
McDonald’s wants you to be aware that the Gohan Kara Dabuchi really is kara.
McDonald’s Japan took its sweet time getting into the rice burger business, basically letting its rivals have that section of the Japanese fast food market to themselves for decades. Burgers with rice replacing their buns finally came to the Golden Arches last year, though, and since then McDonald’s has been following Japanese foodie-protocol by periodically spicing things up with special seasonal rice burger offerings.
This month, the spicing-up is happening literally, with the release of the Gohan Kara Dabuchi, whose name has quite a bit of linguistics to digest. Gohan is the Japanese word for “rice,” kara is a shortened and more emphatic alternate of karai/”spicy,” and dabuchi is a condensed version of daburu chizu, or “double cheese,” making Gohan Kara Dabuchi essentially equivalent to “Spicy Double Cheese Rice Burger.”
“Hold on a second, there was a spicy McDonald’s Japan rice burger that came out last month!” you say, as though we, of all people, would ever forget such important information. Yes there was, with the Delicious Spicy Shrimp Rice Burger, which uses akatogarashi, Japanese red pepper powder. However, the Gohan Kara Dabuchi stands to be several steps spicier still, since it gets its fiery kick from habanero chilies.
Sandwiched between two discs of grilled Japan-grown rice are a pair of all-beef patties and several habanero slices ready to scorch your flavor receptors. You might notice that even the slices of cheese look spicy, and are, thanks to having habanero powder mixed in.
▼ The Gohan Kara Dabuchi, flanked by the Garlic and Black Pepper Chicken (left) and Delicious Spicy Shrimp Rice Burger (right)
The Gohan Kara Dabuchi is priced at 440 yen (US$3.85) by itself or 740 yen as part of a set with a drink and fries. It’s on sale for a limited time and only available after 5 p.m. as part of McDonald’s Japan’s “Yoru Mac” (“Night Mac”) menu, and the chain does ask customers who are not accustomed to spicy foods to “please be cautious.”
Source: McDonald’s via Entabe
Top image: McDonald’s
Insert images: McDonald’s
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!



McDonald’s Japan expands rice burger menu with first-ever rice fish burger, two more options
McDonald’s Japan adds first-ever shrimp rice burger to menu in gohan sandwich expansion
McDonald’s Japan’s new kalbi koshihikari rice burger and its friends only come out after sundown
McDonald’s releases new rice burgers in Japan
McDonald’s Japan’s first-ever rice fish burger is here, but was it worth the wait?【Taste test】
Private open-air bath is the crowning gem at this Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo
Yakuzen ramen restaurant in Tokyo is very different to a yakuza ramen restaurant
Tokyo Skytree turns pink for the cherry blossom season
Oh Boy, That’s Pretty Racist (Part Two): Japanese woman explains why Taiwanese girls suck
McDonald’s Japan is changing the ingredients in Chicken McNuggets
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Japan has a new bar just for people thinking about quitting their jobs, and the drinks are free
Osaka establishes first designated smoking area in Dotonbori canal district to fight “overtourism”
566 million yen in gold bars donated to Japanese city’s water bureau
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Is Sapporio’s Snow Festival awesome enough to be worth visiting even if you hate the snow? [Pics]
Japan has trams that say “sorry” while they ride around town…but why?
Sakura Totoro is here to get spring started early with adorable pouches and plushies
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Poop is in full bloom at the Unko Museums for cherry blossom season
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
Playing Switch 2 games with just one hand is possible thanks to Japanese peripheral maker
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
Archfiend Hello Kitty appears as Sanrio launches new team-up with Yu-Gi-Oh【Pics】
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
McDonald’s Japan is selling Gundam burgers, endorsed by anime’s most charismatic antagonist【Vids】
McDonald’s Japan’s first-ever rice burgers are here, and we try them before they go on sale
McDonald’s Japan now has a double cheeseburger with rice buns, and people are raving about it
Lotteria unveils its first rice burgers, but how do they compare to Mos Burger and McDonald’s?
McDonald’s Japan gives us a taste of the anime world with new series of Gundam burgers
We live the high life with McDonald’s two most expensive Quarter Pounders ever
McDonald’s Japan debuts new anime girl mascot character with incredibly long name
McDonald’s Japan’s new spicy McNuggets promise to punch you in the face with spiciness
McDonald’s Japan announces Evangelion burger line, releases crazy anime video for them【Video】
Godzilla burgers appear at McDonald’s Japan, and t’s time to eat them all!【Taste test】
Godzilla vs McDonald’s! King of monsters takes on fast food king’s new Godzilla Burgers【Video】
Dragon Quest Burgers and Slime drinks are coming to McDonald’s Japan【Video】
McDonald’s celebrates sakura season in Japan with a new Teritama burger
Hokkaido, Osaka, and Fukuoka: Taste-testing McDonald’s oddly named Adult Regional Teriyaki burgers
Tsukimi burger season heats up as McDonald’s Japan unveils new moon-viewing burger lineup【Pics】