually a hamburger patty.

Kiwi Soda FloatI fell in love with this drink the last time I tried it at the Pompompurin Nagoya branch—the sweet and sour taste paired with the fizzy bubbles, especially the kiwi flavor at the bottom, was delightful. Though there were too many ice cubes, making it hard to fish out the fruit...^^”

The first thing you want to do is take a 360-degree photo. This time, I was pleasantly surprised to see Pompompurin with his beret worn askew, showing his bald head—both funny and adorable.

Kyoto’s famous Matcha Tiramisu from “MACCHA HOUSE” in Kyoto’s Shijo Karasuma—the “Uji Matcha Tiramisu”—was ordered as part of the set meal during this visit.Using traditional Japanese measuring and serving vessels to present a dessert was something I really enjoyed, especially with a matcha-flavored sweet offering a unique twist.

I quite liked the fusion of traditional Japanese tableware and desserts, particularly with matcha treats—it gave it a special flavor.

That’s the end of the food introduction.

Before I knew it, the entire café filled up. I was one of only two guys in the place, and there was still a long line outside. Fortunately, we got here right when it opened. Weekends are really busy.

Now let’s take a look inside the café. Right as you enter, there’s a photo area with all kinds of cute decorations and artwork.

The walls also introduce Pompompurin and his friends. His birthday is April 16th, he’s 5 big puddings tall, and weighs as much as a watermelon—something that always makes me laugh.

The merchandise area has various plush toys, stationery, and lifestyle goods you can buy and collect.

A slightly melancholic-looking Pompompurin, whose gaze seems to say: “Are you really going to eat me?”

Sigh, I didn’t want to either, but I’d already spent the money. That day, I enjoyed cute-themed meals and tasted Kyoto’s popular matcha dessert. It was a totally satisfying brunch. Next stop: Odaiba to see the new Unicorn Gundam.

Pompompurin Café Harajuku Branch / Pompompurin Café Harajuku Store
Official Website
Phone: 03-5786-0770
Address: 3F CUTE CUBE HARAJUKU, 1-7-1 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Business Hours: 11:00–21:00 (Last order at 20:00)
Access: 3-minute walk from the Takeshita Exit of JR “Harajuku Station”

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