EAT | Toraya Hosts "Sweet Cat Exhibition" in Roppongi
TORAYA
EAT | Focusing on the Connection Between Cats and Japanese People
Toraya to Host "Sweet Cats Exhibition" in Roppongi
From Wednesday, September 25th to Monday, December 16th, Toraya will hold a special exhibition titled "Sweet Cats Exhibition" at the gallery within Toraya Tokyo Midtown store, focusing on the relationship between cats and Japanese people. Additionally, new Japanese sweets inspired by cats will be released in limited quantities.
Text by KUROMIYA Yuzu
Three Types of "Cat Wagashi" That Evoke Deep Expressiveness
This exhibition is realized in collaboration with the web magazine "ilove.cat." It explores the theme of cats, which have captivated people throughout history, showcasing how Japanese people have depicted them and introducing regional cat dolls that have existed in various places since ancient times.
In "Cats and Regional Dolls," 18 "cat dolls" from different regions of Japan are exhibited, including the Maneki-neko, said to "beckon good fortune," and motifs of regional dolls passed down through traditional crafts.
In "Cats Depicted by Japanese People," the forms of cats drawn in Japanese literature are introduced based on four themes. Descriptions of cats are excerpted and displayed from some books, and visitors can also enjoy browsing the books.
And "What if there were cat-shaped sweets like this?" - design proposals for cat wagashi are displayed across an entire wall. In conjunction with this, Toraya has newly conceived Japanese sweets inspired by "cats," something rarely created in its nearly 480-year history.
"Sumaseba" © ilove.cat
"Nike" © ilove.cat
Three types are available: "Sumaseba," a uiro confection that evokes the image of a cat listening intently, as if not to miss even the smallest sound, inspired by the "ilove.cat" design; "Nike," a special yokan made with red bean paste and glutinous rice, representing a black and white bicolor cat; and "Utatane," a kinton confection that depicts a uniquely Japanese calico cat curled up for a nap, using white, brown, and orange crumbled cake.
These are limited edition items, and their sales periods differ between Wednesday, September 25th and Monday, December 16th, so be sure to check if you're interested.
Check the photo gallery for details on each product!
30th Special Exhibition: Sweet Cats Exhibition
Location | Gallery within Toraya Tokyo Midtown Store
Tokyo Midtown Galleria B1F, 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Period | Wednesday, September 25, 2013 - Monday, December 16, 2013
Hours | 11:00 - 21:00 (Same as store hours)
Closed | Open daily (subject to Tokyo Midtown's closing days)
Collaboration | ilove.cat