Two members of STU48, an all-girl idol group based in the Setouchi region of western Japan, recently visited a shop in Tokyo's Shimbashi district that promotes food and other items related to Kagawa and Ehime prefectures.
Anna Kawamata, 20, originally from Ayagawa, Kagawa, and Rika Muneyuki, 23, from Imabari, Ehime, visited the Setouchi Shunsaikan promotional shop on Oct. 6 as part of a PR drive for the Setouchi region. During their time there, the pair had afternoon tea and perused craft goods and specialty merchandise.
The afternoon tea set at the shop's Kaorihime restaurant features a number of different cakes and sweets in the hope of attracting more female customers and the younger generation to the venue.
The items on the menu are partly made from ingredients produced in Kagawa and Ehime, and served with drinks such as mikan citrus juice, olive tea and Takasecha, a prominent tea product in Kagawa.
"It's so sweet," Kawamata said as she tasted a chocolate macaron mixed with olive tea leaves. "Olive tea is easy to drink and goes well with sweets."
After biting into a deep-fried-fish-paste sandwich called Jako katsusando, Muneyuki said, "This is delicious, all the more so thanks to this karashi mustard."
Kawamata and Muneyuki later promoted their prefectures and the promotional shop on social media, including X, formerly known as Twitter, based on the day's visit.
Related coverage:
Stunning fireworks light up skies at Naoshima summer festival
Naoshima students showcase English skills as 1st-time tour guides
Mountain opening event held in western Japan after pandemic hiatus
