Really, did you think we were going to go to the trouble of making an adorable bear suit and not show it off at our local coffeehouse?
Starbucks (Page 26)
They’ll butcher the spelling of your name, and their drinks might not be especially good for you, but Japanese Starbucks employees have got your back…and your front.
A new year means new lucky bags! So, how’s the haul from Starbucks? We find out after waiting in line all night!
A certain reporter we know recently decided to make 20 kilos (44 pounds) of ‘Fruiche’ dessert in his very, very large Starbucks mug…
This week, Starbucks Japan released a giant US$700 ceramic mug, and naturally, we had to order one and get Mr. Sato to do something crazy with it!
In Tokyo, there’s a very special type of Starbucks that forgoes the usual green-and-white mermaid logo for more subdued, warm-brown hues. They also serve a variety of beers and wine sets paired with cheese or cake.
It’s that time of year again! Starbucks Japan has announced their line of holiday beverages and goodies! Yes, it’s amazing how quickly a year seems to go by, isn’t it?
This year, the coffee chain will be offering their customers seasonal goodness featuring caramel and toffee (and plenty of whipped cream), and if that’s how they’re expressing their holiday spirit, well, we have to say, “Bring the holiday sweetness on!!!”
Starbucks never ceases to delight us with their tempting seasonal creations, and here in Japan they’ve done it again this autumn with two new beverages that they released on October 1, the “Fruit Crush & Tea” and “Fruit Crush & Cream Frappuccino“. Both are fruit infused tea-based drinks that should be prefectly relaxing as the weather gets cooler heading into fall. Naturally, we had to try these, and we sent one of our Japanese reporters to a Starbucks the day the drinks were released!
Etsy, the online marketplace filled to the brim with unique handmade goods, can be an absolute treasure trove for people who want to stand out from the crowd with special items that can’t be found in regular stores.
Case in point: these amazing mugs from Californian seller Howard Le. From Naruto to Sailor Moon and Cowboy Bebop to The Legend of Zelda, there are dozens of Starbucks-esque mugs to choose from. And if none of them take your fancy, he’ll even custom make your order for you!
Okay, who else is already sick of summer? Bugs, humidity, sweat, and pongy passengers on public transportation. Bring on the autumn, with its fresh, crisp air, cosy and stylish fall fashion, and seasonal flavours like pumpkin, cinnamon, and hot roasted chestnuts!
Luckily, it seems that Starbucks in Japan is feeling us and has decided to give us a treat to really get us in the mood for autumn with their new range of chestnut flavour lattes and frappuccinos which are due to go on sale next month!
After opening in April, a Starbucks location in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, has received quite a bit of attention online for its surprisingly beautiful architecture and design. Yes, we’re serious, the hot topic in Japan right now is this Starbucks location!
But, wait, before you scoff, you seriously need to see the place. One of our Japanese reporters headed to Aomori recently and his photos of the coffee shop will definitely make you say, “Wow, that is a beautiful Starbucks location!” for the first time in your life!
For many Japanese, somen is the go to food of choice for keeping the summer heat exhaustion blues away. These thin, white Japanese noodles that resemble vermicelli are traditionally made from wheat flour and served chilled.
But what do you do if a somen craving hits and you don’t have a full serving of mentsuyu, or noodle dipping sauce, on hand to eat them with? What if you’re tired or eating somen the traditional way? Or what if you’re in need of a little caffeine kick with your meal?
If you answered mix your noodle sauce with Starbucks coffee, congratulations! We’re stumped as to how our Japanese staff arrived at this weird food combination, but apparently it tastes much better than it sounds.
If you’re into fashion, coffee, or both, you may remember the collaborative items that Starbucks and New York-based fashion brand Alice + Olivia came up with, the first of which were released in North America about a year and a half ago. Not surprisingly, the items apparently caused a bit of a craze among fashionistas at the time (seriously, who thinks of something like a tumbler dressed up with a tutu?), with everyone clamoring to get their hands on the limited edition goods.
Well, it turns out the collaboration recently made its way to Japan, but one of the reporters from our Japanese sister site Pouch ended up finding out the hard way that the goods were in just as much demand here in Japan as they were in the U.S.!
Our resident oddball writer Mr. Sato loves his coffee, so much so that he finds it impossible to pass by a Starbucks without stopping in for a quick coffee break. The only problem is that he tends to favour “girly” drinks like frappuccinos, and lives in fear of being spotted by friends and acquaintances enjoying one.
The solution? Sneak into Starbucks underneath a cardboard box, Solid Snake-style, and see if the baristas will serve coffee to a cardboard box. Check out our video to see how he did!
With Starbucks having won the loyalty of so many customers in so many countries, sometimes it seems like the Seattle-based coffee giant has a location in every corner of the world. There’s still at least one place that’s Starbucks-free, though, and that’s Tottori, the last prefecture in Japan without a branch of its own.
The situation is about to change, though, as Starbucks is set to open its first Tottori location this week. Local coffeehouse chain Sunaba Coffee, whose name is almost an exact copy of Starbucks’ Japanese nickname, is bracing for the impact of its new competitor by guaranteeing its product tastes just as good as Starbucks’, while making the humble request that customers get one out of every three coffee fixes at Sunaba.
Who’s ready for the hot and humid summer? We’re approaching the second half of spring here in Japan, so that means it’s almost time to get out those Cool Biz clothes and your sweat towels, because this summer is bound to be as uncomfortably muggy as always.
Starbucks has your back this year though. Later this month they’ll be releasing the “Starbucks Frozen Drink Maker” – a reusable mug that doubles as a super simple frozen coffee mixer. It’s easy, it’s cold and it’s delicious. Let’s take a look!
For years, fans of Starbucks have been petitioning the coffee chain for a non-dairy alternative to soy. While the company recently responded by adding coconut milk options to their U.S. menus, lovers of almond milk were left out in the cold due to concerns over nut allergens.
Now, for a limited time, Starbucks Japan will be taking the bold step out into nut allergen territory with the release of the Almond Milk Frappuccino with Honey Crunch and the Almond Milk Latte with Honey Crunch. If you’re in Japan from 18 March to 14 April, you’ll be one of the lucky few to introduce your tastebuds to a sweet treat others can only dream of!
With Valentine’s Day out of the way, and plum blossoms still in bloom, it’s time for early spring marketing to burst onto the scene in Japan. Leading the pack, as it does every year, is popular coffee chain Starbucks, with the nation’s other favourite flower, the cherry blossom, taking centre stage in their annual line-up of sakura menu items and merchandise.
This year, the humble cherry blossom meets caramel and chocolate in latte and Frappucino forms, and also finds itself in a beautiful pink and white chiffon cake. Curious to know what sakura tastes like when blended with such sweet partners? Join us as we bring you all the photos and flavours from our recent visit.
The iconic Starbucks mermaid is an instantly recognisable commercial symbol, up there with McDonald’s golden arches or Nike’s tick. But don’t you get a little bored sometimes with the same old face peering back at your from the cardboard sleeve lovingly hugging your steamy cup of joe? One artist decided to jazz up the old mermaid design using black pen, featuring everyone from Dragon Ball‘s Goku to The Legend of Zelda‘s Link, and the results are kind of awesome!
MOST POPULAR
Now
Mt. Fuji-blocking screen installed as response to bad tourist manners to be in place by next week
Fried Pokémon: Tokyo restaurant serves up an unusual dish【Taste Test】
Hidden history, retro cafes, and a shoe shrine on Asakusa bus loop【Tokyo Loop Buses】
2nd line of Casio watch rings hits Japanese capsule machines and we got the secret one!
Japanese man tells friend to wear suit to wedding party, so he comes as Mobile Suit Gundam
New vending machines at Shinjuku Station emit scent, play projection mapping with your purchase
Starbucks releases a new Matcha Frappuccino in Japan with a pun behind its creation
11 different ways to say “father” in Japanese
Evangelion creator says there might be more Eva anime to come
To combat declining birth rate, Japan to begin offering “Breeding Visas” to foreigners
Weekly
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Yes, our new smartphone looks like at least two Studio Ghibli anime characters, Sharp says
New Tokyo restaurant charges higher prices to foreign tourists than Japanese locals
Tokyo’s famous Lost in Translation hotel is closed- 2nd line of Casio watch rings hits Japanese capsule machines and we got the secret one!
Japanese public toilet becomes a tourist attraction in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli releases new mug and tumbler collection featuring Jiji and Totoro
Studio Ghibli releases art crystal puzzles and folding umbrellas for rainy season in Japan
Japan’s wedding gift etiquette rule is too expensive, young people in survey say
Cool capsule toys recreate how Japan navigated trains in pre-smartphone days【Photos】
Monthly
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society- Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
- Yes, our new smartphone looks like at least two Studio Ghibli anime characters, Sharp says
- New Tokyo restaurant charges higher prices to foreign tourists than Japanese locals
“Mt. Fuji convenience store” issues apology for bad tourist manners, adds multilingual signs- Tokyo’s famous Lost in Translation hotel is closed
Japanese ramen restaurants under pressure from new yen banknotes
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
All-you-can-drink Starbucks and amazing views part of Tokyo’s new 170 meter-high sky lounge
Yearly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s- Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
RECOMMENDED STORIES
New vending machines at Shinjuku Station emit scent, play projection mapping with your purchase
Starbucks releases a new Matcha Frappuccino in Japan with a pun behind its creation
11 different ways to say “father” in Japanese
Evangelion creator says there might be more Eva anime to come
To combat declining birth rate, Japan to begin offering “Breeding Visas” to foreigners
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Mt. Fuji hiking trail reservation system and advance payment details released
Yes, our new smartphone looks like at least two Studio Ghibli anime characters, Sharp says
Ghibli Park opens final area to first visitors, with stunning new attractions and shops 【Videos】
Pokémon color-coded cosmetic sunscreen set to protect skin this summer in Japan
Yu-Gi-Oh! creator apologizes for drawing characters making political statements ahead of elections
Sephiroth in real life? How to unsheathe a massive 6.8-foot samurai sword
We track down rare Ramen Pringles, sold only at special vending machines in Japan
Giant Clodsire Pokémon plushie comes with up to 32 Woopers in super size, super cute set【Pics】
-
