Twentythree

Just 1,000 yen per stop lets you drink, eat, and mingle with friendly strangers through this historic neighborhood.

Here at SoraNews24, we’re always on the lookout for fun and exciting events to participate in, and sometimes that news comes from our enthusiastic readers who are keen to share their knowledge of local events. Just recently, one of our readers sent in a notification about a bar-hopping event in Asakusa that’s perfect for even people who have no one else to go with, so we sent out our Japanese-language reporter Asami Oshima, who is always down to try out different places to drink, to see what the event was all about.

The event in question is Yoi no Yoi, which translates to “Drunken Evening”, and it’s one of the largest bar-hopping events in Japan, running from February 2 to February 18, 2026, and being held in the Kannon-ura area of Asakusa, a historic district in eastern Tokyo.

Asakusa is best known for Sensoji Temple, Tokyo’s oldest and most famous temple. With “Kannon” being another name for the Buddhist deity enshrined within the temple, the “Kannon-ura” area, refers to the neighborhood behind Sensoji Temple, as it is literally behind (“ura”) the Kannon. While the front of the temple sees a plethora of crowded tourist shops, Kannon-ura is more of a local, residential area.

During the event, participating restaurants and bars throughout Kannon-ura offer a special 1,000 yen (US$6.51) set called a Sen-Tora set, which includes one drink and one small food dish.

▼ Having these Sen-Tora sets on offer makes them an easy, affordable way to try multiple places in one evening.

The event, now in its sixth year, is held every February, and this year a whopping total of 113 establishments are participating, so you’re bound to find a few places you like, and even if you happen to run into a couple of stores that are full or closed, you won’t have far to go before you find another to try out.

Asami arrived at Asakusa Station feeling confident, only to realize that she had no idea where Kannon-ura actually was. Even asking a station attendant didn’t seem to help, as they looked just as puzzled as she did.

It turns out that Yoi no Yoi isn’t a huge, citywide festival with banners everywhere, but more of a local neighborhood event. After briefly heading in the wrong direction (“Kannondoori” turned out to be a completely different place entirely), Asami finally made her way toward the temple and into the correct area, officially starting her drunken adventure.

▼ Similar sounding names, but Kannondoori (“観音通り”) is not Kannon-ura.

▼ Don’t make the mistake of going to the area marked by the cross, head to the area within the red circle instead, just north of Sensoji Temple in the middle of the map

Asami’s first stop of the evening was Taco44, read as “Takoyoshi”, a lively izakaya pub specializing in takoyaki, golf-ball-sized batter balls filled with octopus.

It seems the owner moved to Tokyo from Osaka to share a secret family recipe inherited from his late father.

For the Sen-Tora set, Asami chose:

• A craft beer from Osaka called Kofun
• Three pieces of salt-flavored takoyaki.

The beer arrived in a bottle, and Asami poured it out herself, feeling quite satisfied with how well she did it.

▼ Though naming a beer after a burial mound, even a World Cultural Heritage spot, may not appeal to some…

▼ Asami had no such worries.

The beer was fruity and slightly sweet, which is perfect if you like mellow craft beers. The takoyaki was crispy on the outside, creamy inside, and topped with green onions and mayonnaise.

Each one had quite a substantial chunk of octopus in the center.

The staff were incredibly friendly, and regular customers flowed in and out. Before Asami had even realized it, she was sharing a table and clinking glasses with an older local man.

He shared with Asami that he had been bar-hopping every single day since the event began, with Tako44 being his 30th stop.

▼ Asami was in the presence of a seasoned veteran.

Asami asked for a recommendation for her next stop, and the staff pointed her towards another local favorite, Kannon Sakedokoro Yu, saying that the owner is cheerful and fun.

However, a rather unexpected feature of the event is that the traditional rickshaw service called Tokyo Rickshaw is also participating.

When they are not participating in impressive feats of athleticism and skill, the Asakusa rickshaw drivers offer a popular sightseeing experience. While usually only a luxury indulged in by tourists, for this event you can get a short ride between bars for just 1,000 yen, so naturally Asami gave them a call.

Within mere minutes, Asami’s driver arrived, and she was a little surprised to see that her driver was a woman, given that she often associates the role with young men.

Interestingly, she learned that about 30 percent of rickshaw pullers today are women.

Despite the woman’s slender frame, she ran with incredible strength and smooth speed, allowing Asami to take in the cityscape with leisure, including the towering Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan.

Being pulled through old Asakusa streets, with the temple lights glowing, and the modern skyline beyond, it felt to Asami almost as if she were traveling between eras.

After about 10 minutes, plus a few photo stops, Asami arrived at her next destination: a hidden-gem of a local pub called Kannon-ura Sakedokoro Yu.

It has a calm, traditional Japanese interior and a house specialty called Kannon-ura Chashu, braised pork that is usually served in ramen, but here it’s presented as a standalone dish.

The Sen-Tora set included:

• Kannon-ura Chashu
• Any drink under 700 yen

▼ A selection of some of the drinks the pub sells

Asami chose a Vice Sour, a Japanese cocktail made with a slightly sweet, herbal syrup and soda.

The pork was tender and juicy, served with wasabi and mayonnaise, and eaten with a knife and fork, which is pretty unusual for Japanese pub food.

The owner lived up to his reputation completely, being cheerful, talkative, and welcoming. Even being a solo customer, Asami never felt out of place due to his presence. One of the joys of Japanese izakaya culture is that sitting at the counter alone often leads to easy conversation with staff and nearby guests.

During the event, this izakaya only serves the Sen-Tora set, but it was easy to see why locals love the place. Asami is eager to stop by again the next time she is in Asakusa.

Leaving the store in high spirits, Asami made her way to the next recommended place, La Guinguette la Rainette, but it was unfortunately full, so she couldn’t get in.

Wondering what to do next, Asami wandered around the area and spotted a sign that simply read “Home”. Drawn like a moth to a flame, she decided to go inside.

This small bar focuses on food and sake from Aizu, a region in Fukushima Prefecture known for its strong samurai history and high-quality rice, which means that the alcohol made from it is exceptionally delicious.

For Asami’s final Sen-Tora set for the evening, she chose:

• Basashi (raw horse meat slices)
• An Aizu sake called Izumikawa

Horse meat is eaten raw in quite a few parts of Japan, particularly in Kumamoto and Fukushima, and is lean, slightly sweet, and very tender.

At Home, it was served with garlic miso and soy sauce, with the miso adding a strong punch that complemented the natural sweetness of the meat.

The alcohol was soft and smooth at first sip, but gradually made its presence known with a spreading warmth.

Asami would have loved to have ended the night with ramen, which is a pretty common way to end a night of drinking in Japan, but additional orders are not allowed during the event.

On her way back home, Asami stopped by Sensoji Temple and drew an omikuji paper fortune.

▼ Her result: Sue-kichi (“small fortune to come”)

It wasn’t an amazing fortune, but not terrible either. Traditionally, if you get a fortune you don’t like, it’s customary to tie it onto a designated rack at the temple, symbolically leaving bad luck behind.

Asami carefully tied hers to the rack, and officially ended her solo bar-hopping adventure.

The Yoi no Yoi event is a fantastic way to experience local Japanese nightlife beyond the typical tourist spots, and what stood out the most was how welcoming every place felt, even when drinking alone. With three bars and a rickshaw ride, and just 4,000 yen spent, Asami had an amazing night out, so she wants to pass on her thanks to the reader who suggested the event.

The event runs until February 18, and if you’re in Tokyo during that time, the Kannon-ura area is well worth exploring. However, even if you don’t quite catch it, and can’t wait until next year’s Yoi no Yoi, the participating establishments are always there with the doors open for anyone looking to enjoy their warm hospitality and delicious food and drinks.

Store information
Takoyaki Izakaya Taco44 / たこ焼き居酒屋 taco44
Address:
東京都台東区浅草2-26-5 SDSビル101
Open: 3:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (Fridays), 12:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays)
Closed: Monday–Thursday
Website

Tokyo Rickshaw / 東京力車
Address:
東京都台東区浅草1-5-1 菊季ビル
Open: 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (Yoi no Yoi 1,000 special fee only between 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.)
Phone: 03-5830-8845 (inform them you are participating in the Yoi no Yoi event and follow the instructions given)
Website

Kannon-ura Sakedokoro Yu / 観音裏 酒処 雄
Address:
東京都台東区浅草4-4-1
Open: 6:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m.
Closed: Sundays and Holidays
Website

Home / ホーム
Address:
東京都台東区浅草3-18-9 小島ビル101
Open: 7:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m.
Closed: Irregular days
Website

Related: Yoi no Yoi event page
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Restaurant known for numbingly spicy ramen and intimidatingly long lines lures us out in the Tokyo snow.

As we headed to bed last Saturday night, meteorologists warned us that snow was on the way the following day, as the cold weather that had descended upon east Japan wasn’t ready to ease up its grip on the Tokyo area yet. Sure enough, we awoke Sunday morning to not just a light powdering, but heavy snow falling on the capital.

It was, honestly, perfect weather in which to take a quick peek out the window, then crawl back beneath warm blankets and stay there all day. Unfortunately, our Japanese-language reporter P.K. Sanjun had an appointment this day that he couldn’t get out of. But you know what they say: when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade, and when life hands you a snow day, you make plans to eat ramen.

OK, so maybe that second part isn’t in the original saying, but it still seemed like solid logic to P.K. Since most ramen restaurants aren’t that big, the most popular ones tend to have crazy-long lines, but with freezing cold, snowy conditions, the lines should be shorter, right?

With the theory making him both excited and hungry, P.K. decided to head to one of his favorite ramen joints, Kikanbo, which is famous for its “numbingly spicy” miso ramen.

Back in his pre-SoraNews24 days, P.K. had been a very regular Kikanbo customer, since his workplace was right by one of the chain’s three branches (all of which are in Tokyo). In recent years, though, Kikanbo has been getting increasingly popular and famous, and the lines have become so long that P.K. figures it’s been at least three years, and maybe more, since the last time he could treat himself to a bowl of their spicy stuff.

▼ Accurate portrayal of P.K.’s vision blurred by tears as he looks at the line outside Kikanbo (鬼金棒)

So since P.K. was stuck going out in the snow, he figured he could at least let a little sunshine into his heart with a little ramen reunion, and headed for the Ikebukuro neighborhood, where one of Kikanbo’s branches is. The snow had been heavy enough that some of the trains had been delayed, and even though it was no longer actively falling when P.K. got to Ikebukuro around 1 in the afternoon, the city was still very slushy, and there were noticeably fewer people in and around the station.

▼ The walk from Ikebukuro Station to the Ikebukuro Kikanbo branch

It’s only about a five-minute walk from the station to Kikanbo, and with every step, P.K.’s anticipation grew. He wasn’t expecting to be able to slide right in, but he figured his estimate of maybe four or five people in front of him, still a far shorter line than normal at Kikanbo, wasn’t getting his hopes up too high.

At least, that’s what he figured until he turned the last corner…

…and saw the shocking, yet also familiar, sight of a line stretching down the street of people waiting to get into Kikanbo.

Instead of the maybe half-dozen people P.K. had been expecting, there were about 20 people in the queue, making it more or less as long as it is on days with good weather. Heartbroken, P.K. felt hope drain from his heart, and color from his world.

It just goes to show that the passion of foodies in Japan is not to be underestimated. In the biggest city in the country with arguably the highest standards in the world for restaurant quality, if a place is known for excellence even by those standards, you’ve got to be braced for a wait, rain (or snow) or shine.

And so, P.K.’s streak of not eating at Kikanbo is still ongoing. Maybe he can console himself over the failure of his snow-day ramen plans with a soak in a snow-viewing hot spring bath.

Related: Kikanbo
Photos ©SoraNews24
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A new dawn calls for Japan’s most famous cat…but who will be picking up the baton?

Back in 1974, a new character called Hello Kitty appeared in Japan, born from the hands of then-27 year-old Sanrio designer Yuko Shimizu, who shares the same 1 November birthday as the character. Soon after, in 1976, Setsuko Yonekubo took over design duties following Shimizu’s departure from the company, and then, in 1980, Yuko Yamaguchi became the lead designer, and has been in charge of the cat’s look ever since.

▼ Yamaguchi can be seen here discussing the design process behind Yoshikitty, the version that blends Hello Kitty with J-rock icon Yoshiki.

Now, after 46 years as Hello Kitty’s lead designer, Yamaguchi will be stepping down from the role, in what Sanrio is describing as “the passing of the baton from the third generation to the fourth“. Sanrio made the announcement in the March issue of its monthly magazine, “Ichigo Shimbun” (“Strawberry Newspaper“), which also goes by the English name “The Strawberry News“, released on 10 February. In its statement, the company acknowledged Yamaguchi’s work in developing Hello Kitty into the beloved character it is today, particularly through local and international collaborations.

With Hello Kitty having a reputation as the hardest working cat in Japan, Yamaguchi has overseen an unprecedented number of collaborations in the cat’s 50-something year history, including tie-ups with the Japan Sumo Association and brands like Clinique.

In addition to her role as Hello Kitty’s designer, Yamaguchi also worked as the designer for other Sanrio characters, such as Charmmy, Hello Kitty’s white Persian cat (yes, Kitty does have a pet cat), and her boyfriend, Dear Daniel.

▼ Dear Daniel, appearing alongside his girlfriend for a limited-time afternoon tea.

Yamaguchi’s career has been just as long and storied as Hello Kitty’s, and now it’s time for the 70-year-old designer to step down, with Sanrio saying the “designer-in-charge baton” is scheduled to be passed on sometime in 2026. So who will be taking up the baton? According to the company, Yamaguchi’s successor will be Aya, which is the pen name for the designer, whose real identity is not being revealed.

Aya has long been working alongside Yamaguchi so the passing of the baton looks set to be a smooth one. There appears to be no acrimony in Yamaguchi’s departure either, as Sanrio simply says designers in charge of major characters naturally pass the baton to the next generation after a certain period of time, which is what led to this succession.

Though Yamaguchi’s time in the role may be coming to an end, the company plans to continue their relationship into the future, saying:

“We would like to thank Yuko Yamaguchi for her many years of hard work, and she will continue to provide advice and support as an advisor to Sanrio, drawing on her extensive experience and knowledge.”

Sanrio says more news of the handover will be shared in a future issue of Ichigo Shimbun, when the third and fourth generation designers will sit down for a conversation-style interview. In addition, the five issues from March to July will look back on Yamaguchi’s career with Hello Kitty, and as part of special Ichigo Shimbun project, Yamaguchi will appear for a special autograph session, set to be held in Tokyo on 12 April, and at a special party in the capital on 21 April. Fans will also be able to enter a competition through the Ichigo Shimbun for the chance to win hand-drawn illustrations by Yamaguchi. Further details for event and competition applications are included in the March issue.

▼ The March issue, priced at 330 yen (US$2.16) is currently available at magazine retailers around Japan and online.

【いちご新聞3月号】
今月のいちご新聞は、シナモン・ハンギョドン、お誕生日おめでとう特集号☆
ふたりの新商品はもちろん、楽しい情報満載だよ！春に向けた特集も必見☆https://t.co/RKqVeCFoG2
ふろくは全10種「あつまれ！フレンズコースター」♪

— サンリオ【公式】 (@sanrio_news) February 10, 2026

The Ichigo Shimbun is also encouraging fans to send letters of thanks and support to Yamaguchi through their office. The address to send your letters to is:

Sanrio Co., Ltd.
Ichigo Shimbun Editorial Department
141-8603 Japan
Attn. Ms. Yuko Yamaguchi

Alternatively, the address in Japanese for domestic mail is:

〒141-8603 株式会社サンリオ いちご新聞編集局
「山口裕子さんへのお手紙受付」係

Letters from around the globe will be a very sweet send-off for a stalwart in the Japanese character industry. With Hello Kitty’s longstanding voice actor also having stepped down from her role recently, this is a season of change for Japan’s most famous cat, and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead for her future.

Source: Sanrio Times 
Top image: SoraNews24
Insert images: SoraNews24, Press release
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Mr. Sato heads to the SoraKitchen with a bowl of pancake batter, a tube of mayo, and a desire to know if, and how, this cooking hack works.

Pancakes are one of those wonderful foods that are honestly pretty hard to screw up. Sure, some brands of pancake mix might be marginally tastier than others, but barring some major catastrophe like totally burning them, nine times out of 10 pancakes are going to come out tasting good.

Recently, though, our ace reporter Mr. Sato found himself wondering about a rumored way to make pancakes really good: adding mayonnaise to the batter, which is supposed to make your pancakes cook up extra-fluffy.

Mr. Sato wasn’t entirely convinced that this was going to work, though. Not only is mayonnaise pretty far outside the normal realm of pancake ingredients, the suggestion to add it to the batter which he’d heard comes from Kewpie, Japan’s biggest mayo manufacturer, and odds are they’re bigger believers than most people are in the idea that mayonnaise makes everything better.

Still, Mr. Sato was intrigued, and also craving pancakes, so he decided to give this unorthodox idea a try for himself. After procuring a box of pancake mix, milk, and eggs, he headed to the kitchen and began mixing them together to form the batter.

Then he separated the batter into two halves…

…and added mayo to the batch on the right.

Kewpie recommends 1.5 tablespoons of mayo for every 150 grams (5.3 ounces) of pancake mix, and Mr. Sato kept to that ratio for this experiment. Once he’d stirred in that addition, he poured both batches of batter onto a pre-heated hot plate to cook.

▼ No mayo (マリなし) and with-mayo (マロあり)

Mr. Sato wants to let everyone know that while it might look like the non-mayo batter is fluffier at the point in the cooking process when he snapped the above picture, that’s only because he accidentally poured a little more of it onto the plate than he did the with-mayo batter. As he watched them cook, though, he was surprised to see that the regular, no-mayo batter pancake began rising and cooking quickly…

…while the with-mayo batter was taking its sweet time rising.

At first, this seemed like the opposite of what he’d been promised, but after a while the with-mayo batter caught up to the non-mayo batter in terms of thickness, though the with-mayo batter seemed to have a smoother surface.

▼ Without mayo (left) and with mayo (right)

Suddenly, Mr. Sato realized that he’d gotten so enthralled watching the pancake batter rise that he’d forgotten about flipping them over. Hurriedly working the spatula, he turned them both and saw that they were toastier than he’d ideally want them to be, but thankfully not scorched to an inedible degree.

Keeping a closer eye on things for the second half of the cooking process, he managed to prevent too much additional singeing, and soon had his two cooked pancakes to compare.

▼ Without mayo (left) and with mayo (right)

Looking at them side by side, he couldn’t see too much difference. Maybe the with-mayo pancake was a littler thicker, but by a centimeter or two at most, a difference that could just be some random variance. When he sliced off a piece and took a bite of each, though, that’s where the real difference became clear.

Starting with the no-mayo pancake, it was fine, but not perfect. During cooking, air bubbles had formed within the batter, creating little pockets of empty space within the pancake itself, each of which was a patch of dryness and coarse texture.

The with-mayo pancake, on the other hand, had a more uniform, denser consistency.

There’s a scientific explanation for this, which is that the emulsified vegetable oils and vinegar present in the mayonnaise prevent the gluten present in the pancake mix’s flour from binding together as tightly, which in turn makes for a softer texture. So while adding mayo to the batter won’t necessarily make your pancakes bigger, the softer and more uniform consistency means that you can get the sensation of extra fluffiness even in pancakes of the same size, and Mr. Sato recommends everyone who likes pancakes give this cooking hack a try at least once.

Related: Kewpie
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