What kinds of shops exist in the world inhabited by Pokémon? Pondering that question inspired us to launch a project to create “Cafe Poltchageist,” a place where Pokémon help out.
Entries in Pokédex include each Pokémon’s name and “type,” as well as its “category” expressing its special traits in a nutshell. The Pokémon central to the Cafe Poltchageist project are Poltchageist and Sinistcha, both belonging to the “Matcha” category. Poltchageist is said to derive from a tea caddy of the kind used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony, while Sinistcha lives in a tea bowl and always has a tea whisk perched on its head. Both Poltchageist and Sinistcha first appeared in “The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero for Pokémon Scarlet or Pokémon Violet.”
Matcha Pokémon Poltchageist (left) and Sinistcha, its Evolutionary Form (right)
With Poltchageist and Sinistcha in mind, we began imagining what a tea party would be like at Cafe Poltchageist and started development of Matcha Pokémon-themed tableware and other items and a cafe menu. Today this merchandise is sold at Pokémon Centers throughout Japan, while the special Cafe Poltchageist menu is available at the Pokémon Cafes adjoining Pokémon Center TOKYO DX in Nihombashi and Pokémon Center OSAKA DX in Shinsaibashi.
Merchandise created in the image of Poltchageist and other Pokémon who help out at Cafe Poltchageist
In creating tableware in the image of Poltchageist and Sinistcha, while retaining the motifs of the tea utensils where they each live, we aimed for products that would be enjoyable for as many fans as possible. We focused development on items suitable for casual everyday use, in modern designs blending Japanese and Western tastes. In developing a cafe menu, we sought to offer sweets and other selections that would appeal to kids and adults alike.
The key visual of Cafe Poltchageist
Two items play the central role in the tableware developed for Cafe Poltchageist: a tea caddy in Poltchageist’s image and a tea bowl featuring a Sinistcha motif. Both are crafted in ceramic to make them look like real tea utensils. To permit their use not only with tea but in a variety of everyday situations, it was decided to make the Poltchageist tea caddy and Sinistra tea bowl in sizes appropriate to allow them to alternately serve, respectively, as a condiment jar and a rice bowl.
The Poltchageist tea caddy, equipped with a bamboo tea scoop, can also function as a condiment jar.
Inside Sinistcha’s tea bowl is the tea whisk normally atop its head. Could Sinistra have forgotten it?
In some cases, Pokémon share the identical name but have more than one form. Sinistcha has two: Unremarkable Form and Masterpiece Form. These two different forms are replicated in the tableware, differentiated by the mark on the tea bowl’s base. So the excitement of wondering which Sinistcha you’re dealing with during gameplay is carried over into Sinistcha’s merchandise – and in the cafe menu too.
Deciphering the form of Sinistcha tea bowls requires a close look at their base.
Poltchageist tea caddies and Sinistcha tea bowls are part of the fun and enjoyment of visiting a Pokémon Cafe. With an order for the “Poltchageist and Sinistcha’s Hospitality-Matcha Latte,” for example, the matcha (powdered green tea) latte is served in a Sinistcha tea bowl, while the Poltchageist tea caddy serves as a condiment container filled with extra matcha powder, to add to the tea according to taste. The “Cafe Poltchageist’s Tea Party Sweets Set” is an eye-pleasing assortment of Pokémon sweets meticulously and deliciously created, to make every visit to a Pokémon Cafe a festive occasion.
“Poltchageist and Sinistcha’s Hospitality-Matcha Latte” (left) and “Cafe Poltchageist’s Tea Party Sweets Set”
The Cafe Poltchageist menu and other items were developed based on the key visual. That graphic had evolved out of many hours of discussions with the illustrator, and what emerged well exceeded our highest expectations. Besides menu development, the illustration also served as our inspiration and guide during merchandise development.
To fulfill fans’ desire to experience the world of Pokémon in real life, we began by imagining what role various Pokémon might play in Cafe Poltchageist. From there, we proceeded to develop specific images of tableware and other items, the menu, and the interior design, adopting ideas proposed by the respective people in charge. The result of this collaboration was creation of a Pokémon realm where the virtual and the real truly seem to meet.
A project featuring the relatively unfamiliar Poltchageist and Sinistcha as the two central figures was a bold challenge into wholly unknown territory. But the outcome, in terms of both merchandise and the cafes, was a response far greater than we ever anticipated. The project’s success can be measured by the pleasure and enjoyment demonstrated by everyone from casual fans of Pokémon to diehard visitors to Pokémon Centers and Pokémon Cafes – and even just people who love tea.
Today, Pokémon is about more than games and anime. We are equally dedicated to providing fun and joy through Pokémon-themed merchandise and cafes. The Cafe Poltchageist project is the latest demonstration of the depth of the world of Pokémon, expressed from an all-new angle.
* For the latest information on Pokémon Cafe, visit the official website:
https://www.pokemoncenter-online.com/cafe/en/
