Tokyo’s record-breaking New Year’s Day fish market auction tuna arrives at one of Japan’s favorite casual sushi restaurant chains.
maguro
You, too, may be able to get your hands on this “Tuna King” when you pass through Tokyo Station.
After failing to secure a reservation for one month prior to his visit, our reporter gets in with some luck and ascends to tuna heaven.
He got his start in tuna wholesale when he was just 16, and today we’re learning from his experience.
It’s finally the weekend, so what better way to squander our precious time off than by arguing over things that don’t really matter?
This week we’re asking: Which is better? Salmon sushi or tuna sushi?
Is it just me, or are cakes these days starting to look less and less… cakey? With all sorts of techniques, tools, and ingredients at their fingertips, it seems like bakers can now turn cake into pretty much anything, as we’ve seen before from this cake shop in Shinjuku, that sells cakes disguised as Chinese food (you can even learn to make a bowl-of-ramen cake yourself here).
Now, that same shop, called Maplies, has come out with yet another tricky treat that looks exactly like maguro-don, a rice bowl with slices of tuna sashimi on top!
The start of a new year means it’s time for hatsumōde, the year’s first visit to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple. You pray for good luck in the new year, throw some spare yen into the saisenbako (big offering box), get some omamori (good luck charms), and hope that the omikuji (fortune) you get is dai-kichi (great luck) and not dai-kyō (you’re screwed).
While most people are satisfied donating a few yen coins in the donation box when they visit their shrine, the Nishinomiya shrine in Hyogo Prefecture does things a little differently. They want to make sure the gods hear them loud and clear, so they lug a massive frozen maguro onto the donation box and leave it there for three days.
Sushi is a classic Japanese food that has become popular all over the world. However, sushi served in restaurants outside of Japan can turn out a little strange. Sushi hybrid concoctions such as the California roll filled with avocado and crab, and the caterpillar roll, topped with avocado and made to resemble a live caterpillar, have been delighting foreign taste buds for years. But exactly what kind of sushi do the Japanese prefer? A survey asked 500 MyNavi News members (246 males, 254 females) to share their favorite sushi topping. Surprisingly, tuna is not the most popular.
MOST POPULAR
Now
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Starbucks Japan releases FIVE new Frappuccinos in a day, and we try them all in 90 minutes
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
McDonald’s and Gundam team up for customized anime mecha and fried chicken sandwiches[Video]
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Fading Tokyo – Horikiri Station, the Arakawa River, and Kinpachi-sensei[Walking course]
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Weekly
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa- Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
- Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain- Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
- Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
Monthly
- Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list- Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Yearly
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
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
RECOMMENDED STORIES
McDonald’s and Gundam team up for customized anime mecha and fried chicken sandwiches[Video]
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Japanese government wants overseas anime market to roughly triple in 10 years, but are they crazy?
Fading Tokyo – Horikiri Station, the Arakawa River, and Kinpachi-sensei[Walking course]
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Naruto’s favorite noodle shop Ichiraku Ramen is real, and we just visited it!
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan
Adorable bunny pouches from Japan look like real, live rabbits!
Which Japanese conveyor belt sushi chain has the best salmon sushi?【Taste test】
Green cherry blossoms blooming now across Japan
The cat returns! Giant cat sells sweet potatoes from a pussy wagon in Japan 【Pics & Video】
Starbucks teams up with the oldest of Japan’s Six Ancient Kilns to create a Bizen ware coffee mug
How to properly wrap a ninja hood – Now available in English!
-
