An iconic cafe and show venue that symbolizes Japan's kawaii pop culture, and is beloved by tourists and celebrities, has shut its doors in Tokyo after business dried up as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A funky aesthetic of outlandish colors and designs made Kawaii Monster Cafe in the youth culture hotspot of Harajuku a hit, drawing overseas A-listers, such as reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Dua Lipa and Jenny of K-pop group Blackpink.
But its five-year run ended on Sunday, in part after overseas clientele disappeared because of border curbs against the pandemic.