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Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Sacred fire saved from non-sacred fire on Miyajima.Hiroshima Prefecture’s Miyajima Island, famed for the torii gate that stands in the water just off its coast, is home to one of Japan’s most beautiful and historically significant concentrations of shrines and temples. Among them, though, Daishoin Temple is especially noteworthy, as it’s the oldest Buddhist temple on the island, founded by traveling monk Kukai (a.k.a. Kobo Daishi) in the year 806.Located on Mt. Misen, along a popular hiking trai
Pokémon Company to require Japanese government ID cards for some online Pokémon card purchases
New system would prevent non-residents from buying certain items from Pokémon Center Online.Scalping is becoming an increasingly big problem for the Pokémon franchise in Japan, and we’ve been seeing increasingly inventive attempts to counter resellers’ attempts to snatch up in-demand items and flip them for profit, such as stores making shoppers pass a Pokémon quiz before they can make a purchase or taking scissors to the packaging afterwards. Now the Pokémon Company itself is considering possib
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Local sweets-fan favorite serves as inspiration for one of two donuts not available anywhere else in the world.You’d think it’d be hard for a city of nearly two and a half million people to get overlooked, but that’s the position Nagoya often finds itself in. Despite having some very cool stuff (like a castle and good access to the Studio Ghibli anime theme park), Nagoya is often skipped by travelers and pop stars alike, perhaps because it can’t match the big-city glamor of Tokyo and Osaka, but
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
An iconic Japanese candy, now in drinkable form. Japan is filled with vending machines, and one of the people helping to prop up the industry is our very own reporter Mr Sato. He buys at least one bottle of water from a vending machine every day, so he’s become a bit of a pro when it comes to knowing what type of beverages are inside them. However, when he was out and about visiting Saitama the other day, he came across something that made him stop and do a double-take.▼ There, inside the
7-Eleven Japan releases their second lineup of upsized foods from a muffin to bukkake soba
As well as a double-sized cheesecake worth fighting battles over.The world may be subject to the annoyances of shrinkflation, but over the past few years, there’s been a running trend in Japan of campaigns where prices remain the same though the amount of food is increased. Family Mart started the show, with Lawson, MiniStop, NewDays, and other convenience store chains now regularly holding these campaigns.7-Eleven Japan kind of missed that wave, but with the Founding Anniversary Sale that
Super! Eel Bread takes Japanese sushi into uncharted territory
Honouring a centuries-old tradition with a modern twist. Every summer, people around Japan eat eel to regain energy from the tiring heat. It’s a tradition that’s been around for centuries, with people commonly consuming eel on the MidsummerDay of the Ox, or “Doyo no Ushi no Hi” as it’s known in Japanese, which this year falls on 26 July.With so many retailers offering eel on this day, many look for ways to stand out, and one bakery in Kochi Prefecture has everyone&#
McDonald’s Japan adds curry French fry flavor, regional-taste burgers to its menu with Gotochi Mac
Salutes to local specialties of Hokkaido, Nagoya, and more now available across Japan.A lot of the “Japan!” part of McDonald’s Japan’s recent offerings has come from tie-ups with popular Japanese pop culture franchises. And while we’re as happy as anyone about the Chiikawa Happy Meal toys, Gundam-themed sandwiches, and Hello Kitty-themed dessert drinks, the newest arrivals on the menu take inspiration from Japan for their actual flavors too.The new Gotochi Mac, or “Regional McDonald’s” offerings
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Newest Japanese Frappuccino aims to wake you up and reduce food waste.Japan loves seasonal sweets flavors, but we’re in a bit of a lull right now. Cherry blossom/sakura sweets season is over, and we’re not quite into the midsummer heat when demand for juicy tropical fruit flavors spike.So since there aren’t necessarily any “Right now!” flavors at the moment, Starbucks Japan is instead turning to a fruit that’s popular all year long with the release of a new banana Frappuccino.Making its debut la
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
There are two phone numbers to remember in a situation like this, but one is much more important.Our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun is an adventurous guy with a wide range of interests, and if you’re out and about in Japan, you might run into him at a Pokémon tournament, nuikatsu gathering, or just seeing how far away from downtown Tokyo a person can bicycle in eight hours. However, he’s currently on break from field assignments, because he’s in the hospital recovering from a heart attac
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Combination of factors is dimming the shine of one of the stars of Japanese restaurant culture.Izakaya are a unique part of Japanese food culture. Their closest analogy would be pubs, since izakaya serve a wide variety of alcoholic drinks and food meant to be paired with such beverages. Their menus are much more extensive than just basic bar munchies, though, with things such as yakitori chicken skewers, grilled onigiri rice balls, and plates of sliced sashimi being long-standing favorites. As a
Starbucks Japan has a secret breakfast set…and a hack for when it sells out
Japanese customer service turns a disappointing experience into a heartwarming memory. When people hear the words “Starbucks breakfast” in Japan, they usually think of the chain’s “Good Start Morning” offer, which gives you a 40-yen (US$0.25) discount on the in-store price when you buy a qualifying drink and food item together. You can take advantage of the deal until 11 in the morning at most stores, but diehard fans of the chain know there’s a better deal hi
Do Bare Feet of a Gorilla slides really make your legs slimmer?
These bizarre sandals have gone viral on Japanese social media, so we put them to the test.If you’re interested in Japan, your timeline and explore pages are likely filled with photos and videos of influencers promoting the country’s latest finds. A lot of the time, though, these influencers miss the true hidden gems that circulate on Japanese social media, and right now there’s one product that locals are raving about: Bare Feet of a Gorilla.Produced by Osaka-based company Dos
7-Eleven Japan adds macaroni cheese sandwiches to its convenience store food range
New “one piece” sandwich looks set to be another sell-out hit for the popular chain.On “Sandwich Day” on 13 March, 7-Eleven completely revamped its sandwiches in Japan, and among them appeared a new, generously filled single-serve range known as the “Yokubari Sando” (“Greedy Sandwich“). This so-called “one piece” sandwich aims to deliver an overwhelming sense of filling and satisfaction at an affordable price point, and the newest addit
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
The adorable bottle is only part of what makes this a fun and convenient way to protect yourself from UV rays.The calendar says we’re still in spring, but the thermometer shows that summer is almost here. With temperatures in Tokyo hitting 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) last weekend, we’re closing in on the time of year when some form of sun protection is a must for many when going outside, which in turn means the time of year when many find themselves thinking “I really should put o
You’ll never win cash or prizes or cash at this Tokyo pachinko parlor, and that’s why it’s so cool
Tampopo is part pachinko parlor, part video game arcade, and part museum.Being a man of culture, when our ace reporter Mr. Sato is out and about in the suburbs and sees on the map that there’s a “game center” (as Japanese arcades are called) on the map, he often goes to check them out. This isn’t because he’s a hardcore gamer (though he’s got some impressive in-game victories under his belt), but because a lot of times suburban arcades have a lineup of retro games, and visiting them feels like t
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Suspected yakuza member arrested for having frequent flyer mile account
Not quite as glamourous as a secret bank account.For most people doing long-haul domestic travel in Japan, the Shinkansen is their default method of getting from Point A to far-away Point B. However, sometimes it’s just as quick, if not quicker, to fly, especially if you’re starting at one end of the country and going all the way to the other.In addition, while Shinkansen tickets are more or less constant in price, airfares fluctuate, so if you time your trip right, flying can be quicker and mor
The Pokémon anime studio’s next project is a Scooby-Doo anime, Yokoso Scooby-Doo
Scooby, Scooby-Doo, where are you? Ah, you’re in Japan!Over the past few years, Japan has become one of the world’s most popular destinations for international travelers, with everyone from overseas otaku to major celebrities putting it on their travel itineraries. And soon Japan will be adding a few more high-profile guests, with the announcement of a new Scooby-Doo animated series that’s not only set in Japan, but animated by a major anime studio.Warner Bros. has unveiled Yokoso Scooby-Doo, a
McDonald’s Japan’s new Chiikawa Happy Meal figures are here![Photos]
New tie-up with hit anime comes with anti-scalper strategy.Fast food and anime figures are two of the reliable simple sources of joy in life, and yet there was some trepidation about combining the two of them as McDonald’s Japan launched a collaboration with the Chiikawa franchise last week. Chiikawa Happy Meals went on sale on May 15, but there was worry that the promotion would be marred by the same sort of ugly behavior from scalpers that’s taken place in some of the chain’s previous high-pro
The Mandalorian and Grogu film inspires a new set of Ginza Cozy Corner mini cakes and more
Three Star Wars-themed collaborations from a galaxy far, far away appeal to both longtime and newer fans of the franchise.We’ve known about Japanese dessert chain Ginza Cozy Corner‘s penchant for mini cake sets for a while now. From home-grown cuties such as Pokémon to international collaborations like Marvel’s Avengers and Pixar films, it seems no characters are safe from getting the Cozy Corner cake treatment–which now includes iconic members of the Star Wars franchise.