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SoraNews24
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Is corn potage-flavored shaved ice the best or worst synthesis of summer flavors?
We try to recreate an unlikely favorite popsicle treat of years past by turning corn soup into an icy dessert. Our Japanese-language foodie reporter Natsuno Futon was recently reminiscing about Garigari-kun's rich corn potage-flavored ice popsicle bars. Initially sold in September 2012, she remembers being shocked at how good they were, despite her initial apprehensions about the combination of creamy corn soup and frozen treat. Since they're not on sale at the moment, she came up with a creative idea to try making corn potage-flavored kakigori (shaved ice) at home using Riken Vitamin's 'Just-Dilute-It Corn Soup' (298 yen [US$2.02]) and her personal kakigori maker. This soup base comes in the form of a concentrated liquid to which you just need to add either hot or cold water depending on your mood. Natsuno personally prefers adding milk for the richest, creamiest taste, especially now that it's mid-summer. ▼ Soy milk is another possibility. OK, on to the shaved ice experiment. Following the instructions on the package, Natsuno diluted the soup concentrate with water in a 1:10 ratio and mixed it well. She poured the liquid into her kakigori maker's special container and put it in the freezer to chill overnight. The next day, it was frozen solid and ready to go. It looked like some of the soup base had settled on the bottom, but it wasn't anything too drastic. Worst case scenario, she could always mix the finished shaved ice to more evenly distribute the flavor. She popped the frozen block into the device, flipped the on switch… …and watched as corn soup-flavored shaved ice flakes began to magically appear before her eyes! She decided to display the very last pieces of the frozen soup block as stylish accents in her bowl, and then voila–it was ready to sample. Natsuno was both anxious and excited about its taste as she raised the first spoonful to her mouth. Thankfully, it tasted almost exactly like the Garigari-kun corn potage-flavored popsicles of her memory–a perfect harmony of salty, sweet, and corn flavors. Sure, there were minute differences in the taste, texture, and smell, but she was pretty darn pleased with how accurately it had turned out. She fed it to some members of her family who also agreed that it was a faithful recreation. Whether the flavor was actually delicious or not, however, was a slightly different story, and she received mixed reactions. Some thought that it tasted more like a palate cleanser at a fancy restaurant than something they would want to eat on its own. ▼ Which is fine in her book because it means more for her! Of course, the good news is that if corn soup shaved ice isn't to your taste, you can always thaw the ice and eat it as soup instead. Natsuno wants to express her gratitude to the developers of the Garigari-kun corn potage-flavored popsicles for creating the original winning summer flavor combination from unlikely ingredients. While she can't eat that original product at the moment, she's pleased to have found a faithful substitution for whenever she starts craving that creamy, corny flavor. Lastly, Natsuno would like to clarify one point with readers–namely, that she will NOT be making shaved ice out of Riken Vitamin's 'Just-Dilute-It Scallop Chowder' soup concentrate in the same product series. Even she's not quite that adventurous. For another fun do-it-at-home summer treat idea, you may want to check out the cotton candy maker currently being sold at 3 Coins locations in Japan as part of its summer festival series. All images © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
One woman versus endless noodles in this Japanese restaurant's all-you-can-eat event
With only 90 minutes on the clock, how much soba can one person eat? Japan has a lot of impressive eating challenges, one of them even being a famous regional dish, and we at SoraNews24 have always been keen to test our mettle on them. This time, we're passing the torch to a friend of one of our reporters who was keen to give it a go. The challenge in question is the All-You-Can-Eat Soba at Sagami, a chain restaurant specializing in Japanese cuisine with a focus on soba ('buckwheat') noodles. This event is held on the last day of every month, lasts for 90 minutes, comes with a serving of tempura (usually lightly battered and deep fried seafood and vegetables), and costs 2,090 yen (US$13.90). Our Japanese-language reporter Natsuno Futon learned about this event through her friend and self-proclaimed 'big-eater' Koguma-chan, who suggested they visited the restaurant together to take on the challenge. Koguma-chan was confident that she'd be able to handle it with ease, and with Natsuno keen to witness a record in the making, she swiftly met up with her friend and headed out. They sat down at the table and made their order. Koguma-chan: 'I'm aiming for 12 portions!' Natsuno: 'Did you skip lunch?' Koguma-chan: 'I kept it light, just some harusame glass noodles and a rice ball… oh! And some bread!' Natsuno: 'That's not light at all…' The food arrived during their conversation, starting off with three portions of noodles in tiered boxes, along with some okra and grated yam on the side. Everything in front of them looked delicious, and Koguma-chan couldn't wait to get started. Natsuno previously tried two tiers of noodles at a previous event, and walked away feeling stuffed, so she decided to sit out this all-you-can-eat challenge and just watch over Koguma-chan in support. Koguma-chan began energetically eating, soon polishing off the first tier in no time at all and immediately ordering three more tiers. Some close observation revealed that she was able to finish an entire portion in about four bites, and one tier of soba noodles is about 160 grams (about 5.6 ounces). Her momentum seemed to have no end, and she looked like she was having a great time, switching up the flavors with some of the accompanying sauces and seasonings. It seemed that Koguma-chan would still be eating for a while to come, so Natsuno turned her attention to a different sort of enjoyment, deciding to order the Fresh Melon and Baked Catalana Pudding for 640 yen from the seasonal menu. The same plate offered both the taste of refreshing melon, as well as the slightly bitter, creamy catalana. In between mouthfuls, Koguma-chan kept eyeing up the plate of desserts, but Natsuno steeled her heart and refrained from sharing it with her, wanting her to focus wholeheartedly on her soba challenge. By this point, Koguma-chan had already reached seven portions of noodles. Unfortunately, after just 30 minutes had passed, Koguma-chan paused to remark that it 'might be getting to be too much.' Soon after, she finally set down her chopsticks. So, what was the final result? A total of eight tiers of soba noodles! For some people, like Natsuno who can only finish off two, eight is a remarkable number, but Koguma-chan seemed frustrated that she wasn't able to eat as much as she had thought. In terms of weight, she'd slurped down over 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) of noodles. Adding to that the tempura, rice ball, glass noodles, and bread she had just eaten, it's safe to say that she did surprisingly well. Natsuno: 'If you hadn't had lunch, you could probably have set a higher record.' Koguma-chan: 'No, no, I need a warm-up.' Getting up to pay at the cash register, Koguma-chan happened to glimpse the record posted nearby: 89 tiers. On July 1, Noda Yokouchi Store's record was 27 tiers. The highest number from all stores for men was 89, and for women 82, and for seniors over 60-years-old, it was 19 tiers. Koguma-chan was silent for a moment, before vowing that next time she'd crush that record. Still, she left the restaurant looking dejected at not being able to eat as much as she had hoped. Koguma-chan made one final comment on the meal: 'You know… that dessert you had looked really good. Next time I want to eat a lot of sweet foods.' If you feel you have what it takes to set a record, or just really like noodles, remember to call into Sagami on the last day of the month. Or, if you can't wait that long and are desperate to drown yourself in noodles, try your hand and stomach at wanko soba. 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 ]
SoraNews24
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
That time we tried to fill the void of real ikemen with 360 cups of Butamen instant noodles instead
Some may call it crazy to try to replace guys with cup ramen, but as we've always said, 'Noods before dudes.' Japanese women of a certain age are bound to know the wildly popular 2007 live-action drama series Hanazakari no Kimitachi e ~Ikemen Paradise~ (Hana Kimi for short). The story, adapted from a shojo manga by Hisaya Nakajo, follows a high school student who disguises herself as a boy to enroll in a private boys school so that she can try to convince her track and field student idol to compete in the high jump again. It's quirky, hilarious, heartfelt, and watching it feels like chicken soup on a bad day. Oh, and not to mention, the drama's subtitle 'Ikemen Paradise' is Japanese slang for 'hot guy paradise'–which the series certainly has in abundance. ▼ Even its DVD covers play up the 'ikemen paradise' theme Our Japanese-language reporter Natsuno Futon was a fan of Hana Kimi when it first aired. She thought that the school life portrayed in the series (as unrealistic as it was) looked like so much fun, and she longed to be the sole woman surrounded by gaggles of charming guys. That's when she thought: 'Even if there isn't a crowd of hot guys around me in real life, maybe I could recreate that feeling with Butamen instead…?' Butamen is a brand of instant cup noodles whose name translates to 'pork noodles' (in this case, the 'men' is the same 'men' found in 'ramen'–not the one found in 'ikemen'). Curiously, Butamen's website features its pig mascot prominently on the homepage, along with a large graphic proclaiming that it's a 'Butamen Paradise.' That was how she made the connection between the ikemen of Hana Kimi and Butamen in the first place. She knew it was a long shot, but maybe there was someone at Oyatsu Company, the maker of Butamen, who would be willing to lend an ear of sympathy to her ikemen-less plight. She sent the company a message–not really expecting anything back–but stating that she would love to be immersed in her very own Butamen Paradise and was seeking any advice on an appropriate number of Butamen to make that happen. A few days later, a gigantic set of boxes arrived at Natsuno's doorstep. What on earth…? Wait a minute–it couldn't possibly be… …BUTAMEN! Oyatsu Company had sent her a staggering total of 360 Butamen cups. She immediately set to work unpacking them and assembling a Butamen altar. What had started as some silly linguistic musings had evolved into a serious endeavor. She carefully stacked more and more noodle cups on top of each other, but the number of tubs in the boxes still didn't seem to decrease. There were some heart-stopping moments when she thought that they might all come tumbling down, but she managed to reach the halfway point successfully. Time for a commemorative photo! She then promptly turned her attention back to the remaining cups waiting to be stacked. With the different flavors of noodles, the structure also began to look very artistic. The most delicate time had arrived. Would Natsuno be able to finish her masterpiece with it still…in one piece?! Her heart was pounding as she opened the last box of Butamen. CLEARED! It was like she was being protected by her very own pack of ikemen–make that Butamen. Actually, it was probably a good thing that they weren't a crowd of ikemen because she would probably be blinded by their radiance. She could stare at the Butamen, however, for as long as she liked. She could also get as close to them as she wanted without feeling nervous. In her slightly delusional excitement, she began assigning 'types' to the different flavors. The salty beef tongue-flavored cups definitely seemed like the 'wild guys' based on the packaging. Meanwhile, the curry-flavored ones were clearly natural comedians. Maybe the soy sauce-flavored ones were the studious type? Finally, she decided that the tonkotsu-flavored Butamen were her all-around favorites and winners of her heart. Assigning categories to the Butamen took more energy than it seemed, and Natsuno needed to take a quick break to recharge…by eating two of the Butamen. Was it weird to be staring lovingly at her protective shield of Butamen while eating them…? After refueling herself she decided it was time to be surrounded by the Butamen, similarly to how she had wanted to be surrounded by the ikemen of Hana Kimi . This project took a great deal of finesse as she began to carefully move the towers of cups away from the wall into open space. WOW! She sat down inside and soaked in all of the feelings. It definitely gave her a sense of inner peace to be surrounded by the Butamen. Shortly after, Natsuno got the urge to venture into the outdoors. In particular, the temptation to go on a date with the Butamen was just too strong–so she gathered as many as she could carry and buckled them into the driver's seat. They then pondered together where they should go. Perhaps it was part of their strategy for being perfectly attentive gentlemen, but they left most of the decision-making up to Natsuno. While some might argue that Natsuno never made it out of the driveway, she claims that she and the Butamen had a wonderful time taking a casual drive before it got too hot and they decided to return home. At this point she was also feeling a little hungry again, so she and the Butamen set up shop in her yard to enjoy some corn-on-the-cob. The Butamen munched on it in contented silence. Natsuno took pleasure in thinking about how she would be extremely self-conscious to eat corn in front of real ikemen for fear of the kernels getting stuck in her teeth, but with Butamen, she didn't have to worry about that at all. The heat and the food had made her sleepy, so Natsuno decided to take a little nap…with the Butamen as company, of course. She could rest peacefully knowing that they were there keeping a watchful eye over things. After this afternoon of adventures, Natsuno felt incredibly fulfilled. She had succeeded in being happily immersed in Butamen Paradise, all thanks to Oyatsu Company. Now might be a good time for Natsuno to figure out how to explain all of the Butamen to her husband before he gets home. On the other hand, he's probably used to the kinds of weird dating shenanigans that SoraNews24 writers routinely engage in… All images © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
SoraNews24
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Nattoku! Factory offers free factory tours of a famous natto brand production process
Diehard lovers of Japan's infamous fermented soy beans can now get a glimpse of the sticky production process. Takano Foods' Nattoku! Factory opened on April 12 of this year in Kasama, Ibaraki Prefecture. The plant, whose name is a pun on the words natto (fermented soy beans) and nattoku ('Got it! Agreed!'), produces the super popular Okame Natto brand that's omnipresent in Japanese supermarkets. Its most standard two-tone packaging features the face of a cheerful woman character known as Okame. ▼ Okame's face on an Okame Natto banner As a lover of natto, our Japanese-language writer Natsuno Futon recently went to the factory with her family to see what it has to offer. Now, this isn't actually the first time that she's visited a place dedicated to the pungent but oh-so-irresistible dish. A long time ago she had taken part in a tour at the Takano Foods headquarters near Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, which is often called the birthplace of natto. She had tried sampling different kinds of natto and posed for photos next to a giant mask version of Okame there. ▼ Natsuno during her past natto-themed outing Currently there are no more tours being offered at that location, but you can still visit it to see the on-site Natto Museum. In any case, she was eager to visit the new Nattoku! Factory, which is about a 15-minute drive/taxi ride from Tomobe Station on the JR Joban Line. ▼ There's a massive parking lot so there's no trouble finding a spot. Natsuno's excitement only grew as she approached the entrance. She was excited to find that the first-floor shop sells a ton of Okame Natto-themed goods. The Okame character was on everything from stationery to socks. If you're a fan of mascot characters, you'll need to be careful not to empty out your wallet here! She also found the more retro version of Okame in a few places, including the giant version for taking photos just like the one she had previously posed with in Mito. According to the staff, however, they were two different ones. Moving up to the next floor, there was exhibit teaching the history of natto and its cultural diffusion across the world. Natsuno was particularly delighted in viewing the evolution of Takano Foods' natto varieties over the years. It stirred up some nostalgic memories as she remembered seeing some of these very packs in her family's fridge growing up. She and her family also loved this new photo op space where they could feel like they were emerging from a giant pack of natto! Its attention to detail was great, right down to the shiny surface symbolic of slimy, sticky fermented beans. Finally, she got ready to embark on a free guided tour. They're offered twice per day at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and you can reserve spots in advance. First, everyone watched an animated special introducing the history of natto in a small movie theater. A series of cute drawings and a painted time machine on the wall added to the fun. They then walked through exhibits and took an Okame quiz before being taken to see the production facilities. During this part, they watched natto being placed into containers alongside tiny packets of soy sauce and mustard and then being bundled into packs of three. Even Futon's five-year-old daughter was moved to appreciate natto even more by seeing the actual production process. A final surprise came at the very end when the visitors were presented with some fun, little souvenirs (it seems that the kind changes depending on the day, so you'll never know quite what to expect). On the way out, Futon also asked staff for their own natto recommendations to take home, which she then combined with tuna as soon as she got home. Somehow, her newfound appreciation for natto made it taste better than ever before. Maybe all of the natto haters out there could also be swayed if they take part in the Nattoku! Factory tour as well. Factory information Nattoku! Factory / なっとく！ファクトリー Address: Ibaraki-ken, Kasama-shi, Nagatoro 1320-2 茨城県笠間市長兎路1320番2 Open: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed: Wednesdays Website All images © SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Japan Today
05-06-2025
- Japan Today
What to do if you forget your camera or other belongings on the shinkansen
By Casey Baseel, SoraNews24 'Ahhh, that was fun!' said our Japanese-language reporter Natsuno Futon, sitting down at her desk the morning after coming back from a research trip for her upcoming project. As she fired up her PC and got ready to start putting the article together, she grabbed her backpack and reached in to pull out her camera, so that she could transfer the photos she'd taken while in the field. And it was only then that she realized she'd lost her camera. Yes, Natsuno's fancy new mirrorless camera, which she'd just bought the other day and was so excited to get to use, was gone, and since its list of features doesn't include an autonomous free-roaming mode, that means that she'd left it someplace. Thinking back, she clearly remembered using during her shinkansen ride home, but couldn't recall touching it again after that, meaning the most likely scenario was that she'd forgotten to stick it back in her backpack before she got off the bullet train. Now that she was pretty sure what had happened, the next step was to figure out how to get her camera back. Generally, there are two places you want to report your lost property to: the police, and whoever manages the facility or location where you think you lost it. For the police, Japan's National Police Agency website has a list of links to prefectural police lost and found departments, in English here and Japanese here. There's also additional information about the process, in English, on their website here and here. Since Natsuno had gotten off the shinkansen at Tokyo Station, she filled out a report with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, following the link from the NPA page and providing information about what she'd lost and where/when she thought she'd lost it. Next, Natsuno needed to contact Japan Railway Company, the shinkansen operator. However, here's something important to remember: while most JR lines in the Tokyo area are operated by JR East/East Japan Railway Company, the Tokaido Shinkansen, the shinkansen line which connects Tokyo with Kyoto and Osaka, is an exception. The whole Tokaido Shinkansen is administered by JR Central/Central Japan Railway Company (also known as JR Tokai), so they're who you need to contact about lost property on that part of the bullet train network, and their lost property forms can be found in English here and in Japanese here. Meanwhile JR East's English guidance page for passengers with lost items can be found here, JR West's here, and JR Hokkaido's here. JR Kyushu doesn't appear to have an English lost and found page, but its Japanese-language page is here and directs users to its Line chat. Natsuno filled out and submitted her report to JR Central, and about three hours later, she got a politely worded email response regretfully informing her that, at the present time, her camera had not been found. However, it did leave a sliver of hope, telling her that they would continue looking for it and contact her if it turned up. As Natsuno kept her fingers firmly crossed, she took solace remembering the time she'd found a child's bag that had been dropped on the sidewalk in front of an elementary school, and turned it in to office. She thought back about the time she'd turned in a 100-yen coin someone had left behind at a coin locker, apparently not realizing they'd get their money back when they returned the key. She even reminisced about the time she'd found someone's grocery shopping list wedged between two books on a library shelf, and had turned that in to the staff. After doing so many good deeds herself, surely Natsuno had built up enough karma to be rewarded the same way, right? And sure enough, later that day Natsuno got a second email from JR Central, this one telling her that the camera had been found. JR Central can mail recovered property back to owners, with the owner responsible for paying shipping fees on delivery. They also have a lost and found office at Tokyo Station, though, located outside the ticket gates of the Yaesu-chuo entrance, so Natsuno opted to pick it up there. You'll need to bring some form of photo ID with you, and you'll also need to provide a six-digit confirmation code that JR Central will provide you with when they contact you to tell you they've found your stuff. After waiting for the staff at the counter to reunite someone else with a bag that they'd left on the shinkansen, it was Natsuno's turn. After showing her ID, giving her confirmation code, and filling out and signing some paperwork, Natsuno and her camera (still inside its spiffy carrying case) were at last together again. So while it's never a good thing to realize you got off the shinkansen with fewer items than you got on with, don't panic if it happens to you. Photos ©SoraNews24 Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Shinkansen bullet trains adding semi-private booths on most popular travel route【Pics】 -- Tokaido Shinkansen ending in-train food/drink sales for all non-first-class-passenger cars -- Nozomi Shinkansen bullet train abolishes low-priced unreserved tickets during peak travel seasons External Link © SoraNews24
