This article introduces you some places to visit in Japan as Hello! Project fans. This list will be gradually extended. Do not hesitate to leave a comment if you have more suggestions to be added here!
♡ Shops and restaurants
♡ Hello! Project Official Shop Akihabara - 〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 6 Chome−14−2 サカイ末広ビル6階
Open from 12:00-20:00 on weekdays, 10:00-20:00 on weekends (check their Twitter for their holidays schedule). Next to Suehirocho Station.
Reasons to go there: Biggest Hello! Project store in Japan. Buy exclusive Hello! Shop goods, pictures, pins, official penlights, photobooks, etc. Possibility to write birthday wishes for Hello! Project members whose birthdays are happening on the month of your visit. Exhibition of Hello! Project members' stage outfits. Free small-sized exclusive pictures for every ¥1000 of purchased goods if you show your FC card.
Similar (and a bit smaller) stores are also open in Osaka and Nagoya.
- Hello! Project Official Shop Osaka - 〒556-0005, 5 Chome-7-19 Nipponbashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka
- Hello! Project Official Shop Nagoya - 〒460-0011 Aichi, Nagoya, Naka Ward, Osu, 3 Chome−36−36 floor2
♡ Tower Records Shibuya - 〒150-0041 Tokyo, Shibuya City, 1 Chome-22-14 Jinnan
Open from 11:00-22:00 everyday (check their Twitter for their holidays schedule).
Reasons to go there: Music shop featuring the biggest Hello! Project department in Japan (on the 4th floor). Tons of current and past Hello! Project groups CDs, DVDs, etc. Casual exhibition of Hello! Project members' outfits. Photobooks also sold there.
Note: there are many Tower Records shops in Japan that also sell Hello! Project CDs and DVDs; this is the biggest one.
♡ Kuroki Restaurant (和処黒木) - 〒101-0061 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Misakicho, 3 Chome−2−10 風水神田三崎ビル 1F
Open for lunchtime and dinner on weekdays, dinner only during the week-end. Closed on Wednesdays. Close to Jimbocho Station.
Reasons to go there: Izakaya-type restaurant held by ex-Hello! Kitchen (the segment from Hello! Station) chef Kuroki. There is a lot of diversity on the menu. Customers usually play Hello! Project songs and talk about H!P there.
Few advices: the restaurant is very small (there is only a counter and two tables) so make sure to come quite early if you want a place. The clientele is almost exclusively Harowota regulars who know each other most of the time so you might also feel more at ease if you come with a Harowota friend. Not very recommended to people who don't speak intermediate Japanese because the menu is in Japanese only, and it might be difficult to interact with the chef and other customers otherwise. You can only pay by cash.
♡ Ciel Amour Restaurant (シエル アムール) - 〒175-0082 Tokyo, Itabashi City , 1 Chome-71-10 Takashimadaira
Open for lunchtime everyday except on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Reasons to go there: A burger restaurant very famous within the JP Harowota community for being held by Tsuji Nozomi's mother. They offer Tsuji-related small products from time to time, and she also sometimes visits it herself. I haven't tried it myself so I don't have further information to share.
♡ MVs/PBs/etc. Shooting locations
If you want to visit a few places featured in Hello! Project MVs, CD covers, photobooks, etc., those were summarized by some Japanese fans on this website and also this one. Those websites are in Japanese only, so if you can't read it, use the Google Translate Chrome extension.
♡ Fan events & parties
Japanese Harowota often gather for special events and parties.
One of the most famous series of Harowota events is "Hello! Pro Night", open to fans and non-fans. Follow them on Twitter to stay tuned on their event schedule, because one might be held during your time in Japan!
You can also follow "Hello Wotaku", who organize similar kinds of events.
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