The Stranger Pronto cafe appeared in Tokyo as the “Stranger Things” fourth season, volume two, started streaming on Netflix. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
“Stranger Things” mania continues unabated in Tokyo, where a pop-up cafe rooted in the popular Netflix show is open until Sept. 9.
Japanese cafe Pronto's Fukuras opened the cafe on July 6 just a three-minute stroll from the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Station. The cafe, called Stranger Pronto, appeared as the “Stranger Things” fourth season, volume two, started streaming on Netflix.
It’s also the third incarnation of “Stranger Things” marketing opportunities in Japan.
The Parco department store in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro ward erected a pop-up store selling “Stranger Things” merchandise to coincide with the fourth season’s first half. And FamilyMart, a chain of convenience stores throughout Japan, also started selling a temporary stock of socks and small towels patterned after the show.
The cafe, which has 12 seats, is now taking online reservations in English. Diners who show up without reservations may be issued a ticket with a guaranteed spot, but the wait time can be up to four hours so clear your day if it includes a trip to the Hawkins and the Upside Down.
That said, the cafe is a must for “Stranger Things” fans. The site is marked by a giant poster, outside the building, that promotes the show’s fourth season, and a video screen outside the cafe plays previews from all the show’s seasons.
A poster for season four of “Stranger Things” welcomes patrons to Stranger Pronto, a pop-up cafe in central Tokyo. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
Patrons order from a counter made to look like the Surfer Boy Pizza bus. The “bar” where guests receive food and drinks is patterned on Scoops Ahoy, the ice cream shop from the third season.
Stranger Pronto patrons order from a counter made to look like the Surfer Boy Pizza bus. The “bar” where guests receive food and drinks is patterned on Scoops Ahoy, the ice cream shop from the third season. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
The employees dress in the Scoops Ahoy uniforms that “Stranger Things” characters Steve and Robin wore in the series.
Some of the menu items, like Elle’s waffles, sold out the day I visited.
My friend and I settled instead for drinks. We got a popcorn caramel latte, topped with sweet caramel sauce and popcorn. That was my favorite because it had that salty/sweet taste that I like. We also tried the Upside Down cream soda, a Nancy Halloween party mocktail, a Dr. Alexei cherry slurpy and a Dr. Alexei blue slurpy.
An essential part of the experience is the cafe’s playlist, which include the “Stranger Things” theme song, “The Never Ending Story,” “Ghostbusters” and “Running up That Hill.”
Guests will have plenty of opportunities to share their experiences from photo spots around the cafe One wall has a 3D-looking Demogorgon, another a bike with a Hawkins background and a third shows the Byers’ living room. Have your favorite song handy for the spot that depicts Vecna’s grandfather clock.
A 3D-looking Demogorgon makes an appearance at Stranger Pronto, a “Stranger Things”-themed cafe in Tokyo’s Shibuya district. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
At Stranger Pronto, a “Stranger Things”-themed cafe in Tokyo, guests can pose for photos in a replica of the Byers’ living room. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
During the 2½ hours we spent there I was transported into the hit series, which won’t return until its final season in 2024, according to the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers.
The Stranger Pronto cafe appeared in Tokyo as the “Stranger Things” fourth season, volume two, started streaming on Netflix. (Kelly Agee/Stars and Stripes)
STRANGER PRONTO
Directions: About a 3-minute walk from Shibuya Station. 1-2-3 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Shibuya Fucras, first floor.
Times: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Costs: Admission is free, but menu items run out quickly
Food: The American salami pizza is 990 yen, or about $7.16; pancakes with maple syrup and scrambled eggs are 1,320 yen and the Demogorgon roast beef pasta is 1,650 yen. A dark side mocha and banana milkshake are 800 yen.
Information: Online: pronto-kissakaba.com/stranger-pronto
