logo
Muji's locally sourced Yamatomaru pizzas are some of the best frozen pizzas we've ever had

Muji's locally sourced Yamatomaru pizzas are some of the best frozen pizzas we've ever had

SoraNews2407-05-2025

Regional produce makes for a very special pizza that you can only get in certain parts of Japan.
Mujirushi, a.k.a. Muji, has made a name for itself thanks to its high-quality, reasonably priced…well, everything. The Japanese lifestyle chain offers a staggering variety of products, from housewares and furniture to clothing and appliances, all of which tend to leave customers satisfied and wallets relatively full.
The Mujirushi catalog is so extensive that the exact product lineup can vary quite a bit from branch to branch, depending on the available amount of floorspace. The bigger the branch, the more unique the offerings, though, and on a recent visit to the largest Mujirushi in Japan, we found some very special pizzas.
Mujirushi's food and beverage division has been looking for ways to shine a spotlight on locally raised produce, and so at certain stores in central and west Japan you can find what it calls 'Local Pizzas,' which bear the message 'Locally crafted pizza made with locally sourced ingredients.' Since Japan's biggest Mujirushi is in Nara Prefecture, the star ingredient in their Local Pizzas is Yamatomaru eggplant.
Grown in Nara's Yamato district, Yamatomaru eggplants are round with dark skin that has a dramatic sheen. They're noticeably firmer than other varieties of eggplant, with slices retaining their texture and shape even after being grilled, baked, or steamed.
Mujirushi has two kinds of frozen Yamatomaru eggplant pizzas, one that also uses teriyaki chicken as a topping and the other that uses anchovies. We picked up one of each (the teriyaki chicken one costing 1,050 yen [US$7.25] and the anchovy 950 yen) and took them back home for taste-testing.
You can thaw the pizzas either in the fridge or in the microwave, and we opted for the latter, since we're of the mind that 'sooner is better than later' is pretty much always the appropriate philosophy for pizza.
We decided to try the Yamatomaru eggplant with anchovies version first. Taking the thawed but still uncooked pizza out after its stint in the microwave, we already knew we were going to be in for something good based on how good it looked and smelled even in this intermediary state, with luxuriously thick slices of eggplant stretching all across the top of the pie.
And after baking it…
…it looked even better!
They say that looks can be deceiving, but the operative word there is can . In the case of Mujirushi's Yamatomaru pizza, the appearance is an honest declaration of how it's going to taste. The eggplant slices are meaty and juicy, filled with delicious flavor that hits your taste buds the moment you bite into them.
The crust is outstanding as well, with just the right touch of outer-layer crispiness giving way to an invitingly soft bread texture underneath.
Moving on to the Yamatomaru teriyaki chicken pizza, we were just as impressed, and the extra proteins here make this an even better option if you're feeling especially hungry.
Currently, the Yamatomaru eggplant pizza is only available at select Mujirushi branches, listed below:
● Osaka: Aeon Mall Sakai Kita Hanada ● Kyoto: Kyoto Yamashina, Coop Nijo Station, Aeon Mall Kyoto Katsuragawa, Matsui Yamate, Aeon Mall Kumiyama ● Nara: Aeon Mall Yamato Koriyama, Aeon Town Tomio Minami ● Wakayama: Forest Mall Iwade, Supercenter Okuwa Nanki, ● Shiga: Alplaza Kusatsu
● Hiroshima: Alpark Hiroshima
The 'local' focus of the Local Pizzas mean that Mujirushi probably won't be expanding the Yamatomaru eggplants ones' availability all that widely or swiftly, but it's definitely worth trying if you get a chance, and with how delicious they are, we'll be keeping our eyes out for what sort of Local Pizzas might grace Mujirushi branches in other parts of Japan.
Reference: Mujirushi
Yamatomaru photo: Wikipedia/Uo3rt
All other photos © SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Japanese Language Requirement to Be Eased for Foreign Drivers

time14 minutes ago

Japanese Language Requirement to Be Eased for Foreign Drivers

News from Japan Politics Jun 11, 2025 16:11 (JST) Tokyo, June 11 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government at an expert panel meeting on Wednesday proposed easing the Japanese language proficiency requirement for non-Japanese drivers working in the country, aiming to address the serious labor shortages in the bus and taxi industry. The panel met at the Justice Ministry to discuss the country's foreign worker programs. Japan accepts foreign bus and taxi drivers under the Type 1 category of its residency status system for foreign nationals with certain skill levels. With Type 1 status, they are allowed to work in Japan for up to five years. Bus and taxi drivers are required to have higher Japanese language proficiency than in other occupations, as they need to offer customer services and handle emergency situations. The Japanese government decided to ease the language requirement after the number of successful applicants for a Type 1 residency evaluation test to become bus or taxi drivers in Japan stood at zero as of the end of April this year. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press

Nintendo Switch 2 sales top 3.5 million in first 4 days
Nintendo Switch 2 sales top 3.5 million in first 4 days

The Mainichi

time29 minutes ago

  • The Mainichi

Nintendo Switch 2 sales top 3.5 million in first 4 days

OSAKA -- Global sales of Nintendo Co.'s Switch 2 portable gaming console blew by the 3.5-million-unit mark in just four days after its June 5 launch, the company announced on June 11. The total is the most Nintendo has sold of any single gaming console in its first four days on the market. The firm expects to sell 15 million Switch 2s worldwide by the end of March 2026. (Japanese original by Naomichi Senoo, Osaka Business News Department)

Vitalization of Bookstores: Expand Opportunities for People to Encounter Books
Vitalization of Bookstores: Expand Opportunities for People to Encounter Books

Yomiuri Shimbun

timean hour ago

  • Yomiuri Shimbun

Vitalization of Bookstores: Expand Opportunities for People to Encounter Books

Bookstores are cultural centers for local communities that connect people with books. Their existence is also deeply connected to people's education and character building. It is necessary to halt the decline in the number of bookstores and enhance momentum to protect them as a foundation of knowledge. The government has announced a plan to vitalize bookstores. To reduce the high rate of unsold newly released books and magazines returned to publishers, which is said to be one of the causes of rising book distribution costs, the government will hold study sessions together with people related to the industry and aim to improve the operational efficiency of bookstores through the widespread use of IC tags. In addition, the government, across its ministries and agencies, intends to support bookstores through such means as strengthening efforts to lower fees for cashless payments, which are a heavy burden on bookstores, and encouraging people to open new stores. The gross profit margin rate for bookstores remains at around 20%. Due to the delay in digitalization, some bookstores are unable to manage sales and inventory the way they want to. Although the efforts of the bookstores themselves, of course, are necessary, the hope is that the government and the industry will deepen cooperation and do their utmost to work to resolve these issues. The number of bookstores is rapidly decreasing in many parts of the country, and the number of municipalities without a single bookstore has increased to more than a quarter of the total. There are many municipalities without bookstores in rural areas, and in some cases there are no libraries in those locations either. This is a serious problem that could lead to a 'knowledge gap' with urban areas. In some foreign countries, central governments are actively involved in promoting bookstores. France has introduced a 'Culture Pass' system for young people to support the purchase of books and other cultural activities. Germany has established a system to award small bookstores that have special characteristics, among other efforts. It cannot be said that the measures taken by the government in Japan to protect print culture and the reading environment have been sufficient so far. In February this year, The Yomiuri Shimbun and Kodansha Ltd. announced a joint proposal aimed at promoting bookstores. The government's plan is in line with the content of this proposal. It is hoped that all parties involved will share a sense of urgency and work to enhance the vitality of bookstores so they will not disappear. Unlike online bookstores, bookstores in towns offer the chance to encounter an unexpected book. While browsing the shelves of a bookstore in a field in which you have little interest, you may become curious about a book and pick it up, which could later change your life. Bookstores also play a major role as a distribution center for the 'content industry,' which includes manga and anime. Japanese manga and anime are highly regarded overseas, and many overseas fans come to Japan to make 'pilgrimages' to places where stories and scenes are set. The decline in the number of bookstores could lead to the loss of the function of bringing new works to the world. The growing trend of people moving away from reading books is serious. According to a survey by the Cultural Affairs Agency, 60% of respondents said they do not read even one book a month. It is also necessary to devise ways to increase the number of people who read books, such as by providing opportunities for people to become familiar with books with the help of picture book specialists and instructors who guide people in reading aloud. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 11, 2025)

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store