It’s amazing how one gooey brown liquid can be so mouth-watering, and another not at all.
With Valentine’s Day coming up in less than a month, Japan has got chocolate on the brain. Standing by to satisfy the nation’s sweet tooth is convenience store 7-Eleven, which recently brought back its chocolate-filled, pink-colored steamed buns.
Those of you who can’t get enough of that chocolate, or that booty, may remember when we talked about these treats last year. Specifically, we pointed out that their unique shape and color had the unintended side effect of making them look like little tiny butts from certain angles. Still, they were popular enough to warrant a repeat appearance in 7-Eleven’s product lineup, so we’re sure their numerous fans are headed to their local branch for a delectable reunion.
However, there’s one little problem. When you buy the buns at 7-Eleven, the clerk takes them out of the steamer case and bags them up. At that point they’re still nice and warm, and thus at their maximum deliciousness. By the time you walk home through the chilly conditions of midwinter, though, your piping hot steamed buns may be a bit cold, and since most people don’t have a steamer in their home, you might decide to pop them in the microwave to warm them up again. As Twitter user @kenri_ discovered, though, while that may make the buns taste a little better, it also might make them look a lot worse.
https://twitter.com/kenri_/status/688685234972327936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The dejected @kenri_ described the results as “tragic,” and online commenters have been voicing their agreements.
“Shouldn’t have done that.”
“I think they’d make you blur that out if you were showing it on TV.”
“That looks so dirty…”
“Aaaaaaaaaaagh!”
@kenri_ wasn’t the only one to witness this disturbing phenomenon, either.
https://twitter.com/714ma_co/status/688703053168381952However, one person chimed in saying that he had reheated his chocolate heart bun without it suddenly cosplaying as a leaky anus. Still, if yours has gone cold, it’s probably a good idea to double-check the integrity of the outer layer of the bun before you microwave it, and maybe to disable the rotating dish so that you don’t end up with the cheeks pointing at you when it’s finished.
Unless, of course, you’re having one of these buns as dessert after a meal of a very specific type of curry.
Source: Jin, Twitter/@kenri_

7-Eleven Japan now sells bagels…cooked in bamboo steamers
7-Eleven Japan is releasing Greedy chocolate chip and whipped cream sandwiches
7-Eleven Japan now has plant-based vegetarian steamed “meat buns”
European YouTuber tries all of the food on the counter in Japanese 7-Eleven, loves it all
7-Eleven Japan’s new sweets burger is a mouthwatering philosophical debate
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
Stay at a hotel with a bed for your plushie in Japan
Japanese gacha machine in Shibuya now sells tiny capsule terrariums
Visiting Japan’s muscular mascot character dog at his free museum near Kansai International Airport
Best burger in Tokyo? JB’s serves up a cheap craft burger that not a lot of people know about
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
12-year-old foreign tourist missing in Japan, police asking for help finding her [Video]
Body of missing foreign tourist in Japan found floating off coast of town he was last seen in
Teen girl in Japan refuses to be victim, personally escorts train pervert to police for arrest
Google’s first Google Store outside the U.S. is now open in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
Japan’s new beer glass is designed to force you to drink…water [Video]
Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
This beautiful rural Japan river is a great alternative to touristy summer retreats [Photos]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japan now has human refrigerators inspired by Japanese vending machines
New Shinkansen luggage drop-off system begins in Japan, making train travel even easier
Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics]
Studio Ghibli releases anime T-shirts that pay homage to one of Hayao Miyazaki’s most personal films
Air-conditioned dress shirts arrive in Japan to save working professionals from sweltering heat
Japanese Shinkansen becomes an overnight hotel for three nights this summer
Pokémon Center Online designates first Pokémon items that will require Japanese ID card to buy
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
99-year-old woman rescued while attempting to climb Mt. Fuji
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
7-Eleven Japan’s new microwaves know how long your bento should be warmed up, even if you don’t
We investigate 7-Eleven’s new Crunchy Chocolate Mille Crêpes Cake, shiver with decadence
To celebrate 7-Eleven Day, here are seven 7-Eleven Japan items that need more love
7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread
Not just matcha, but Meccha Matcha! 7-Eleven Japan marks first tea harvest with new sweets lineup
The Fuwatoro Yamaimo Teppan just might be 7-Eleven Japan’s dish of the year【Taste test】
Three great mint chocolate sweets to buy at 7-Eleven while the summer heat gives us an excuse
7-Eleven Japan adds new chocolate fruit gummies to its sweets range, but are they worth the hype?
7-Eleven Japan vs Family Mart: Who has the biggest convenience store cookie?
7-Eleven Japan now sells a tiny dessert burger but is this convenience store sweet worth the hype?
7-Eleven Japan releases a chocolate chip sandwich… that tastes like ice cream
7-Eleven Japan’s most popular product with foreign tourists is…a unique chocolate gummy
Here comes Japan’s newest fruit dessert sandwich: 7-Eleven’s purple Blueberry Sandwich!
7-Eleven Japan releases a crazy new viral sandwich: Chocolate Sprinkles and Whipped Cream
7-Eleven Japan’s sakura sweets show cherry blossom beauty can be found all over【Photos】