Twentythree

Shinjuku Ward Office has a restaurant that’s open to anyone, but have they kept up their quality and value since our last visit?

With Tokyo being as big as it is, it isn’t really practical to have all of its 14 million-plus residents use the same single city hall. Because of that, each ward of the city has its own ward office where you can take care of official paperwork and procedures, such as updating ID cards, registering marriages, and make health insurance payments.

Oh, and in the case of the ward office in downtown Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood, you can also get a really good lunch at a restaurant hardly anyone knows about.

You’ll find this restaurant on basement level 1 of the Shinjuku Ward Office’s Main Building, which is located next to some of Shinjuku’s most popular shopping and nightlife areas. Called Keyaki, it’s technically classified as the Ward Office’s “employee cafeteria,” but it’s open to the general public too, so you don’t need to be a resident of Shinjuku, or even a resident of Japan, in order to eat there.

With SoraNews24 HQ being just a few blocks away from the Shinjuku Ward Office, we stopped by to try Keyaki a few years ago, and came away very happy from an amazingly affordable curry rice lunch that had cost us just 460 yen (US$3). But with prices for pretty much everything rapidly rising in Japan, and inflation hitting restaurant dining especially hard, we figured it was time for a return visit to see if this under-the-radar restaurant is still a friendly-to-the-wallet option.

Stepping inside the entrance, we saw that Keyaki has upgraded to a new meal ticket vending machine, and that they now accept payment not only in cash, but also by prepaid rail cards like JR’s Suica. But we also noticed that the pork curry is no longer the 460-yen bargain it used to be, and now costs 600 yen.

▼ ゴロゴロ野菜のポークカレー = Pork curry with lots of vegetables

Another sad change is that while Keyaki used to offer free upgrades to extra-large portions of rice for its set meals, rice bowls, and curry rice, these now charge an additional 100 yen for the service, meaning that an extra-large curry rice, which used to be 460 yen, now costs 700 yen, a price increase of more than 50 percent.

▼ The extra-large rice button

Still, in today’s economy, a restaurant curry rice lunch for 600 yen is still a decent deal…provided, of course, that Keyaki had kept up its quality. So we bought a ticket for the curry rice and handed it to the staff. They dished up our order, and as soon as we saw it…

…we felt confident that this was going to be good.

This is exactly what we think of when we think of curry rice. It’s not trying to be clever or fancy in any way, shape, or form, and instead sticks to the beloved baseline of the dish, with carrots, potatoes, onions, and pork in a well-balanced roux with a flavorful spice but not so fiery that you can’t dig into it with unguarded gusto.

It’s pretty much the perfect home cooking-style curry, something that’s so committed to comforting the palate instead of challenging it that it’s ironically sometimes hard to find when eating out. It’s not just delicious, it’s downright reassuring in how well it does what it’s trying to do. This is basically the curry rice equivalent of a big, comfortable blanket, and after we happily scarfed down every last bite, we didn’t just feel full, we felt emotionally warm and fuzzy too.

So yeah, even though the price has risen to 600 yen, this is still a great, semi-secret spot to grab lunch on a weekday (Keyaki isn’t open night or weekends). And if we ever do somehow get tired of eating the Shinjuku Ward Office’s curry rice…

…they’ve got a whole bunch of noodle bowls and set meals in the 400-700-yen range, and we’ve got a hunch those are all probably pretty good too.

Restaurant information
Keyaki / けやき
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Kabukicho 1-4-1, Shinjuku Ward Office Main Building B1F
東京都新宿区歌舞伎町1-4-1 新宿区役所本庁舎 B1F
Hours: 10:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (food served 11 a.m.-3 p.m.)
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays

Photos ©SoraNews24
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Driver driven to not drive by customer complaint.

Late last month, someone posted online about an incident that occurred on a Toei Bus line departing from Tokyo Big Sight. At the time the driver of the bus closed the doors just as a passenger was approaching. The passenger got angry and shouted at the driver, “You saw me there! Why did you close the doors?”

At that point, the driver contacted Toei Bus, told them he wasn’t in the right mental state to drive, and requested for his bus to be suspended. The company agreed, and the bus was taken out of service right then and there. The original post was critical of the driver, possibly due to frustration from having their bus canceled at the last minute. They also pointed out that the driver then drove the empty bus back to the depot themself.

However, the response to the incident was overwhelmingly supportive of both the driver and Toei Bus’s professional handling of the situation, and as the news spread, even more support came out in online comments.

“Nice!”
“The person who harassed the driver should have to compensate the other passengers.”
“Everyone’s different, but I experienced first-hand how getting yelled at can impair your judgment or field of vision, so that is a smart way to prevent accidents.”
“I’m glad the company made the rational decision.”
“Harassing customers are the lowest form of scum.”
“It’s dangerous to push yourself too hard while driving.”
“Well done to the driver for recognizing he had a problem and to the company for accepting it.”

There were also some comments that mentioned the incident was rather mild compared to other cases of customer harassment, and felt the driver was over-reacting. However, they don’t call it “the straw that broke the camel’s back” for nothing, and who’s to say what that person had gone through up until that point? Even if it was only that incident, the fact that he had other people’s lives in his hands made erring on the side of caution the right choice.

Toei Bus also deserves credit for disrupting their services for the sake of safety. Although buses aren’t quite as meticulous as trains when it comes to punctuality, they still take it seriously. Moreover, the bus industry is dealing with a serious driver shortage these days. Toei Bus themselves recently had to cut 200 trips per day across Tokyo because there weren’t enough drivers, so every bus counts.

Cynics might also argue that this is still just a matter of yen-counting since an accident would be devastating to the company brand and the financial risk simply wasn’t worth it, but Toei Bus is run by the Tokyo government and isn’t nearly as vulnerable to bad PR as a private company would be. In that way, you could even say it makes their response to the situation even more surprisingly compassionate.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, although there have been disruptions due to conflicts with customers in the past, this is the first time service was suspended for the specific reasons of mental instability. They would also like to ask passengers to refrain from using intimidating language and will notify the police if it continues.

▼ It’s equally important for customers to exercise some courtesy and restraint as it is for drivers. Just ask our own model passenger, Mr. Sato.

At least it’s nice to see that society is improving such that bus drivers can seek help for mental health issues when they need it, unlike the ’50s, when they would go home and threaten to punch their wives so hard they would fly up towards the moon (The Honeymooners was a documentary, right?).

Source: Shukan Josei Prime, TBS Radio, My Game News Flash
Photos ©SoraNews24
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This crustacean does more than just keep time on your three-minute instant noodles.

Back in October, ramen lovers in Japan began scrambling for a hot new noodle accessory called the Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer. As the name suggests, this little crustacean keeps time so you can know when your three-minute noodles are ready, and it does it in such a cute way that it instantly became a sell-out hit.

So when we were at a branch of drugstore chain Welcia the other day, we did a double take when we saw the crab looking up at us from inside a plastic box.

We weren’t expecting to visit a drugstore and come home with a crab, but that’s what we did as there was no way we could let this little guy get away. Not only did it look cute, but at 1,078 yen (US$6.86) it was a great deal, especially as the crab does much more than just keep time.

To get things started, simply flip the crab upside down to operate the buttons for the countdown.

You can set the alarm for up to 99 minutes and 59 sec0nds, so the timer can easily be used for more than just ramen. Plus, the crab doubles as a chopstick rest, and has enough strength to hold a rice paddle or ladle aloft as well.

▼ A handy kitchen assistant.

The crab really comes into its own when you pop it on top of your instant noodles though, as the helpful multitasker keeps track of the time while also ensuring the lid stays closed for maximum steaming power.

▼ It does all that while holding your chopsticks ready for your meal.

When the time is up, the crab’s stomach is said to growl, but that turned out to be a bit of an oversell, as it simply made the same beeping sound as a regular timer.

While a bit of work is required to re-imagine the beeps as the growls of a crab’s stomach, there’s less work involved in gobbling down your noodles when they’re ready, as the crab’s cuteness adds a sense of lighthearted joy to the proceedings.

▼ You have to provide the ramen, but the crab provides all the fun.

Best of all, this little assistant remains long after your meal is over, claws raised as if cheering you on with whatever task you undertake.

▼ Handy for holding a pen or stylus when you’re not eating noodles.

After selling out due to popular demand when it was released, we were happy to come across this unique product at Welcia, so keep an eye out for it there next time you’re shopping for super cheap rice balls.

In our humble opinion, this crab timer is worth the hype, so we’ll be giving it pride of place next to our Cup Noodle humidifier.

Related: Crab-shaped cup ramen timer
Photos©SoraNews24
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Enjoy a special experience at one of the best cherry blossom viewing spots in Tokyo.

If you’re looking for a place where you can sip on Starbucks while admiring the cherry blossoms in Japan, the Reserve Roastery Tokyo is an ideal destination. Set beside the Meguro River, one of Tokyo’s most popular hanami flower-viewing sites, this multi-storey building has expansive views from which to view the rows of cherry blossom trees that line the waterway, and this year it’ll be holding some special events that give you a front row seat to the beautiful blooms.

Up on the third floor, customers can pull up a chair at the Roastery Tokyo Sakura Terrace, with either the “Daytime Picnic Plan” or “Evening Bread and Drink Plan” available.

▼ For the daytime plan, customers will be able to enjoy picnic-style sandwich-based food made by the onsite Princi Italian bakery.

Some of the delicious treats in the picnic box include the Cornetti Sandwich with Prosciutto Cotto and Pecorino and Calzone with Seafood Genovese.

▼ Each set comes with either coffee or tea.

At night, the atmosphere on the terrace changes as the light of the illuminated cherry blossoms begin to glow at dusk, making for a magical evening.

This is when customers will enjoy a “bread and drink” style food menu, focusing on antipasti and bakery snacks.

In addition to coffee, the beverage lineup includes wine, beer, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. You can also choose a set that includes one drink or a free-flow, all-you-can-drink option.

As an added bonus, customers who choose the picnic plan will be provided with an “original picnic cushion” specially made for this event. Designed with comfort and ease of use in mind, the cushion packs away neatly in its own bag, and there’s also the option to receive a blanket for an extra fee.

The small roads beside the Meguro River are lined with stores that become a hive of activity during sakura season, and Starbucks is joining them this year with a special “Sakura Pop-Up Store“, located a short walk down the street from the Roastery. Open from 20 March to 10 April, this store will sell some exclusive beverages for takeout so you can enjoy them while casually strolling along the river and soaking up the festival-style atmosphere.

The drinks here are inspired by the Panache, a refreshing Italian beer cocktail, with two varieties available: one that combines beer with cold brew coffee and mixed berries, and one that combines beer with tea and mixed berries.

▼ Alcohol-free versions of each are also available

▼ You’ll also find Roastery-exclusive goods to tempt you in the store.

While the pop-up is free to enter during business hours from 12-7 p.m., the terrace seating up on the third floor of the Roastery is a paid event that requires advance reservations via TableCheck. The Picnic Plan costs 8,800 yen (US$55.88), or 10,800 yen for the blanket option, and is available at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. while the Bread and Drink Plan costs 9,700 yen (11,700 yen with a blanket), and is available at 4:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Adding on an all-you-can drink option in the evening will bring the total price to 11,500 yen (13,500 yen with a blanket).

Like the pop-up store, the terrace plans are only available for a limited time, from 23 March to 10 April, which is perfectly timed for this year’s cherry blossom season.

Cafe information
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo / スターバックス リザーブ ロースタリー東京
Address: Tokyo-to, Meguro-ku, Aobadai 2-19-23
東京都目黒区青葉台2丁目19-23
Open 7 a.m.-11 p.m.
Website

Source, images: Press release
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Tell the plants “No, thank you!” to stinging skin with these five popular sprays.

The shift into spring brings warmer weather, beautiful flowers, and the unwelcome addition of insanely high levels of pollen. I know of many people who have claimed to have not suffered from any sort of hay fever back in their own countries, but after spending any length of time in Japan, they join the rest of us with itchy eyes and running noses.

▼ No one is safe from the pollen-ocalypse.

Even if you’re fortunate enough to not be subjected to the joys of full-on hay fever, there is still the possibility of dealing with pollen-induced skin irritation and roughness. For our Japanese-language reporter Mariko Ohanabatake, as soon as the pollen starts to fly, her skin starts stinging, breakouts pop up, and the skin around her eyes starts peeling, marking one of the worst times of the year for her skin condition. To combat the release of those dastardly plants, she has been relying on pollen-protection skin sprays for years, but with so many options available on the market, the user experience varies wildly. So, let’s do a little comparison, although we’ll only be focusing on Mariko’s personal impressions regarding the feel and usability of five different products, rather than a scientific certification of their medical efficacy.

While the pollen-blocking power is surely what everyone really wants to know, it’s actually quite difficult to quantify without official data. Instead, Mariko will focus on the moisturizing power, mist fineness, and other qualities of the sprays, as she definitely notices a difference between when she uses the sprays and when she doesn’t, so for her, the biggest factor is how they feel on your face.

● Shiseido’s Ihada Aller Screen EX

• Price: 50 grams (about 1.8 ounces) for 990 yen (US$6.30) / 100 grams for 1,760 yen
• Type: Aerosol spray
• Moisturizing Power: 1/5
• Mist Fineness: 3/5

This is probably the pioneer of pollen sprays, and is available almost everywhere. Since she has started using sprays, Mariko claims she must have bought the large size about ten times. Though it is not a medicinal product, it claims to protect from “pollen, viruses, and PM2.5” using a patented micro-particle adhesion-prevention technology.

The biggest draw of the product is its convenience, seeing as you can spray it over your face and your hair, but since it contains alcohol, it has almost zero moisturizing effect. On the other hand, that also means it doesn’t really mess up your skincare or makeup, so it’s perfect for people who hate a heavy feel and want something refreshing they can use liberally.

● Shiseido’s D Program Allerbarrier Mist N

• Price: 57 milliliters (about two fluid ounces) for 1,650 yen
• Type: Bi-phase (oil and water) mist
• Moisturizing Power: 3/5
• Mist Fineness: 4/5

This is a bi-phase mist containing both oil and water, so you need to give it a really good shake before use. Because of the oil content, though, it can feel quite hydrating, and is well-suited for mid-day touch-ups and can even help prevent makeup from fading.

Since D Program is designed for sensitive skin, Mariko recommends this for anyone whose skin feels dry or tingly due to pollen. It’s just that the only downside is that the bottle is pretty small, so you’ll end up going through it fairly quickly.

● BCL’s Kansosan Moisture AQ Barrier Mist

• Price: 58 milliliters (about two fluid ounces) for 1,540 yen
• Type: Mist
• Moisturizing Power: 5/5
• Mist Fineness: 2/5

This mist promises  to protect skin from dryness caused by pollen, dust, PM2.5, and even blue light. Its standout feature is its intense hydration, easily being the most moisturizing of the comparison lineup. However, the mist is a bit coarse, which can leave your face feeling wet or sticky, so be careful when applying this over makeup. If you’re struggling with severe dryness from pollen, or if you prefer a very glossy finish to your skin, this is the one for you.

● Kose’s Make Keep Mist EX (Fragrance Free)

• Price: 80 milliliters (about 2.8 fluid ounces) for 1,430 yen
• Type: Bi-phase (oil and water) mist
• Moisturizing Power: 2/5
• Mist Fineness: 5/5

The Make Keep Mist is well known for preventing makeup transfer, and now it has a fragrance-free version that also blocks pollen. Even though it has a bi-phase formula, it feels very light and refreshing, and most importantly, the mist is incredibly fine, so it’s very unlikely to ruin your makeup.

This is best for people who primarily want to keep their makeup in place but also want a little extra pollen protection. Another positive note is that the bottle is surprisingly large, so you can use it generously.

● Kose’s Sekkisei Clear Wellness

• Price: 35 milliliters (about 1.2 fluid ounces) for 880 yen / 80 milliliters (about 2.8 fluid ounces) for 1,540 yen
• Type: Mist
• Moisturizing Power: 4/5
• Mist Fineness: 2/5

This is a pollen barrier mist from Sekkisei’s sensitive skin line, being oil-free, so not sticky, but still providing a nice, gentle layer of moisture. Though, there are a couple of downsides, being that the mist is unexpectedly coarse, and while the round bottle is cute, it’s a little awkward to hold.

The mist helps balance the skin’s moisture, making it a good choice for when your skin is sensitive and stinging. If you find that heavy moisturizers cause hair or dust to stick to your face, which ends up causing even more irritation, you’ll like this gentle-feeling spray.

Mariko tends to switch between products, using D Program during the day when her skin starts to feel tingly and dry, and Ihada in bulk before leaving the house to prevent pollen from sticking in the first place. Though everyone’s preferences are different, if you have oily skin or wear heavy makeup, Mariko recommends the Make Keep Mist to be your best bet.

Until someone invents a product that stops pollen skin irritation once and for all, one of these five sprays, or a combination like what Mariko uses, might help alleviate some of your suffering.

Related: Ihada on Amazon, D Program on Amazon, Kansosan on Amazon, Make Keep Mist on Amazon, Sekkisei on Amazon
Insert image: Pakutaso
Photos ©SoraNews24
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Exclusive drinks will make you feel like you’re biting into a choux cream pastry.

Starbucks is a leader in the world of dessert drinks, but its newest release looks set to raise the bar even further, with two drinks inspired by cream puffs, or “shu cream” (“choux creme”) as they’re known in Japanese.

Designed with the chain’s springtime theme of “Spring is the season for dreams to bloom” in mind, these two beverages are said to make you feel like you’re biting into a cream puff, which is a dream come true for pastry lovers.

While this is a Japan-first flavour, Starbucks says it was inspired by a beverage enjoyed every spring by its customers in Korea. The star of the Japan release is the Cream Puff Frappuccino, which combines vanilla-flavoured milk caramel sauce with a rich milk base and tops it all with a vanilla bean custard-flavoured whipped cream and crunchy choux pastry pieces. The mixture of custard and choux pastry is said to perfectly replicate the taste and texture of a cream puff, in a way that will “make your heart leap with the arrival of spring”.

Joining the Frappuccino is the Cream Puff Latte, which combines espresso and milk with vanilla-flavoured milk caramel sauce, creating a sweet and aromatic cream puff experience. The gentle sweetness of custard is said to pair well with the bittersweetness of the espresso, while the crunch of the cream puff pastry pieces creates a pleasant balance, “like a moment of warmth in the still-cold breeze”.

Starbucks wants its customers to enjoy a sense of their dreams expanding and soaring with every sip, and to help them with that, the chain is recommending several customisations.

▼ The Cream Puff Frappuccino with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce is said to bring out a luxurious, dessert-like taste, similar to an eclair.

The Cream Puff Latte with a change to two shots of Blonde Espresso (only available at some stores) adds lightly roasted coffee to the mix for a more mellow cream puff taste with a heightened coffee kick.

The Change to Almond Milk is recommended for both drinks, with the fragrant nutty aroma of almonds adding a slightly luxurious feel to the beverage, creating a flavour that’s reminiscent of a choux pastry topped with nuts.

While it’s perfectly fine to pay for your drinks at the counter, the chain is encouraging people to use its online Mobile Order & Pay system to ease congestion at stores, offering a 100-yen off eTicket to new users and those who haven’t used the service since December, which can be used on their next orders.

The eligible period for the campaign is 13 March to 20 April, which is also when the new drinks will be on the menu. The Cream Puff Frappuccino will be sold in a Tall size only, priced at 687 yen (US$4.36) for takeout or 700 yen for dine-in, while the Cream Puff Latte will be sold hot or cold, in a Tall size for 609 yen for takeout and 620 yen for dine-in.

Source, images: Press release
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Ghibli-themed sweets shop puts together a cherry blossom viewing party for a pair of Totoros.

Last month, we looked at some very tasty, and cute, chocolate Valentine’s Day treats from Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory, Tokyo’s Ghibli-themed confectioner. Japan has a sweets-centered celebration in March too, though, as March 14 is White Day, when guys are expected to give thank-you gifts to the women who gave them chocolate on Valentine’s Day.

So Shirohige is getting set to start baking a lineup of special White Day Totoro sweets, and with spring here, they’ve even got a sakura Totoro cake!

Called the Ohanami, or “Cherry Blossom-viewing,” Cake, the first thing that grabs your attention is the pair of Totoros made out of nerikiri, a soft but shapable mixture of white sweet bean paste and mochi. The two forest spirits are hanging out in a grove of chocolate tress and chocolate cherry blossom petals, with the flowers falling to a floor of matcha chocolate. Inside the green tea section of the cake is a filling of sakura mousse with a core of cherry and raspberry gelee, with a pie crust-like tart at the base.

▼ The handy diagram is full of the sort of Ghibli artwork charm you’d expect from a bakery run by the relatives of studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki.

There’s more springtime fun in the air/oven with the Friendly Totoro Seasonal Cookie Set, with a pair of shortbread cookie Totoros, one plain and one chocolate, plus white chocolate-covered raspberry cookies shaped like a cherry blossom, a plum blossom, and a butterfly.

The sakura Totoro cake is priced at 3,500 yen (US$22.60), but the cookies are more impulse buy-friendly, as they’re just 500 yen for the set. You can also opt for a three-pack cookie set, for 1,500 yen, which also gets you one matcha cookie shaped like a leaf with a little bug nibbling on it.

And if you’re looking for a gift with an extra dash of mature sophistication, and also one that’ll leave part of the present for after you’ve eaten everything, Shirohige’s also has a 1,600-yen caramelized nut selection with picans, almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts that comes wrapped in a handkerchief featuring the bakery’s mascot character.

Since these are all special White Day items, they’re only available for a limited time, March 7 to 14 for the cookies and nuts, and March 11 to 14 for the sakura Totoro cake. In addition, while the nuts and cookies will be on sale at both Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory branches in Tokyo, Daita and Kichijoji, the cake can only be ordered from the Daita branch, and must be reserved ahead of time (preorder information can be found on the official website here). Meanwhile, if you’re looking for sakura Totoro fun of the non-edible kind, we can help you with that too.

Related: Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory official website
Source: Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory
Top image: Studio Ghibli
Insert images: Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory
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