Krista Rogers – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:00:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 Krista Rogers – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Japan’s free stock image site of muscular men doing whimsical and mundane things reveals rankings https://soranews24.com/2026/11/04/japans-free-stock-image-site-of-muscular-men-doing-whimsical-and-mundane-things-reveals-rankings/ https://soranews24.com/2026/11/04/japans-free-stock-image-site-of-muscular-men-doing-whimsical-and-mundane-things-reveals-rankings/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:00:24 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=748892 
The site with a goal of “Adding muscles to everyday life” has released a new gallery collecting its most viral muscly moments up to the present.
Fukuoka-based Smile Academy’s Muscle Plus free stock image site has been around for a while now and it hasn’t stopped causing a stir. We can only thank the muscular geniuses who decided to gift the world with free-to-use, professional-quality shots of themselves posing in situations that make you think, “Heck, I can’t use that for anything!” before immediately downloading it anyway. Their purpose is not only making viewers’ smile muscles move but also promoting local people, cultural artifacts, events, and places in rural Fukuoka Prefecture in an effort to revitalize the area. Much of their work is seasonally appropriate as well, as seen in the epic Halloween photo story collection a few years back.
▼ Logo for the Muscle Plus free stock image site
Thanks to the positive public response, Muscle Plus has just released a new page that collects the photos and some quantitative data behind its most trending photos on Twitter. Thanks to this new system, you can simply check out which photos are getting the most hits when you’re in need of an image with impact. Below, we’ve compiled five of the top trending photos along with the date when they were uploaded to Twitter and their cumulative likes and views. All numbers are accurate as of October 21, 2026, so many have likely gained more hits since then.
1. Uploaded to Twitter on September 26, 2026
123,553 likes / 9,337,570 views
There’s nothing quite as refreshing as two buff dudes frolicking in a field of vibrantly pink cosmos in Nokonoshima Park. This would be a peak tourism campaign if we ever saw one.
2. Uploaded October 1, 2026
52,535 likes / 2,170,577 views
Two guys demonstrate how to harvest tea leaves at Yame Central Tea Plantation. It’s not a technique that we’ve ever seen before, but they seem to know what they’re doing.
3. Uploaded July 18, 2025
94,684 likes / 3,594,236 views
This quintessential summertime shot in the sunflower field at Fukufuku no Sato farmers’ market reminds us that it’s OK to stop and sniff the flowers–sans shirts–sometimes.
4. Uploaded September 29, 2024
109,505 likes / 6,548,394 views
Have you ever been sitting there eating some delicious yakiimo on a crisp autumn day with your weightlifting buddies when a cat suddenly decides to crash the photoshoot? No, it’s never happened to us, but we’re very thankful it happened to them.
5. Uploaded December 25, 2022
14,419 likes / 846,854 views
We just hate it when we’re baking in the kitchen at Patisserie Serenite and someone comes along and sneakily adds liquid protein to the freshly whipped cream we were making. Thank goodness there’s a stock image to capture that situation.
The dudes at Muscle Plus have almost gotten us excited enough to start our own library of free stock images–though in our case, there would be much less of the buff and more of the puff.
Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/11/04/japans-free-stock-image-site-of-muscular-men-doing-whimsical-and-mundane-things-reveals-rankings/feed/ 0 748892 1 Tokyo Skytree set to offer breathtaking Diamond Fuji natural phenomenon view this month https://soranews24.com/2026/11/03/tokyo-skytree-set-to-offer-breathtaking-diamond-fuji-natural-phenomenon-view-this-month/ https://soranews24.com/2026/11/03/tokyo-skytree-set-to-offer-breathtaking-diamond-fuji-natural-phenomenon-view-this-month/#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2026 01:00:59 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=748882 
The Tokyo landmark is a perfect spot on an ancient ley line of spiritual power to view the sight of Mt. Fuji with a diamond of light on its summit.
Twice per year around February and November, anyone close enough to see Mt. Fuji can witness Diamond Fuji, a natural phenomenon when the rising or setting sun aligns perfectly with the mountain’s peak. When the conditions are just right, the sun’s rays then pan outward, giving the appearance of a shining diamond ring nestled on top of Japan’s highest mountain. This stunning phenomenon is next predicted to happen on November 8 around 4:30 p.m.
▼ The view of Diamond Fuji in November 2025
While any relatively tall spot in the Greater Tokyo Area is prime viewing to catch a glimpse of Diamond Fuji, the Tokyo Skytree‘s two main viewing platforms–the Observation Deck at 350 meters (1,1448 feet) high and the Observation Galleria at 450 meters high–have a special claim to fame as to why Diamond Fuji is best viewed from one of them.
▼ Crowds gathered at the Tokyo Skytree Observation Deck at the Diamond Fuji phenomenon in February 2026
As described on the Tokyo Skytree’s website, the landmark was actually constructed on a kind of spiritual pathway that links several significant sites in the Kanto region:
“Tokyo Skytree is built on a ‘ley line,’ a straight line connecting ancient ruins and sacred sites such as Mt. Fuji, Meiji Jingu Shrine, the Imperial Palace (formerly Edo Castle), and Kashima Jingu Shrine (Kashima City, Ibaraki Prefecture), and is said to be a place where positive energy gathers.”
Therefore, by viewing Diamond Fuji from a location on this line, tradition says that you can essentially charge yourself with plenty of positive energy for the months to come–similar to visiting one of Japan’s various “power spots.”
▼ Highlighted locations from left to right: Mt. Fuji, Meiji Shrine, Imperial Palace, Tokyo Skytree, and Kashima Shrine
Regular Tokyo Skytree entrance fees apply for viewing the Diamond Fuji phenomenon on November 8. Viewing conditions are also unpredictable depending on the weather conditions, so please be prepared in advance. In the case of stormy weather, you may want to check out these picks for the top ten indoors attractions in Japan and Tokyo specifically instead.
Source, images: PR Times
Reference: Tokyo Skytree
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/11/03/tokyo-skytree-set-to-offer-breathtaking-diamond-fuji-natural-phenomenon-view-this-month/feed/ 0 748882 fuji1 Baum vending machine in a Yokohama station lets us eat cake served on a luxury cruise ship https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/baum-vending-machine-in-a-yokohama-station-lets-us-eat-cake-served-on-a-luxury-cruise-ship/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/baum-vending-machine-in-a-yokohama-station-lets-us-eat-cake-served-on-a-luxury-cruise-ship/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2026 01:00:36 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=748348 
Our favorite kind wasn’t even the one we expected, but they were all the baum-dot-com.
It takes a lot to surprise us when it comes to Japanese vending machines, considering we’ve seen everything from Sriracha to sushi meals being sold in them. While the latter might sound a bit dubious, we’ve had relatively good results with the weird and wacky, and we’re always keeping our eyes peeled for new discoveries.
The latest unusual vending machine we spotted was right outside of the ticket gates at Bashamichi Station on Yokohama’s Minatomirai Line. It was actually attracting a lot of curious glances from passersby, most likely because it was filled with Baumkuchen, the German spit cake that’s incredibly popular in Japan and usually goes by just “baum.”
▼ Cake from a vending machine somehow feels a lot safer than sushi.
A closer look at the sign revealed that this particular baum was produced by Cocotomo Farm, which makes a 100-percent gluten-free cake using homemade rice flour from Aichi Prefecture. According to the sign, its brown rice-based hard baum is even given as a welcome gift on the luxury Asuka III cruise ship–Japan’s largest passenger ship–and was being sold in this machine at a discounted price to reduce food waste.
Apparently there’s an Asuka III Meets 47 Prefectures Project, and this brand was selected as a representative for the Aichi Prefecture Room. As for why it’s being sold at this particular nondescript station in Yokohama, well, that part’s still a mystery–but perhaps it’s because there are several international cruise ship terminals in the area.
There were plenty of baum options in the vending machine, but none of the selections were for the brown rice-based hard baum variety alone. Therefore, we opted for a combo pack with a slice of that one along with a slice of the white rice-based soft baum for 650 yen (US$4.14), as well as a pack of hard baum edges for 500 yen.
▼ The machine takes cash or a variety of payment apps.
All of the baum in this machine are frozen to preserve their freshness, so our prizes were quite chilly when they first came out. Luckily, the weather was relatively warm on this particular day, and the slices of cake had thawed out well by the time we got home. Here they were in their simple, unpretentious packaging.
We were journalistically obligated to then immediately sample the slices of the soft and hard varieties, which were individually packaged.
▼ Soft baum (top) and hard baum (bottom)
The soft baum was true to its name and had a refined, moist texture. We would have never known that it was gluten-free if the packaging didn’t alert us. Meanwhile, the hard baum had the exact opposite kind of feel. It was densely packed and required some force to bite down on, being chewy at the same time. It also carried the distinctive almost nut-like flavor of brown rice. We had always assumed that all baum tasted more or less the same, but this sampling threw that notion far out the window.
Next, we broke out the hard baum edges. There were six individual pieces of slightly varying sizes packed into one bag.
The hard baum edges were, if anything, even more densely packed with flavor and texture than the soft baum and regular hard baum alike. Sure, they were rough-looking on the outside, but they hid an intense surprise on the inside.
In fact, they ended up being our favorite of the whole bunch. The value of six pieces for that price was also hard to beat.
We have no idea how long the Cocotomo Farm vending machine is going to be stationed at Bashamichi Station–but we suppose that whenever it goes away, we’ll just have to get our baum fix from the ample varieties sold at at Muji instead.
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/baum-vending-machine-in-a-yokohama-station-lets-us-eat-cake-served-on-a-luxury-cruise-ship/feed/ 0 748348 1_a88bfd Beloved, 100-year-old Tokyo public bathhouse Sengenyu is about to get a second life this December https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/beloved-100-year-old-tokyo-public-bathhouse-sengenyu-is-about-to-get-a-second-life-this-december/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/beloved-100-year-old-tokyo-public-bathhouse-sengenyu-is-about-to-get-a-second-life-this-december/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2026 15:00:29 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=748329 
Various entities take a dip together to save a community institution and preserve public bath culture for the next generation to enjoy.
Public bathhouses, known as sento in Japanese, have long served as important community gathering hubs where different generations can interact with one another. Unfortunately, not all public baths are able to stay afloat in this age of rising costs and other factors. Case in point: from 2015 to 2025, the number of public bathhouses operating in Tokyo dropped from 628 to 417 locations.
Thankfully, one public bath in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward called Sengenyu is not going to join those statistics anytime soon. First opened in 1927, the third-generation previous owner was on the verge of closing the beloved community staple due to their family’s increasing age and the deteriorating facilities. However, thanks to the Tokyo Public Bathhouse Succession Matching Program offered jointly by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Public Bathhouses Association, a new owner in company Ofuro Works was found. Now, instead of being demolished, Sengenyu is currently being renovated and will reopen to the public in early December.
▼ The current exterior of Sengenyu
The project includes large-scale remodeling of Sengenyu’s entrance, lobby, changing rooms, and saunas to update certain facilities.
▼ Rendition of the completed exterior, designed to blend in with the surrounding area
The lobby is particular is intended to become a spacious, relaxing entryway where patrons can soak in the warmth of the natural wood theme inside.
In addition, a new electric heater from Japanese bath company Metos will be installed within the saunas. Patrons can continue to throw water on the rocks themselves in order to increase the steam to their desired level.
These new updates don’t mean that Sengenyu will lose all of its original charm, though, as features such as the retro-style bathroom with its colorful tile art and the Shigaraki ware tanuki statue outside will be preserved in its redesign.
In a delightful community collaboration, Ofuro Works is also partnering with students at the local Nihon University College of Art to design an updated logo and mascot character based on the tanuki statue. It’s a true full-circle moment, as students from this school as well as other local universities have long been going to Sengenyu and can now leave their own personal mark on the space for many more years to come.
Finally, widespread public fundraising efforts are set to begin on November 1 through Japan’s largest crowdfunding site, Campfire. The project aims to raise 1 million yen (US$6,375) to help offset the costs of remodeling and updating the bath facilities. Financial backers will receive a towel, t-shirt, and a sneak-peek of Sengenyu behind the scenes before it reopens for business.
▼ The art students’ new logo combines the steam of a bathhouse with the puff of smoke that occurs when a tanuki transforms in Japanese folklore.
Despite the decrease in the total number of Tokyo public bathhouses, we can only hope that the statistics showing that the number of users is actually going up will allow Sengenyu and other bath facilities in the Greater Tokyo Area to flourish for 100 more years and beyond.
Bath information
Sengenyu / 浅間湯
Address: Tokyo-to, Nerima-ku, Sakae-cho 38-3
東京都練馬区栄町 38-3
Reopens in early December
Open (new hours): 3 p.m.-11 p.m.
Closed (new day): Mondays
Instagram
Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/27/beloved-100-year-old-tokyo-public-bathhouse-sengenyu-is-about-to-get-a-second-life-this-december/feed/ 0 748329 1_96efa6 Family Mart enters the soft serve game with giga-sized cones of milk or matcha goodness https://soranews24.com/2026/10/22/family-mart-enters-the-soft-serve-game-with-giga-sized-cones-of-milk-or-matcha-goodness/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/22/family-mart-enters-the-soft-serve-game-with-giga-sized-cones-of-milk-or-matcha-goodness/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2026 03:00:39 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=747893 
Four stores in Tokyo recently started selling the soft serve in three flavors with little to no fanfare.
Ministop is usually the Japanese convenience store chain that people equate with fresh soft serve ice cream, but that may be about to change now that one of The Big Three chains, Family Mart, seems to be experimenting with soft serve at four locations in Tokyo. Strangely, however, we couldn’t find any official press release related to it on Family Mart’s website, and October seems like an odd time to unveil a frozen dessert. Perhaps the mystery is meant to be part of the allure…
Our very own zany reporter and sweets enthusiast Mr. Sato had gotten a hot tip that the Kanda Awaji-cho location is one of the stores offering soft serve. He headed over to check it out for himself and found an unassuming poster out front, but that was about it. He would have thought they would be making a bigger fuss of it.
The three flavors being offered are milk, matcha, and mix (milk & matcha). Each one is offered in a “short size” (250 yen/US$1.60) or “giga size” (298 yen) and can be ordered in a cup or cone.
▼ The giga size is pictured most prominently below, while the short size is pictured in milk flavor-form in the bottom left.
Orders for the soft serve should be placed at the counter, and there are handy ordering cards with each of the three flavors for you to hand over to the staff. Be sure to specify if you’d like a short size, as giga seems to be the default.
Mr. Sato of course sprung for the giga size, and it was ready quite quickly. Here was his first-ever Family Mart soft serve cone!
It started melting right away so he quickly snapped a couple of photos and dug in. It was a rich, creamy milk flavor with moderate sweetness and the perfect full-bodied texture inside his mouth.
He had the feeling that Ministop’s milky flavor is a bit more prominent, though he can’t confirm that without trying them side by side.
▼ Regardless, he’ll scream for ice cream no matter what!
Rumors are that Family Mart hopes to sell the soft serve at four more stores in the Tokyo area by the end of the year as well, bringing the total to eight stores. Mr. Sato is happy as long as there’s an increasing number of opportunities to find convenience store soft serve moving forward–and he’ll keep supporting Ministop, too!
Store information
Family Mart Kanda Awaji-cho / ファミリーマート神田淡路町店
Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Ogawa-machi 1-1-16
東京都千代田区神田小川町 1丁目1-16
Open 24 hours a day (though soft serve may not be available for purchase 24/7)
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/22/family-mart-enters-the-soft-serve-game-with-giga-sized-cones-of-milk-or-matcha-goodness/feed/ 0 747893 1_197c73 It’s time for the kokia to shine at this herb gardens and ropeway attraction in Kobe https://soranews24.com/2026/10/21/its-time-for-the-kokia-to-shine-at-this-herb-gardens-and-ropeway-attraction-in-kobe/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/21/its-time-for-the-kokia-to-shine-at-this-herb-gardens-and-ropeway-attraction-in-kobe/#comments Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:00:34 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=747875 
The park’s Garden Fest 2026 -Autumn- event is enveloped in a sea of fire this year that’s perfect for making fall memories.
’Tis the season for kochia (bassia scoparia), nicknamed kokia in Japanese and firebush in English, to have their moment in the spotlight. Mt. Hakodate’s Kokia Park in Shiga Prefecture and Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki are two of the most famous places for viewing kokia in all of their crimson, autumn glory, but this year, a locale in Kobe promises to raise a colorful challenge.
Situated at an elevation of 400 meters (1,434 feet), Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway’s Garden Fest 2026 -Autumn- event from September 12 through December 6 is well underway, but now through the end of October is the peak time to see the kokia looking like they’re on fire. The grounds have three main areas where kokia have been incorporated into the landscaping, including the following spot right outside of the park’s Glass House where they take center stage.
▼ Flames of crimson
It’s a perfect spot to take a photo looking like you’re engulfed in flames.
The second spot is the Windy Hill Lawn Plaza, a windswept spot on slightly higher grounds with Kobe’s modern cityscape in the background.
Here, you can recline in hammocks while admiring the contrast of vivid red and skyscraper silver.
While lounging, enjoy lazily watching the gondolas pass by on the ropeway as well.
The third spot is by one of the flower and herb gardens where the kokia mingle with their other fall cousins like the silver cock’s comb pictured below.
▼ Kokia with orange zinnias
The gardens are home to approximately 200 kinds of plants and 75,000 individual herbs and flowers, so your eyes will never tire of the different color combinations.
The Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway is currently following its fall season hours through November 6, which are from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (last entry at 4:30 p.m.) on weekdays and 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. (last entry at 5 p.m.) on weekends. The ropeway opens at 9:30 a.m. and the last ride down is at 5:15 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. on weekends. A standard entrance fee for one adult with a round-trip ropeway ticket and entrance to the Herb Garden is 2,500 yen for adults (US$16) and 1,250 yen for children (elementary through junior high school), though there are some discounts for those entering after 5 p.m. who wish to view the gardens only.
For some gastronomic fun while you’re in Kobe, consider stopping by this retro eatery specializing in sobameshi that we recently enjoyed.
Park information
Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway / 神戸布引ハーブ園／ロープウェイ
Address: Hyogo-ken, Kobe-shi, Chuo-ku, Kitano-cho 1-4-3
兵庫県神戸市中央区北野町 1-4-3
Website
Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/21/its-time-for-the-kokia-to-shine-at-this-herb-gardens-and-ropeway-attraction-in-kobe/feed/ 0 747875 2_f86df9 We waited three hours to get into the new carb heaven all-you-can-eat bread restaurant in Osaka https://soranews24.com/2026/10/14/we-waited-three-hours-to-get-into-the-new-carb-heaven-all-you-can-eat-bread-restaurant-in-osaka/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/14/we-waited-three-hours-to-get-into-the-new-carb-heaven-all-you-can-eat-bread-restaurant-in-osaka/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:00:55 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=747414 
We still had to wait three hours to get in to this new eatery one-and-a-half months after opening, but we finally understood why once it was our turn.
The up-and-coming Bakery Restaurant C chain in Japan offers a unique deal: order one main dish and you’re able to enjoy all-you-can-eat bread. It’s nothing to scoff at, either, because the quality and variety of the bread is top-notch–perhaps as to be expected of an eatery run by the same parent company as the St. Marc Cafe chain and all-you-can-eat cheese and doria chain.
The restaurant recently expanded from Tokyo to a couple of locations in Osaka, including the mammoth Abeno Harukas shopping complex on September 1. During our recent trip to Osaka, we made our way up to the building’s 12th floor around 11:30 a.m. on a weekday to check it out…
…and were shocked to find that 66 parties had already put their names down ahead of us on the waiting list. This was way longer of a wait than at Tokyo’s Shibuya Mark City location where we can usually walk right in and get a table with ease.
While waiting, we noted some menu differences between the locations. While the Shibuya branch has a set deal with a main meal for a standard 2,849 yen (US$18), here, the main meals vary in price. For someone targeting the all-you-can-eat bread deal, the Colorful Vegetable Minestrone and Rich Seafood Clam Chowder (both 2,178 yen) are the most economical options.
On the other hand, the Hanger Steak (260 grams [9.17 ounces]) clocked in at a steeper 3,490 yen.
Ultimately, we didn’t feel like waiting to get through that many people, so we decided to come back earlier the following day.
And so we found ourselves taking the elevator to the 12th floor at 10:10 a.m., a whole 20 minutes before the store’s opening time of 10:30 a.m. We headed over to the restaurant’s entrance…
…only to discover that a huge line had already formed.
▼ It seems there’s no escaping the queue to get into carb heaven.
We realized that there was a ticket distribution system, so we grabbed one and became the lucky recipients of No. 59. Eek. Hopefully that meant we’d get inside right around lunch time.
We explored the building while waiting, including the highest observatory in western Japan. The text message that it was our turn finally came at 1:07 p.m., three hours after we had initially arrived. Groups can stay at their table for a maximum of 70 minutes, so it seemed like most groups were taking full advantage of that time limit.
To celebrate our long wait, we decided to go all out by ordering the Mixed Grill with Hamburg, Chicken, and Sausage (3,278 yen) which isn’t offered at the Shibuya location.
Putting the unlimited bread aside, the juicy steak and other meat packed a substantial punch on its own.
▼ The main dish was so good that we almost–almost–forgot about the bread.
However, it was no secret that our original motivation for going here was the bread, so it was time to check out the options. Let’s just say that a proper and expansive bakery spread was waiting for us.
There were all different kinds of bread from the sweet to the savory, including ones with fillings and seasonally appropriate Halloween-themed treats.
How would we ever be able to choose which ones to sample before our stomachs gave out?!
We eventually tried a wide sampling of different types until we felt ready to float away on a fluffy carb-filled cloud.
What we learned from this visit is that if you want to eat lunch at Bakery Restaurant C in the Abeno Harukas Osaka location anytime in the near future, you’ll likely want to show up before 10 a.m. to grab a ticket and then kill time in other parts of the building. It’s absolutely worth the wait, though–and you can bet that our own resident massive carb fan Mr. Sato will be sure to check it out at some point himself.
Store information
Bakery Restaurant C Abeno Harukas location / ベーカリーレストランCあべのハルカス店
Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Abeno-ku, Abeno-suji 1-1-43 Abeno Harukas, 12th floor
大阪府大阪市阿倍野区阿倍野筋 1-1-43 あべのハルカス12階
Open: 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.
Website
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/14/we-waited-three-hours-to-get-into-the-new-carb-heaven-all-you-can-eat-bread-restaurant-in-osaka/feed/ 0 747414 10_a9d90c Bilingual illustrated ninja guide stealthily drops courtesy of a top ninja researcher in Japan https://soranews24.com/2026/10/14/bilingual-illustrated-ninja-guide-stealthily-drops-courtesy-of-a-top-ninja-researcher-in-japan/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/14/bilingual-illustrated-ninja-guide-stealthily-drops-courtesy-of-a-top-ninja-researcher-in-japan/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2026 16:00:31 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=747402 
A new visual guide for the ninja enthusiast in your life sheds light on the myth and fact behind Japan’s historical agents of infiltration.
Whether you grew up watching historical Japanese dramas or dreamed of attending Konoha Ninja Academy in Naruto, ninja have long captured the imagination of people from around the world. Japan has capitalized on this collective interest in recent years by offering everything from a Batman Ninja stage show to an actual ninja certification exam.
On October 15, Tokyo-based publisher of educational guides Natsume-sha is set to release Ninja: An Illustrated Guide to Japan’s Secret Agents. The compact A6-sized, 160-page book is being billed as an excellent gift for Japanese people to bring as a gift when traveling abroad due to its fully bilingual nature and helpful illustrations. What also sets this volume apart from other guides is that its creation was closely supervised by Yuji Yamada, a professor at Mie University who holds leadership roles in the Mie University International Ninja Research Center and International Ninja Research Association.
▼ We previously featured Yamada a few years ago at the onset of the Japan Ninja Council’s crowdfunding efforts for the Nindo online ninja academy.
The new book focuses on the contrast behind real historical ninja vs. the ones in the public consciousness. All text is presented in an easy-to-follow format with bilingual illustrations and accompanying illustrations.
It’s also broken into six main parts covering a wide range of topics such as the ninja’s role in intelligence gathering and infiltration, weapons, tools, ninjutsu techniques, and even historically accurate lifestyle depictions.
For instance, did you ever wonder what the deal was with those hand seals used by Naruto characters? It turns out that there’s actually a real-life connection to esoteric Buddhism.
Ninja: An Illustrated Guide to Japan’s Secret Agents releases in Japanese bookstores and on Amazon Japan on the 15th. We’ll certainly be snatching up a copy faster than the blink of an eye while we wait for any news regarding the unconfirmed reopening of Japan’s Ise Ninja Park in Mie.
Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/14/bilingual-illustrated-ninja-guide-stealthily-drops-courtesy-of-a-top-ninja-researcher-in-japan/feed/ 0 747402 fi Nissin takes the lid off its first-ever Cup Noodle Point Program for you to win fun prizes https://soranews24.com/2026/10/06/nissin-takes-the-lid-off-its-first-ever-cup-noodle-point-program-for-you-to-win-fun-prizes/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/06/nissin-takes-the-lid-off-its-first-ever-cup-noodle-point-program-for-you-to-win-fun-prizes/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2026 01:00:22 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=746719 
The more noodles you slurp up, the more kinds of instant noodle-themed prizes you can enter to win.
Nissin Foods is celebrating 55 years of its iconic Cup Noodle brand with the first-of-its-kind permanent Cup Noodle Point Program, in which you can enter to win fun prizes ranging from Cup Noodle’s Mystery Meat-themed functional decor to a full day of fun with a friend at Universal Studios Japan.
Residents of Japan are eligible for the program where you earn 1 point per Cup Noodle brand item bought. Most standard-sized Cup Noodle products qualify, though you can always double check the packaging to make sure it displays the point program’s information and a sample QR code, as shown below.
▼ Eligible Cup Noodle Point Program products will display a small QR code for easy recognition.
To participate, just create a new account (you can pre-register using the QR code here) and scan the QR code found after you’ve purchased and opened an eligible product. Your member rank will go up as you accumulate more and more points, as will the variety of the rewards that you can apply for. The current ranks–with whimsical designs of the Mystery Meat character mascot to match–are as follows:
● Mini: 1-4 points
● Regular: 5-9 points
● Big: 10-19 points
● King: 20-49 points
● Mega: 50+ points
▼ Cup Noodle Point Program member ranks
All participants can download a free present of Cup Noodle-themed smartphone wallpaper. Otherwise, there are two methods for entering to win prizes via a time-based system and via a lottery system.
The time-based system is perfect for those who love a first-come, first-served challenge when the clock resets every week on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. JST. Each of the below rewards is limited to a different number of winners per week, ranging from 10 to 100, depending on the prize.
● [100 winners] Cup Noodle ingredients character stickers (set of four)
● [40 winners] Cup Noodle “The Fork” (right-handed or left-handed versions)
● [100 winners] Cup Noodle-shaped reusable bags (random from three designs)
● [50 winners] Cup Noodle ingredients character keychain
● [10 winners] Cup Noodle bento box
● [10 winners] Cup Noodle rug mat
Meanwhile, the lottery-based system contains some unexpectedly fun brand tie-in prizes that you can enter to win by using a specified number of points. You must have Big Rank or above to enter.
● [3 points] Cup Noodle x Bandai Gashapon logo accessory (random from six designs)
● [3 points] Cup Noodle x Clubhaus golf ball marker (red, yellow, blue, green)
● [5 points] Cup Noodle x Clubhaus Fairway Wood headcover (red, yellow, blue, green)
● [5 points] Cup Noodle x Columbia Basin to Garden short sleeve t-shirt in large size (white and black colors)
● [7 points] Cup Noodle Mystery Meat ottoman
● [8 points] Cup Noodle mahjong tiles
● [30 points] A full day of fun at Universal Studios Japan with a party and private night rental (for two people)
▼ Time-based prizes (first six pictured below) and lottery-based prizes (last seven pictured below)
If you’re confused about that last one, it turns out that Nissin Foods is an official marketing partner of Universal Studios Japan–something that we certainly won’t complain about!
The possible rewards will likely continue to grow and evolve over time, so check back on the official website frequently for any updates. It’s also important to note that on your one-year anniversary of registering for the Cup Noodle Point Program, any unused points you’ve accumulated will expire, but on the second-year anniversary and beyond, your member rank will remain the same as the rank you ended on in the previous year.
On our end, we’ll start accumulating points to try to score one of the above prizes ASAP. At the very least, it sounds like a great opportunity to try out more slightly unhinged Cup Noodle recipe ideas as well.
Source, images: Nissin
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/06/nissin-takes-the-lid-off-its-first-ever-cup-noodle-point-program-for-you-to-win-fun-prizes/feed/ 0 746719 nissin_cappo_top_260820 Sendai Bank gifts babies their weight at birth in money upon opening a new bank account https://soranews24.com/2026/10/06/sendai-bank-gifts-babies-their-weight-at-birth-in-money-upon-opening-a-new-bank-account/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/06/sendai-bank-gifts-babies-their-weight-at-birth-in-money-upon-opening-a-new-bank-account/#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2026 17:30:08 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=746735 
Having a big baby may be decidedly not fun for the mother, the baby’s first bank account will positively rejoice!
Beginning on October 1, babies in Miyagi Prefecture can receive celebratory money for being born–and the bigger the baby, the more the money.
Sendai Bank will deposit the equivalent number of yen as the child’s weight in grams at birth upon creation of the first bank account in their name if certain requirements are met. For instance, a baby born at 3,250 grams (7.17 pounds) will receive a gift of 3,250 yen (US$20.59) in their account. The idea was actually devised by an employee, and the bank hopes that this new perk will encourage families to use their services for a long time as the child grows older.
▼ The monetary gift can also be used to help offset the costs of new babies accidentally damaging their parents’ devices.
The main eligibility requirements are that the child is six years or under and received a Sukusuku (“healthy growing”) Box, which is a project being implemented as child-rearing assistance throughout Miyagi Prefecture. The box is filled with helpful childcare items and samples from sponsoring companies. In addition, parents must also deposit a minimum of 30,000 yen into the new bank account at the time of its creation.
For anyone wondering, no, you can’t simply fudge the numbers to make it appear that your baby was born extra chubby. Sendai Bank will confirm the baby’s weight at the time of birth via the official Maternal and Child Health Handbook, a helpful log and guidebook distributed by municipalities that tracks a baby’s growth during pregnancy and post-partum by healthcare professionals. Still, though, if you’re expecting a little one soon, it wouldn’t hurt to try eating some big food before birth to wish for a big bank account.
Source: Nikkei via Golden Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/06/sendai-bank-gifts-babies-their-weight-at-birth-in-money-upon-opening-a-new-bank-account/feed/ 0 746735 baby Sample lots of little Japanese dishes at this hidden all-you-can-eat lunch buffet in Shinjuku https://soranews24.com/2026/10/01/sample-lots-of-little-japanese-dishes-at-this-hidden-all-you-can-eat-lunch-buffet-in-shinjuku/ https://soranews24.com/2026/10/01/sample-lots-of-little-japanese-dishes-at-this-hidden-all-you-can-eat-lunch-buffet-in-shinjuku/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2026 15:00:55 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=746347 
Want to try all kinds of Japanese dishes but don’t know where to start? This gem with “hidden” in its name has got you covered.
Just recently we learned of a restaurant in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district where you can sample over 35 kinds of Japanese dishes at an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. Kakurebo (literally, “Hidden Room”) is on the 7th floor of the Adhoc Building in Shinjuku’s Sanchome district, less than a 10-minute walk from our editorial offices. It so lived up to its name, in fact, that it had escaped the notice of even our veteran writers who have been working in the neighborhood for over 20 years.
▼ A sign for the restaurant with “hidden” (隠れ) in its name outside of the building
We took the elevator up and were greeted by a multilingual sign inviting us inside.
Details about the lunch buffet were front and center. 90 minutes of all-you-can-eat dishes and a drink bar for 1,800 yen (US$11.45) for adults/600 yen for kids (ages 6-12) on weekdays and 2,200 yen for adults/900 yen for kids on weekends didn’t seem like a bad deal. Children under six are free.
We’d heard rumors that there are sometimes lines around lunch time, but it was fairly calm on this particular day when we stopped by around 12:15 p.m.
Not only did we see Japanese-style dishes everywhere, but there was also an assortment of cold Chinese-style vegetable sides and other kinds of side dishes.
Hot dishes included ebi shinjo (minced shrimp and seafood dumplings), simmered root vegetables, stir-fried veggies, and stuffed cabbage.
We had assumed that a restaurant specializing in Japanese dishes might lean on the healthy side of things, but there plenty of deep-fried Western-style Japanese dishes as well such as chicken karaage and pork skewers, plus French fries.
The chicken, shrimp, and sweet potato tempura offerings were especially enticing.
For those who need rice to ground themselves, never fear, because there was plenty of white rice and a multigrain rice blend as well. Somewhat unusually, there was also pollack roe udon.
Our first spread looked like this. It was perfect for trying a little bit of a lot of things.
Thankfully, the taste of everything was generally excellent. All of the dishes were seasoned well and at an appropriate level for lunch, whether it was the eggplant stew or the tofu hamburg.
Overall there seemed to be a lot of chicken-based dishes, but there were so many different takes and styles of preparation that we never got bored.
Even if we did, we could always spice things up with some salt, curry salt, matcha salt, or yukari (shiso) salt in the seasonings corner.
Our only potential gripe was that the udon noodles were a bit on the soft side, but the pollack roe accents made up for it in a burst of flavor.
The curry also held a subtle dashi flavor befitting of Japanese-style cuisine that made it pair well with the other dishes as well.
For dessert, we had a few cubes of coffee jelly, almond jelly, and a sliced waffle to round off our meal. All of those little bites sure added up!
Finally, regarding the vibes, we thought the interior of the restaurant was spacious, clean, and modern-looking. We’ll definitely be going back–especially on days when we need to escape the craziness of the office!
It seems that Shinjuku Sanchome will never stop surprising us with delicious places that have been right under our noses the whole time.
Restaurant information
Kakurebo Shinjuku / 隠れ房 新宿店
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku 3-15-11 Adhoc Shinjuku Building, 7th floor
東京都新宿区新宿 3-15-11 アドホック新宿ビル 7F
Open: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5-11 p.m. (on Sundays closes at 10 p.m.)
Website
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/10/01/sample-lots-of-little-japanese-dishes-at-this-hidden-all-you-can-eat-lunch-buffet-in-shinjuku/feed/ 0 746347 11_e6de6d Pickling Shine Muscats was not on our bingo card, but were we grapeful we tried?【SoraKitchen】 https://soranews24.com/2026/09/29/pickling-shine-muscats-was-not-on-our-bingo-card-but-were-we-grapeful-we-tried%e3%80%90sorakitchen%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/29/pickling-shine-muscats-was-not-on-our-bingo-card-but-were-we-grapeful-we-tried%e3%80%90sorakitchen%e3%80%91/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:00:54 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=746326 
We followed a tip we heard through the grapevine that Japan’s sweet grape variety is even sweeter when pickled in a bed of fermented rice bran.
Shine Muscat grapes are in season right now, and we’ve been craving them as a result. We bought our own bunch and began exploring creative ways of eating them besides straight from the fridge. That’s when we stumbled upon a tip to pickle them in nukadoko, a fermented rice bran bed that’s usually used to make nukazuke pickled vegetables and can be easily purchased at grocery stores, online, or even at Muji Japan stores. Would fruit really taste good using this method as well? There was only one way to find out.
The only two ingredients needed for our culinary experiment were a 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) bag of aged nukadoko, like this one from brand Tsukemoto, and a bunch of Shine Muscat grapes.
▼ For the fastest pickling results, make sure that your bag says 熟成 (jukusei) like the one we used, which means that the mixture inside is already matured and ready for fermenting.
▼ Shine Muscats are on the pricey side, so we were a bit anxious about wasting them if this experiment didn’t turn out well.
We gently washed the grapes and removed the moisture, then laid them neatly inside the nukadoko bag…
…only to cover them up completely in the mixture as the last step. They need to stay like that for at least three hours, and we set our timer for four since even though we didn’t want to do the bare minimum, this was a brand-new bag of nukadoko and we wanted to avoid ending up with an overly strong flavor.
▼ Enjoy your special bath, grapes!
Once enough time had passed we removed them from the bag.
After washing them, there was no outward sign that they had been chilling in a fermented rice bran bath.
There was also no visible change when we compared one of them with a grape that hadn’t undergone a bath–both in terms of outer appearance…
▼ Nukadoko grape (left) and ordinary grape (right)
…as well as when sliced. Even when touching them we couldn’t discern any change in their texture or elasticity. Our doubts about this process were growing stronger by the minute.
Let’s see if they lived up to the online hype. First, we took a bite of a regular Shine Muscat to calibrate our taste. As usual, it was sweet, refreshing, and juicy, exemplifying its status as one of Japan’s favorite grapes.
Then it was time to sample the results of our little experiment. WHOAH! Even though it looked no different to the naked eye, the flavor of these grapes was unmistakably deeper and sweeter. It was as if that sweetness were concentrated and enhanced to a strong degree. There were no lingering smell or taste reminders of the fermented rice bran itself, but the saltiness and acidity of the bath must have drawn out the sweetness to the highest possible degree.
The end result? The remaining untouched grapes went right into the nukadoko bag for their own fermentation bath.
For now, the jury’s still out on whether we enjoy this other unorthodox approach to eating Shine Muscats more, so we invite readers to do a taste comparison and decide for themselves.
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/29/pickling-shine-muscats-was-not-on-our-bingo-card-but-were-we-grapeful-we-tried%e3%80%90sorakitchen%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 746326 1 Denny’s Mapputatsu? Parfait is hiding a big secret in plain sight that splits us down the middle https://soranews24.com/2026/09/22/dennys-mapputatsu-parfait-is-hiding-a-big-secret-in-plain-sight-that-splits-us-down-the-middle/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/22/dennys-mapputatsu-parfait-is-hiding-a-big-secret-in-plain-sight-that-splits-us-down-the-middle/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2026 03:00:12 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=745551 
The Mapputatsu? Parfait tackles food waste without sacrificing visuals so that you can still happily feed both yourself and your phone.
Back in January, a new style of parfait appeared at Denny’s Japan. From the front it appears as a regular parfait, but from the side, it looks like it’s been split in two–leading to its name, the Mapputatsu? Parfait (“Two equal parts? Parfait”).
▼ Pictured below are versions with Shine Muscat grapes for 1,078 yen (US$6.87) and with chocolate for 748 yen.
The purpose of this unusual setup is to reduce food waste while still providing a visually attractive, photo-worthy treat for diners. The menu even provides statistics that 54 percent of diners have ordered food for the sake of posting photos on social media and one out of three have left their dessert unfinished at family-style restaurants in Japan. With parfaits typically looking like veritable works of food art but also being on the larger side, we can assume that they’re one of the more common menu items that diners order for the visual spectacle but aren’t able to finish.
Initially, the Mapputatsu? Parfait was only available at two Denny’s Japan locations, but it’s been slowly expanding onto menus across the country. We happened to be in the area of Saitama-Shintoshin’s Cocoon City shopping complex branch recently and decided to swing by to finally try it out.
Once we sat down and peeked at the digital tablet menu, we were excited to see it in all of its question-asking glory. It was a tough choice but we ordered the Shine Muscat version.
It arrived about 10 minutes later. We took a moment to admire its striking visuals from head-on, the way the waiter had placed it down on the table in front of us.
Unsuspecting diners would never know…
…that the reverse side held a big secret: the parfait glass indeed looked like it had been split straight down the middle!
▼ Even the grapes were cleanly sliced in half.
Thankfully, that didn’t mean the glass was in any danger of collapsing, but just that the vessel was only half the width of a regular one.
We had a train to catch soon, so it was time to dig in. It was still blowing our minds that even viewed from the top it looked like a perfectly ordinary parfait.
The Shine Muscat grapes were, as usual, tantalizingly sweet and refreshing. They meshed wonderfully with the layers of sorbet and jelly lining the inside of the glass. It felt good to know that we were still getting everything that we would from a normal parfait.
The sweet treat as a whole was truly the perfect size to feel full in a comfortable–not sickly–way.
Some readers might be asking, “Why not just order a mini parfait instead?” Mini parfaits in smaller glass dishes also exist at Denny’s Japan, so that’s always a possibility. However, we have to admit that there’s something special about the thrill of having a tall parfait placed in front of you that a shorter one just can’t replace.
Please note that not all Denny’s Japan locations may offer the Mapputatsu? Parfait. Those that do may not have all the same versions, either, so it’s best to check ahead of time if there’s a specific flavor that you want. We would strongly recommend the Shine Muscat variety–in fact, it was so good that we’re now hooked on anything with the same taste!
Restaurant information
Denny’s Cocoon City branch / デニーズ コクーンシティ店
Address: Saitama-ken, Saitama-shi, Omiya-ku, Kishiki-cho 4-263-8
埼玉県さいたま市大宮区吉敷町 4-263-8
Open: 6 a.m.-11:30 p.m. (last order at 11 p.m.)
Website
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/22/dennys-mapputatsu-parfait-is-hiding-a-big-secret-in-plain-sight-that-splits-us-down-the-middle/feed/ 0 745551 1_538ca2 The number of centenarians living in Japan tops 100,000 for the first time https://soranews24.com/2026/09/21/the-number-of-centenarians-living-in-japan-tops-100000-for-the-first-time/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/21/the-number-of-centenarians-living-in-japan-tops-100000-for-the-first-time/#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:00:12 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=745541 
Perhaps even more impressively, it’s also the 56th consecutive year that centenarian numbers have broken records.
100 is an impressive number on its own, especially when you see it laid out in some kind of visual form. 100 coins, 100 books, 100 days on a calendar…you’re probably running out of physical room to display whatever it is. However, let’s now multiply that number by 1,000 to arrive at 100,000–a virtually incomprehensible number from a visual standpoint, but one that’s now connected to a new population record in Japan.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare recently announced that as of September 1, there’s a record number of 107,677 centenarians living in Japan–which is up 7,914 people from the previous year and is the first time the number has surpassed 100,000. For reference, when the Ministry began tracking numbers in 1963, there were only 153 documented centenarians, and the number surpassed 50,000 for the first time in 2012. Currently, the oldest living woman is 114-year-old Fuyo Kishimoto of Kyoto City and the oldest living man is 112-year-old Hikaru Kato of Kumamoto City.
▼ We’re gonna need a bigger cake for all of those candles.
Out of this year’s record number, 94,298 of them are women–which is just shy of 90 percent–while 13,379 are men. It also includes a combined 54,294 foreign nationals and permanent residents of Japan, with 45,769 women and 8,525 men. That’s also the highest number ever recorded, with a 1,984-person increase since last year as the proportion of foreign populations within Japan continue to grow.
Nationally, for every 10,000 people in Japan, the average number of centenarians is 87.51. Prefectures with the highest average of them are Shimane with 186.65, Kochi with 169.52, and Tottori with 152.48. Prefectures with the fewest average of them are Saitama with 51.27, Aichi with 57.79, and Osaka with 60.06.
▼One present for every birthday would take up a lot of table space.
This new data is timely for Respect for the Aged Day, a public holiday in Japan celebrated this year on September 21. With many cities rethinking how to celebrate the birthdays of their older residents given the increasing numbers of them, we can only hope that Japan’s birthday candle business can also keep up with them all.
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun Online via Kinisoku
Top image: Pakutaso
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/21/the-number-of-centenarians-living-in-japan-tops-100000-for-the-first-time/feed/ 0 745541 old Snow Salt Soft Cream Cafe & Bar for grown-ups opens in Tokyo’s Ueno area with a bookish surprise https://soranews24.com/2026/09/16/snow-salt-soft-cream-cafe-bar-for-grown-ups-opens-in-tokyos-ueno-area-with-a-bookish-surprise/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/16/snow-salt-soft-cream-cafe-bar-for-grown-ups-opens-in-tokyos-ueno-area-with-a-bookish-surprise/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:00:06 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=745033 
Adults can indulge in a coffee or alcoholic beverage paired with soft serve ice cream at this new oasis of calm in the city.
Snow Salt Soft Cream Cafe & Bar is a new soft serve ice cream brand from the Hokkaido-based company Daruma that’s said to use an exquisite blend of milk and salt in its base. The shop is only a five-minute walk from the Hirokoji Exit of JR Ueno Station in a quiet neighborhood that’s in the exact opposite direction of the noisy Ameyoko shopping street.
Never ones to resist a sweet treat for grown-ups, we set our sights on checking it out as soon as we could. We ended up visiting on a weekday less than a week after its grand opening, and lovely celebratory bouquets of orchids and other flowers still graced its entrance.
The soft serve utilizes milk from Hokkaido’s Iwase Farm and salt sourced from Okinawa–two ingredients from extreme ends of the country. The heart of the food menu centers on soft serve dishes, including the standard “Snow Salt” soft serve, “Snow on Snow” soft serve combo with chunks of milk bread, espresso affogato, Hokkaido yogurt affogato, and whiskey affogato. Beverages include coffee or espresso-based drinks as well as ones with alcohol such as highballs.
After ordering, we took a moment to look around. While we initially thought that the shop emphasized takeout, upon closer inspection, we soon realized that there was a third-floor Picture Book Lounge where customers could sit down and eat. The space is perfect for people wanting to take a quiet moment for themselves while flipping through the pages of a nostalgic childhood tale.
After a short wait, our order of iced coffee (480 yen [US$3.15]) and espresso affogato (780 yen) arrived. We had debated getting the coffee when we were already getting espresso along with the dessert, but our craving for it won us over. Oh well–it’s not like our office isn’t familiar with overly caffeinated writers who get up to weird antics…
We resolved to first try a bite of the famous Snow Salt soft serve with nothing else added.
The soft serve’s milk flavor was rich and full-bodied with a decent weight to it, despite it melting easily in our mouths. The hint of added salt also balanced out the sweetness perfectly.
OK, now it was time to make the affogato. We drizzled some espresso on top and watched as the hot liquid forged small rivers in the soft serve.
The dish had an amazing synergy. The espresso naturally added bitterness to the flavor, which in turn actually caused the sweetness to stand out more, but not at the loss of the former. We imagine that the whiskey affogato would result in a similarly delicious effect.
While the hustle and bustle of other parts of Ueno are undoubtedly fun, Snow Salt creates a quiet, relaxing space for you to pair an adult snack with a nostalgic picture book. Daruma’s Tokyo Office is also located on the 4th floor of the same building, making the space into a family affair.
If your idea of sweets is something more along the line of Japanese-style pudding, you may be interested in finding your oasis at this cafe in another part of the city instead.
Shop information
Snow Salt / スノーソルト
Address: Tokyo-to, Taito-ku, Higashiueno 2-13-2 Snow Salt Building
東京都台東区東上野 2丁目13-2 SNOW SALT BUILDING
Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Website
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/16/snow-salt-soft-cream-cafe-bar-for-grown-ups-opens-in-tokyos-ueno-area-with-a-bookish-surprise/feed/ 0 745033 5_033b13 Starbucks and clothing brand Beams team up for launch of second collaborative core collection https://soranews24.com/2026/09/15/starbucks-and-clothing-brand-beams-team-up-for-launch-of-second-collaborative-core-collection/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/15/starbucks-and-clothing-brand-beams-team-up-for-launch-of-second-collaborative-core-collection/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:00:15 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=744981 
You can wear your love for coffee on your sleeve in this new series of Starbucks Stand by Beams clothing and lifestyle goods–literally, in one case.
It’s been a year since Starbucks Japan teamed up with Japanese clothing brand Beams for a joint “Starbucks Stand by Beams” collaboration. Following the success of that first series of items that blended fashion and coffee culture, the giants are now gearing up to release a second series in the core collection.
▼ Starbucks Stand by Beams is not even the first time that the two major brands have teamed up for apparel.
The new line will debut on September 18 with 14 types of items, with one each sold exclusively at the Starbucks online shop and Beams stores respectively. All clothing items are unisex and come in sizes extra-small through extra-large, though the Starbucks online shop carries sizes small through extra-large only.
● Logo ringer t-shirts (9,350 yen [US$61])
This timeless design comes in either beige or blue colors with darker accents along the neckline and sleeve hemlines. It’s a made of a rayon blend of heathered fabric.
● Logo zipper hoodies (19,800 yen)
A USA cotton fleece lining lends the ultimate comfort to these brown, green, oatmeal-colored full-zip hoodies.
● Logo sweatpants (16,500 yen)
With the same colors to match the above hoodies, these wide sweatpants feature a heavyweight USA cotton fleece lining. They also include a length adjuster and a zippered back pocket.
● Oxford shirt (15,400 yen, exclusive to the Starbucks online shop)
A cute tumbler embroidery graces the front left pocket of this wide-fit Oxford shirt made of heavyweight cotton.
● Flap chino pants (19,800 yen, exclusive to Beams stores)
Dress up or dress down in these classically comfortable olive, beige, or brown chino pants that come with flap pockets and adjustable hems.
● Black denim jacket (41,800 yen)
Made with denim from Japan’s leading denim-producing area, Okayama, the jacket’s initial color is faded then subsequently washed using discarded coffee bean husks for a dark, natural coffee hue (there’s no word yet on whether it’s coffee-scented as well).
● Natural color logo PVC pouch (3,960 yen)
This multiuse pouch features different logos on each side, including the familiar Starbucks siren. Its PVC material is water and stain-resistant.
● Clear color logo PVC pouch (3,300 yen)
This one is another multiuse pouch but this time transparent for you to be able to see what’s stored inside.
● Craft paper cool bag (7,150 yen)
Made from Tyvek material, this lunch bag resembles the paper bags given with Starbucks food orders. Built-in aluminum-coated insulation keeps the food inside cool and mesh pockets help you keep things separated.
● Synthetic leather drawstring bag (12,100 yen)
On the slightly more stylish end, this black drawstring bag has two-way functionality with its removable shoulder strap.
● Logo PVC shoulder tote bag (8,800 yen)
Meanwhile, this small tote is perfect for everyday use and is equipped with an interior pocket and carabiner for extra security.
● Coffee cherry bandana (2,970 yen)
These brown and navy-colored bandanas can serve a variety of practical or aesthetic purposes with their intricate design of coffee berries (commonly called “coffee cherries”), leaves, and flowers in a lacelike pattern.
● Drink-ID socks (3,300 yen)
White-and-black socks with the drink customization chart found on the back of Starbucks cups are perfect for that person who customizes every part of their drink. They come in two sizes–small (23-25 centimeters [9-9.8 inches]) and medium (25-27 centimeters).
● To-go bottles (5,800 yen)
The last new item in the core collection is a beige or navy stainless steel bottle designed to capture the look of Starbucks’ paper cups. It has double-layered vacuum insulation, a locking lid, and stores 473 milliliters (16 fluid ounces) of liquid.
The Starbucks Stand by Beams collection will be available starting September 18 appear at the Beams Life store in Yokohama, Beams Japan store in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, and the new Beams Umeda tore in Osaka, as well as at a pop-up store that runs until September 27 at Nagoya Station.
We look forward to seeing what other kinds of creative collaborations Beams takes on next!
Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/15/starbucks-and-clothing-brand-beams-team-up-for-launch-of-second-collaborative-core-collection/feed/ 0 744981 kf 1 Eel sauce is our new favorite cooking hack for making any dish sweet and savory with zero hassle https://soranews24.com/2026/09/10/eel-sauce-is-our-new-favorite-cooking-hack-for-making-any-dish-sweet-and-savory-with-zero-hassle/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/10/eel-sauce-is-our-new-favorite-cooking-hack-for-making-any-dish-sweet-and-savory-with-zero-hassle/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2026 05:00:05 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=744528 
Here are five app-eel-ing side dishes, rice bowls, and sweets for using up your leftover eel sauce.
Unagi no tare (うなぎのたれ), literally “eel sauce,” has become our favorite all-around sauce. While the product may or may not contain small amounts of eel extract itself, it’s intended to be a perfectly thick, glossy accompaniment for grilled eel made from a simmered blend of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Many commercially prepared versions exist, such as the one from Japanese brand Nihon Shokken, pictured below.
▼ Nihon Shokken’s eel sauce
This particular one does contain a tiny amount of eel extract but it’s not one of the top three ingredients. From the top those are soy sauce, mizuame (a Japanese sweetener), high-fructose corn syrup, and mirin, all ahead of the extract.
It was one of these bottles that we had purchased for use in one recipe but ended up having a decent amount of leftover sauce. Not wanting to waste it, we began experimenting with what we could use it on besides eel. It turns out that the sky is the limit when it comes to eel sauce’s potential–here are five ways to add it to easy Japanese homestyle dishes and snacks.
1. Grilled onigiri (rice balls)
First up is an easy and satisfying snack. Simply mix the eel sauce into the rice before shapjng the onigiri. We also threw in some leftover green onions and roasted sesame seeds for extra flavor.
Grill the onigiri in a pan or air fryer until you start to see faint scorch marks on the rice. The resulting snack has a deeper and richer taste than if using soy sauce alone.
2. Oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl)
Oyakodon is a hearty and delicious homestyle meal packed with protein and flavor. Begin by boiling the eel sauce with some water before adding chunks of chicken and onions. Let simmer until mostly cooked, then add in the beaten egg. Lay the mixture over a bed of rice to complete the dish.
The resulting eel sauce version was amazing, and involved less hassle than measuring out the individual ingredients for the simmering stock alone. We may always just use eel sauce from here on out.
3. Japanese amberjack
We actually picked this recipe up from food company Yamada Suisan’s YouTube channel. Grill the fish in a pan for a bit before adding equal amounts of eel sauce and water. Let simmer until the liquid is reduced.
It was an extremely simple dish involving hardly any prep. The cooked appearance was shiny and enticing, and while we enjoyed it very much, we also wished there was just a tiny bit more added sweetness. We’ll just make a mental note for next time.
4. Hard-boiled eggs
If you’re looking for a way to liven up your eggs, this is an easy hack for doing so. Let hard-boiled eggs with the shells removed soak in a closed bag with some eel sauce for about half a day. The resulting salty-sweet edge it provides is a perfect accompaniment for the eggs.
5. Mitarashi dango (glazed rice dumplings, usually skewered)
Add a small amount of water to some eel sauce in a pan and turn on the heat. We also added a tiny bit of potato starch to thicken it. When the sauce becomes viscous, add in some boiled-then-chilled shiratama dango (rice flour dumplings).
A quick taste test of the resulting mitarashi dango led us to add some kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) to enhance the sweetness. That seemed to do the trick, so we recommend adding nearly equal amounts of eel sauce and either kuromitsu or sugar to make for a sweetly tantalizing dessert.
There you have it–five simple dishes to make using your leftover eel sauce. In fact, you probably wouldn’t even know they contained eel sauce if no one told you, since the overall ingredients are commonly represented in a variety of Japanese simmered and teriyaki dishes. Nihon Shokken’s eel sauce did leave us personally wanting to add a bit more sugar to the dishes at times, but this may not be the case with other brands or based on personal preferences.
We love finding novel ways to turn leftover ingredients into yummy new creations. Here are some of our top picks, from the weird to the wonderful.
All images © SoraNews24
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/10/eel-sauce-is-our-new-favorite-cooking-hack-for-making-any-dish-sweet-and-savory-with-zero-hassle/feed/ 0 744528 una11 Tokyo’s Rikugien Garden announces nighttime foliage illumination event ahead of autumn https://soranews24.com/2026/09/09/tokyos-rikugien-garden-announces-nighttime-foliage-illumination-event-ahead-of-autumn/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/09/tokyos-rikugien-garden-announces-nighttime-foliage-illumination-event-ahead-of-autumn/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:00:45 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=744411 
Stroll among the illuminated autumn leaves after-hours in one of Tokyo’s most popular Japanese landscape gardens for only one and a half weeks.
From November 25 through December 6, one of Tokyo’s nine Metropolitan Gardens will be open for a special autumn foliage illumination event. Doors will close at the typical time of 5 p.m. but will reopen between 6 and 8:30 p.m. for visitors to soak in the magical nighttime atmosphere.
Rikugien is an Edo-period (1603-1868) Japanese landscape garden located in northern Tokyo with easy access from the JR Yamanote Line. It’s particularly famous during the spring and fall months for its cherry blossoms and foliage respectively, but it’s truly a gem year-round.
▼ Rikugien in its summer glory
©SoraNews24
Several small teahouses dot the grounds, where you can enjoy matcha and wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) while taking in the views.
▼ The scenery from Fukiage Chaya
©SoraNews24
▼ Matcha and wagashi
©SoraNews24
If you’re lucky, you may even have the privilege of encountering a local who’s also taking a stroll around the well-manicured paths.
©SoraNews24
To celebrate the garden’s seasonal transformation in late November, illuminations and other decorations will be added throughout the grounds, especially centered on the autumn leaves and small islands dotting the pond.
Of particular note will be a handful of special photo spots that are perfect for commemorating your visit.
New to this year will be a projection mapping attraction in the bamboo grove near the former storehouse.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite from all the walking around, you can even take a moment to relax at the Fukiage Chaya and Shinsentei teahouses, or indulge in some light food and drinks at one of the stalls and food trucks that will be available near the site of Ginkatei for the duration of the event.
Entry for the special nighttime illumination event is 1,000 yen (US$6.39) for advance tickets (online only) or 1,200 yen for day-of tickets (online or in-person; cash only). Admission for children in elementary school and younger is free. You may want to also track Japan’s recently released “fall color forecast” to maximize your leaf-peeping opportunities in the coming months.
Event information
Rikugien Fall Foliage Nighttime Special Appreciation / 庭紅葉の六義園 夜間特別観賞
Address: Tokyo-to, Bunkyo-ku, Honkomagome 6-16-3
東京都文京区本駒込 6-16-3
Duration: November 25-December 6, 2026
Open: 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. (last entry at 7:30 p.m.)
Website
Source: @Press
Top image: Rikugien Garden
Insert images: SoraNews24, Rikugien Garden
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/09/tokyos-rikugien-garden-announces-nighttime-foliage-illumination-event-ahead-of-autumn/feed/ 0 744411 riku1 Lawson convenience store opens its first mobile, trailer-style location in Japan https://soranews24.com/2026/09/02/lawson-convenience-store-opens-its-first-mobile-trailer-style-location-in-japan/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/02/lawson-convenience-store-opens-its-first-mobile-trailer-style-location-in-japan/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2026 03:00:11 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=743702 
The new mobile model is also being considered for use in disaster-stricken areas.
The future of Japanese convenience stores may be on wheels.
Located at the south side of the gymnasium at Ebina Sports Park in Kanagawa Prefecture, a new type of trailer-style Lawson convenience store opened for business on August 27. It’s slated to be in operation through March 31 as the chain tests its viability to make an impact on the market. Not having a fixed physical building lowers the cost and allows the chain to make inroads in places that were previously inaccessible and lacking konbini, as Japanese convenience stores are fondly nicknamed. Plus, as it’s portable and relatively easy to set up, officials are taking into account its serious potential to be at the forefront of relief efforts for when disasters such as earthquakes strike across the country.
▼ The new trailer-style Lawson konbini
The interior is about one-fifth the size of an ordinary Lawson store with a total length of 12.2 meters (40 feet). It carries around 500 items for sale including prepared foods such as bento, onigiri, fried foods, and desserts, as well as drinks and other daily necessities. A 6.1-meter (20-foot) long kitchen/office space is also attached where the foods are prepared. However, some things have to go given the limited space, so this branch is missing the usual ATM, copy machine, and Loppi ticket kiosk found at regular Lawson store locations.
▼ The total area of the store space is a snug 33.60 square meters (361.7 square feet).
Time will tell if this new type of Lawson proves viable in the long run among the already oversaturated konbini market with new contenders popping up every so often. However, given the weight of Lawson’s name as one of the “Big 3” konbini and the uniquely positioned ability of this mobile model to be accessible in times of need, we’ll tentatively say that it looks like the future’s on wheels.
S0urce: Lawson via Yahoo! Japan News
Images: Lawson
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/02/lawson-convenience-store-opens-its-first-mobile-trailer-style-location-in-japan/feed/ 0 743702 ebina1 Tamagotchi evolves into a ring for its 30th anniversary, preorders now open https://soranews24.com/2026/09/01/tamagotchi-evolves-into-a-ring-for-its-30th-anniversary-preorders-now-open/ https://soranews24.com/2026/09/01/tamagotchi-evolves-into-a-ring-for-its-30th-anniversary-preorders-now-open/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2026 01:00:13 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=743762 
This new model is the smallest one yet in the history of the egg-shaped toy that lets you raise a digital pet.
Bandai’s hit digital pet device among millennial kids, the Tamagotchi, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. While the toy has had its ups and downs and has been reinvented many times over the years, it’s currently having a clear resurgence among today’s youth, even scoring its own dedicated shop in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku neighborhood late last year.
The newest 39th version of the main Tamagotchi series is the Tamagotchi ring. It retains the classic Tamagotchi features–egg-shaped, LCD screen, three buttons–but in its smallest form yet at only 28 millimeters (1.1 inches) long. The band, which comes with an adjustable spacer, fits Japanese ring sizes 10 through 14 comfortably.
▼ Tamagotchi Ring
For reference, the unit mounted to the Tamagotchi ring is 56 percent the size of the original Tamagotchi. Its screen is only 14.2 millimeters tall but still has all of the functions and gameplay of a regular-sized model. In addition, it’s made up of the fewest number of component parts of any full-color LCD screen-equipped Tamagotchi since the Tamagotchi + Color model was first introduced in 2008 with only 64 parts (52 electronic and 12 plastic). Even the most recently released Tamagotchi Paradise (2025) has 116 parts.
▼ (Left to right) Tamagotchi Ring (2026), Original Tamagotchi (1996), Tamagotchi + Color (2008)
While the transformation into a ring is the model’s most striking new feature, another new first in Tamagotchi history is that it comes with a dedicated charging base. Finally, in a nod to the brand’s 30th anniversary, you can grow your pet into 30 classic Tamagotchi characters from over the past three decades–including some secret ones–depending on how you raise it. Since your pet will be always be (literally) near your fingertips, that should make caring for it and unlocking all of its forms the easiest it’s ever been.
▼ (Left to right) Ball chain-style keychain (1996), wristwatch-style (2021), ring-style (2026)
The new Tamagotchi Ring comes in three colors–pink & pearl white, light blue & metallic gold, black & metallic silver–costing 7,700 yen (US$48.10) each. Preorders can now be placed on Premium Bandai’s website through October 6 at 11 p.m. JST, with orders slated to ship over two rounds in February and April 2027.
Despite our excitement at the new transformation, we still have one question regarding the naming of the new toy. Since the word “Tamagotchi” is originally a portmanteau of the words for “egg” (tamago) and “watch” (uocchi in Japanese pronunciation), “Tamagotchi ring” should logically mean something like “egg watch ring.” Wouldn’t it make more sense then just to call it the “Tamaringu” based on the Japanese pronunciation for “ring”? It’s possible that the Tamagotchi name carries too much weight at this point, but in any case, we’ll stop overthinking and get back to keeping our own digital pets alive.
Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/09/01/tamagotchi-evolves-into-a-ring-for-its-30th-anniversary-preorders-now-open/feed/ 0 743762 tama2