When it comes to chocolate, it doesn’t get more decadent than Godiva, whose cafes serve luxuriously chocolatey drinks, sweets, and, well, chocolate. And of course they also have limited-edition seasonal menu items that add to the appeal, and this spring there are two delicious cherry blossom-themed drinks coming to the menu in Japan. They’re part… Read
Starbucks has a knack for popping up in some of the world’s most stunning locations, and in Japan, 28 of them are so special they’ve been designated “Regional Landmark Stores“. What makes these locations so unique is the fact that they’ve been architecturally designed in important sites that are symbolic of… Read
Last year Japan saw the start of an ongoing blitz of price increases for just about anything and yet according to a recent survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, real wages were down in November 2023 by 2.5 percent compared to the previous year. It’s a grim… Read
Has there ever been a bigger Japanese-sweets-overseas success story than Hi-Chew? Sure, Japanese dessert flavors, like matcha and sakura, have made inroads in other countries, as have certain sweet snack types like ice daifuku (often called “mochi ice cream”). As an individual product from a specific brand, though, few can rival Morinaga’s Hi-Chew fruit… Read
On February 2, Burger King unleashed its latest limited-edition burger in Japan, and its name hints at just how enormous it is — the Great King Yeti The One Pounder. The King Yeti has been sighted in Japan before, but according to the chain, this “Great” iteration is an evolved version, piquing our desire… Read
Osaka is so famous for food that the saying kuidaore (“eat ’til you drop") has famously been connected to the city. So when it comes to buying souvenirs for yourself and people back home after a visit, you can be swamped for choice with so much on offer. However, when… Read
Between the lifting of pandemic travel restrictions and the weakness of the yen against foreign currencies, Japan is seeing a huge influx of visitors from overseas these days. It’s great to see people from all over the world getting the opportunity to experience Japanese culture first-hand, but a recent TV interview… Read
Japan is often described as a foodie’s dream destination. Still, it’s a dream that can often feel like a nightmare for visitors with food allergies and dietary restrictions, and gluten-free visitors are no exception. Rates of celiac disease (セリアック病) and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) are far lower in Japan than in… Read
It’s been almost ten years since Starbucks debuted its special “Chilled Cup” series at Japanese convenience stores in 2005, and one we look forward to trying every year is the limited-edition Sakura variety. This year, we’re being treated to Sakura Matcha with Sakura Jelly, which combines “the gorgeous scent of cherry blossoms,… Read
In Japan, some terms get lost in translation, with words from other languages having a different meaning in Japanese, like “mansion“, which means “apartment“, “service“, which means “freebie” and “smart“, used to describe someone with a slim body. On the other hand, there are words that have the same meaning in… Read