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Japan Today
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever spicy Frappuccino for a limited time
By Oona McGee, SoraNews24 Summers in Japan are incredibly hot and now they're set to get even hotter with Starbucks' first-ever spicy Frappuccino. There is reason behind this madness, with the chain aiming to deliver a 'stimulating zing' of heat to refresh you on an energy-zapping day, and it's being paired with the fruity sweetness of mango, the star ingredient at Starbucks this summer. Called the Hot Honey Oriental Mango & Tea Frappuccino, this beverage gets its heat from a special 'hot honey' sauce which, according to Starbucks, might just make you breathe fire like a dragon, creating a thrilling new Frappuccino experience unlike any before. The main body of the drink combines juicy mango pulp, fragrant jasmine tea, and mellow-sweet soy milk, which helps to fan the flames of the hot honey. Specially crafted to satisfy customers who love spicy foods, Starbucks says the honey will make you feel like your mouth is 'engulfed in flames' and it's best mixed throughout the entire beverage before drinking. The surprising harmony between the rich, sweet mango at the bottom of the cup and the spicy hot honey atop the whipped cream is said to be unexpectedly delightful, and as you continue to drink, the spiciness intensifies so by the end you'll feel like you're breathing fire. It's so strong that the chain is even issuing warnings for customers to be aware of before ordering the Frappuccino: Spicy honey with strong heat is used as a topping. Please be careful when enjoying this product. Not recommended for those sensitive to spicy foods or for children in elementary school or younger. You cannot increase the amount of hot honey, but you can request less. The new Frappuccino will be on the menu from until July 8 in a Tall size only, priced at 761 yen for takeout and 775 yen for dine-in. Those wanting a taste of mango without the heat won't be left out in the cold as the regular Oriental Mango & Tea Frappuccino, which debuted on May 28 and will also be on the menu until July 8, is ready to satisfy your cravings. Source: Press release Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Starbucks Japan has a new limited-edition Frappuccino for summer, but does it taste any good? -- Starbucks goes to the tropics for new Frappuccino release in Japan -- Starbucks Japan releases first-ever nationwide watermelon Frappuccino, and it's a summer stunner External Link © SoraNews24
Japan Today
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
Burger King releases a Pickleball Burger in Japan
By Oona McGee, SoraNews24 Burger King is throwing its support behind pickleball this year by signing a sponsorship agreement with the Japan Pickleball Federation (PJF). Pickleball is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. The new sponsorship will be front and center at the PJF Pickleball Japan Open in Sasebo, Nagasaki, in June, and at the PJF Pickleball Japan League Burger King Cup in Tokyo's Ariake district in August, and to celebrate, the chain is releasing a special burger in honor of the occasion. Called the Pickleball Burger, this new offering is said to be a 'large, American-style rice burger', with three flame-grilled 100-percent beef patties boldly sandwiched between special rice patties that have been jointly developed with Hachidaime Gihey, a long-established rice shop in Kyoto. ▼ Hachidaime Gihey previously worked with Burger King to produce its limited-time Kyoto Whopper. Hachidaime Gihey's expertise in the selection, milling, blending, and cooking of rice led to the creation of the newly developed patty, which has been crafted from a combination of carefully selected white rice and a type of brown rice known as Kin-no-Ibuki. This combination is said to be the perfect partner for the beef patties, enhancing the flavor of the meat while showcasing the natural sweetness of rice. ▼ Each grain is distinct and has a smooth, pleasant texture. Given its name, the burger doesn't miss out on this opportunity to use pickles, stuffing 11 of them in between the meat and rice layers. With a stripped-back combination of just three essential ingredients — beef, rice and pickles — this burger allows the quality of each component to take centre court in every mouthful. Set to be released for a limited time from 30 May, the Pickleball Burger will be priced at 1,790 yen. Photos©SoraNews24 Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Burger King Japan creates Kyoto Whopper, its most Japanese burger ever, with Kyoto rice merchant -- Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan -- Burger King is releasing a Fake Burger in Japan External Link © SoraNews24
Japan Today
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Studio Ghibli releases Japanese sake flask and cup set for anime lovers
By Oona McGee, SoraNews24 Out of all the animated movies Studio Ghibli has ever produced, "Porco Ross" remains one of the most underrated. The tale of a pig who flies planes sadly missed its mark with some audience-goers, but for director Hayao Miyazaki, whose been known to depict himself as a pig, it remains a firm favorite — so much so that we can imagine a smile fluttering over his face if he were to see this sweet sake set that honors the film. Called the 'Porco Rosso Tokkuri Ochoko Set Kanpai with Porco', this two-piece set includes a sake flask, known as tokkuri in Japanese, and an ochoko ('sake cup'), which are like no others you'll find in Japan. ▼ The tokkuri is designed to look like the wine bottle seen in the film… ▼ …while the sake cup is shaped like Porco, complete with the character's distinctive moustache and sunglasses. ▼ The set lets you 'kanpai with Porco' ('cheers with Porco'). The wine bottle's label features a motif of the Savoia S.21 Prototype Fighter Seaplane that Porco flies, along with an Italian phrase that translates as 'This is what it means to be cool', and the year of the movie's release. The flask measures 16.5 centimeters (6.5 inches) in height and 5.8 centimeters in width and holds 200 milliliters of liquid. The sake cup measures 3.5 centimeters in height and 5.2 centimeters in diameter and holds 35 milliliters of liquid. Both the flask and cup are made from porcelain and are microwave and dishwasher safe. Initially released in 2018, the set has been out of stock for around seven years but is now available to purchase at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online, priced at 4,950 yen. Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Beautiful Studio Ghibli anime sake flask and cup set lets you get liquored up the Laputa way -- Studio Ghibli anime films get American comic book style update with new glassware collection -- Studio Ghibli's Porco Rosso: Behind-the-scenes trivia and secret Easter eggs revealed External Link © SoraNews24
Japan Today
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Uji matcha tea specialist from Edo period releases a range of sweets for hydrangea season
By Oona McGee, SoraNews24 Ever since matcha began to boom in popularity around the globe, green tea lovers from overseas have had Uji in Kyoto on their bucket list. This region is renowned for its top-quality matcha, and one of the oldest tea purveyors in the area is Itohkyuemon, which can trace its history back to 1832, towards the end of the Edo period (1603-1868) when samurai roamed the land. In the centuries since its founding, Itohkyuemon has been constantly adapting to meet the changing demands of customers, and these days it's become particularly well known for its matcha ice creams and seasonal parfaits. Its most popular seasonal offering is the Hydrangea Parfait, created in honour of Uji's famous Mimurotoji, commonly known as 'Hydrangea Temple' due to its abundance of flowers. ▼ Hydrangeas, or ajisai as they're known in Japanese, bloom during the rainy season. Image: Pakutaso This year, to mark the 13th anniversary of the Hydrangea Parfait, Itohkyuemon is going all out with a campaign called the 'Uji Matcha × Hydrangea Festival 2025'. The highlight of the festival is the Hydrangea Parfait (1,390 yen) which features ingredients like matcha kinton (a sweet bean confection), hydrangea-hued crushed jelly, leaf-shaped matcha cookies and blueberries — all inspired by hydrangeas glistening with raindrops. ▼ Joining the parfait is a limited-time Hydrangea flavor (740 yen) in the popular 'Matcha Parfait Ice Cream Bar' series. There'll also be a 'Hydrangea Mini Parfait', which can be upgraded from the regular mini matcha parfait for an additional 200 yen when ordered with a meal… ▼ …and a Hydrangea Panna Cotta (590 yen) and Hydrangea Kinton (two for 990 yen). All items can be purchased at the Uji Main Store and the JR Uji Ekimae Store, except for the Panna Cotta, which is only available at the Main Store. The Mini Parfait and the Hydrangea Parfait will also be available at the Gion Shijo Store, while the Parfait Ice Cream Bar will have a wider release, available at the Gion Shijo location, as well as the branches at Kiyomizuzaka, Sanjo Teramachi, Byodoin, JR Uji Ekimae, and Kyoto Ekimae. The parfaits and ice cream bars and Kinton are currently on sale, while the Panna Cotta will be available from June 1. That's a whole lot of matcha hydrangea sweets to choose from, but they'll only be available in limited numbers while stocks last, so you'll want to stop by the festival soon to avoid missing out. Related: Itohkyuemon store locations Source, images: Press release (unless otherwise stated) Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Japanese cafe's gorgeous hydrangea sweets celebrate most beautiful flower of Japan's rainy season -- Japanese Kyoto matcha sweets look gorgeous on Instagram, feel gorgeous on the tongue【Taste Test】 -- Gorgeous matcha ajisai parfait ice cream bars appear just in time for hydrangea season External Link © SoraNews24
Japan Today
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Mos Burger's new Ebi Ebi Fry Burger is on a whole other level
By Oona McGee, SoraNews24 In the world of fast food, it's often thought that as long as something is delicious it's bound to sell well, but that's not always the case. Timing, luck and visibility are other factors for success, so sometimes you can find delicious items hiding on the menu that are sadly overlooked, and that's the case with the Ebi Ebi Fry Burger at Mos Burger. We've seen burgers containing ebi or 'shrimp' before, with big chains like Lotteria and McDonald's having their own versions, and even Mos Burger has an 'Ebi Katsu Burger' ('Shrimp Cutlet Burger') on the menu. ▼ The Ebi Katsu Burger However, what sets this new burger apart from the others is the fact that it contains two large pieces of fried shrimp, as opposed to a cutlet, and they're Pacific white shrimp, also known as King prawns, whose veins have been removed by hand. ▼ The Ebi Ebi Fry Burger is positioned as a 'premium burger' with a slightly upscale flavor. It's incredibly rare to find a burger containing actual pieces of fried shrimp, let alone ones of this high quality, so we immediately headed out to try it when it was released. Somehow it looked even better in real life than it did on the poster, and when we maneuvered our jaw around it to get a bite, a satisfying crunch gave way to moist sweetness as we bit into the beautifully fried shrimp. It was absolutely delicious, hitting all the right notes in terms of flavor and texture, with the plumpness of the meat making us feel like we were eating at a fine dining restaurant. We'd never tasted a burger quite like it, and we'd go so far as to say it was incredible. The presence of the shrimp was outstanding, and perfectly enhanced by the carefully crafted tartar sauce, which had a hint of lemon and aromas of herbs like basil and dill. Honey is also used in the sauce to help counteract the acidity, creating a rich yet sweet and refreshing partner for the shrimp. This burger epitomises the greatness of Mos's 'made-to-order system' — as the burger was freshly made, and the shrimp freshly fried, it adds to the overall deliciousness. It was honestly on a whole other level to anything you'll get at a rival fast food chain, and so good that you won't even mind paying 670 yen for it, as the slightly higher price point is totally warranted for the level of quality it delivers. With people tightening their purse strings amidst rising costs of living, it's understandable that the burger is yet to receive widespread fame on social media, but a burger this good won't remain a secret for long so be sure to try it while you can before it disappears from the menu in mid-July. Related: Mos Burger Photos ©SoraNews24 Read more stories from SoraNews24. -- Japanese burger chain makes jaws drop with the Miso Ebi Fry -- Mos Burger opens new online store dedicated just to frozen rice burger bulk buys -- A tale of two tonkatsu burgers – We pit McDonald's pork cutlet sandwich against Mos Burger's External Link © SoraNews24
