Kyoto Whopper divides customers at Burger King Japan

Japanese rice specialist turns the Whopper on its head, but was it worth it?

Back in 1987, Japanese burger chain Mos Burger changed the fast food scene by adding the Mos Rice Burger to the menu, with grilled rice patties taking the place of burger buns.

▼ Mos’ Rice Burger remains a classic to this day.

The chain’s penchant for rice burgers has been firmly cemented in the consciousness of the public ever since, but this year, it’s being given a run for its money as Burger King has teamed up with a longstanding Kyoto rice merchant to create the Kyoto Whopper.

Rather than placing the rice on either side of the filling like its rival, Burger King sandwiches the rice patty inside instead. While some diners might call this an abomination, others will see it as an innovation, so we decided to pick one up and try it to see which side of the divide it falls on.

▼ Are you ready, world?

▼ It’s time…

▼ …to say hello…

▼ …to the…

▼ …Kyoto Whopper!

Yes, that’s right, folks — the Kyoto Whopper has a rice patty nestled in between the buns. According to Burger King, the concept behind the Kyoto Whopper was a desire to create a Japanese-American burger that will surprise the world, and it definitely does that, with the help of Hachidaime Gihey, a Kyoto rice merchant founded in 1787, providing the rice patty.

Priced at 990 yen (US$6.36), this is a pricey burger, and apart from the rice and special sauce, it stays true to the Whopper with its flame-grilled beef patty, tomatoes, lettuce and onions.

If we had to sum up the taste in one word, we’d describe it as awesome. It puts a Japanese spin on a Whopper in a subtle way that doesn’t interfere with the other ingredients. However, according to our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun, it’s simply “not bad at all”, and the subtlety of the rice means it doesn’t actually need to be there.

P.K. is a harsh critic, though, and he admits that the burger does seem to be more popular with foreign palates, according to what he’s heard. For him, Mos Burger’s rice burger can’t be beat as it allows you to taste the rice. Here, the rice was hidden beneath the other ingredients, so in his opinion, it’s simply delivering extra carbs without a whole lot of taste.

That being said, he’d like to tip his hat to Burger King and Hachidaime Gihey for commercialising a whole new type of rice burger, even if it was a power play. That’s the kind of thing he loves about Burger King, as the way it prods its rivals keeps everyone on its toes, resulting in more innovation on the fast food scene.

It’s a pretty historic occasion to have a burger named after a city too, especially one as famous and steeped in history and tradition as Kyoto. When you think about it, the blend between tradition and innovation in this burger is a great representation of the city it’s named after, but you’ll want to get in quick to try it, as it’s only available at the chain for a limited time.

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Japanese burger chain no longer serves onion rings, but offers intriguing replacement【Taste test】

So long fried onion rings…and hello fried renkon slices?

When grabbing fast food, sometimes our brains sort of go into auto-pilot and we don’t really read the whole menu before ordering. On a recent visit to Freshness Burger, one of Japan’s most popular hamburger fast food chains, we took a good long look at the menu and noticed something odd…or rather, we didn’t notice something ordinary.

There were no onion rings.

Really. None at all. The Freshness Burger menu has no onion ring side orders, nor does it have any onion ring-inclusive combo sets. This isn’t because Japan doesn’t like fried onions. They’re a popular ingredient for tempura, after all, and onion rings are readily available at other burger chains. They’re just not on offer at Freshness Burger.

Doing some checking, we found that onion rings, or “onion fry,” as Freshness Burger called theirs, left the chain in 2022, with the company citing severe drought conditions in Canada (where Freshness Burger sourced its onions from) and pandemic-related supply chain issues for the moratorium, and they never came back.

However, while Freshness Burger no longer offers this burger joint mainstay, they do have an intriguing alternative, which they call “renkon fry.”

So what’s renkon? Lotus root!

▼ Renkon/lotus root, in pre-fried form

We decided to give them a shot, so we placed an order and after a five-minute wait for them to cook, we had a bag of fried lotus root slices in front of us.

There were five pieces in the bag, each about 7 millimeters (0.3 inches) thick, giving them a nice, substantial feel.

Unlike the thick batter of onion rings, the renkon fry recipe uses no batter at all. Taking a bite, though, we found that it doesn’t really need any. The thickness of the slices lets the outer layer develop a nice bit of crunch when deep-frying, while the inside of each slice retains a softer yet still firm consistency that comfortably crumbles as you chew.

Most importantly of all, Freshness Burger’s fried renkon slices are delicious. The seasoning is simple, just a light dusting of salt which lets the lotus root’s natural vegetable-like sweetness and umami notes shine through.

The renkon fry is priced at 340 yen (US$2.35), admittedly a little expensive for a fast food side order, but that’s actually the same price that Freshness Burger charges for a regular-size order of French fries (the chain as a whole prides itself more on quality ingredients than rock-bottom prices), and there are also various combo meals that can save you a few yen on them too.

So after eating the renkon fry, do we no longer miss Freshness Burger’s onion rings? That’d be going a bit far, since the two side orders really do light up different flavor sensors. However, with the lack of onion rings as a preexisting situation, we’re very happy to have Renkon Fry here, and we’ll have to make sure to eat a whole bunch during hay fever season.

Related: Freshness Burger
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Yakuza vending machines coming to real-world Tokyo neighborhood that inspired Like a Dragon games

Do you love Kamurocho?

One of the best parts of Sega’s Like a Dragon video game franchise, until recently known as Yakuza in the west, is the sense of place it creates for its in-game environments. In particular, Kamurocho, the fictional downtown Tokyo neighborhood in which the majority of the games take place, is a dense mix of elegant private clubs and dive bars, glittering skyscrapers and dank alleys, making it the perfect setting for Like a Dragon’s tales of ruthless ambition, tearful revenge, and business-savvy chickens.

However, Sega did get a pretty big head start on designing Kamurocho, because it’s heavily modeled after the real-world Kabukicho, an entertainment district located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. Now the cycle of art imitating life and life imitating art is starting another round as official Like a Dragon vending machines are going to be installed in Kabukicho, stocked with official tourist souvenir-style “I love Kamurocho” T-shirts and other merch.

Each of the machines will feature a member of the games’ cast, with original protagonist Kazama Kiryu represented, naturally. Other machines will be graced by new leading man Ichiban Kasuga, serial scene-stealer Goro Majima, periodic prison inmate Taiga Saejima, and organized crime scion Daigo Dojima.

The machines will be stocked with “I love Kamurocho” T-shirts (3,900 yen [US$26]), which feature the Kamurocho gate motif on the back…

…character key chains (1,100 yen)…

…and acrylic art blocks (1,500 yen).

Note that the T-shirt is available only in large and extra-large sizes, so you’ll have to take Like a Dragon’s bombastic tone to heart and live large for the best fit, it seems.

The machines will be installed on December 8, with their locations to be revealed soon through the official Ryu ga Gotoku Twitter account.

The collection is also scheduled to be available for purchase online starting January 8, but there’s an added incentive to make the rounds of the vending machines. On the front of each of them will be a QR code which you can scan with your phone’s camera, and scanning all five will let you enter a drawing for a special, as-yet undisclosed prize.

Oh, and if you’ve got your heart set on one of the acrylic art blocks but don’t manage to snag one before they’re gone? We can show you how to make one yourself with just a few items from the 100 yen store.

Source: PR Times via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Twitter/@ryugagotoku
Insert images: PR Times
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Forbidden area at Japanese mountaintop shrine opens to the public for first time in 400 years

Be one of the first outsiders in centuries to enter this secret sacred area.

Japan has an abundance of beautiful shrines, but if you’re looking to visit one that’s among the most sacred and revered, you’ll want to make a trip to Kunozan Toshogu Shrine in Shizuoka Prefecture.

This shrine recently received a boom in popularity after it was featured in the year-long historical taiga drama Dousuru Ieyasu (“What Will You Do, Ieyasu?“) which was broadcast on national television in 2023. The drama followed the story of Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616), the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1603-1868. His rule brought an end to civil wars in Japan, ushering in a peaceful period where culture and society was able to flourish, making him an incredibly important figure in Japanese history.

The shogun’s story lives on at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, as this is where where Tokugawa Ieyasu is enshrined, according to his wishes for a mausoleum atop Mount Kunozan. This connection to Japan’s first shogun has made the shrine popular with tourists over the centuries, but during the 400-plus years it’s existed, there’s been one area that’s always been off limits to the  public.

That’s about to change soon, though, as the shrine is opening the area to a limited number of people for three days only, and we were invited to view the secret site as part of a press tour prior to its special opening.

▼ Our guide was Yo Saito, who works at Kunozan Toshogu Shrine.

The forbidden area, previously only seen by priests at the shrine, is being opened to the public as part of a tie-up with Central Japan Railway (JR Tokai) to promote Mt Fuji and the Tokai region in and around Shizuoka Prefecture. On clear days you can enjoy spectacular views of Mt Fuji from Mount Kunozan, where the shrine is located, and the area being opened to the public covers the trail from the precincts to the summit. This lets you view Atago Shrine at the top of the mountain, and gives you tantalising glimpses of the remains of Kuno Castle, which predates the building of the shrine some 400 years ago. 

The approximately three-hour tour starts at the shrine, which is a national treasure, where participants will stop for private worship.

The shrine is a masterpiece of architecture from the Edo period (1603-1868) which everyone should see at least once in their lifetimes. The story behind the building itself is also incredibly interesting, with some parts of the interior purposely left as they were in a specific era so you can see how repairs were made over time.

Surprisingly, the stories told here by the priests are filled with information that isn’t available online. For example, the tatami mats with red edges (ungenberi) that are laid between these stones have a different structure from modern tatami mats, and because there are no longer any craftsmen who specialise in the craft, it’s impossible to ever recreate them.

Another interesting story involves the lacquering and repainting of the shrine, which takes place every 50 years. The last repaint was completed in 2006, which means it shouldn’t take place again until 2056, but Mr Saito revealed that the restoration work has already begun…30 years in advance.

▼ At this point, Mr Saito pulled out a wooden board to demonstrate why.

This board shows how the lacquer used in the shrine building is split up into over 30 layers, with the paint needing to be stripped back before the layers are applied to give the final result.

It’s an incredibly time-consuming task, and you can see the effects in some sections already, with the darker area below representing the new work and the lighter area being the part that needs redoing.

After praying and receiving spiritual training at the shrine, tour participants head towards the forbidden area from behind the building.

▼ This is the first time in 400 years for the forest area to be viewed by members of the public.

The trees on the mountain had remained untouched for 400 years, but some recently reached a point where they could pose a danger to buildings, so they were cut down as a safety measure.

Heading deeper into the forbidden area takes you into parts that are more overgrown, and we we were shown three valuable sites previously unknown to the public.

▼ One is this staircase, which was used by military commanders when the site was a castle.

▼ The second site of interest is this moat, which also belonged to Kuno Castle.

Most of the remains of Kuno Castle were lost due to construction of the Nihondaira Ropeway, so it’s thought that not much remains. However, the area on the west side from around the main shrine of Toshogu Shrine to the summit is untouched, so for this reason, the remains of the castle are still intact in some places. This gives you exciting glimpses into the past as you make your way up the mountain, with stone walls and trenches being irresistible sites of interest for castle enthusiasts.

This site has never been excavated, and with a history dating back to the 7th century, the chances of unearthed gems existing below ground are incredibly high.

▼ The third site of interest is the small torii gate at the top of these stairs, with an equally small shrine beyond it.

This shrine is said to be dedicated to Kuno Tadahito, who built Kunoji Temple during the reign of Emperor Suiko, before Kuno Castle was built. This mountain gets its name from Kuno Tadahito, and no member of the public will have ever seen this special shrine before now.

Another amazing discovery is the existence of so-called “Izu stones” used during the building of Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, which are difficult to obtain as they can no longer be mined. 

The history of the past, where the site changed from a castle to a shrine, is also evident in the trees, with some of them being completely wild, and others appearing to have been planted with regularity. The entire mountain is like an ancient ruin from the past, with interesting terrain and artefacts waiting to be discovered, but the final destination is the one that will really take your breath away.

▼ Atago Shrine, at the top of the mountain, is definitely one of the least visited shrines in all of Japan.

With the area being concealed from the public for roughly 400 years, nobody other than shrine priests were ever able to confirm its existence. It’s a breathtaking experience to view something so rare in Japan, and making it even more special is the fact that Kunozan Toshogu Shrine and Nikko Toshogu Shrine, which make up the two most famous shrines connected to the Tokugawa clan, sit in a straight line with Mt Fuji in the middle. 

Although you can’t view Mt Fuji directly from Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, the straight-line location connects it to the myth and legend of the mountain and the Tokugawa shogunate.

▼ Participants also receive a special Goshuin shrine stamp as a memento of the unique tour.

▼ The goshuin is beautifully made, and given to you before entering the forbidden area so you can imbue it with sacred energy.

The tour looks set to be an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but you’ll have to be quick to take part, as it’s limited to only 20 people each day, at a cost of 7,000 yen (US$45.29) per person, and is only available on three dates: 14 December, 2024; 25 January, 2025; 2 March, 2025. For more information, check out the special campaign page, where you can make your bookings. If temples are more your thing, though, then you’ll love this hidden gem in Nara Prefecture.

Site information
Kunozan Toshogu Shrine / 会津さざえ堂
Address: Shizuoka-ken, Shizuoka-shi, Suruga-ku, Negoya 390
静岡市駿河区根古屋390
Hours: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Website

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Domino’s erupts with a 1kg Cheese Volcano in Japan

We find out if this monstrosity tastes as cheesy as it looks.  

On 18 November, Domino’s started selling a 1kg Cheese Volcano, which is the chain’s third-ever volcano pizza, following on from its original debut in January, and the Halloween-themed edition released last month.

▼ A key feature of the volcano is the “crater” of cheesy lava which you can dip your slices into

▼ Now, the volcano is bigger than ever, with a whole kilo (2.2 pounds) of cheese used in this latest release.

Image: Press release

We were fortunate enough to try this cheesy monstrosity at a press event prior to its official release, where representatives for the chain told us the reason behind its creation, saying, “Cheese sells!

Cheese certainly does sell, and this one contains 720 grams of mozzarella cheese and 280 grams of cheddar cheese sauce for a rich flavour. Receiving a box of our own to try, we opened the lid to reveal…

▼ …the cheesy volcano!

Though we knew this would be cheesy, the topping here was crazy. It was as if the pizza had disappeared beneath the lava after a massive cheese eruption, and after picking up a slice, we felt the heaviness of the cheese.

We hadn’t felt a slice quite this heavy before, and when we dipped it in the crater and took a bite, it felt totally immoral. You wouldn’t want to eat one of these on your own, as you may never recover from the sense of guilt after eating a kilo of cheese, but for sharing with friends, this would be a fun and tasty treat.

The dipping process gives this pizza a uniqueness that makes it extra fun to eat, but it’ll only be around for a limited time until 22 December, priced from 3,690 yen (US$23.83) for take-out and 4,430 yen for delivery.

Related: Domino’s Pizza Japan
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