With the kick-off of the Rugby World Cup (RWC), the streets, trains and pubs are full of international tourists wearing colorful rugby jerseys, but they're not the only people celebrating the arrival of Rugby's biggest event.
Since Sept. 21, Harajuku-based sweets store Cookie Time has been selling a special drink — the Pavlova Shake (¥972 after tax). If you're from New Zealand, or a big fan of the All Blacks, you may recognize the name of the store: Cookie Time originated in New Zealand and first opened its doors in Harajuku in 2013.
The shake has a voluminous dollop of whipped cream on top (inspired by the real Pavlova dessert) that mellows out the shake's tart, passion fruit-flavored base. Its various toppings — dried kiwi, Jaffa cakes, hokey pokey (honeycomb) cookies and a piece of rugby ball-shaped dark chocolate — are equal parts tasty and colorful.
But what makes this drink special is a final dash of national flair. You can order the shake to come served with either a Japanese or New Zealand flag or, if your heart is torn between the two, both.
The shake is a great choice if you want to chill out in Harajuku, immerse yourself in RWC fever or just get a taste of Kiwiana.