The Official Guide to Anime Cafes in Japan!

[@queenie691]

You know what. This video really explains why it took my family (a group of 10) 2 hours to be seated at multiple restaurants

[@Emirichu]

10?? 😭😭😭

[@queenie691]

@@Emirichu big family you know. Glad we’re never doing that again

[@illegalseagulls]

​@queenie691 That is such a good thing to consider. I haven't thought about how difficult it might be with a big group 😅 I always wanted to eventually do a trip with my family but there's 8 of us

[@kaennokage]

Speaking from the experience of someone who has worked in a restaurant before, it's very much appreciated if you can give them as much heads-up as you can for a group larger than two tables pushed together, no matter where you are in the world. It is a nightmare trying to catch three or more tables that are also next to each other when it's even a slightly busy day, so if it's reserved so they can avoid putting people on those tables in the first place, it's muuuuch much easier on the staff. Every wait staff I've met loves the challenge of a large group, you just have to do your part too with the planning, if you want the table fast.

[@Insomnia74]

​@@Emirichuhi emirichu😊 I love your videos

[@mermaidzorena]

Me: taking notes frantically My money: bold of you to assume you can afford to go to Japan

[@Mudnose400]

solid mood my friend X< *cries in poor person*

[@dragon101woof8]

Honestly plane flights are expensive but foreign currencies (specifically USD) are currently pretty strong in Japan so food and hotels aren't too bad

[@randomwolfygirl]

156-155 (even though 155 yen is 0.99 cents to us dollar? ) to a us dollar and 1 us dollar is 155 yen. I just used a calculator for it. Idk how accurate it would be though.

[@Stipopedia]

It's still fun to dream

[@PorygonTrainerPory]

I've been meaning to make a Japanese binder

[@jaelynraine7791]

the fact i'll literally eat up ALL the collab cafe videos forever like there could be 18 more installments i dont care im watching them all several times

[@Azriel-vb1ib]

Same! I've watched the series over multiple times over

[@marleypatcheak2145]

Yessss I love the cafe videosssss

[@buggibii]

REAL i have watched all 3 of them, in order, every single day, for the passed however long its been since the last one came out. i do not desire strongly to go to japan. i have never been to a café in my life. i am not the target audience for this. i struggle to watch other videos on my timeline because i am busy watching this series- this is NOT a joke.

[@azumonadaioh]

bocchi appearing for “hitori desu” is somehow the first time i’ve ever seen this joke done before and it’s amazing how it’s also two jokes in one lol

[@matercan5649]

that's the reason bocchi is called "hitori" in the first place, because she's alone.

[@kyookhanh9293]

yeah for some reasons I really enjoy that joke lol

[@Whatzitooya891]

The fact that Emily went to so many collab cafe ; more than the average fan, makes her truly a pro at it. Not sure it’s a good thing but its something

[@BigFella117]

Emily should really be appointed as KZbin’s tourism ambassador to Japan because I really want to go there because of all her Japan videos

[@slytha3002]

as much as I love emirichu's content, Mr. Affable is the GOAT

[@Akali_Amos]

@@slytha3002 Don't forget Chris from "Abroad In Japan"! ;)

[@slytha3002]

@@Akali_Amos ah yes him too!

[@christianknight9669]

The silence after asking if there is any chance of using the folders based on its functionality…….that really got me 😆

[@Elwias.]

THE CAFÉ BACKGROUND HELLO?? this video is so cute and i can really see the effort, well done emily !! edit : background n menu graphic was done by yuikumaa so much love to her !! she killed it 🫶🫶

[@Emirichu]

IM SORRY I WISH I COULD DRAW LIKE THAT but the background was done by yuikumaa!! She did a fantastic job!

[@SaTayiaMcCarroll]

I can't draw backgrounds ether

[@danmessi8142]

@@Emirichu 😂😂

[@Elwias.]

@@Emirichu OOHH OKAYY , HUGE KUDOS TO HER!! she did her job so well 😭 the love into this video really shines so amazing job to everyone that helped out 💛💛

[@oliviapierce3194]

Emily I am literally going to Japan at the end of the month for the first time and visitng cafes. I had been stressing out big tome over speaking to the waiter. This could not have come out at a better time thank you so much

[@Stipopedia]

Btw. pointing at stuff and using fingers for numbers is an internationally accepted language

[@jahmealuh]

as someone who frequently visits japan, i always check if my travel dates has some collab cafe event that i can go to and these tips are pretty spot on! in addition to reserving your slot at non-peak dates and if you want something in the merch collection, make sure to reserve at an early date! (like maybe reserve it on the first week) some pop up anime cafes DO NOT restock merch so if theyre sold out, theyre gonzo forever (as someone whos already experienced this twice) 🥲 also thank you emily for letting us know that theres a binder for the coasters and folders!! ill be buying my own binder soon 🤣😍💕

[@Emirichu]

Ahh!! Thats a good tip damn i cant believe i forgot that 😭

[@jahmealuh]

@@Emirichu its okay no worries! fellow anime cafe enthusiasts got each others backs 🤩

[@ArchonKujo]

Going to cafes is like a comforting zone in which you feel at peace by enjoying your delicate food at a very calm state in Japan, that sounds like a dream come true.

[@malaksafa4074]

Why r u everywhere?????

[@LivyLovecraft]

I'm a goth with very little anime experience. I just love your channel. Everything is pink and the art style is so different and very fun! I love seeing someone so passionate about something new to me. It's very uplifting to watch. 🥰❤️ Love the channel, it just makes me happy.😂

[@Animeuwubunbun]

Hiii there I am goth very little butterfly fall he a dog a he dog oh welll um no. C: pink everything but ok❤❤❤❤

[@Mugen3812]

This is THE MOST comprehensive and easy to pick up japanese language tutorial I've seen in a while.

[@slinkywhippet]

You should really think about making a series of these - like "Travel in Japan" (how to use the subway/taxis/trains etc), or "Accommodation in Japan" (how to book a hotel/air b&b/hostel etc, how to check in, how to ask for extra pillows etc), "General etiquette in crowded places" or something along those lines as you have such a lovely disposition, are great at explaining things and can use your beautiful art to enhance it all ❤❤❤ I'm currently planning our trip to Japan in 2025 with my husband. It'll be our first time there and I definitely want to visit a couple of collab cafes (praying for a Psycho-pass one). This video was a treasure trove of great information, and whilst I'm lucky in that I know basic Japanese I still learned a couple new words which will make life easier. So thanks Emily ❤❤❤

[@zanderuchiha]

The urge of commenting before watching this wonderful gift😂

[@MostlyHippo]

exactly

[@nagisamomoe125]

@ville__ too bad google translated it for me

[@cebbygamer8598]

@ville__ I guess I'll die then

[@dranzart.1959]

​@ville__ Can you go get a life, please? You ruin everything that doesn't need you in it.

[@irinbarbhuiya8077]

What

[@GoGoSqueezeWorksToo]

Wow perfect timing for lunch! Huge fan of Spilled Ink so far congrats!

[@c.luna26]

I’m glad that Emily brought up the point of using the native pronunciation of words. I myself am bilingual and when I’m referring to something that’s in a different language I ALWAYS use the native accent or just the actual word. An example of this is when I’m referring to my auntie on my dad’s side: I always refer to her as my “tía”

[@ammaranuar2544]

This is actually useful for just general tourist activity in japan really.

[@itz_ronny]

KZbinr algorithm finally did something great spilled ink is fantastic ❤

[@marsillinkow]

The coaster folder is the most practical thing ever! I collect transport cards and tickets as souvenirs instead of keychains and bulky items and card folders save soooo much space!

[@TheChimera70]

I'm always here for the Collab cafe stuff probably my favorite videos!

[@adamchaplin9702]

Emily becoming her true Cafe Review channel shes always dreamed of

[@labmem12]

This video almost made me tear up because I wanted to go to japan since I was 12. As much as I loved your videos, I was pissed I couldn't go there myself so I stopped watching them, although they lingered in my mind. But finally. I'm finally going there in December and i'm so so glad you made all these videos about collab cafes, tips and tricks.

[@bit0494]

Emily's descent into collab cafe addiction, I mean, passion is absolute cinema :]

[@Moedoodleee]

What a nice birthday surprise!! Thankyou Emily!! 🖤🖤🖤

[@Blue_Bearie]

Happy birthday! :)

[@Moedoodleee]

@@Blue_Bearie thankyou!

[@enelq6091]

Happy Birthday!!🎉

[@nabiha8880]

Spilled ink has turned into one of my new fav channels. No cap 🤌🏼✨️

[@sunnie8384]

As someone who’s going to Japan this fall, this is a life saver. Thank youuuuu.

[@mileven3ggo3njoyer]

bro Emily your art is MAJESTIC why are you calling yourself an amateur?? 😭

[@ActuallyRea]

Those sprites of you at the cafe booth are so cuuuute!!

[@DiligentD]

Honestly, THANK YOU so much for teaching more more native greeting that I've wanted to know ever since I started to study the language; more so then the Apps that want me to learn how to order what foods first haha

[@-ILikeCats-xb8kn]

Bout to binge this

[@kamxchii9019]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS EMILY❤❤❤

[@snlithium]

very helpful guide, the phrases to remember will go along way to having a smoother trip for any traveller

[@HouseMDaddict]

Just want to say over here too that I absolutely love the new spilled ink channel! I've followed your channel (this channel) for about a year now, and I absolutely love it! Thanks for a great video as always!

[@theodor5981]

Can't stress enough how much helpful this is!! I've always wanted to visit Japan once in my life and the language barrier was one big issue for me (besides being insecure). That's helpful in a lot of ways not only for collab cafe's (I really wanna visit one though, it doesn't matter which one honestly). Thank you Emily!!!

[@NintendoBlurb]

Emily went pretty advanced on the language and you will definitely impress the staff if you memorize the phrases she used. But if you’re anxious and forget these phrases you can always just point to the menu and say “Kore” (this) “to” (and) and then finish it with an “onegaishimasu” (please). Just finished my trip to Japan and I got by fine with doing this and knowing the basic numbers (1-10)

[@BugsyFoga]

I’ll definitely use this whenever I take a trip to Japan

[@SAUE-hb3kb]

I could be reaching here, but something about the poses/shots of Emirichu sitting in the cafe is giving me monika/ddlc nostalgia and I LOVE it 😭 ❤️

[@Nightshade1217]

I learned more about japanese communication from this single video then i ever had from any language textbook Your really good at explaining things that are easy to remember and understand. If you ever make more videos like this for different scenarios i would def watch thank you Emi 💗

[@250neovenator]

Maybe the most informative video you've ever posted. Gonna share this with anyone who tells me they're going to Japan for the first time!

[@abigail216]

emily i’m enjoying spilled ink so extremely much! traditional art is my preference and i’ve been out of practice for a while so it’s so nice to see trial and error of my favorite artists. we’re all human and ily guys

[@sarafinalights]

I love these cafe videos!

[@mongoose9851]

Same! I'll never be able to visit Japan, so I just visit through her videos lol

[@sarafinalights]

​@mongoose9851 same!! I hope that I will go one day, but it's less likely in this economy rn lol

[@JustDanka]

Emirichu is slowly turning into a cafe youtuber and i am all for it.😌

[@slinkywhippet]

Yes! I have binders for plastic files, coasters, badges, bookmarks, bromides and acrylic stands (small ones) - for years I collected without anything decent to put then in but a few years ago I discovered the binders all on Animate International and now my collections are in a safer place and much easier to show people 😊

[@iguanodoo6920]

9:36 The way my Japanese professor explained the loan words thing is when a loan word is in another language it becomes part of the language. Just because croissant is a French word doesn't mean you are supposed to pronounce it the French way when speaking English, it sounds unnatural. But if you were to speak French and say croissant like you would if you were speaking English that would be strange right?? Same thing here. He used to dock points if you didn't use the Japanese pronunciation of loan words lol so we got over it really fast.

[@Hoshi7113]

Just wanna say I watched this video before I left for a month long trip to Japan, tried to commit as much to memory as possible while booking and going to multiple cafe collabs, and wow was this video helpful! I recommended this video to my followers on IG who were also asking how I got to go to a lot of cafes, so on my and their behalf, thank you so much for such a great guide!

[@christopherharris6005]

Awesome video as always Emirichu. Your clab cafe series is so entertaining always enjoy watching your videos about all things interesting in Japan.

[@cutekatara]

THANK YOU FOR THIS! I'M ABOUT TO FLY TO JAPAN TODAY AND HAD ALREADY BOOKED FOR A FFXIV CAFE! THIS WAS SUCH A PERFECT TIMING! THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL TIPS!!!

[@kopa798]

It’s my last full day in Tokyo and you upload this now? 😭 But through my limited first time experiences i had in Collab Cafes, i can say that this is an amazing video, wich i can use for the next Japan trip, thank you!

[@Itsabeautifulife]

I loved that you incorporated top phrases to say along with things to look out for on these Collab cafés. This was super informational, thank you!

[@_jerieljan]

Super helpful, and unsurprisingly, it's also helpful for tourists in general who will want to go places in Japan. Stuff like counting, courtesy and how things are done are great to get you prepared when you go on your travels.

[@reem_maz]

that's so thoughtful of you to put all the details and the random interactions are super helpful❤❤❤❤.. thank you

[@JonathanRobertAlexander]

*sees omurice in the thumbnail* Ooh! This ought to be fun!

[@roronoazoro8322]

I saw it in Connor's video and decided to check it out.And I absolutely Love the new channel. I'm not an artist myself. I just like watching other people make amazing art.

[@Sakura-yi3eg]

Thank you for these tips Emirichu! I love your videos! ❤ The Japanese phrases and the tips made my visit to anime cafe’s in Japan a lot better!

[@francesleones4973]

Thanks for the tips and the quick Japanese lesson, Emily 😊

[@harlscat2990]

the highly anticipated cafe guide video yay!! :D

[@machdragon]

Loved the Bocchi the Rock exhibition and cafe at MG Cafe Ginza earlier this month! The latte art was so cute, and I bought tons of merch. They also had an option for take out if you wanted to skip the line. But we reserved tickets a month ahead via Lawson’s Loppi (for exhibitions, concerts, etc) 😊

[@angelacosta6596]

10:50 that's my face when doing a class presentation and looking the back of the classroom LOL🤣

[@DJDunnoe_]

I came here expecting to glance Collab Cafe pictures but left here writing down all the useful Tips & phrases. I'm restaurant order ready now! Japan here we go :)

[@marleypatcheak2145]

Emilyyyyy I love your cafe videos. Please give us the unreleased footage from the other cafes you went too. I love rewatching your cafe videos on rainy days they’re some of my favorites ever

[@charlirenner193]

You know my family's planning on a trip to Japan someday, so these tips really could help. So thanks for that, Emirichu. Though, it might be a while considering we just got back from Disenyland and hoo boy... Let's just say my feet are still sore from all the walking and standing in line.

[@r-3-g502]

The colour coded break down of how to order things is so helpful! Definitely will be using it in the future:)))

[@kawaiianart]

So helpful!! Thank you Emirichu! I absolutely loved the Ouran cafe I went to in March. The merch...the merch omgggg my wallet was crying. The food was aight, I think the best dish was the potatoes au gratin haha

[@dianateabag]

I think this guide is useful if you live in Japan or if you’re going to stay a long time. If you’re just in a holiday trip and find a colab cafe of something you’re interested just go. Mind the food won’t be to good 😅 and maybe the leech won’t always be the same. But if you like the colab the experience is worth it !

[@PhantomWolf95]

10:22 just reminded me of Arin Hanson’s “milk tea” debacle

[@funkwarrior1]

I love your art style Emi it’s so cute and vibrant and your videos always have your fun personality behind them as well 🤍 This video was also very informative 🍡

[@Flashkirby99]

As a group of 3 tourists having visited the kirby and final fantasy cafes, this video definitely reaffirms how we went about ordering in both cafes, and also normal restaurants! Also collabo-cafe sounds exactly like what we were looking for, so huge thanks for pointing that out

[@Dido14j]

Watching this from the gate on my way to Japan! Managed to get a Kirby Café reservation and in the past I managed to snag one for the Free! Café, but will look if there are some other opportunities ^^. Also liked the part with usefull phrases, good refresher.

[@user-ec1mo6nm8c]

On the topic of coasters, I love using them in ita bags, or getting photo frames that fit them perfectly so I can display them on shelves!

[@yukisaibai1849]

As a Japanese, these Japanese food ordering tips are perfect! For the Katakana names, look up Romaji to figure out how to spell your name in Katakana if you'd like to be accurate :) You pronouncing English words in Japanese accent is essential when you are talking to a non-English speaking Japanese person. Seriously, it's not cringe at all. Try your best and they'll try their best to understand you too.

[@Superellysan]

Oh god the phrases are gonna be so useful and also VOUCH FOR THE KATAKANA THING THE AMOUNT OF SITES THAT REQUIRE IT IS INSANE. I think no joke I needed it for every single thing I had to make a reservation for, not just cafes. Also??? For stuff like Universal Japan and others I highly recommend just powering through making a Japanese account and buying directly off the Japanese site. It’ll take you probably like two hours and require you to have a Japanese address in mind to put for your info (I just used my Tenso shipping address if u have one of those) but it makes reserving stuff actually POSSIBLE. No joke the Universal Japan English ticket site just does not work, you absolutely have to use the Japanese one ESPECIALLY if you want to buy stuff like express passes or reserved attractions (like the Mystery Restaurant me and my friend are going to). Also? Some sites don’t take debit cards for some reason. Most do, but be prepared with a credit card just in case (like Universal I have never gotten to accept debit or a Visa credit card but American Express credit cards work??? For some reason???) Also also: concert tickets. Those usually require you to make an account as well and sometimes will turn you away if you give them anything other than a Japanese telephone number (which you’ll need to even pick the tickets up in the first place so…). Just shop around until you find a site that will let you use your regular phone number and buy from there (Lawson actually has a direct purchase site for tickets that accepts non-Japanese numbers! That’s how I got tickets for my friend and I to go see Galileo) And remember: you can buy some tickets second-hand if you don’t want to fight Japanese websites over it, but you’ll have basically no options when it comes to those tickets and reservations and there will be an upcharge. Trust me, I t really is better to download a site translator and put in the work to buy directly from where you’re trying to go

[@ibrahimbeats]

one of my fav collab cafe dilemmas is "do I pick the food/drink that looks yummier, or has my fav character" - I always pick the latter tho

[@sorakirei]

Would love to have all of this consolidated in a reasonably priced digital guide with you fabulous art!

[@Mrkiki0209]

Okay but like, more japan guides would definitely hit the spot, this was really insightful and in depth, thx Emily!

[@vsherbeck]

Dang... If only there was a patreon or something we could get the low down dirty deets on which ones are bad still 😅🫢🫣... Another thing I remember you saying in an earlier Cafe video was to try to stick to Japanese dishes when ordering from these cafes. Thanks to this tip i got a pretty decent oyakodon from the Pokemon spa themed cafe at raku cafe during a recent visit to Japan. Thank you Emily!

[@CrystalDreams]

I just needed to say that the PompomPurin in the background is so cute.

[@kate_omega2657]

Me taking notes of all the phrases knowing I’m gonna try them on my husband later… you went to a Detective Conan cafe… so jealous 💙

[@jasanese14]

really helpful tips ! ありがとうございます。次のビデオは楽しみにしています🤍

[@GamingGopher]

9:40 is some of the best news I’ve heard in a while. Thank you for sharing this.

[@PedroKawahisa]

Changing the name of the item to KORE and pointing it at the menu is a good one too. When everything on the menu is in japanese.

[@kuro4294]

Traveled with my parents and sure it slowed us down a bit but it was the trip of a lifetime. Would learn to enjoy the slower pace more next time

[@foryouphilanything]

yes!! please do more collab cafe videos, i love living vicariously through you lol

[@Sydberry]

12:51, as soon as you opened the binder I was like, "I have thoe spiderman sheets!" I've been looking for an art print/sticker journal for my stuff lately too 😂

[@splat9861]

11:26 side note: kekko desu can be used in both yes and no sitations so id suggest to be certain its been comunicated correctly to fx waiter using “iie kekko desu” (no thank you) and “hai kekko desu” (yes please/ yes its great) but it mainly comes down to context tbh. Great vid too, ive been rly loving spilled ink so far cant wait to see more!

[@lillylee122619]

Emily, thank you so much for making this video. I'm planning a trip to Japan for either my husband and myself or my daughter and myself in the next year or so, and I really want to be able to visit some colab cafes during the trip. I especially appreciate the phrases you mentioned, as I don't speak Japanese and I have a difficult time learning foreign languages. I will definitely be rewatching this video a few times, so I can "attempt" to master the proper pronunciation. Keep up the awesome work, and I look forward to more videos in this series. 🍛🍰😋

[@DennisLora2001]

Wonderful video Emily keep up the good work

[@zampalior]

I have organized two two-week trips for my friends (9 people each trip, most of them first timers) and I think it can de done if someone takes the lead. I organized pretty much everything and they followed my lead without my arguing so we were actually surprisingly effective. And we were able to rent huge Japanese houses for dirt cheap and had an amazing time. But yeah, eating was haaaaard. In some restaurants they outright told us they were full despite being completely empty. All in all, it takes patience and ideally I would rather be 4-5 people for our next trip it can be still be amazing!

[@antoc2478]

0:17 I’m just starting to watch the video and I pray that you managed to go to The Amazing Digital Circus cafe collab

[@natashacallender9675]

So excited to watch! I saw Emily do a panel at a convention about this and I was having the time of my life! ❤

[@The_miIk]

this was actually very helpful! my dad and I have been talking about going to japan at some point but our family has 6 to 7 members. so this was very helpful!

[@NegiTaiMetal011]

I'd love to visit these cafes, ones I find interesting. I'd definitely learn how to communicate or how it'll be done.

[@friorento4416]

My rule for learning languages in general is that you need to sound native to the language you are currently speaking, even if it means "pronouncing something wrong". Like in portuguese we say "Cheeseburger" as "Shes BoohRger", it may sound wrong for english speakers, but it is still easier for people here in Brazil to understand you. Remember you are trying to communicate with people who speak a different language, the closer you get to how they speak, the better :) I'm not an expert by any means, but I think this is a good way of thinking.

[@inventor121]

Also to make a point on the loan words. There are people who have ENGLISH DEGREES who grew up in English speaking countries that have lost english competitions in Korea and japan because they have better english than the judges. I had a friend return to canada after trying to get a teaching job in korea as an english teacher (she is korean by birth but grew up in Canada) and she failed the english fluency test because her pronunciation was perfect. She has a masters in english from Cambridge.

[@honeyymint8190]

I love yalls new channel! Also glad y’all are continuing to post on your mains! Take plenty of breaks!

[@Nelsea7190]

i happened to pass by mai lish cafe a month ago on my trip there. a steins gate flyer posted nearby was the thing that got my attention. also went to tom&jerry pop up cafe. Mai Lish because the anime and i wanted to try the drinks. tom&jerry had very cute and creative food arrangement+ i loved that show when younger.

[@moa0001]

This video came perfectly!! I'm going to Japan together with my family in june-july this year, and we all like anime and would love to go to a collab cafe! Last time in Japan we went to a Pokemon cafe, very expensive but overall worth it. Thanks for the tips with the site that you use, that'll come in handy for sure!🤭

[@mjwitz10]

I have been to one collab cafe and I did not know that the costers were collectables, but I should have known something about it when the staff came up to us as we were leaving and handed them to us. I still have them as I was the only one in the friend group that was interested in the cafe. I think it was a fun experience that all of us weebs should have at least one time in a Japan trip.

[@katshuma]

9:45 I love how you put this into words with the "You gotta hit them with the..." 😄

[@xtuffcookiex]

I went to the Cinnamoroll and Tom & Jerry cafe. The waitstaff were super friendly with simple Japanese phases and very forgiving when I slipped some English ( I would apologize and thank them profusely) I went to Qpot Harajuku but I only got some jewelry like the Card Captor Sakura Book of Clow * All the girls working were so cute and the sweetest people!*

[@harukazeeh]

The detailed Japanese lessons in this video is something i didn't expect but i appreciate and love so much! I wonder if you can make a speaking only Japanese video or something about your other Japanese speaking experiences