Delivery drivers will stand two meters from your front door and watch as you pick up your pizza.
food and drink (Page 2)
We visit the award-winning Starbucks to see if it’s still worthy of its title after a facelift.
Before Starbucks existed in Japan, there were kissaten coffeehouses. Now there’s the Starbucks kissaten.
New lineup will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time to the heyday of Japanese coffeehouses.
Ever wanted to sip a rare coffee blend, made of beans from 100-year old trees in Panama? Lawson is here to help!
From fried noodles to “octopus balls”, what you’ll find at a festival food stall is probably nothing like you imagined Japanese food to be.
Enjoy new treats like a herring pie from Kiki’s Delivery Service or a sweet icy treat inspired by Castle in the Sky.
Kiri cheese is celebrating its 50th year with a limited-time cafe, open in Tokyo for one month only, so of course we had to check it out!
Nationwide, Japan Starbucks locations appear to be telling foreign customers to learn Japanese or risk anaphylactic shock.
Leading up to Valentine’s Day in Japan, there’s one thing that’s impossible to escape – and it’s not swarthy, rose-touting Lotharios. It’s chocolate. In pretty packaging and delicious displays, store counters come alive with the sweet stuff at this time of year, and one of the more luxurious and decadent types is the rich, creamy nama choco (fresh chocolates).
The only problem with this type of chocolate is the fact that it blends an already creamy chocolate with even more cream and butter, making it heavy on the calories. Net users in Japan, though, have discovered an unusual way to cut out the extra fat – by replacing it with tofu! Using just three ingredients, we’ll let you in on the latest diet tip from Japan and show you how to make delicious, creamy nama choco with only half the calories.
There’s a lot of freedom and innovation when it comes to dining in Japan. For every Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo, there’s an equally impressive place where you can dine with maids, hang out with cats or even watch boys make out.
Now there’s another must-visit eatery to add to Tokyo’s ever-growing list of unique cafes and this time the star of the show is the humble slice of bread. At Centre the Bakery in Ginza, you can choose your own toaster, take it back to your table and enjoy freshly made toast.
Japan has some awesome food pairings: sushi and wasabi, red beans and green tea, and fish and grated white radish. While these food combinations tickle the tastebuds, they’ve actually been eaten for centuries to offset negative health effects and promote healthy digestion. But that doesn’t mean things have to be boring!
One creative twitter user has taken inspiration from their pet cat to show us just how amazing a staple Japanese dish can be. Gone is the obligatory mound of plain, grated radish that sits beside grilled fish dishes and in its place is an adorable white cat lovingly caressing a fishy prize from the sea!
From colourful anime designs to awesome 3-D creations, exciting things are going on in the drinkable art world of Japan. Now, there’s a new trend that’s melting our hearts: latte art in adorable take-home designs. Created by a marshmallow company in Nagano Prefecture, the range includes cute cats and fluffy cat paws that gradually dissolve into 2-D latte artworks. The only skill you’ll need for these is an ability to stand the cuteness!
When was the last time you spent 100 yen (US$.98) on breakfast and felt satisfied? Sure, your dollar menu Sausage McMuffin tasted good, but after hitting your stomach like a greasy, calorie-laden brick, did it really keep you going until lunch? I thought not. Prepare to be jealous (and perhaps say “OC desu!“) of the following parade of filling breakfasts purchased at Japanese university dining halls, each for an unbelievable 100 yen.
Starting from today, sushi train chain restaurant Kura-zushi will be serving up two incredibly unique, limited-edition delicacies. Thanks to a sweet collaboration with Morinaga Milk Caramels, customers will now be able to order caramel banana sushi. And that’s not all – caramel corn mayonnaise sushi will be on the menu too.
For many in Japan, the bright green hues and bitter tones of powdered green tea partners perfectly with all things sweet, making for an irresistible dessert flavour. Now, as springtime brings the first tea of the new season, convenience stores and sweet purveyors are releasing limited-edition matcha, or powdered green tea, desserts. We take a look at five of the most popular finds that Twitter users in Japan can’t wait to get their hands on. Read More




















Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Japanese airport rebrands itself as “Sushi Airport” to attract foreign tourists
Tochigi man shares his family’s process for creating 16 years worth of rice paddy art
New Mt. Fuji overnight bus takes travelers from downtown Tokyo straight to the most popular hiking trail
Climbing season officially opens for Japan’s Mt. Hiyoriyama, the shortest mountain in the country
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Raw chicken dishes to be regulated by Japanese government
Japan now has a Pokémon airport that features every species of Flying-type ever[Video]
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan triples departure tax, foreign tourists and locals now must pay more to leave country
A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata
Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book!
7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread
Japanese overnight sightseeing train returns for summer with ramen stops and ocean views
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
New Japanese overnight train coming to connect Tokyo with Tohoku in sleep-travel style
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Tokyo revises accommodation tax amidst tourism boom, Airbnb rentals now included
Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest slaying scalpers with shift to made-to-order collaboration merch
7-Eleven Japan now has Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, but how do they taste?[Taste test]
Raw chicken dishes to be regulated by Japanese government
Japan now has a Pokémon airport that features every species of Flying-type ever[Video]
Foreign tourists injured in Nissan GT-R crash near Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Crossing
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Starbucks Japan puts a bow on peach season with new limited-edition Peach Creamy Tea Latte
Grandpa Sensei solo art exhibition returning to Tokyo and he’ll be there every day of it
Potato-Chip-Flavored Dressing coming to stores in Japan
Japan to get new high-speed train connecting Haneda and Narita airports, ease overtourism
Famous sweets store in Ameyoko fills a bag with sweets and a show, but is it still worth it?
A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus”
The quest for Dragon Quest Yoshinoya figure sets: Worth taking for fans, tricky for scalpers[Pics]