With its slogan “Melt the Rule,” Cool Fuel offers a new kind of five-layered ice cream-eating experience centered on Mascarpone cheese flavor.

New ice cream brand Cool Fuel opened on May 29 in the Yokohama Hammerhead shopping complex. We’d heard rumblings that it was supposed to be an ultra-luxurious dessert experience, far different than eating regular ice cream. Never ones to resist an icy sweet treat, we paid the new shop a visit on the morning of the fourth day it was open.

▼ Yokohama Hammerhead shopping complex

Lots of new stores had opened in the mall recently so it was bustling with people as we made our way through the space.

We made a beeline to our goal and were greeted by the cool blue tones of the new store. There was a little bit of a line, which was a little surprising since it was a weekday–but we weren’t in a rush.

We asked the staff which flavors were the most popular and they replied that the chocolate and caramel ones were selling well.

We decided to spring for chocolate (called Velvet Chocolate in English on the menu) this time for 780 yen (US$4.90). The menu explained that each cup was structured with five layers, which we were curious to see with our own eyes.

Upon placing our order, we received a numbered ticket and stood off to the side until our number was called.

The concoction handed to us was very round, top-heavy, and had an overflowing flaky topping! We quickly sought out a place to sit before there was any spillage.

Here’s the ice cream’s glamor shot. It sure looked like a work of art while posing.

The very top of the cup was a Mascarpone-based soft serve covered with crispy chocolate corn flakes.

Taking a large spoonful off the top revealed the interior cross-section. We could see what the menu meant by five layers–the inside was filled with a rich chocolate sauce and crunchy chocolate cookie bites, which made for a tantalizing texture.

▼ If only high school science classes offered ice cream dissections…

As we dug deeper, layers of freshly whipped cream also appeared from the bottom, giving the whole thing the impression of a very rich parfait or sundae. It was definitely decadent and we could see how people who enjoy “lighter” desserts like kakigori shaved ice might reach their limit very quickly. We, however, had absolutely no problem downing the entire thing in true form.

In conclusion, Cool Fuel ice cream is incredibly rich, delicious, and has found a formula to perfect the balance of taste and texture. At 780 yen it also feels more like a special reward than a routine dessert, so we recommend saving your visit for a very special occasion.

Now that the days are getting hotter, we’ve definitely got ice cream on the brain. Check out Mr. Sato’s recent visit to classic American/Japanese ice cream brand Blue Seal if you just can’t get enough brain freeze this month.

Store information
COOL Fuel Yokohama Hammerhead store / COOL Fuel 横浜ハンマーヘッド店
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Naka-ku, Shinko 2-14-1 Yokohama Hammerhead, 2nd floor
神奈川県横浜市中区新港 2-14-1 横浜ハンマーヘッド 2F
Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (weekdays), 10 a.m.-9 p.m. (weekends)
Website

All images © SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

A fun new way to learn kanji… and reward yourself for it at the same time.  

It’s been just over two weeks since Kanji Ice opened a store in the historic district of Kamakura in Tokyo’s neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture. The opening on 1 May was perfectly timed to precede Golden Week, a string of holidays on 3-6 May, which is known for being a busy travel and shopping period.

While the store’s operators had hoped it would be busy, they couldn’t predict just how sought after its wares would be, and demand turned out to be so great that many of its ice creams totally sold out, proving they were onto a winner.

▼ The word “ice” commonly means “ice cream” in Japan.

So what makes these new ice creams such a sell-out hit? Well, for starters, they look amazing, with three flavours – Crunchy Rich Chocolate, Crispy Strawberry, and Chewy Milk – moulded into kanji letters that read: “Kamakura“, “Japan” and “Ninja“.

▼ 鎌倉 (“Kamakura“)

Then there’s the fact that they’ve been developed with a special ice cream manufacturing technology that prevents the ice cream from melting, so it remains solid even after 30 minutes even at room temperature. The non-melting ice cream is a patented technology of a Japanese company called Fulllife, who is working with the store to jointly file a new patent application for the Kanji Ice Cream.

Non-melting ice cream is said to be perfect for carrying around, so you can capture memorable photos of the Kanji Ice cream at various tourist spots in the vicinity. The store is also working at expanding beyond Kamakura, with Kanji Ice cream now available at sites like Sanga Stadium in Kyoto and JR Shin-Fuji Station in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Fuji Shibazakura Festival in Yamanashi Prefecture, where you can pick up an ice cream that says “Mt. Fuji” (富士山).

The store is also able to create custom ice creams for events, like these two, which read 高輪 (“Takanawa”) and ゲートウエイテック (“Gateway Tech”), for an annual business event at Tokyo’s Takanawa Gateway City.

With so many options for customisation, the Kanji Ice Cream might soon be greeting you at all sorts of tourist sites around Japan.

▼ Strawberry polyphenols are used for the ice cream’s non-melting properties.

This is a very social media-friendly ice cream that’s sure to attract attention online, so keep an eye out for it while you travel around Japan. And if you happen to find yourself over in Gifu, there’s a non-melt katana samurai sword ice cream that draws upon the secret powers of kudzu for its remarkable strength.

Store information
Kanji Ice Cream / 漢字アイス
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Kamakura-shi, Yukinoshita 1-6-4
神奈川県鎌倉市雪ノ下1-6-4
Open 11:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Source, images: Press release
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Find out if this exclusive drink has what it takes to combat a Japanese summer.

Some might say the best time to enjoy a Frappuccino is in the heat of summer, especially in Japan when the high humidity drains all your energy and has you searching for a much-needed boost. This summer, the chain is catering to that need with the Banana Affogato Frappuccino, which combines the pick-me-up powers of banana, with its natural sugars and healthy carbs, with the caffeine kick of espresso, for a refreshing hit of energy in one icy beverage.

With the days nearing summertime highs already, now is a great time to test the powers of the Frappuccino, so our reporter K. Masami headed out to try the new beverage when it was released on 27 May. As a fan of the chain’s existing Espresso Affogato Frappuccino, a popular menu staple that’s said to have inspired the banana version, Masami wanted to know what the fruit would bring to the new drink.

After placing her order, and following the barista’s recommendation to switch the regular milk in the drink to almond for an additional 55 yen (US$0.34), it didn’t take long for Masami to get her first look at the Frappuccino, and she immediately found she was unable to peel her eyes away from the base of the beverage.

The bottom of the glass was filled with plenty of banana pulp, and not only did it look delicious, it promised to benefit the environment too. That’s because the drink contains bananas that would have otherwise gone to waste, as they were considered substandard for the market due to skin blemishes and size issues. These superficial issues don’t affect the taste of the bananas, so enjoying them in drink form is a clever way to save them from landfill, and every sip will make you feel like you’re doing your bit for the environment.

Sitting atop the banana pulp is a blend of milk and banana powder, with a special espresso sauce made by combining an espresso shot and classic syrup. The syrup works to rein in the bitterness of the espresso, creating a harmonious blend of flavours.

Although Masami had initially been concerned that the espresso might overpower the taste of banana, she needn’t have worried. Upon tasting it, she found that the banana remained the star of the show throughout, largely due to the smooth banana pulp, which was packed with fruit flavour and had a delicious mouthfeel, making every sip a taste sensation.

The almond milk added an earthy note that Masami loved, and although the drink was well balanced, she recommends coffee lovers request an extra espresso shot, as the coffee flavour might seem a little too mild for those who like the bitterness of espresso. In fact, until 21 June, customers who request an espresso shot using the chain’s mobile ordering system will have the usual additional 55-yen fee waived, so it’s a good way to try the customisation.

For 700 yen, the new Banana Affogato Frappuccino gets the thumbs-up from Masami, who felt a jolt of energy coarse through her body after trying the drink. It hit the spot so well that she found herself realising it was exactly what her body had been craving on the hot and muggy day she enjoyed it, so keep an eye out for it when you need to restore your energy levels during the heat of summer.

Images©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Even with a shop name like Mayo x Mayo, we weren’t expecting this much mayo.

The word “original” has a bit of a different nuance in Japanese. It’s not so much used to describe something revolutionary or inventive so much as something that’s unique to a specific place. So, for example, a restaurant that makes its own roux from scratch, as opposed to using any sort of pre-made version, might boast about its “original curry,” even if the restaurant’s curry itself is pretty orthodox in style.

But we recently stumbled across a mayonnaise specialty shop in Kobe that’s original in both senses of the word.

▼ オリジナルマヨのお店 = original mayo shop

Called Mayo x Mayo, the simple but inviting storefront is flanked by a little outdoor terrace section. After stepping inside the shop, we saw that they do indeed offer their proprietary mayo in both pouches and glass jars.

But what really grabbed our attention was the blackboard with Mayo x Mayo’s wares listed on it, which included a section for wagashi…

…a.k.a. Japanese sweets?!?

The first item under the wagashi heading was mitarashi dango. Dango are mochi dumplings, generally served skewered, and mitarashi dango is what they’re called when they’re slathered with sweet soy sauce glaze, but at Mayo x Mayo, the mitarashi dango come with mayo too.

We’re not talking about a little dab of mayo for color or a subtle flavor accent that might go undetected if you weren’t looking for it. Mayo x Mayo puts a ton of mayo on them, so much so that there might even be more mayonnaise than mitarashi glaze.

While Japan has a loyal foodie sub-demographic of hard-core mayo fans, our Japanese-language reporter Haruka Takagi doesn’t count herself among them, but she doesn’t dislike mayo either. She likes mayonnaise, but thinks of it as just one of many tasty condiments there are in the world, or at least that’s what she thinks when she bothers to think about mayonnaise at all, something that doesn’t happen all that often, to be honest. This made Haruka the perfect candidate for taste-testing duties, since she isn’t predisposed to love or hate mayonnaise itself. She was, however, understandably apprehensive about this unusual flavor combination would play out, and so, steeling her resolve, she swiftly bit down and tore one of the dumplings off the stick…

…and it turned out she hadn’t needed to worry at all!

To her happy surprise, Mayo x Mayo’s mayonnaise mitarashi dango tasted great! Part of this is thanks to Japanese mayonnaise being comparatively thicker in consistency and less sour-tasting than its western counterparts, and another part is thanks to Mayo x Mayo’s mayo having very little sourness to it at all, even in comparison to other Japanese versions. What you’re left with is a very pronounced creamy sensation, which blended deliciously with the sweet and salty flavors of the mitarashi glaze. Haruka had expected the two sauces to acrimoniously fight each other for dominance and for her taste buds to suffer as collateral damage from the battle, but they actually played very nicely together, and the mitarashi glaze that Mayo x Mayo uses being an especially sweet example also helped.

Mayo x Mayo charges 240 yen (US$1.50) for its mayo mitarashi dango, but you can also get a skewer of regular mitarashi dango, without mayonnaise, for 200 yen. However, you can’t get away from the mayonnaise with another of the shop’s desserts, their daifuku.

Daifuku are also a kind of mochi dumpling, but whereas dango are solid spheres, daifuku have a mochi wrapping that goes around some sort of filling, most commonly anko (sweet bean paste). At Mayo x Mayo, though, the filling also includes mayonnaise.

Mayo x Mayo offers two kinds of daifuku, both with a cream cheese anko filling with mayo mixed in too. The Black Daifuku (which is actually brown on the outside) also gives you the flavor of hojicha (roasted green tea) while the White Daifuku’s extra ingredient is honey (both are priced at 300 yen).

Once again, the result was much more delicious to Haruka than conventional wisdom would have led her to expect. The primary impression here came from the rich cream cheese flavor with a touch of saltiness, and though the mayo wasn’t nearly as pronounced as it was with the dango, she could still taste its presence.

Haruka had also picked up a pouch of Mayo x Mayo’s original mayo, for 680 yen, though, so she decided to add a squeeze of the stuff to her daifuku…

…and though she was no longer surprised by this point, she was happy to find that this was also a great-tasting combination.

Since then, Haruka has tested Mayo x Mayo’s mayo out with other, non-dessert food, and she reports that it works great for more conventional mayonnaise uses too. A trip all the way back to Kobe to restock might not be in the cards when her pouch runs out, but thankfully Mayo x Mayo sells its mayonnaise online too. And if seeing photos of daifuku has your stomach growling more so than the mayo, there’s a new dessert spot opening in Tokyo soon that you won’t want to miss.

Shop information
Mayo x Mayo
Address: Hyogo-ken, Kobe-shi, Higashinada-ku, Yamakitamachi 3-7-11
兵庫県神戸市東灘区本山北町3-7-11
Open 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Closed Sundays
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Customizable Yukimi Daifuku shop makes an amazing variety of sweet treats so that you can find the perfect one for you.

There are certain problems in life that it’s nice to have. For example, Japan has so many amazing desserts that just picking one can be a tough decision, and that’s not going to get any easier with the opening of My Yukimi Daifuku, a new sweets shop coming to Tokyo’s Nakameguro neighborhood this summer.

As the name implies, My Yukimi Daifuku is a place for Yukimi Daifuku, confectioner Lotte’s brand of mochi ice cream dumplings, and it’s going to very much be contributing to our delicious dilemma of having so many dessert options, as it’ll be offering 648 different kinds of Yukimi Daifuku.

▼ Pictured: Less than 3 percent of the My Yukimi Daifuku dessert lineup

My Yukimi Daifuku arrives at this amazing amount of variety by letting you customize the dumplings to your liking. You start by choosing from one of eight ice cream flavors, matcha, hojicha (roasted green tea), vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, banana, cream cheese, or mint chocolate chip. Next you choose one of eight “toppings” for your scoop of ice cream, but it’s really more like a filling, since the cream and its topping are going to be wrapped in mochi. The options here include chocolate ganache, tsubu an (sweet red bean paste), kuromitsu (brown sugar molasses), strawberry sauce, and mascarpone cheese. Finally, you select one of eight “finishers” to be spread over the top of the wrapped mochi dumpling, such as matcha or cocoa powder, kinako (roasted soybean powder), or cookie crumbles.

▼ The menu, with photographs showing the various stages of production for the Yukimi Daifuku

And even those aren’t quite all the flavors to choose from, as My Yukimi Daifuku will have special treats for early summer (June and July), midsummer (August), and the “lingering heat” of September. For early summer, the featured flavor will be a combination of frozen yogurt, blueberry sauce, and cookie crumbles, for a refreshing, cooling sensation.

The mochi ice cream dumplings are handmade to order to deliver the freshest flavor possible, and also likely because it’d be impossible to keep so many different combinations pre-made in stock. Perhaps in recognition of how hard it’d be to narrow down 600-plus choices, My Yukimi Daifuku sells its mochi ice cream dumplings in sets of two, with prices ranging from 900 to 980 yen (US$5.70-US$6.20) depending on the exact ingredients you choose. Even then, though, you’re going to have some decisions to make, especially since the shop will only be open from June 17 to September 23, meaning that even if you were to go every day, you’d still never run out of new treats to try.

Shop information
My Yukimi Daifuku / my雪見だいふく
Address: Tokyo-to, Meguro-ku, Kamimeguro 1-13-11
Open 1 p.m.- 8 p.m. (weekdays), 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (weekends, holidays)
Open June 17-September 23

Source, images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Gelato Pique’s spinoff cafes pique our interest with adorable ice cream and mochi treats.

From its name, you might assume that Gelato Pique is an ice cream brand, but it’s actually a Japanese apparel company that specializes in cute and cozy roomwear (including Pokémon designs). The company describes its aesthetic as being “inspired by sweet indulgences,” hence the “Gelato” part of its name.

However, there’s a lot of crossover between fans of comfy pajamas and relaxing cafes, so while it wasn’t Gelato Pique’s original plan, the brand has also been spun off into a Gelato Pique Cafe chain. This is where the brand’s linguistic atmosphere starts wrapping back on itself. Gelato Pique’s clothing has to be extra-cute in order to match the sweetness of its name, but that then means Gelato Pique Cafe’s customers are going to expect food and drinks on a higher level of photogenic cuteness than at other restaurants.

That’s a bar Gelato Pique Cafe is easily clearing, though with its Sea Animals sweets series.

Leading the way in this fresh wave of adorable eats is Gelato Pique’s original marine mammal crepe, the Mochimochi (“Chewy”) Seal Crepe, returning following its initial stint on the menu last summer. Wrapped inside the crepe are whipped cream, tiramisu cream, sliced mango, sliced almonds, and caramel sauce, and sitting atop it is a scoop of black sesame ice cream wrapped in mochi, with chocolate pieces to make the adorable seal’s facial features.

Joining the seal is the new Pukapuka (“Floating”) Otter Gelato, looking like a sea otter happily drifting about in the waves. Here too you get black sesame ice cream with chocolate pieces, and the critter’s hands are formed from black sesame-infused whipped cream.

There’s also the new Hinyari (“Chilly”) Walrus Crepe. Instead of black sesame, the ice cream topping here is a chocolate banana flavor, with chocolate for the eyes, nose and whiskers, and marshmallows serving as the tusks. Inside the crepe are tiramisu cream, sliced bananas, and caramel sauce.

And last, if you’re thirsty but still want something sweet, there’s the Purupuru (“Jiggly”) Penguin Soda Float. The base here is Ramune (an apple/citrus cider that’s a perennial summertime favorite in Japan) with fish-shaped pineapple gelatin pieces added. Floating atop the drink is a scoop of milk gelato, and standing on top of that is a penguin-shaped monaka wafer.

The Pukapuka Otter gelato cone is priced at 840 yen (US$5.40), the Purupuru Penguin soda at 890, and the crepes 1,290 yen each. They’ll all be available at Gelato Pique Cafe branches between now and July 1.

Related: Gelato Pique Cafe location list
Source, images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Mocchurin are back, and they brought a new friend with them.

As Japan’s leading donut chain, Mister Donut is always cooking up new treats, but last year they invented some new words too: mocchuri and Mocchurin. “Mocchuri” was the descriptor they came up with for something that’s extra mochi mochi, which is itself a Japanese word for something with a soft, chewy texture, like you’d find in a mochi rice cake. Mocchurin, meanwhile is the name Mister Donut gave to a new line of mocchuri donuts that were on sale for a limited time last summer, and were so soft that it almost felt like we could drink them.

Now Mister Donut is welcoming Mocchurin back to its menus, and with a brand-new member of the family. Last year’s four Mocchurin all took their cues from traditional Japanese sweets, and two of those will be returning. First we have the Mocchurin Kinako, coated with roasted soybean powder.

▼ If you’ve never had kinako/roasted soybean powder, it’s a little like a sweet cinnamon in terms of flavor and texture.

Also making an encore appearance is the Mocchurin Mitarashi, basted with the sweet soy glaze that’s spread on mochi dumplings.

Finally, the Mocchurin series will step out of the traditional Japanese sweets flavors with the Mocchurin Ichigo, or Mocchurin Strawberry, with a strawberry filling and powdered with strawberry sugar.

With the expansion of the flavor lineup, the Mocchurin mascot ensemble grows larger too, with the introduction of a strawberry character.

And because of how pillowy soft the Mocchurin are, they come on their own individually sized paper trays, which are adorable too.

The kinako Mocchurin is priced at 216 yen (US$1.40), the mitarashi at 226 yen, and the strawberry 237 yen. They’ve all gone on sale as of May 14 though Mister Donut’s online/mobile order system, and will be available for regular at-the-register purchase starting June 3. The kinako and mitarashi donuts are scheduled to be available until mid-August, but you’ll have to move more quickly to grab the strawberry, as it’s only projected to be around until late June, though Mister Donut promises that this is only round one of the Mocchurin release, with other, as yet-unrevealed flavors in the works as well.

Source, images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Japan’s Kansai region inspires some very bold baking in Shakey’s Japan’s ovens.

A while back, Shakey’s celebrated its 50th anniversary of arriving in Japan with a special selection of pizzas that it called the “American Pizza Tour.” But having passed the half-century mark in Japan now, the chain has seen some very tasty stuff in this country too, and brings us to Shakey’s newest creations, pizzas inspired by the culinary traditions of central Japan’s Kansai region.

We start with the Kansai Chili Con Carne Style Pizza. The topping for this complex concept is sujikon, a dish popular in Kansai made by simmering gyusuji (beef tendon) and konnyaku (konjac gelatin) simmered in a soy sauce-based stock. The sauce here has a Kansai twist too, as it’s a mixture of tomato sauce and Doro Sauce, a thick savory Worcestershire-like sauce made in Kobe with a little spicy kick to it.

Next we have the Saikyo Grilled Spanish Mackerel Alfredo Style Pizza. Kyoto is also part of the Kansai region, and while history buffs love the city for its temples and shrines, foodies are especially fond of saikyoyaki, a Kyoto specialty of white miso-marintaed grilled fish. Sawara (Spanish mackerel) is the most commonly used type of fish for saikyoyaki, and so that’s what comes with this pizza, with its elegantly sweet notes accompanied by a buttery Alfredo sauce and crisp mizuna (Japanese mustard greens).

Dessert also comes courtesy of inspiration from Kyoto cuisine. Though not mentioned in the name of the Matcha and Strawberry Dessert Pizza, here Shakey’s is drawing from nama yatsuhashi, Kyoto’s representative confectionary of folded mochi with anko (sweet red beans) inside and often a dusting of cinnamon. This dessert pizza has a butter anko sauce and is topped with little balls of gyuhi (extra soft mochi) and strawberry pieces, with matcha powder and cinnamon which should deliver an intriguing mix of sweet, bitter, and tart sensations.

And finally, Shakey’s will be serving up Doro Sauce BBQ Spaghetti too, which should let you get an even more pronounced taste of the condiment than with the Kansai Chili Con Carne Style Pizza.

There’s no denying that the new pizzas are all very bold, pioneering innovations…but it’s also hard to deny that they’re pretty weird. Since Shakey’s Japan operates on a flat-fee, all-you-can-eat system, though, there’s no need to commit to ordering a whole pie, so you can try a single slice first, then go back for more if/when they win you over.

Shakey’s Japan Tour 2026 Kansai, as the new items’ stint is called, runs from now until August 31.

Source: PR Times
Top image ©SoraNews24
Insert images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

We find out just how devilish and angelic these 100-yen surprises are.

Our reporter Natsuno Futon was strolling the streets of Oyama City in Tochigi Prefecture the other day when she came across an unusual vending machine. The first thing that caught her eye was the huge “100 yen” (US$0.63) sign on the front, but then, as she stepped closer, she became even more intrigued.

There, in the window display, were the words “いろんなおもちゃ” (“various toys“), and beneath them: “Contains items worth between 20 and 300 yen“.

As her eyes moved down to scan the second row, she read the words: “平和と平等” (“Peace and Equality”) and then, on the third row, “天使と悪魔” (“Angels and Demons”).

Natsuno had never encountered a vending machine stocked with Peace and Equality and Angels and Demons before, and neither had her children who were with her on this outing. Needless to say, her children were excited to find out what these mystery items were, so Natsuno found herself reaching into her pocket for some 100-yen coins.

With a machine like this, part of the fun is randomly selecting a button to press, and her daughter started by pushing one of the buttons on the top row, which were marked “おもちゃ” (“toys“).

▼ A long cylinder immediately popped out into the tray at the bottom of the machine, and this is what came out of it.

A toy car and five toy coins. From Natsuno’s point-of-view, this was a bit of a disappointment, particularly as her daughter doesn’t have any interest in toy cars or fake coins.

▼ Hoping for something better, her daughter popped a real coin into the machine and pressed a button on the “Peace and Equality“row.

The buttons on the second and third rows read “お菓子” (“sweets“), so they knew this would be something edible. What that would be, however, remained a mystery until they popped the lid on the canister they received.

▼ Oh! That looks like Mochitaro.

Mochitaro is a classic Japanese “dagashi” (cheap snack) consisting of crunchy rice cracker chunks. It wasn’t the only thing in the canister, as it also contained some mango jelly and a small bag of Haribo gummy candies.

For 100 yen (US$0.63), this was a decent deal, and it gave Natsuno and her daughter hope that they might be able to encounter an angel on their next try.

▼ Time to press a button on the “Angels and Demons” row.

What came out, however, appeared to be neither an angel nor a demon, as the canister was ambiguous.

Even after looking inside, they weren’t sure whether they’d been visited by a demon or an angel, as they received six cheap candies that might’ve been worth around 100 yen. The dark hues on some of the packs, including the iconic Black Thunder chocolate, hinted at a devilish selection, but on the other hand, it was a pretty good deal.

▼ Curious to give it another try, Natsuno’s daughter pressed another button…

▼ …and out popped a canister with the word “Devil” printed on it in big red characters.

▼ What was inside?

▼ One puffed wheat snack.

This was definitely devilish – paying 100 yen to receive just one cheap puffed rice snack was a merciless move, and now they were more determined than ever to meet an angel.

▼ One more try.

▼ Success!

The progression from ambiguous canister through to devil and then angel was such a great progression that Natsuno felt it was almost as if there was someone inside the machine, reading the atmosphere and doling out excitement in increasing levels.

▼ The word “アタリ!” (“win!“) was also printed on the canister, adding to the sense of joy.

▼ So…let’s see what the angel delivered.

This was definitely a win, as it was the best result so far, with Natsuno estimating the total value to be more than 100 yen. Emboldened by this result, Natsuno and her daughter went for another try on the toy line, which seemed to present a better deal than the sweet options.

▼ If there’s a chance of winning something worth up to 300 yen, this is where they might get lucky.

▼ They were rewarded with two fun erasers from respected company Iwako, and a dinosaur egg.

Natsuno figured this bundle was worth over 200 yen. It wasn’t bad, but to be honest, she wouldn’t say it was worth 300 yen.

▼ After a total of six tries, here’s everything they received.

It may not have been a huge deal, but the real draw of the machine wasn’t a tangible product visible to the human eye. The real takeaway here was the fun and excitement of wondering what might come out of the machine, and that was worth way more than every deposit of 100 yen.

▼ There aren’t really any other places in the world where you can buy “peace and equality” for 100 yen.

▼ Judging by the containers in the return spot for reuse, there weren’t many angels that day either, so they felt extra blessed to have received one.

If you’d like to try your luck at the vending machine, it’s located under a sign for “NPO Aoringo” on a black building that reads “Ad Promote Co., Ltd.”and we’ve included the address for you below.

Ad Promote operates and stocks these machines, and according to its online shop, “Omoro Shokai” (“Fun Trading Company”), the Omoro vending machines ceased operations in January this year. That means this machine, which we visited in May, is the last of its kind in the country, so if you’re like us and love visiting weird and unusual machines, this is a stop worth putting on your itinerary.

Location information
Omoro Vending Machine / おもろー自販機
Address: Tochigi-ken, Oyama-shi, Awamiya 1-13-41
栃木県小山市粟宮1-13-41
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

We find out why Japanese social media has gone crazy for this cake.

Starbucks might be famous for its Frappuccinos, but fans of the chain will tell you its cakes are where it’s at. That’s what’s happening right now on Japanese social media, where sweet tooths are raving about the chain’s chocolate terrine. At 540 yen (US$3.40) apiece, this is no cheap slice, but fans say it’s worth the investment, and the calories, so we picked one up to find out if it was worth the hype.

We were immediately captivated by the cake’s decadent appearance, and impressed by how well the thick cream topping sat perfectly atop the slice, even after the 10-minute journey home.

Taking a bite, our fascination deepened, much like the intense chocolate flavour that washed over the palate upon first contact. It was incredibly rich and smooth, melting on the tongue with a deep, lingering taste, and although it wasn’t too sweet it imparted a satisfying feeling of having eaten something sweet, which was a very fine feat.

The mellow aroma of cocoa was deeply present in every mouthful, and we were amazed at how rich and decadent it was without being cloying. Perhaps because of the light aftertaste, it felt substantial yet not too heavy, making it ideal for summer.

According to the rave reviews, what makes the Starbucks chocolate terrine so popular is the way it has a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s pleasant to enjoy, even in summer, and after trying it, we finally understood what that meant.

▼ In this case, the rave reviews are warranted.

Even when we were buying our terrine at Starbucks, we saw a number of other people ordering it as well, so word of its deliciousness is spreading rapidly around Japan.

For a cake that’s gone viral on social media, the chocolate terrine really is worthy of all the praise and attention, so keep an eye out for it next time you’re at Starbucks. It’ll make the perfect partner for this year’s chunky and milky strawberry Frappuccino.

Related: Starbucks Coffee Japan
Images©SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

At this Japanese convenience store chain, big is an understatement. 

It’s been a great few months for convenience store fans in Japan, with chains like 7-Eleven and Lawson upsizing a number of their products with special limited-time campaigns.

▼ Now, Family Mart is bringing joy to its customers with a “Giant All-Star Festival“.

With 14 items in the lineup, covering products like coffee, sweets and sandwiches, there’s something here for everyone. However, unlike 7-Eleven and Lawson, where products were upsized at no extra cost to customers, the products in Family Mart’s campaign come with higher price tags, so customers will want to be more discerning with their choices.

Here to help in that regard is our own discerning reporter P.K. Sanjun, who flatly says that the sandwiches, eclairs, and coffee jelly weren’t as impressive as he’d hoped. While they might resonate with other customers, for him the size upgrade wasn’t giant enough to make him do a double-take, which is the high bar he sets for campaigns like this one.

There were, however, two items in the range that did make P.K. do a double-take.

▼ The Big Financier…

▼ … and the Big Cookie.

These were two products P.K. didn’t mind paying extra for, as the sheer size of them made them seem like great value for money, even with the price increase. To give you an idea of how big the Big Financier is, P.K. says it’s about the size of an iPhone 16 Pro.

▼ P.K., modelling the financier phone.

Placing it next to the chain’s standard financier, P.K. had a hunch that the giant version was more than twice its size. Checking the website, he learned that the Big Financier is said to have 2.9 times the surface area of the standard version.

The official website also claims that the Big Cookie is about twice the weight of the chain’s regular chocolate macadamia cookie.

Sensing it was even larger, P.K. whipped out his scales to weigh both cookies. The regular chocolate macadamia cookie weighed in at 60 grams (2.1 ounces), while the large cookie was…

▼ …172 grams!

At almost three times the weight, the increase was way bigger than advertised, and with the price difference being 203 yen (US$1.27) for the regular version and 258 yen for the large, this was fantastic value for money.

▼ In Japan, giving customers more than they bargained for is colloquially known as gyaku sagi (“reverse fraud“).

▼ The giant financier was another good deal, with the regular being 150 yen and the large 238 yen.

Compared to everything else in the range, the financier and cookie are outstanding in terms of both size and cost-effectiveness. The upgrade didn’t affect the quality either, as both were as delicious as their smaller versions.

According to P.K., these are the two aces of the Giant All-Star Festival, but they’re only available in limited quantities so keep an eye out for them next time you pop in for a change of clothes during the rainy season.

Insert image: Family Mart Japan
Photos ©SoraNews24 
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Newest Japanese Frappuccino aims to wake you up and reduce food waste.

Japan loves seasonal sweets flavors, but we’re in a bit of a lull right now. Cherry blossom/sakura sweets season is over, and we’re not quite into the midsummer heat when demand for juicy tropical fruit flavors spike.

So since there aren’t necessarily any “Right now!” flavors at the moment, Starbucks Japan is instead turning to a fruit that’s popular all year long with the release of a new banana Frappuccino.

Making its debut later this month is the Banana Affogato Frappuccino, which combines the rich sweetness of banana with aspects of the classy dessert of coffee poured over ice cream. Sitting at the bottom of the glass is a foundation of banana pieces, and above it a thick stratum of milky cream mixed with banana powder. For the finishing touch, espresso sauce, a combination of an espresso shot and Starbucks Classic Syrup, is poured over the top. The result, Starbucks Japan says, is an initial wave of fruity sweetness followed by the lingering aftertaste of coffee and a caramel-like aroma.

Mid/late spring is known as the “shin seikatsu”/”new lifestyle” season in Japan, when people start new jobs or schools, and often also move to new homes to accommodate their new commutes. It can be a hectic, stressful time, and Starbucks Japan says it hopes that the Banana Affogato Frappuccino will serve as a way to “escape from reality for a while” as you indulge. That’s a pretty lofty goal for a dessert drink, but the Banana Affogato Frappuccino actually is trying to do something more than just give people a sweet treat. It’s also trying to be an eco-friendly drink through its use of “mottainai bananas,” a Japanese food/beverage industry term for bananas that, due to insufficient size, irregular shape, or cosmetic damage to their peels, won’t be purchased by supermarkets for sale to shoppers. None of those perceived flaws affect the taste or quality of the fruit itself, though, and by using mottainai bananas, Starbucks is helping to reduce food waste.

The Banana Affogato Frappuccino is priced at 700 yen (US$4.50) for a tall size and goes on sale May 27.

Source, images: Starbucks Japan
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!