Twentythree

Sure, they may be messy in the anime, but these Ghibli Soot Sprites will help you keep your real-world paperwork tidy.

It’s honestly impressive how iconic and universally recognized the standard paper clip design is. Not only will just about anyone immediately be able to mentally picture what you’re talking about if you say “paper clip shape,” there’s probably no other set of words that would reliably work as a description of that style of twisted wire.

But just because that shape is iconic doesn’t mean it’s the only way to clip papers together. What if, for instance, you made a paper clip that looks like a Soot Sprite from My Neighbor Totoro?

Actually, Studio Ghibli specialty store Donguri Kyowakoku didn’t stop at designing just one paper clip in the image of the anime critters, but four of them. Plus just like how Soot Sprites appear in big bunches in the movie, so too do these clips come in a pack, with two of each version.

Officially, these are called the Makkurokurosuke Clips, makkuro being the Japanese word for “pitch black” and “-suke” being a common ending to men’s names in Japan. Rather than the oblong dimensions of a typical paperclip, these guys are roughly circular, with the Soot Sprites attached at the end of a prong that you can slide over one side of the paper while the outer rim presses against the other.

That unique construction also means that the Soot Sprites have artistic-looking frames around them, and the aesthetics are nice enough that they can actually work pretty well as decorations for your work or study space, even if you don’t have any documents that need organizing at the moment.

The eight-clip set also includes a case to keep them in, with “Come on out, Makkurokurosuke!” written in Japanese on the lid.

The Soot Sprite Clip Set is priced at 1,540 yen (US$9.60) and can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here.

Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
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One of our writers seeks to redeem himself at this all-you-can-eat gyoza deal for 2,000 yen (US$12.40).

Just two months ago, our Japanese-language reporters P.K. Sanjun and Ahiruneko challenged themselves to see if Mister Donut’s 2,000-yen all-you-can-eat donut buffet deal was worth it or not. While both of them came out ahead, Ahiruneko was seriously close to being KO’d with a food coma. Enough time has passed since then that the pair were ready to take on a new challenge with all-you-can-eat gyoza.

▼ P.K. (left) and Ahiruneko (right)

Shibuya Gyoza’s 2,000-yen all-you-can-eat gyoza deal (time limit: 2 hours) was the subject of this next test as they wanted to see if the price was justified. A single serving size there costs 350 yen, so they’d get their money’s worth if they could each finish the equivalent of six servings.

Out of the three locations of Shibuya Gyoza in the Tokyo area, our writers headed to the one in Nishishinjuku on a weekday lunch for this challenge.

They could choose from pan-fried gyoza, boiled gyoza, and deep-fried gyoza, with each serving containing five gyoza. Perhaps in an effort to rile them up, a staff member mentioned that a customer had once eaten 200 gyoza during a single visit.

For his part, Ahiruneko was brimming with confidence as they sat down. He claimed that the fact that gyoza aren’t sweet should make this one easy for him. Let’s see if he’ll eat his gyoza–or his words–this time.

He was so confident, in fact, that they collectively ordered six servings of pan-fried gyoza (30 total), three servings of boiled gyoza (15 total), and one serving of deep-fried gyoza (five total) right off the bat.

All of them were solid entries. The pan-fried gyoza in particular were fried to the perfect level of crispiness, and their thin wrappers resulted in a fairly light feeling.

On the other hand, the boiled dumplings had more markedly pronounced wrappers that screamed “CARBS!” They were smooth and went down easily, but they were the kind that you could definitely feel starting to accumulate in your stomach.

The challenge was proceeding swimmingly as they slowly but steadily cleared the plates. They even ordered another four servings of pan-fried gyoza to save time while finishing the first round. P.K. in particular was feeling very confident of the ensuing victory to come.

…That is, until he noticed his hands beginning to slow down.

Ahiruneko, meanwhile, seemed to be completely frozen. He was muttering something incomprehensible with a blank look in his eyes. P.K. leaned in to hear him better.

▼ “It’s so weird because I can usually eat more at home…”

▼ “I always make 100 of them at home!”

▼ “Maybe the ones at home are a little bit smaller…LOL”

Sheesh. P.K. had no time for his excuses. He just wanted them to destroy all of the evidence.

By the time the second round arrived, Ahiruneko’s hands had completely stopped moving. P.K. estimated that out of the 50 or so gyoza they’d eaten so far, the ratio of ones he had eaten versus Ahiruneko was 3:2. He was irritated to see him playing around on his phone instead of eating…only to then learn that he had ordered a draft beer.

Ahiruneko claimed that because gyoza and beer are a match made in heaven, he would be able to eat even more by washing them down with the drink. He chugged some down and P.K. looked on in eager anticipation.

But afterwards, Ahiruneko only stared blankly at his plate. What was with that earlier display of bravado?!

In the end, P.K. took the lead and managed to polish off most of the remaining gyoza by himself before throwing in the towel. They had collectively cleared 14 servings, meaning that it was a savings of 450 yen per person.

Leaving the restaurant, P.K. couldn’t even feel how full he was–he was too focused on how full of baloney his coworker was. He fears that Ahiruneko’s blankly staring face will haunt his memory for the rest of his life. Ahiruneko will now have a very uphill battle if he ever wants to truly redeem himself in all of his big-eater coworkers‘ eyes.

Restaurant information
Shibuya Gyoza Shinjuku West Exit branch / 渋谷餃子 新宿西口店
Address: Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Nishishinjuku 1-15-8 Atlas Nishishinjuku Building 2nd floor
東京都新宿区西新宿 1-15-8 アトラス西新宿ビル 2F
Open: 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. (weekdays), 12 p.m.-11:30 p.m. (Saturdays), 12 p.m.-11 p.m. (Sundays)

Photos © SoraNews24
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Convenience store tea is having a moment this summer.

In 2013, 7-Eleven Japan debuted its new “Seven Cafe” system of freshly made beverages, starting with a rollout of coffee machines that soon became a hit with customers around the nation. After becoming synonymous with freshly brewed coffee, the chain expanded its options with smoothie machines, and now, following up on a promise to install tea machines in around 2,000 stores by February 2026, the chain has its sights set on bringing tea drinkers through its doors.

Situated alongside the coffee and smoothie machines on the counter, the tea machine has a bright and eye-catching display. For coffee lovers like our reporter P.K. Sanjun, tea isn’t usually on his radar, but the display looked so appealing that one day, he decided to ditch his morning coffee for a cup of Seven Cafe Tea.

After picking up a couple of iced cups from the freezer and paying for them at the counter, P.K. sidled over to the machine, where he saw that there were three types of tea leaves to choose from: “Darjeeling Blend”, “Earl Grey Tea”, and “Assam Blend.” As a casual tea drinker, P.K. didn’t know the specific characteristics about each of these varieties, so he appreciated the sign above the machine, which described Darjeeling as having a pleasant aroma and clean aftertaste, Earl Grey as having a fruity citrus scent and refreshing flavour, and Assam having a rich, sweet aroma with a deep, full-bodied taste.

After selecting your tea variety, you can choose whether you want it hot or iced, and whether you want it straight or with milk, which was a wider variety of options than P.K. had expected. Prices range from 120 yen (US$0.80) for a small straight tea to 300 yen for a large iced milk tea.

Since it was a hot and muggy day, P.K. opted for an iced Darjeeling tea and an iced Earl Grey milk tea. Popping them in one at a time, he pressed the appropriate buttons to get his brew of choice, and as he waited, he couldn’t help but notice it took quite a while, given the careful attention to the brewing and steeping process.

When they were finally ready, P.K. stepped back to admire them, noting the golden brown hues in each.

Trying the iced tea first, P.K. was surprised by how delicious it was. Refreshing yet with a rich flavour, it tasted different from any other tea he’s ever had before.

As for the milk tea, initially it felt like the milk slightly overpowered the flavour, but after adding some sugar syrup, the tea suddenly started to assert itself, making for a delicious blend that he could easily see himself gulping down in the summer months.

So was it enough to convert a coffee drinker? Well, P.K. says he won’t be making the permanent switch to tea. It’s not that the tea wasn’t delicious – it just didn’t have the same bitter kick as a 7-Eleven coffee, which is one of the things he finds himself craving on a daily basis.

Still, after betraying his beloved coffee machine and trying the two teas, he’s now able to confidently say that 7-Eleven does do a great brew. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll find himself at the machine again when he wants a refreshing summer beverage to complement his daily cup of joe.

Images©SoraNews24
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These are some Slimes we’d be happy to see while we’re eating.

A huge part of Yoshinoya’s success is that while it’s a low-priced place to get a hot meal, eating there doesn’t feel “cheap.” The food is tasty, the portions are good, and the restaurants are clean. News of an upcoming infestation of Slimes at Yoshinoya might sound like a betrayal of the last point, but fear not, because these are Dragon Quest Slimes!

Yes, the venerable RPG franchise is teaming up with the king of gyudon/beef bowls, in a collaboration between Yoshinoya and Dragon Quest. While this is technically a promotional partnership with the Dragon Quest Walk smartphone game, the characters featured on the toys and other exclusive items will be recognizable to anyone who’s played any of the Dragon Quest games.

At the core of the crossover is the Dragon Quest Walk Set, a regular-size beef bowl, mini salad, and one of eight figures.

The figures will be split up into two batches of four, with the first, pictured above and consisting of Slimes sporting Yoshinoya bowls as helmets or otherwise displaying the restaurant’s logo, plus a unique new version of mimic monster, the Man-eating Benishoga Box, modeled after the containers of benishoga (pickled ginger) Yoshinoya has on its counters for customers to use as a condiment.

The first batch of figures will be available between July 2 and 15, and the second batch, shown below and featuring a King Slime in Yoshinoya’s orange image color, will appear from July 16 to 29.

The Dragon Quest Walk Set is priced at 932 yen (US$5.85) and can be ordered either to eat-in or to-go. For to-go orders, the beef bowl comes in a special container with the Dragon Quest Walk logo and is placed in a Slime takeout bag.

The figure you receive with the Dragon Quest Walk Set is random, but there’s an alternate way to get the figure of your choice. Yoshinoya has an official app in which customers can earn one point for every 500 yen they spend during a visit. Between July 2 and August 26, these points can be exchanged for a variety of cool Dragon Quest items, starting with a selectable figure for 40 points, a yunomi Japanese-style tea cup for 30 points…

▼ That’s the kanji for Yoshinoya’s “Yoshi” written on the cup, by the way.

…your choice of one of two Slime bowl designs for 40 points…

…a benishoga box mimic tissue case for 70 points…

…or a metallic Yoshinoya Slime and Sign Set, for 70 points.

70 points works out to 35,000 yen worth of Yoshinoya meals, but you don’t necessarily have to eat that much during the collaboration itself, since points you’ve already accumulated within the app can be used for the Dragon Quest items.

There’s even a promotional video showing Slime and his buddies stopping by for some gyudon for themselves.

▼ I had no idea Slime was so good at using chopsticks.

Meanwhile, if you’re a hungry Slime-lover whose tastes run more towards the sweeter sides of things, there’s still time to grab one of Baskin-Robbins Japan’s Slime ice cream cakes.

Source: Yoshinoya, PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: YouTube/ドラゴンクエストウォーク公式, Yoshinoya, PR Times
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A few beers a day keeps the doctor away, because you forgot your appointment.

Japan has long been a country that has embraced alcohol consumption. After-work drinking was considered mandatory at almost every company not too long ago, and you can still find vending machines in some parts distributing beers and alcopops with the utmost convenience.

Also, up until only a few months ago, you could go to the website of Japan’s National Tax Agency (NTA) and read “alcohol is the best medicine” in their Information on Alcohol section. In fairness, they were quoting an old adage rather than trying to make their own original point, but looking at it in context, the NTA clearly weren’t disagreeing with it either.

“As the saying goes, ‘alcohol is the best medicine,’ and it has long been widely known that moderate drinking has positive effects on both the mind and body. Drinking is thought to have certain health benefits, including stress relief, the promotion of blood circulation, and an increased appetite.”

The above passage was taken off the website last April, despite many years of studies declaring that the only amount of alcohol that could be considered good for you on a net level is zero. The NTA also received an official request from the Cabinet Office’s Food Safety Commission to change their information, suggesting that the NTA wasn’t overly willing to do so without being pressured.

It might seem a little strange that the country’s tax agency is touting the purported health benefits of alcohol in the first place. The reason for this dates back to the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when Japan changed from the rule of samurai lords to a parliamentary government, despite Tom Cruise’s best efforts to stop them.

This complete overhaul of the country was a costly endeavor, and money was needed to accomplish it. Most tax revenue came from agriculture at that time, and it was very vulnerable to poor weather and crop diseases. Sake, however, was a more stable product that could be stored and transported more safely and easily, so the government latched onto that and taxed it more heavily.

By the turn of the 20th century, about one-third of Japan’s tax revenue came from sake alone. Since it was such a crucial source of money, the government was heavily invested in its success, and in 1904, the Ministry of Finance created the National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB) to improve quality standards and prevent spoiled batches that could hurt the national bottom line.

▼ A lot of the techniques and equipment originally created by the NRIB are still in use today.

After World War II, the Japanese government was reorganized, and the National Tax Agency was spun off from the Ministry of Finance. The NTA also inherited the NRIB and the traditional mandate of looking after sake breweries. Even as tax revenue from alcohol dwindled to one percent of the nation’s total, the NTA maintained a vested interest in supporting and promoting Japanese sake breweries, as well as producers of other drinks like whisky and shochu.

There still are practical reasons for this. Sake has a lot of potential in the international market, and since a lot of breweries are in rural areas, it’s a way to curb population decline in those areas. The reason this all falls to the government’s tax bureau is simply because that’s the way it’s always been. It’s a setup that’s probably unique only to Japan and would be like the IRS in the USA holding Oktoberfest events as a part of their official duties.

It’s hard to argue that so much hands-on backing of the alcohol industry in Japan from the government didn’t have an impact on cultural attitudes about drinking. Nevertheless, times are changing, and more research is showing that even moderate drinking will have a negative effect on human health, so people are gradually starting to move on to other things.

We can even see in online comments that the very notion of alcohol being the best medicine is considered laughable by today’s standards.

“The NTA sounds like an alcoholic.”
“There is absolutely no truth to a little alcohol being good for you.”
“Anyone who calls alcohol medicine sounds like a meth addict.”
“It certainly seems like it would directly affect your organs. I don’t drink, and I feel great.”
“Alcoholics are causing problems for all of us for their own pleasure.”
“I quit smoking but can’t stop drinking. I think it’s more addictive.”
“I only have a little, and it relieves my stress. So, I’ll keep drinking.”
“It doesn’t even taste good. It’s good for cleaning with, though.”
“There’s no way something that’s addictive and poisons your body is good for you.”
“Medicine probably really sucked when that phrase was coined.”

The phrase “alcohol is the best medicine” can be traced back to ancient China and appears in the Book of Han, written between 200 BC and around 100 AD. I can’t really speak of the medicine back then, since I wasn’t around, but they probably had a very different and much less scientific understanding of the stuff 2,000 years ago.

It will be interesting to see if people in Japan continue this gravitation away from alcohol or if this is just a temporary trend. Either way, there is no denying that it played a major part in making Japan what it is today.

Source: Wedge Online, Chiba Sake, My Game News Flash, Craft Sake World
Photos ©SoraNews24
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Does this qualify as a new addition to the convenience store’s lineup of sweets sandwiches, or should it be considered something different?

“Is a hamburger a sandwich?” is one of the most important philosophical debates that modern society grapples with. Though it’s yet to be definitively settled one way or another, time does march on, though, and now we find ourselves faced with a new question, one indirectly posed by 7-Eleven Japan.

Is a sweets burger a sweets sandwich?

Prompting this pondering is the Rare Cheese and Almond Sweets Burger. Yes, sweets sandwiches have been a thing in Japan for a long time, starting with fruit sandwiches and recently including such evolutions as chocolate chip sandwiches, but those use crustless sandwich bread. 7-Eleven’s new treat, though, has a bun. Sure, it’s got a pretty pink color, but it’s not some kind of cupcake-style sponge. It’s brioche, so while you could make the argument that it’s a fancy burger bun, it’s still a burger bun.

The sweet stuff is all inside, where you’ll find a mixture of cream cheese, almonds, and orange peel, formed into a block that takes the place of a hamburger patty. 7-Eleven boasts that the Australian cream cheese it uses is rich in flavor without feeling heavy, and the almonds and orange peel should provide an enticingly complex texture, as well as a kick of tart citrus that should feel nicely refreshing as we head into the hot midsummer weather.

The Rare Cheese and Almond Sweets Burger is priced at 290 yen (US$1.85) and goes on sale June 23 at 7-Eleven Japan branches, which is also the same day they’re debuting their new banh mi, in case you want a savory sandwich to go along with your sweet one.

Source: PR Times
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Insert images: PR Times
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