Play that fung-ky music.
From creepy penguins hatching from eggs to flying balls of chaos, Japan likes to jump on the latest quirky trends, and if history is anything to go by, people will soon be putting fungi in their ears. If you have ever browsed the snack aisle of a Japanese convenience store, there’s a chance that you might have encountered Kinoko no Yama, bite-sized treats consisting of a crunchy biscuit stem topped with a chocolate mushroom cap. Now, imagine putting one in your ear.
Rather than being the latest dietary trend, or attempting to commune deeper with nature through the chocolate mycelia, what appears to be the start of a fungal colony growing out of your head is in fact the second-generation Kinoko no Yama Wireless Earphones Pro, a tech accessory that looks like you’re using actual confectionery as audio equipment.
The concept originally started as a playful visual joke on social media, but after an overwhelming response from netizens demanding to know where they could buy a pair, Kagomedia collaborated with Kinoko no Yama’s maker Meiji to turn them into a reality. The first batch of 3,500 units launched on the Japanese crowdfunding platform Makuake in early 2024 and famously sold out in a shocking ten minutes.
▼ Achieving 9,836 percent of its one million yen goal.
Two and a half years later, these chocolate earbuds are making a comeback from November 1, with a new revival project for the updated 2027 Pro model. If the campaign sees at least 1,000 people pledge that they want a pair, the second generation will officially go into production, but this time they will be made-to-order without a strict limit on quantities, so all those who want will be able to get their hands and ears on them.
Despite looking like a novelty gimmick, these earbuds pack some serious tech, with upgraded audio tuning and gold-plated touch sensors. The most ambitious feature though is the built-in AI simultaneous translation covering 144 global languages and dialects. So while you might look like you’re trying to store your snacks in your ears for later to onlookers, you could be able to understand nearly 150 languages in real time.
The case itself is designed to mirror the original snack box, complete with a pop-up tray where the two little mushrooms rest inside.
If you, like your 3,500 predecessors, want some fungi in your head, you’ll need to check out Makuake on November 1 at 12:00 p.m., where for the first 24 hours, the first 1,000 pairs of earphones will be sold at the same price as the first-generation (29,800 yen [US$188.96]). The next 2,000 pairs can be bought for 31,800 yen, and the following 2,000 for 33,000 yen. The last possible discount is for 3,000 pairs at 34,800 yen before each unit is sold for its regular price of 36,300 yen with no quantity limits as long as the order is placed before December 13, 2026, after which you will not be able to purchase these any more.
Whether you find the design quirky or strange, it’s a high-quality blend of everyday Japanese pop culture with high-tech innovation, so there’s no need to panic the next time you spot someone on the train with mushrooms sprouting from their ears.
Related: Crowdfunding Campain
Source and images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
