mushroom
A beloved mushroom travel companion lost in transit, never to be seen again? Not on our watch!
Already home to a plethora of weird and wonderful snacks, a new contender appears to have hit the Japanese market.
Usually, snack makers like to lure in young and old with fanciful cartoon mascots and promises of salt and/or sugar-based delights. But food producer UHA appears to have taken a totally different route with their Kinoko No Manma, which loosely translates as “mushrooms as they are”, but a slightly more fitting interpretation might be “I Can’t Believe They’re Not Mushrooms!” As the snack’s name implies, its main selling point is that the things inside the bag look exactly like freshly picked mushrooms, but in fact they aren’t…
Or are they? It’s exactly that confusion, and the snack’s rarity, that’s causing many online to wonder: “What do these things taste like and how can we get them?”
If we’ve learnt one thing from the vast number of articles on this site, Japanese fast food chains like McDonald’s come up with some really good ideas to keep people coming to their restaurants. Regardless of whether they turn out delicious or disgusting, inventions such as the luxury burger line-up, avocado burger, and tofu nuggets are hard to ignore.
It’s gotten to the point that people in Japan may have grown too accustomed to the nice things served at fast food outlets. For example, McDonald’s recently announced their new autumn special – Mushroom Risotto Balls – and online reaction could largely be described as righteous indignation with comments like “only an idiot would eat that!”
In North Korea‘s latest desperate attempt for attention from the rest of the civilized world, the dictatorship – perhaps tired of tossing missiles around for now – bragged through state media that its scientists have discovered a way to extract enzymes from a certain mushroom grown in the region to create a miracle super drink that makes athletes better, faster and stronger.
Mushrooms are quite popular in Japan, where they have both bizarrely sexual commercials and giant bizarrely (not-quite) sexual plushies. You are also sure to find plump, white fungi in many dishes, and mushroom hunting is enjoyed by many of the country’s citizens every year
For the average person, though, mushrooms come from the store–not a mountain side. But if you’re feeling a tiny bit adventurous, you could always try growing the ‘shrooms in your kitchen, using a cheap “mushroom cultivation kit.” Just be careful not to fertilize your little fungi with the souls of the damned, as these Twitter users apparently did!
In Japan, Hokto is to mushrooms what Chiquita is to bananas: a household name that people know but aren’t overly excited by – until now!
The mushroom growers have been releasing an increasingly sexy line of commercials that seem to get pulled from the airwaves soon after debuting. The latest one, titled “Splendid Mushroom Kinkatsu,” depicts a love affair between actors Jun Kaname in the role of the spirit of mushrooms and Sawa Suzuki as the middle-aged woman he continuously haunts and seductively whispers about mushrooms to. As far as mushrooms go, this is pretty hot.
MOST POPULAR
Today
Starbucks Japan reopens Shinkansen platform store after redesigning it for speed
Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store
Japanese man’s gross conveyor belt sushi social media prank video gets him a 500,000-yen fine
Pikachu brings electric style to brand-new Pokémon G-Shock watch featuring every stater trio
Krispy Kreme Japan releases new fruit doughnuts…that taste better cold
The adorable, delicious joy of the Totoro cream puff gift box[Taste test]
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Tokyo cops arrest foreigner for suspected visa violation, don’t know what new residence cards look like
Testing Japan’s latest food hack trend: Adding instant corn soup powder to popcorn[Taste test]
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Weekly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country- Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad- Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]- Family Mart Japan installs red-eyed “Monster Wolf” to keep bears away from convenience store
Studio Ghibli store Donguri Republic announces opening of first-ever store in America
“Phantom Egg Shop” opens in Japan, with a dozen rare Japanese varieties- Starbucks Japan reopens Shinkansen platform store after redesigning it for speed
Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
Monthly
- 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
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan- Japanese sweets shop sells an ohagi so exquisite it sells out by noon
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Forget Tokyo go-karts – there’s a new way to sightsee on four wheels in Japan
Yearly
- 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
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
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]- Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
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]
RECOMMENDED STORIES
The adorable, delicious joy of the Totoro cream puff gift box[Taste test]
Japanese sweets brand creates new drinkable Cigare and we’re totally here for it
Tokyo cops arrest foreigner for suspected visa violation, don’t know what new residence cards look like
Testing Japan’s latest food hack trend: Adding instant corn soup powder to popcorn[Taste test]
Japan launches first overnight Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka this summer
Starbucks Japan creates special drink bottle bags, adorable stickers for all 47 prefectures[Pics]
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing crosses over to Baskin-Robbins Japan with special ice cream and merch
Japanese theme park adding Immersive Death Game with a “bomb collar” you have to wear
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Beautiful new dangling Totoro socks let the Ghibli mascot sway with every step[Photos]
Japan opens shrine for plush toys in Kyoto, offering memorial rites and a resting place for remains
Starbucks Japan releases three new peach drinks, but the real star isn’t the Frappuccino
Private Shinkansen Supreme Class Cabin pricing, start date, and details announced by Japan Railways
Over a billion yen in smuggled gold found inside sex dolls by Japanese investigators
-
