Calling all Studio Ghibli fans! Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puffs Factory is nestled in the peaceful residential neighbourhood of Setagaya, and specialises in one thing and one thing only — the most adorable Totoro cream puffs.

Shiro-Hige is the only café that has the licence to produce Ghibli snacks, and only produces around 200 of these cream puffs a day. I arrived at 10.35am (5 minutes past opening time), and there was already a little queue. Do plan to go early to avoid any disappointment!

The first floor is home to Shiro-Hige, where it’s take-out only. If you’d like to dig into your cream puff right away, you can do so at the Tolo Coffee & Bakery café on the second floor. 

There, you can also order various mains like spaghetti, as well as beverages like tea and coffee.

Shiro-hige is completely decked out according to theme — check out Studio Ghibli paintings, stuffed animals, and even various Ghibli-themed cookies available for purchase.

The cream puffs come in various flavours: custard, strawberry, chocolate, banana, and so on. Custard and chocolate are the only flavours that are available throughout the year; the other flavours rotate based on season. Each cream puff is decorated with a different accessory to differentiate the flavour — the banana one, for example, has the Totoro wearing a cute little hat with a yellow ribbon. Each puff costs around JPY520 to JPY560 (~SGD5.30 to SGD570), depending on which flavour you pick.

I didn’t have high expectations for how the cream puff would taste — unfortunately, food that looks cute usually doesn’t match up in taste. However, the Totoro cream puff had a light and crisp exterior, with a smooth and airy cream centre that wasn’t too cloying or overly sweet. In fact, it was surprisingly easy to wolf down one, and want to eat another right after!

After getting your cream puff fix, take a leisurely 10-minute stroll to the adjacent neighbourhood of Shimokitazawa. Shimokitazawa is known as Tokyo’s hipster district, where you can spend the afternoon browsing thrift vintage stores, and popping in and out of cafés.

Update: Shiro-Hige has also opened another takeout-only-branch at Kichijoji. The shop is located near Inokashira Park, allowing you to enjoy your cream puffs at a picnic.