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Is McDonald’s Japan’s Mushroom Mountain and Bamboo Shoot Village McFlurry worth the hype?

Oona McGee Jan 26, 2026
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A very Japanese McFlurry, in more ways than one.

On 21 January, McDonald’s made a bold attempt to stop a war in Japan by bringing two chocolatey foes together in one McFlurry. Called Kinoko no Yama to Takenoko no Sato (“Mushroom Mountain and Bamboo Shoot Village“), this mouthful of a McFlurry contains two types of iconic chocolate-coated cookies that are often pitted against each other due to their similarities, making it a historic moment in the sweets world.

▼ The two cookies, both by Meiji, are Kinoko no Yama…

▼ …and Takenoko no Sato.

Chocolate lovers are proud to voice their preference amongst the above two sweets, so much so that Meiji holds “General Election” popularity contests to find out which one reigns supreme in what’s known as the “Kinoko-Takenoko War“.

So what will fans think about a McFlurry that contains not one but both varieties of chocolate cookie?

▼ To find out, we purchased one for ourselves, handing over 380 yen (US$2.40) for the privilege.

According to McDonald’s, the two famous cookies aren’t the only things you’ll find inside this new McFlurry, as it also contains a smooth soft serve ice cream base, and two different types of chocolate sauce. Peering into the battlefield, the mushroom and bamboo shoot cookies were still intact, which was a surprise as we were sure they would’ve been chopped up during the blending process.

Keeping them intact was a nice touch, providing maximum visual impact for this unlikely pairing of foes. It was almost as if they were standing off against each other, defiant to the very end while vying for our attention.

The mushroom-shaped cookies, which have more of the cookie part exposed, provided a magnificent crunch that contrasted beautifully with the smoothness of the ice cream. On the other hand, the Bamboo Shoots felt moist, blending well with the soft serve, proving that each cookie has its own merits that can amplify the other when ice cream brings them together.

The chocolate sauce also does a great job enhancing the flavours, helping to bring the chocolate to the fore like some sort of behind-the-scenes hero. It turned out to be a fantastically delicious McFlurry, and a very Japanese one, not only in terms of ingredients but in terms of the harmony between them.

It just goes to show that even the fiercest of foes can become friends if a greater force brings them together. If you’ve long been a fan of one of these chocolates, or completely new to them, this McFlurry will make you fall in love with them both, and you can try it while it’s available until the end of March.

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[ Read in Japanese ]