Twentythree

Like a sweet fusion between doughnuts and dorayaki pancakes, this is an Uji matcha experience you need to try while in Japan.

Matcha lovers will want to mark their calendars for 25 March this year, as that’s the day when Japan’s top doughnut chain, Mister Donut, releases its new “Uji Matcha Donut Series“.

This delightfully green range consists of five matcha doughnuts, two of which are said to be new varieties with an extra fluffy and chewy texture inspired by dorayaki, a traditional pancake-like sweet.

▼ Dorayaki commonly contain a traditional red bean paste filling.

Image: Pakutaso

Dorayaki have the same chewy texture as pancakes, so the mouthfeel of the two new “Dora Matcha” doughnuts promises to be a very unique experience. The flavour is said to be premium quality too, as all the doughnuts contain Uji matcha from Gion Tsujiri, a famous 152-year old company based in Uji, Kyoto, Japan’s premier matcha-producing region.

Mister Donut’s classic “Pon de Ring” doughnut will also be getting an Uji matcha makeover for the new release, so let’s take a closer look at all the new doughnuts in the collection.

▼ Matcha Dora Matcha Coarse Red Bean Paste and Whipped Cream (334 yen [US$2.09] takeout; 341 yen eat-in)

Like all the doughnuts in the range, the dough here has been kneaded with Gion Tsujiri’s widely acclaimed Uji matcha. Sandwiched inside is a delicious mound of Hokkaido red bean paste – red beans from Hokkaido are highly rated – with a generous amount of Uji matcha whipped cream and brown sugar syrup on top for mouthfuls of traditional flavour.

▼ Matcha Dora Matcha Chestnut Paste Matcha Whipped Cream (345 yen takeout; 352 yen eat-in)

The collection’s second fluffy, chewy, dorayaki-esque doughnut is coated in Uji matcha chocolate and filled with chestnut paste, Uji matcha whipped cream, and a topping of candied almonds for a distinct crunchy contrast in texture.

▼ Pon de Double Uji Matcha (237 yen takeout; 242 yen eat-in)

Easing us into the Pon de Ring range is this tantalising Uji matcha chocolate-coated variety. The dough and the chocolate deliver a double dose of matcha in one doughnut, making it an irresistible treat for matcha lovers.

▼ Pon de Zaku Uji Matcha Milk Flavor (259 yen takeout; 264 yen eat-in)

This Pon de Ring is coated in white chocolate and topped with crunchy Uji matcha pieces so you can enjoy milky matcha flavours with a green tea crunch.

▼ Pon de Uji Matcha Azuki Matcha Warabi Mochi (270 yen takeout; 275 yen eat-in)

Finally, we have a filled Pon de Ring, with a centre containing Hokkaido red bean paste and gooey Uji matcha warabi mochi (a jelly-like, bracken starch confection). A dusting of powdered sugar and a dip in Uji matcha chocolate completes this treat, while bringing the delicious flavours of Japanese ingredients together.

With so many different flavours and textures in the range, we won’t be able to choose between them, so you can bet we’ll be going home with them all. They’ll only be available for a limited time though, from 25 March – Late May, and only while stocks last, so be sure to get in quick to try your favourites before they disappear from the menu like the matcha treats that have gone before them.

Source, images: PR Times unless otherwise stated
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Belgian chocolatier and Japanese confectioner are both tofu newcomers, but can their powers combine for something special?

Godiva is one of those companies that’s so famous for its flagship product that you don’t even have to mention what it is. Tell somebody “Someone gave me a box of Godiva,” for example, and they’ll immediately understand that you’re talking about chocolate.

However, in addition to making chocolate, Godiva Japan is also involved in making tofu.

The Japanese division of the Belgian chocolatier hasn’t ventured into this field all by itself, however. Instead, they’ve partnered with Fujiya…a Japanese confectionary company that also isn’t known for making tofu. However, the tofu the two companies created was so popular that all available inventories quickly sold out when it went on sale last December. With a restock finally happening, though, we were determined not to miss out this time, especially since there are now two types of Godiva tofu being sold, and so we snatched up one of each as soon as we saw them at our local supermarket.

Both of them are types of gomadofu, or sesame tofu, and first up on our taste test list is Godiva’s standard Chocolat Gomadofu. The tofu comes packaged in its own little cup, like an individual-serving pudding, but we decided to get fancy and plate it.

Doing so revealed that there are two layers to this angular yet soft treat. Flipped upside down onto a dish like this, the top section is a layer of milk chocolate cream, and underneath it is a stratum of sesame tofu with dark couverture chocolate (high cocoa butter-percentage chocolate).

We took a bite, and sure enough, this had immediate and obvious elements of gomadofu and Godiva chocolate. The texture is exactly what you’d get with sesame tofu, but the flavor is the delicious and sophisticated sweetness of Godiva chocolate. The overall effect is a little reminiscent of eating chocolate mouse, but with a more substantial consistency with a little extra enticing stickiness to it.

Thoroughly satisfied, we moved on to the new Godiva tofu flavor: sakura chocolate!

Once again, the bottom layer (once the tofu is flipped over onto a plate) is dark couverture chocolate sesame tofu. Now, though, the top is a chocolate cream enhanced with the flavor of cherry blossoms, a salty, faintly floral sweetness. We were just a little worried that Godiva and Fujiya might be pushing the envelope a little too far here, what with tofu, sesame, two kinds of chocolate, and now sakura flavor too, but it turns out that all those pieces come together in such a beautiful harmony that we were very happy we made room for during the bust sakura sweets tasting season that’s now upon us.

Both of Godiva’s chocolate tofu types are priced at 350 yen (US$2.25) and available at supermarkets across Japan. This batch is scheduled to be on sale until April 30, so we’ll definitely be picking up a few more, especially if we need to bring something special to a cherry blossom viewing party later this month.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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Some things have an incalculable value.

A big hassle of traveling abroad is trying to figure out the currency of a different country, but our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma found a device on Amazon Japan that helps to relieve the stress of shopping in a foreign land. However, like many of Masanuki’s Amazon purchases, this was no ordinary foreign currency calculator; it was the lowest-rated one, with a rock-bottom score of 1.0.

You might be thinking this is because calculators and even online currency converters are already easily available on our phones. While that is true, there is some appeal to a dedicated device that you can just quickly punch numbers into and that doesn’t affect your phone’s battery. No, this product’s problems go far beyond that.

According to the reviews, the LCD screen was broken, and the buttons are too small, making them difficult to press. Those are valid complaints, but being the seasoned low-ranked product shopper Masanuki is, he realized that it’s usually only the customers who got burned who write in to complain. There very well could be thousands of satisfied customers for every one who got a bum display.

This is why our writer does what he does. This was a mission to right the wrongs of skewed reviews and redeem the reputation of items that were unfairly represented in the world of e-commerce. So he paid the 1,780 yen for the foreign currency calculator and welcomed it with open arms.

At first glance, it looked pretty good. There was a neck strap for easy access, and Masanuki felt the size was good for a travel gadget.

Since it’s just a calculator, it can’t get the current exchange rate from the Internet. Instead, the rate has to be first input manually, but after that, conversions should be super simple. That all sounded fine to our writer, so he eagerly turned it on to try it out.

▼ Masanuki: “Huh…”

Rather than the typical numbers one would expect a calculator to display, all that could be seen were random fragments of liquid crystal in varying shades of black.

Unless this thing was set to the currency of the Predator planet, something was seriously wrong. Masanuki could only imagine the panic a tourist might experience if their currency calculator bugged out like this while traveling.

However, something about the way the LCD display was faded in parts led our writer to believe that the batteries might just be low. It’s certainly not unheard of for items with batteries included to experience some considerable drain before landing in a customer’s hands.

So, he went to his local drug store and picked up a fresh one.

Perhaps all those people who gave this device a one-star review also just didn’t realize it needed a little TLC to get working properly.

▼ Masanuki: “Damn it…”

Were all of these calculators actually broken like this? It was starting to appear so, but how could a business operate by selling broken calculators?

Masanuki really wanted to give this a good review and help a struggling electronics maker get some much-needed business. However, now the proud owner of a useless piece of plastic and two batteries, one of which he had to go out in the middle of the night to get, he could only say that this was the worst calculator he’d ever seen in his life.

And while he still believed there are unfairly maligned products out there on Amazon Japan, this was not one of them. It earns every one-star rating it has and then some. Still, our reporter will continue to search the dregs of online shopping and find hidden gems wherever they may be.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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When you want to share your love of the great outdoors with your love for Studio Ghibli. 

If you love Studio Ghibli but shy away from cutesy merchandise, then there’s a brand you should know about, and it’s called GBL. Short for “Ghibli”, GBL was first launched by the studio in 2017 as an American casual clothing brand, and soon became a cooler alternative to Ghibli’s official Donguri Kyowakoku retail chain, selling everything from Hawaiaan shirts through to skateboards and clocks.

Now, the brand is bringing its trademark sense of effortless cool to the world of tumblers, by collaborating with stylish Japanese kitchenware brand Thermo Mug to give us two designs that tip the hat to Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Kiki’s Delivery Service.

▼ The first tumbler features “ポムじいさん” (“Pom Jiisan”), or Uncle Pom, from Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Uncle Pom is a great choice of character for this Thermo Mug, as his rugged look and ready-for-anything personality reflects the strength of the bottle and the conditions it can stand up to.

▼ Uncle Pom

You can easily imagine the kindhearted Pom Jiisan carrying a bottle like this and whipping it out to help anyone in a state of thirst.

While Uncle Pom spends most of his time in the mines, this Thermo Mug is designed for the great outdoors, with its 600-millilitre (20-ounce) capacity making it ideal for outdoor excursions and lunch breaks in the park.

▼ It’ll keep you quenched while camping too.

Wherever you use it, it’s sure to put a smile on your face, with Uncle Pom’s indomitable spirit cheering you on from the front, and on the back, some of the handy items he carries with him in the film.

▼ These items recall some of the movie’s quietest, most peaceful scenes, bringing you joy and solace when you look at them.

▼ Fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service can stay hydrated with the help of Ursula.

▼ Ursula is “ウルスラ” in Japanese.

The free-spirited, adventurous Ursula will give you all the inspiration and encouragement you need for your own travels, whether they be to your local park, office, or unexplored woodland.

▼ On the back, you’ll find images that recall magical, Ursula-centric moments from the film.

Like the Uncle Pom version, this bottle features a handle for easy carrying and a wide mouth for easy drinking.

▼ The wide mouth makes these bottles easy to clean.

Less time at the sink gives you more time for outdoor activities, and if you’re lucky enough to own Ursula’s backpack, which became available earlier this month, you’ll really feel like you’re living the life of the anime character out in the real world.

Thermo Mug is a relatively young Japanese brand, having been born in 2000, but it’s quickly become popular with trendsetters for its sleek designs, excellent heat/cold retention abilities, and fashionable colourways.

As a “fashion item that adds colour to your lifestyle”, the Thermo Mug is a very cool way to look cool while keeping your drinks cool, or look hot while keeping your drinks hot, and the new Ghibli-branded designs can be purchased from 10 a.m. 20 March at GBL stores and online (links below) priced at 6,050 yen (US$37.88).

Related: GBL Store List
Source: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2)
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2), Studio Ghibli
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There’s nothing for sale inside the machine, but Okinawan spirits and delicious deserts are waiting on the other side.

Recently, we were walking down the street in the city of Ishigaki in Okinawa Prefecture when a beer vending machine caught our eye. Though Japan still has vending machines that sell alcoholic beverages, they’re not nearly as commonplace as they used to be, and this one’s lineup looked particularly tempting, with a number of unique offerings including locally brewed Ishigakijima Beer.

Seeing bottled beer in a vending machine is especially rare, and so we decided to treat ourselves to a drink. Oddly enough, there were no prices listed for any of the drinks, but Japanese vending machine buttons tend to light up once you’ve put in enough coins to make the corresponding purchase, so we took out a handful…

…only to find that the coin slot had been covered with tape bearing the handwritten notice “I am broken.”

OK, well the drinks couldn’t cost more than 1,000 yen (US$6.50), we figured, so next we pulled out a bill of that denomination to slide into the machine. However, the slot’s motors didn’t spring into action as we inserted the paper, so it seemed like the entire machine was broken, not just the coin slot.

Oh well, can’t be helped, we told ourselves as we shrugged our shoulders and went on our way. However, when we doubled back later that night along the same street, we saw that the vending machine’s front panel had been opened up, so maybe it was in the process of getting repaired and we could get a drink here after all!

It turned out we were half right. The vending machine was as inoperable as it had been in the afternoon, in that we still couldn’t buy any drinks from it. However, it had actually been serving a different purpose all along, since the machine’s housing is the hidden entrance to a cafe/bar!

Stepping on through we found ourselves in a cozy and stylish interior with a counter surrounded by a faux brick motif. Standing behind that counter was the owner of this playfully camouflaged establishment.

The place is called Amato Danshi, which means “Boy with a Sweet Tooth.” You’d never know that from looking at the joint from the outside, though, since the sign above the concealed door just has the vaguely inspirational message “It’s a beautiful day to start.”

There are only seven seats in Amato Danshi, creating the atmosphere of a secret hidden fort you’ve found your way inside of. That’s very much intentional, as the owner loved building treehouses as a kid, and later worked at a French restaurant in Tokyo that had its own second-floor lounge accessed through a hidden entrance.

Drinks start at 1,100 yen, and there are plenty of locally made spirits available. The Amato Danshi name isn’t just for show, either, as the cafe also offers a selection of desserts made by the owner himself. On the night we visited, the choices were basque cheesecake, tiramisu, and gateau chocolate cake, for 900 yen each. Even the plate of snacks we were given as part of the 500-yen cover charge had things to please our sweet tooth, with Godiva chocolates and matcha yokan (sweet bean gelatin) accompanying the nuts and strawberry.

We asked the owner for his recommendation, and he suggested pairing a gin and tonic, made with Okinawan craft gin Masahiro, with a slice of gateau chocolate cake.

Our drink came with a slice of line and orchid garnish and tasted as beautiful as it looked, flavorful with a crisp finish.

Next it was time for our cake, and Amato Danshi’s owner puts just as much effort into the presentation of his sweets. The enticingly dark brown cake contrasted elegantly with the dusting of sugar, swirl of whipped cream, and accompanying slices of citrus fruit.

As soon as we started slicing through with our fork, we could tell that this would be moist and delicious, so while there wasn’t any suspense as we took a bite, there wasn’t a speck of disappointment either. Between the rich cocoa, milky cream, and tart accents of the orange and grapefruit, this was wonderfully balanced with a level of quality worthy of even a dedicated sweets shop.

Now, with Amato Danshi having a hidden entrance, you might think that the owner doesn’t really want it to be found, and so you might be worried that maybe the owner isn’t particularly welcoming to first-time visitors. That’s not the case at all, though, as he warmly welcomes not only out-of-towners, but even out-of-countryers. Amato Danshi’s customers, the owner tells us, are a mix of locals, Japanese domestic tourists, and international travelers, and he’s happy to have them all coming in for a drink or dessert. “Amato Danshi is a small space where all sorts of communication and new meetings can take place,” he says. “The thing that makes this place special is how people from other countries, locals, and tourists can have conversations with each other that they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to anywhere else.”

Amato Danshi is only open for a couple of hours a day, from 9 p.m. to midnight, and they’re closed on Tuesdays. Between that and the small number of seats, it might not be easy to get in, but if you can, it’s a unique experience you won’t forget anytime soon.

Location information
Amato Danshi / 甘党男子
Address: Okinawa-ken, Ishigaki-shi, Misaki-cho 8
沖縄県石垣市美崎町8
Open 9 p.m.-midnight
Closed Tuesdays
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