May 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- The 3 best secret places to eat a cheap One Coin lunch in Shinjuku Cheap eats are getting harder to find in Tokyo, but these tips from a local will guide you to some hidden gems. If you’ve ever thought to use AI when looking for somewhere to eat in Japan, it doesn...
May 11, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Dr Pepper knockoff Mr Popper is a cult drink in Japan, but does it taste like the real thing? The poor man’s Dr Pepper might not be so poor after all. Have you ever heard of a soft drink called Mr Popper? Here in Japan, it’s a drink that’s currently enjoying cult status after becoming a ho...
May 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Starbucks Japan releases two new “chunky” drinks… and matching gel designs for our nails Match your nail art to your favourite drink with this surprising new release. Starbucks is known for unusual, Japan-exclusive releases, but these new items tend to cover drinks and related drinkwa...
May 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Mt. Fuji hot spring inn gets even more beautiful after dark with Firefly Festival Even when Mt. Fuji is hidden in shadows, there’s still something breathtaking to see here. When picking a hotel for traveling in Japan, “has views of Mt. Fuji” is definitely a big plus. Japan’s tal...
May 10, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan releases new ramen sandwiches… that don’t taste like ramen Lunch Pack falls flat in the noodles-and-bread department, but there is a silver lining. Yamazaki Baking’s popular Lunch Pack series of sandwich pockets has become famous around the world for its u...
May 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- McDonald’s Japan hack: Make a Chicken Tatsuta in five minutes anywhere in the world Now you can get a taste of a famous limited-edition exclusive burger without travelling to Japan. On 15 April, McDonald’s released the Chicken Tatsuta in Japan for a limited time, with plans for it...
May 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Police cracking down on outdoor seating in Tokyo’s liveliest street market neighborhood[Video] Tokyo Metropolitan Police officers issue warnings to pub owners in Ueno. There are two sides to Tokyo’s Ueno neighborhood, both literally and figuratively. Head out one side of the station, and you...
May 09, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- This train station bento boxed lunch shop has been in business for nearly 100 years Inside Chiba Station, Manyoken is a piece of edible history. The name of bento boxed lunch shop Manyoken translates loosely as “House of 10,000 Leaves.” That count isn’t necessarily meant to be tak...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- This historical Kyoto zen garden is hosting a guitar and beatbox concert Blending modern beats with the sounds of nature for a one-night-only ambient session. For many, Kyoto is just a list of famous spots to check off an itinerary: the shining golden pavilion, the crow...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Nintendo’s Super Mario throws out first pitch at professional baseball game in Japan[Video] Turns out Mario throws a baseball like he throws a fireball. Nintendo’s Super Mario may be a plumber by trade and adventurer by necessity, but you could make a pretty convincing argument that his t...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- A letter from our reporter’s deceased mother arrives at just the right time A 10-year wait turns out to be exactly the right length to warm her heart. A while back, our Japanese-language reporter Mariko Ohanabatake was sorting through her mail for the day, and mixed in amo...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before Gyonuts look set to become the nation’s trendiest new sweet. Japan loves to throw out the rulebook when it comes to foreign-born sweets, a fact we recently saw when udon noodle chain Marugame Seim...
May 08, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Squeezy Tanuki Testicle toys once again appear in Japanese gacha machines Prizes are still random, but you’re guaranteed to get a pair of tanuki balls. You always have to be prepared for a certain amount of randomness when buying something from Japan’s gacha/capsule toy ...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Woman in Japan breaks into home of complete stranger just to slap him in the face No doorbell rung, one face slapped. Sometimes, in his idle moments at home alone, a guy living by himself might think “Ya know, it’d be nice to have a girl here.” And if that happened to be the sen...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese criminals are now using crabs to hunt for burglary targets They’re using our urge to share against us. With its consecutive national holidays, Golden Week is one of those long-awaited periods in Japan, with many people eager to leave behind their daily str...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa’s bar pops up in real-world Tokyo, and we stop by for drinks[Photos] Seventh Heaven arrives in Roppongi with a twist on its name and another for its cocktails. In addition to being a loyal friend and skilled martial artist, Final Fantasy VII’s Tifa is a bartender, s...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- We turn to a shady Amazon Japan gadget to try to stop Tokyo crows from stealing our hangers Man and machine versus nature. The fact that we call the items “hangers” is proof of how hard it is for us humans to imagine any use for them other than hanging clothes. And yet, despite their nudi...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Zunda Shake vending machine lets you taste samurai culture in milkshake form Edo-period specialty gets a modern makeover in the heart of Tokyo. If someone were to mention they’d tried a green beverage in Japan, most people might assume they’re talking about matcha. However...
May 07, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Does one of Japan’s favorite chocolate brands work with the Pringles chocolate hack? We’ve heard good things about Pringles and chocolate, but what about Pringles and Lotte’s chocolate? Pringles has been selling potato chips in its distinctive cans for decades, but it wasn’t until ...
May 06, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Does the Fukuryumon Chinese restaurant in Koenji offer the best lunch deal in Tokyo? The main dishes are already cheap to begin with–but the unlimited free side dishes could even be a meal by themselves! Our Japanese-language reporter/resident musician Seiji Nakazawa has always lov...