May 22, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed Sacred fire saved from non-sacred fire on Miyajima. Hiroshima Prefecture’s Miyajima Island, famed for the torii gate that stands in the water just off its coast, is home to one of Japan’s most beau...
May 22, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Pokémon Company to require Japanese government ID cards for some online Pokémon card purchases New system would prevent non-residents from buying certain items from Pokémon Center Online. Scalping is becoming an increasingly big problem for the Pokémon franchise in Japan, and we’ve been seei...
May 21, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country Local sweets-fan favorite serves as inspiration for one of two donuts not available anywhere else in the world. You’d think it’d be hard for a city of nearly two and a half million people to get ov...
May 21, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else An iconic Japanese candy, now in drinkable form. Japan is filled with vending machines, and one of the people helping to prop up the industry is our very own reporter Mr Sato. He buys at least one...
May 21, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- 7-Eleven Japan releases their second lineup of upsized foods from a muffin to bukkake soba As well as a double-sized cheesecake worth fighting battles over. The world may be subject to the annoyances of shrinkflation, but over the past few years, there’s been a running trend in Japan of ...
May 21, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Super! Eel Bread takes Japanese sushi into uncharted territory Honouring a centuries-old tradition with a modern twist. Every summer, people around Japan eat eel to regain energy from the tiring heat. It’s a tradition that’s been around for centuries, with pe...
May 21, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- McDonald’s Japan adds curry French fry flavor, regional-taste burgers to its menu with Gotochi Mac Salutes to local specialties of Hokkaido, Nagoya, and more now available across Japan. A lot of the “Japan!” part of McDonald’s Japan’s recent offerings has come from tie-ups with popular Japanese ...
May 21, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino Newest Japanese Frappuccino aims to wake you up and reduce food waste. Japan loves seasonal sweets flavors, but we’re in a bit of a lull right now. Cherry blossom/sakura sweets season is over, and ...
May 20, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack There are two phone numbers to remember in a situation like this, but one is much more important. Our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun is an adventurous guy with a wide range of interests, an...
May 20, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists Combination of factors is dimming the shine of one of the stars of Japanese restaurant culture. Izakaya are a unique part of Japanese food culture. Their closest analogy would be pubs, since izakay...
May 20, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Starbucks Japan has a secret breakfast set…and a hack for when it sells out Japanese customer service turns a disappointing experience into a heartwarming memory. When people hear the words “Starbucks breakfast” in Japan, they usually think of the chain’s “Good Start Morn...
May 20, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Do Bare Feet of a Gorilla slides really make your legs slimmer? These bizarre sandals have gone viral on Japanese social media, so we put them to the test. If you’re interested in Japan, your timeline and explore pages are likely filled with photos and videos o...
May 20, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- 7-Eleven Japan adds macaroni cheese sandwiches to its convenience store food range New “one piece” sandwich looks set to be another sell-out hit for the popular chain. On “Sandwich Day” on 13 March, 7-Eleven completely revamped its sandwiches in Japan, and among them appeared a n...
May 20, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers The adorable bottle is only part of what makes this a fun and convenient way to protect yourself from UV rays. The calendar says we’re still in spring, but the thermometer shows that summer is almo...
May 19, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- You’ll never win cash or prizes or cash at this Tokyo pachinko parlor, and that’s why it’s so cool Tampopo is part pachinko parlor, part video game arcade, and part museum. Being a man of culture, when our ace reporter Mr. Sato is out and about in the suburbs and sees on the map that there’s a “...
May 19, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Suspected yakuza member arrested for having frequent flyer mile account Not quite as glamourous as a secret bank account. For most people doing long-haul domestic travel in Japan, the Shinkansen is their default method of getting from Point A to far-away Point B. Howev...
May 19, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- The Pokémon anime studio’s next project is a Scooby-Doo anime, Yokoso Scooby-Doo Scooby, Scooby-Doo, where are you? Ah, you’re in Japan! Over the past few years, Japan has become one of the world’s most popular destinations for international travelers, with everyone from overse...
May 19, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- McDonald’s Japan’s new Chiikawa Happy Meal figures are here![Photos] New tie-up with hit anime comes with anti-scalper strategy. Fast food and anime figures are two of the reliable simple sources of joy in life, and yet there was some trepidation about combining the...
May 19, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- The Mandalorian and Grogu film inspires a new set of Ginza Cozy Corner mini cakes and more Three Star Wars-themed collaborations from a galaxy far, far away appeal to both longtime and newer fans of the franchise. We’ve known about Japanese dessert chain Ginza Cozy Corner‘s penchant for ...
May 19, 2026 from SoraNews24 -Japan News- Mister Donut’s beyond super soft and chewy beyond mochi mochi donuts have returned Mocchurin are back, and they brought a new friend with them. As Japan’s leading donut chain, Mister Donut is always cooking up new treats, but last year they invented some new words too: mocchuri a...
