Jul 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- A visit to Sri Lanka’s knockoff knockoff Uniqlo (no, we didn’t stutter) to see its rare “Pikachus” Nicknack is the culmination of layers upon layers of branding quasi-copying, and also home to some very unusual Pikachus. Our travel-loving Japanese-language reporter Ikuna Kamezawa recently took a...
Jul 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- 7-Eleven Japan releases chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread New melon pan crossover looks set to be a hit with customers. 7-Eleven has been shaking up the convenience store scene in Japan recently, overhauling sandwiches with pink bread, rolling out tea-bre...
Jul 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- How to cook shiitake mushrooms like a Japanese manga character Easy recipe shows how to grill a mushroom so it tastes just like meat. There are a lot of places where you can pick up Japanese recipes and cooking tips, but when they come from a manga, we always ...
Jul 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Udon pudding is about to shake up the noodle scene in Japan Purin, like you’ve never seen, or tasted, before. Marugame Seimen (known as Marugame Udon overseas) has been outdoing itself with new noodle innovations recently, giving us all sorts of surprising ...
Jul 05, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- The quest for Dragon Quest Yoshinoya figure sets: Worth taking for fans, tricky for scalpers[Pics] Dragon Quest Slimes appear at Yoshinoya, and the restaurant is trying to make sure they go home with actual fans. Considering that dragons make up only a small portion of the games’ collective best...
Jul 04, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Don’t judge this Kiki’s Delivery Service book by its cover, because it’s not actually a book! Studio Ghibli pseudo-literature isn’t for reading, but is still something fans will want on their shelf. Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku has a sub-brand called Donguri Closet. Aimed at fas...
Jul 04, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- KFC Japan creates spicy summer fried chicken chips together with Calbee Red-hot KFC chicken chips are on the way, and green-hot ones too. In May, Calbee, maker of some of Japan’s favorite potato chips, announced plans to switch to black-and-white packaging in response ...
Jul 04, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Sanrio’s new McDonald’s Japan Happy Meals give the spotlight all to Cinnamoroll[Photos] One of Sanrio’s top dogs is headed to McDonald’s Japan with some very cute stuff. The recently concluded Sanrio Character Ranking election was another strong showing for Cinnamoroll, who received m...
Jul 04, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Krispy Kreme Japan adds two cute limited-edition doughnuts to its summer menu Stay cool with penguins and drift ice, complete with popping candy crystals. Krispy Kreme has been upping its doughnut game in Japan recently, releasing cute regional-exclusive doughnuts at selec...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Studio Ghibli releases a musical diorama based on a touching anime scene from My Neighbour Totoro Beloved movie moment, brought to life in a beautifully crafted musical diorama. Throughout its four-decades-long history of making animated movies, Studio Ghibli has created some incredibly magical...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan has a new maid school, and it’s now accepting applicants for its first term Butler Association Japan wants to provide training in legitimate maid skills, but says they can be applied to other professional fields as well. “Maid School Japan” sounds like a pre-formed multime...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese train company brings back beloved “patapata” departure board…with a clever digital twist Railway fans are full of praise for this heartwarming display of thoughtful customer service. For railway fans in Japan, few station sights are as nostalgic as the “patapata” departure board. Affec...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- We try Krispy Kreme Japan’s first-ever all-you-can-eat doughnut deal Eating unlimited doughnuts isn’t as easy as you might think. Krispy Kreme Japan is marking its 20th birthday this year with a very surprising celebration—its first-ever all-you-can-eat event. Limit...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Foreign resident of Japan arrested after spraying bear repellant inside post office Claims it was an accident, police not so sure. A trip to the post office is, ideally, pretty dull. Sure, everyone likes a little adventure now and then to spice up their life, but when you’re just ...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- One Piece docking at Round 1 amusement centers in both Japan and the USA Prepare for pan-Pacific pirate play. We often report on special events and campaigns going on in Japan, which can be frustrating for people in other countries who’d like to take part but can’t trav...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Giant sleeping Snorlax coming to Yokohama as part of Pokémon Sleep Sleeping Faces fan event A Pokémon event to get both excited and sleepy about. Last month, the city of Yokohama hosted Sanrio Fes 2026, with Hello Kitty and her pals showing up in decorations and events in the bayside Mina...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- 7-Eleven Japan now sells a tiny dessert burger but is this convenience store sweet worth the hype? Forget sweet sandos, 7-Eleven wants us to explore the world of sweet burgers. 7-Eleven Japan is famous for its sweet sandwiches, commonly filled with fruit and cream, but now the chain is shaking u...
Jul 03, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Studio Ghibli film towels with English dialogue lines are cinematically cool and cute[Photos] Beautiful soft cloth versions of iconic Ghibli scenes warm the heart and inspire the spirit. Though they’ve come around to the idea of using more digital effects in some of their recent productions...
Jul 02, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Starbucks Japan teams up with Converse Tokyo for a new limited-edition collection in honour of Tanabata Two star brands join forces to celebrate the Japanese festival of star-crossed lovers. Stars have a special significance in Japan at the start of summer, as the Tanabata Festival is celebrated on 7...
Jul 02, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Sanrio collaborates with Sesame Street for adorable merch and sweets in Japan[Photos] Looks like someone told Hello Kitty and friends how to get (how to get) to Sesame Street. We recently took a look at the results of this year’s Sanrio Character Ranking election, in which fans from...
