Studio Ghibli Dining Experience at the Sun Cafe

A fun part of dining in Japan is the number of theme restaurants they have. Along with places doing limited time themes in conjunction with events. Mori Tower was no different in that they had their Sun Cafe take part with the Studio Ghibli Exhibit. I expected a little more decor but the movie posters hanging from the ceiling were cheery and colorful.

I got in line not long after they opened and was seated pretty fast. The cafe was nice with big windows and lots of light. I was given this menu which had everything related to a Studio Ghibli movie.

I wish my photos were better but I bet you can tell that is a Soot Burger for the movie My Friend Totoro.

I didn't want to over do the sugar with a soda so I went with their beer offering which was a homage to the movie "The Wind Rises". I guess because it's more of an adult movie? Beer looked pretty but I have to say it was the strangest beer I have ever had. More like lime soda. Low alcohol too.

I ordered the Castle in the Sky Laputa bread and meatball soup.

I couldn't believe I was eating another melted cheese with ham sandwich. I never eat like this at home.

But it was pretty good and very filling. I couldn't finish it. Look at that sunny side up egg! Nicely done.

The soup was really good! It was tomato with spices and mushrooms. I think the best tomato soup I have eaten. I did finish it.

So that was a nice end to my visit to Mori Tower at Roppongi Hills.

Studio Ghibli Roppongi Hills Exhibit

The reason I was at Mori Tower at Roppongi Hills was because they were having a Studio Ghibli exhibit. I have never been to the Studio Ghibli Museum so I thought this would be an easier way to get a look at what went into their animation. Outside of the rooms there were posters from the new movie "The Red Turtle".

I thought going early on a Monday would be a good idea, less people. I was wrong. Also NO photos were allowed inside. Not even of the giant Totoro. Wouldn't matter because if I had taken photos all you would have see would be people. The place was packed. There was zero attempt to limit the numbers inside. It was impossible to see most of the art work because not only was it packed but people didn't want to move. Or if they did it was to push me from behind. Which was a bad idea because I couldn't go anywhere because the people in front of me were not moving.

They did have this Cat Bus which kids adored. Long line to get it in. Since I was there by myself and didn't have kids with me, I was okay with just taking a few photos from the side.

The crazy thing about this exhibit is the best part didn't have as many people viewing. Which was great. And they allowed photos.

If you don't recognize the art work, it's "Laputa: Castle in the Sky".

To enter the next room you had to go under this moving windmill.

Recorded a very short video of it. Might want to turn the sound down a little, lots of people talking.

Inside was pretty amazing.

Cut outs of all kinds of flying ships.

With this giant one hovering over a city.

It actually moved up and down with propellers spinning and the rudders on the bottom moving up and down.

I couldn't resist filming this too. Also turn the sound down because the acoustics of the room made people sound really loud.

I wish the lighting was a little better in there but then they probably set it up for sunny days.

Apparently the city and the ship light up from inside at night.

Very impressive. If the rest of the exhibit was as good as this and not so packed with people I would have said it was worth seeing. Sadly they did zero limiting of numbers allowed in which was extremely disappointing. All those photos people posted of the preview, those guys were really lucky.

I couldn't even figure out where the gift shop was. Might have been by this cool display but I was worn out from the heat and the crowds so I decided to see if I could get something to eat. I had better luck with that which will be in my next post.

Roppongi Hills Roses

So how do I follow up a post like the last one? Perhaps with roses. And crepe myrtle.

Crepe Myrtle is called sarusuberi 百日紅 in Japan.

So what to do after a night with an amazing concert? I went out to see something else I was looking forward to. But before that I stopped in hopes of seeing flowers. Out at Roppongi Hills.

Where they do have a rose garden. With pretty roses.

And one extremely tall statue of a rose.

Along with a gazebo.

I'm glad this photo turned out. Because the weather was super gloomy and really humid and hot. A jungle would have been more fitting than a rose garden.

While this garden is pretty it is surrounded by high rises and is small.

The rose sculpture by German artist Isa Genzken is eight meters tall. There is also a giant spider sculpture near there but I avoided it.

I was more wanting to see roses like this bright yellow one.

And this lovely cream white bloom.

I suppose the good thing about the Doraemon invasion that was happening around Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills is that it got the attention of all the people that were there so there weren't many in the little rose garden. Definitely an odd juxtaposition.