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Showing posts with the label Japan

Too Much Tongue? Not Even Close.

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This isn’t a standard menu update. It’s a seasonal concept built around a single idea — tongue, explored across multiple species in one setting at 米とサーカス . Running from April 1 to May 31, the Spring Tongue Festival 2026 takes place at 米とサーカス locations in 高田馬場 and 渋谷 PARCO in Tokyo. The theme is straightforward: bring together different types of tongue and present them in one coordinated dining experience. And yes, it leans fully into the idea. No shortcuts. No holding back. So… ready to try some tongue, or still taking it slow? At the center of the menu is the 9-type tongue platter , the main attraction of this Tokyo food festival. It features 鹿 (Deer), ワニ (Crocodile), 子羊 (Lamb), 豚 (Pork), 猪 (Wild Boar), 牛 (Beef), 鯨 (Whale), 馬 (Horse), and 鴨 (Duck). Each type of tongue is prepared with its own method rather than a uniform approach. The intention is not consistency across the board but contrast, showing how each variety behaves differently in texture and character. In...

Tokyo Restaurant Kome to Circus Launches “Rare Egg Festival” Featuring Ostrich and Emu Eggs

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Tokyo restaurant Kome to Circus has launched a limited-time Rare Egg Festival , featuring eggs rarely seen on restaurant menus. The seasonal event runs from February 20 to March 31 and is available at the restaurant’s Takadanobaba and Shibuya PARCO locations . Ostrich Egg Giant ostrich eggs and dark green emu eggs One of the highlights of the festival is the chance to try ostrich eggs , which are among the largest eggs used in cooking. An ostrich egg can weigh around 1.5 kilograms , roughly equivalent to about 40 chicken eggs . At the restaurant, it is served as a large fried egg designed for sharing , creating a dramatic table presentation. The menu also features emu eggs , recognizable for their dark green shells . These eggs appear in dishes such as fried eggs and rice bowls. Because of their size and limited supply, some items may require advance reservation . Emu Egg Unusual eggs rarely seen in restaurants Beyond ostrich and emu eggs, the Rare Egg Festival introduces seve...

This Cat Paw Cake Is Almost Too Cute to Eat

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Cat Paw Cake (猫手焼き / Nekote-yaki) is a playful regional dessert from Kazo City in Saitama, Japan , created by the local confectionery maker Zariganido (ざりがに堂) . The small cake is shaped like a cat’s paw, complete with a soft pink “toe bean” in the centre that looks almost identical to a real cat paw pad. At first glance, the resemblance is surprisingly strong. The pink pad sits in the middle, surrounded by the small toe shapes of a cat paw. The design is simple, but realistic enough that many people instinctively want to touch it before eating. The cake itself is not deep-fried. Its texture sits somewhere between a sponge cake and a soft baked doughnut. It feels light and fluffy, with a gentle sweetness that makes it suitable as a small afternoon snack or something to enjoy while walking around town. Several flavors have been introduced over time, including: Honey Cocoa Pumpkin Some versions also appear with different cat fur patterns , making each one resemble the paw ...

Why Japanese Supermarkets Show Farmers’ Faces on Vegetable Labels

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In many supermarkets across Japan, vegetables come with more than a price tag. Next to tomatoes or spinach, you may see a small photo of the farmer. Sometimes there is a name. Sometimes a short message. The idea is often called “vegetables where you can see the face” (顔の見える野菜) . The practice became more visible in the early 2000s. After a series of food safety scandals and labeling controversies, including mislabeling cases and BSE concerns, public trust in food labels declined across Japan. Consumers began demanding clearer traceability and stronger transparency in the food supply chain. Retailers responded in two ways. Tracking systems improved. Regulations tightened. On the shelf, something simple appeared. The producer’s face. In 2004, retailer Ito Yokado under Seven and i Holdings launched programs highlighting growers behind fresh produce. Regional supermarkets and agricultural cooperatives also expanded local production for local consumption sections known as chisan chisho, ...

Japan: Tokyo Restaurant Kome to Circus Launches Limited-Time Crocodile Festival Menu (Feb 9–Mar 1, 2026)

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Kome to Circus in Tokyo, Japan is serving a limited-time Crocodile Festival (ワニ祭り) menu from February 9 to March 1, 2026 , featuring a full lineup of crocodile-based dishes. The Crocodile Festival is available at: Takadanobaba branch (Tokyo) Shibuya PARCO branch (Tokyo) This crocodile menu is available for a limited period ending March 1, 2026. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 米とサーカス渋谷パルコ店 (@kometocircusparco) Crocodile Festival Menu Lineup During the campaign, Kome to Circus is offering multiple crocodile dishes prepared in different styles, including: Crocodile tempura Smoked crocodile tongue Whole crocodile tongue steak (approx. 200g) Roasted crocodile wing Crocodile hot pot (minimum two servings) Grilled crocodile The restaurant states that crocodile tempura has been on its menu for more than 10 years. The Crocodile Festival expands that offering into a concentrated, limited-time selection. Tokyo Exhibition Timing Overlap The Cro...

Japan Keeps Sending Messages to the Sea Since the 1980s

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English Version | 中文版本 People along parts of Japan ’s eastern coastline have been tossing coconuts into the ocean with messages sealed inside. Each coconut is numbered and released as part of a long-running ocean current study. Once it’s in the water, there’s nothing more to do. If someone finds one, they’re asked to report where it washed up. Some coconuts turn up months later on distant beaches. Many are never found at all. That uncertainty has always been part of the project. The practice began in the 1980s, before GPS tracking and satellite mapping became common. At the time, releasing objects into the sea was one of the few practical ways to understand how ocean currents actually moved. The method was simple, patient, and imprecise by design. You sent something out, waited, and accepted that most of it would disappear. Over the years, replies have come back from different countries. Short notes. Photos. Coordinates scribbled on paper. Enough to confirm that at least a few coco...

Japan Launches Evangelion-Themed Gyoza in Hamamatsu for Limited-Time Anime Collaboration

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English Version | 中文版本 Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka, Japan has launched limited-edition Evangelion-themed gyoza as part of the Shin Hamamatsu Project , a citywide anime tourism campaign. The collaboration introduces three Evangelion gyoza variants , inspired by Evangelion Units 01, 00, and 02 , and is available through selected local food outlets participating in the campaign’s official Gourmet Mission . The Evangelion gyoza are positioned as time-limited, location-specific retail items , designed to drive fan travel, foot traffic, and social sharing . The products rely on unit colors and franchise recognition rather than culinary innovation, turning food into a collectible anime crossover souvenir . The launch forms part of a broader strategy combining anime IP, local retail, and tourism routing , a model increasingly used by Japanese cities to generate short-term retail demand and destination awareness . The Evangelion-themed gyoza are available in Hamamatsu for a limited time,...

Tokyo Restaurant Turns a Horror Film Into a Limited-Time Menu Experience

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English Version | 中文版本 A Tokyo restaurant is translating a film’s dark aesthetic into food, drinks, and collectible bonuses - without positioning it as a full dining spectacle. From February 6 to February 28, 2026 , Kome to Circus at Shibuya PARCO is running a limited-time collaboration inspired by the horror film Mag Mag (original title: 禍禍女), directed by Yuriyan Retriever. The collaboration introduces a small lineup of themed menu items , spanning food, drinks, and alcohol. These are designed around the film’s unsettling visual tone rather than comfort or flavor-led appeal. Menu naming and presentation lean deliberately provocative , aligning with the movie’s body-horror imagery instead of highlighting new culinary techniques. The collaboration menu includes: ひろしくんへの愛情たっぷり陰毛カレー “Hiroshi-kun’s Love-Filled ‘Pubic Hair’ Curry” A curry rice dish topped with mozuku seaweed, styled to resemble flowing hair, and described as being filled with an intense, heavy sense of affection rat...

This Mister Donut × Godiva Doughnut Isn’t in Stores — and That’s the Point

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English Version | 中文版本 Mister Donut has released a new collaboration item with GODIVA in Japan, but customers won’t find it in display cases. The doughnut, called Trio Heart Chocolate & Praline , is a Net Order–only product. Orders must be placed through the misdo app or website, with pickup scheduled during a limited window . It is takeout only and does not appear at physical store counters . Visually, the product features a chocolate doughnut base with layered chocolate and praline creams. On top are three heart-shaped churros , each finished differently—cocoa, strawberry, and chocolate—creating a presentation clearly oriented toward gifting and the Valentine’s season. This item sits alongside the main Mister Donut × Godiva lineup but is handled differently in terms of access . While other collaboration doughnuts are sold in stores, this one is positioned as a reservation-exclusive , making the ordering process part of the experience . The release also aligns with Mister...

Denny’s Japan Tests “Split-in-Half” Parfaits Designed for Photo-Taking Without Full Portions

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English | 中文 Denny’s Japan has introduced a limited-edition parfait concept served literally split in half, aiming to better align social media photo habits with smaller dessert portions . The item, officially branded as the “split-in-half parfait,” is designed to appear like a full-sized dessert from the front while actually containing a reduced serving . According to the company, the idea is to let customers enjoy the visual appeal of a classic parfait without the expectation of finishing a large portion . The test launch includes options such as the Amaou strawberry version , presented in a custom split glass . This format keeps the layered parfait look intact while lowering overall volume, positioning the dessert as photo-friendly and less likely to be left unfinished . View this post on Instagram A post shared by デニーズ 公式アカウント (@dennysjp_official) Rather than introducing new flavors, Denny’s Japan frames the concept around format and portion design...

Pizza Hut Japan Adds a Sweet Fold to Winter: KitKat Strawberry Handy Melts

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English | 中文 This winter, Pizza Hut Japan introduces a small but deliberate addition to its menu: KitKat Strawberry Handy Melts , created in collaboration with KitKat . It is not positioned as a pizza replacement. The folded Handy Melts format makes that clear. Compact, hand-held, and intentionally secondary, it creates room for sweetness without disturbing Pizza Hut’s savoury core. This is dessert by design—considered, contained, and clearly framed. The flavour choice is seasonally precise. Strawberry, closely associated with Japanese winter and the approach of spring, brings a sense of familiarity and warmth. Inside the crisp pocket, strawberry KitKat meets mozzarella selected for its salty richness, while the dough itself carries a gentle strawberry note. The balance leans toward harmony rather than contrast, allowing sweet and savoury to sit comfortably together. Released around January 15 (Strawberry Day) and offered for a limited time, the Handy Melts fits naturally into J...

NEWTRON:Focus for Long Battles

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English | 中文 Every ranked match, every tournament run, every high-pressure session begins the same way. The noise cuts out. Inputs narrow. The mind stops wandering and locks onto what matters. This is not hype, and it is not excitement. It is readiness. NEWTRON is built for that moment  - when focus becomes the deciding factor between slipping and holding position. Positioned as a focus drink , NEWTRON deliberately separates itself from the chaos-first logic of traditional energy beverages. This is not about forcing momentum or chasing spikes. It is about entering a battle-ready state that can be sustained across long matches, extended practice sessions, and repeated rounds under pressure. Focus here is not explosive. It is controlled, steady, and precise . NEWTRON approaches mental performance as a system, not a gamble. Ingredient design, amino-acid research, and carefully tuned balances are structured to support concentration without hijacking attention. The result is a drink ...