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Japan’s ministry of economy reminds us to “use sound judgment” before buying toilet paper
Just take a beat and really think about it calmly.Social media really is a great way for governments to disseminate information to the masses. Sometimes they have great tips, such as where you can find nice graffiti and how to turn a plastic bottle into a drink dispenser.Now, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has posted a message that we also should pay close attention to.“Regarding the distribution of toilet paper in light of the situation in Iran and other matters, toilet paper is al
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie takes a delicious turn, complete with a Question Block surprise.With less than a month to go until the 24 April release of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in Japan, fans are getting excited. As it turns out, Krispy Kreme is getting excited too, with the announcement that it will be releasing a collection of special doughnuts in collaboration with the film, as well as some exclusive extras featuring key characters from the movie.The collection begins with a series of fou
“Online streamer” tops dream job poll for young Japanese kids, older kids not so interested
Desire to create personal online content rapidly drops among older age groups in survey.“What do you want to be when you grow up?” That’s one of the questions educational publisher Gakken asks Japanese kids in its annual survey about their hopes and ambitions for their futures, and when it comes to jobs they want to do as grown-ups, researchers say this year’s top answer from elementary school-age kids was “online streamer.”That result was obtained from polling 1,200 elementary school kids, 600
Ramen restaurant in top Tokyo tourist neighborhood skips price gouging, but how does it taste?
One-coin lunches still exist in Asakusa, but now to find out if it’s money well spent.In Japan, there’s a concept called the “one-coin lunch,” meaning a lunch you can buy for 500 yen (US$3.25) or less, since 500 yen is the largest yen coin. However, in recent years it’s getting harder and harder to find one-coin lunches, and depending on where in Japan you’re at and what you’re eating it can sometimes even be tough to find appealing lunch options within 1,000 yen, the smallest yen bill.Even once
Drinkable pixels: 7-Eleven Japan creates new convenience store juice with “pixels” inside
Exciting new juice with over-the-top design features can only be found in six prefectures.If your algorithm is flooded with Japan content, then you’ll want to brace yourself for a new product that’s set to overtake your feed: Kakukaku Kajitsu Pixel Peach.Created by Kyodo Milk Industry, Kayac Inc., and 7-Eleven, this new juice is impressive in more ways than one, starting with the packaging. Drawing upon the design expertise of Kayac, a company that specialises in creating game and an
Can you make butter by running with a pouch filled with cream? Let’s find out[Taste test]
Why make butter in your kitchen when you can make it on your jogging path?For home chefs, making your own butter can be a fun, and tasty, little project. And so it was that our Japanese-language reporter Natsuno Futon decided, on a recent afternoon, to whip up a batch. She wasn’t going to set foot into her kitchen to make it, though, and it’s not like she has a dedicated butter-making workshop attached to her home, either.No, Natsuno was going to try making her butter out on the streets…or
Public restrooms in Osaka to get in-stall video screens with ads
Video advertising seems contradictory to the digital signage’s originally intended purpose.Osaka-based property management company Hankyu Hanshin Properties is in charge of a number of high-profile buildings in the city, which in turn means that it’s also in charge of their restroom facilities. Recently, the company has noticed increasing rates of congestion, and this month it’ll be trying to speed up the flow of people in and out of its restrooms by installing video screens inside toilet stalls
Ghibli Museum building becomes a cuddly cushion
Now you can literally hug a Ghibli building. Studio Ghibli is famous for conjuring up fantastical buildings in the anime world, but in Tokyo you can find a real-world Ghibli building, at the Ghibli Museum. As you might expect from an architectural design overseen by the studio, the museum building has splashes of colour, gentle curves and charming features that make it seem like it’s a living, breathing character, and visitors enter it through what’s known as the “Cake House
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
New “Greedy Sandwich” with cherry blossom pink bread takes classic Australian and Kiwi party food to new levels.If you’re a sandwich purist who only believes in traditional fillings, then Japan’s fruit-filled cream sandwiches will have long mystified you. Now, though, there’s a new sandwich that’ll have you gripping the edge of your seat in fear, as it pushes the boat out even further with its fillings.▼ Say hello to the Chocolate Sprinkles Whipped Cream Sandw
Here’s what you need to know before the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking voting goes live
Here are the important dates and ways that you can vote for your favorite characters during the official voting period next month.The upcoming 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking is the 41st iteration of the beloved global event that tracks the relative popularity of Sanrio characters from year to year around the world. This year, 90 characters will be featured in the polling, the final lineup for which will be announced on Sanrio’s official website on April 1.In addition, the theme is “Yo
Starbucks Japan adds exclusive limited-edition Frappuccino drinks to the menu for spring
Choux cream pastry is one of the flavours ready to boost your mood this season.Spring in Japan is a time for flowers, outdoor strolls…and strawberries, according to Starbucks, who’s giving us not one, not two but threedrinksfilled with the fruit for a limited time this season.Kicking off the triple taste extravaganza is the Strawberry Choux Creme Frappuccino, a new take on the Cream Puff Frappuccino, which was released earlier this month.▼ Sold in a Tall size only, at 717 yen (US$4.5
Nissin Donbei to sell Classic line of instant udon and soba noodles for its 50th anniversary
The new bowls will recreate the old taste of 50 years ago when the famous brand first dropped.Nissin Donbei’s kitsune udon and tempura soba cup noodles are getting a makeover–by going back to 1976. The brand is no newcomer to creating novel recipe ideas for its noodles or branching into other foods like rice balls. Beginning in 2024, it also created East Japan and West Japan versions of its products for sale in different parts of Japan, in which the noodles, broth, ingredients, and s
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
Hokusai Special Train made its first run this month.As one of the closest stops to Mt. Fuji, every day trains arrive at Fujinomiya Station in Shizuoka Prefecture carrying not only local residents, but also travelers eager to see Japan’s tallest and most iconic mountain. As of this month, though, one of those trains will be carrying only foreign tourists.Central Japan Railway Company, a.k.a. JR Central, has teamed up with travel provider JTB to create a special train that’s intended only for visi
Studio Ghibli releases the My Neighbour Totoro tea caddy, with a magical self-closing lid
A unique product handmade by traditional craftsmen at Kyoto’s Kaikado, Japan’s oldest tea caddy manufacturer.As a globally recognised brand that prides itself on traditional, handmade processes, Studio Ghibli is always keen to promote other like-minded artisans, often teaming up with them to produce high-quality, limited-edition products with a traditional flair.Now, the studio has joined forces with Kaikado, Japan’s oldest handmade tea canister manufacturer, to produce the 
A secluded British mansion in Chiba is a hidden holy land for afternoon tea lovers
You might get lost on your way there, but you’ll be rewarded by a stunning escape filled with scones, antiques, and cow-shaped jugs.British culture is seeing a rising trend in popularity in Japan, with British fairs at department stores often being packed with people every time they are held. One aspect that the Japanese people seem to romanticize is the culture of afternoon tea, and while there are several places throughout the country where you can partake in such an experience, there’s
Fake police phone scam also highlights dumb stereotype about how foreigners speak Japanese[Video]
Fake police officer targets possibly the worst person, phone transcript isn’t so great either.In this article, we’ve got two things to talk about. Both of them are pretty dumb, but we’ll start with the one that’s illegal.On March 16, the Iwate Prefectural Police released an audio recording of a conversation that took place after a man answered a call on his phone while in his workplace. It was from a number he didn’t know, but the caller quickly identified himself by saying “I am contacting you
Secret Starbucks sausage customization sparks sweet joy in Japan[Taste test]
Adding something usually meant for coffee to Starbucks Japan’s Sausage Pie.As Starbucks fans know, many times the coffeehouse’s menu is simply a starting point, and your drink isn’t really complete until you’ve customized it just to your liking. Recently, though, we’ve been hearing about a Starbucks Japan food customization hack that’s gone viral, and so we decided to try it for ourselves.This is a customization for Starbucks Japan’s Sausage Pie, which is the chain’s take on Japanese-style sausa
Create a tiny Ghibli anime world on your bookshelf with new miniature papercraft art kits
Star characters from Ghibli short film Mr Dough and the Egg Princess play inside these mini museums.Studio Ghibli has long flown the flag for hand-drawn animation, reminding us of the beauty that can be born from human hands. In keeping with this spirit, the studio also likes to produce papercraft kits for customers at its official retail outlets, and now there’s a trio of kits that feature anime characters interacting with the Ghibli Museum.These kits focus on three of the stairways insid
Japan’s Mos Burger creates tempura rice bowl bento boxed lunch burger, but not for its menu
New item seeks to put four food categories in your hand all at once.In 1987, Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger debuted the rice burger, swapping out the classic hamburger bun for a pair of lightly grilled discs of rice. By combining the joys of hamburgers and rice, Mos made something doubly pleasing to Japanese palates, and rice burgers have been part of their menu ever since. But now Mos is reaching new levels of multilayering its culinary appeal, with the introduction of something that combi
Are 500-yen noodles at Akihabara Ramen Center a great find or cheap miss?
We leave this ramen joint half happy, half less than satisfied. Akihabara is world-famous for being a city within a city that’s bursting at the seams with electronics, maid cafes, and anything related to anime, videogames and manga. However, in recent years, this bustling Tokyo neighbourhood has earned a reputation for something else as well: good ramen.Now you can find a large number of old and new noodle joints drawing crowds of hungry diners in between their shopping sprees, but how do