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Move aside, deep-fried Twinkies, Tempura Twinkies are in town.

While some people might argue that Japan is home to the best sweets and snacks in the world, for locals the fascination can sometimes be reversed, with curiosity about famous overseas sweets leading many to wonder what they really taste like.

Our reporter Takuya Inaba is one such curious local, who became fascinated with Twinkies after watching the 2009 zombie comedy film Zombieland, where the character of Tallahassee, played by Woody Harrelson, spends the zombie apocalypse desperately searching for the snack.

Back then, Twinkies were impossible to get in Japan, so Takuya had to give up on his own search for them. However, completely by chance the other day, he spotted them on Amazon, where two 10-pack boxes were selling for 1,350 yen (US$9.15) plus postage, which seemed surprisingly affordable.

▼ Thrilled at this unexpected find, he placed an order straight away and they arrived a week later.

He wasted no time in opening a box, and gleefully pulled out the contents.

▼ Twinkieeeeessss!

According to his research, around 500 million Twinkies are produced every year in the States, so he was very happy to have 20 of them in his home on the other side of the Pacific.

Filled with excitement, Takuya unwrapped one and marvelled at how it looked, and smelled, like a Japanese castella sponge cake, but it was surprisingly heavy.

Taking a bite, he found that it was filled with a generous amount of cream, reminding him slightly of a Tokyo Banana cake. The flavour, however, was in a league of its own.

Unlike Japanese sponge cakes, there was nothing delicate about the texture or the flavour profile. The cake was oily and intensely sweet, while the cream was so rich it practically clung to the tongue. There was so much cream inside that every single bite was relentless, with no let-up whatsoever.

▼ It felt like an all-out assault on his taste buds.

But then something strange happened – the taste really started to grow on him. That completely unapologetic, over-the-top sweetness somehow became oddly addictive, and he soon found himself reaching for another one. Before he unwrapped it, though, he recalled something he’d seen on the Twinkies website about deep frying them. At the time, that idea seemed like a totally forbidden upgrade, but now, after trying one, he couldn’t resist the urge to fry it.

▼ So he coated his next Twinkie in pancake batter, then lowered it into a pan of hot oil.

The Twinkie sizzled enticingly in the oil, sending sweet and sugary aromas around the room.

It didn’t take long for the deep-fried Twinkie to turn a golden brown colour, at which point Takuya took it out and gave it a slight dusting of powdered sugar for an elegant finish.

It looked so decadent that Takuya could immediately tell it was going to be intense, even before taking a bite.

Taking a cautious nibble, he was pleased to discover that it was actually insanely good!

The gooey cream oozed out from the centre, melding with the crispy, doughy casing to create an impressively harmonious blend of flavours. Strangely, the deep-frying process actually seemed to dial down the relentless sweetness, making it infinitely easier to eat.

▼ The aftertaste was now surprisingly light too.

Takuya became slightly fearful of the fried Twinkie, saying it was so good he could eat endless amounts of them. They were so deliciously addictive that he reckons if they sold them in popular places like Harajuku or Shin-Okubo, there would be huge queues. That got the cogs whirring in his creative mind, and he began to realise that after discovering the power of a deep-fried Twinkie, there was one more thing he just had to try.

▼ Tempura Twinkies.

For the Japanese-style frying method, Takuya used a homemade tempura batter containing 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of flour, half a beaten egg and 200 millilitres (6.8 ounces) of ice-cold water. He also used a Twinkie that had been frozen solid, as he was worried the cream would leak out during cooking. With high hopes that the crispy coating would pair perfectly with the filling, he coated the cold Twinkie in batter and fried it in about 2.5 to 3 centimetres (1-1.2 inches) of hot oil until…

▼ … a Twinkie armed with a golden coating was born!

To Takuya, this new creation reminded him of a warrior wearing a traditional samurai helmet. It was like a unique collaboration between the US and Japan, and it turned out to be a brilliant one – the texture was lighter than the pancake-mix version he made earlier, making it even more dangerously easy to eat.

The tempura Twinkie was the perfect finale to his fried Twinkie experience, and he now completely understands the appeal. As a new convert to the sweet treat, he’s glad he only has 17 left in his kitchen, because otherwise he’d be snacking on these every single day.

Twinkies might be delicious on their own, but they achieve a whole new state of deliciousness after being deep-fried. For Takuya, though, the tempura Twinkie elevates things even further, reaching new realms of deliciousness that everyone ought to try at least once.

So if you’re lucky enough to have Twinkies readily available at your local store, he urges you to try the tempura version, and feel free to leave him a comment or send us a photo of your creations – we’d love to know how you go!

Images©SoraNews24
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These Coolish virtual idol videos are very cool.

As the world’s first Vocaloid idol, Hatsune Miku is a native of digital space. And while there’s a real person behind virtual YouTubers like Hoshimachi Suisei, the character herself also exists in the digital world, not the physical one.

Or at least that’s how things are most of the time. This summer, though, Miku and Suisei are appearing in the real world through a series of Coolish videos, and also a new duet titled “Ao no Sumika” (“Blue Living Space,” loosely translated).

Summer vacation is the longest break from classes that high schoolers in Japan get, but that doesn’t mean it’s a time for them to relax. Since it comes in the middle of the Japanese school year, summer vacation is often when club activities, whether for sports or arts, have their most intense practice sessions, rehearsals, and competitions. In other words, it’s a time for young people to put their foot on the accelerator when it comes to things they’re passionate about.

But it can be tough to keep your heart burning when the sun is scorching, so in the video for “Ao no Sumika,” Miku and Suisei are on an urgent supply run to provide hard-working teens with a way to cool off: ice cream.

Specifically, the pair is delivering confectioner Lotte’s Coolish, a sort of soft, drinkable ice cream sold in squeezable pouches, and Soh, the company’s conventional ice cream brand.

▼ And yes, Miku and Suisei make sure to save some for themselves, too.

While ice cream is enjoyed year-round in Japan, it’s especially popular in summer, when it’s commonly seen as way to cool off while simultaneously indulging your sweet tooth. The blue packaging for the vanilla flavors of Coolish and Soh tie into that refreshing image, and also make for some visual harmony with Miku and Suisei’s vibrant hair colors.

In terms of animation artistry, seeing the two virtual entertainers in relatable, everyday environments creates a fresh sense of fun, and while the integration might not be completely seamless in crowd scenes, it’s honestly pretty convincing in some of the wider-angle shots or with some perspective enhancing background-blurring applied.

In addition to the full music video, there are also shorter versions to air on TV or inside trains in Japan this summer.

“If these two are together, we can make it through any challenges this summer has,” Miku and Suisei, and while they’re technically referring to the two kinds of ice cream, we’re happy to have the two performers serenading us as we help ourselves to a double-dose of desserts this summer.

Source: YouTube/お口の恋人 ロッテ 【LOTTE】 公式チャンネル
Top image: YouTube/お口の恋人 ロッテ 【LOTTE】 公式チャンネル
Insert images: YouTube/お口の恋人 ロッテ 【LOTTE】 公式チャンネル (1, 2, 3)
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Gyarados, Psyduck, and Vaporeon all needed repairs just weeks after the Pokémon footbath opened.

Japanese folk wisdom holds that visiting a hot spring isn’t just a fun and relaxing way to spend the day, but that the naturally heated waters also provide health benefits, especially for those recuperating from injuries. However, shortly following the opening of Japan’s first Pokémon-themed hot spring facility this spring, the Pocket Monsters themselves started suffering physical damage.

The Wakura Pokémon Footbath in the town of Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, began welcoming visitors on May 12, inviting fans to come and soak their feat while surrounded by statues of various Pokémon species. By mid-June, though, three of the seven Pokémon, Psyduck, Gyarados, and Vaporeon, were damaged. Gyarados and Vaporeon had a cracked horn and tail, respectively, and Psyduck was missing a portion of his foot. The damage to Psyduck and Vaporeon was extensive enough that they couldn’t be repaired on site, and had to be removed and shipped off to a repair facility, sort of like how in-game Pokémon can require a visit to a Pokémon Center to get back up to full health.

Thankfully, the repairs have gone smoothly, and on the night of July 4 the temporarily removed statues were reinstalled, so now visiting fans can once again see all seven Pokémon at the hot spring.

▼ The fully restored Wakura Pokémon Footbath

And yes, “see” is the key word. Previously, the hot spring had no explicit rules prohibiting touching the Pokémon, but the facility does now request that visitors refrain from doing so, with on-site staff ready to provide a verbal reminder if need be.

The no-touching rule follows the confirmation that at least two of the statues were damaged accidentally by visitors, and were not acts of intentional vandalism, with both parties apologizing following the incidents. No one has come forward to claim responsibility for the damage to Psyduck, but considering that the broken off piece was left at the hot spring, it could also have been an accident.

The statues are made of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), and while it’s ordinarily a relatively sturdy material, it’s not indestructible, and the designers may have underestimated how much physical attention they were going to receive. But with the etiquette of communal bathing in Japan, which has long been part of the country’s culture, including the understanding that you should refrain from touching or bumping into other bathers, hopefully visitors to Wakura Pokémon Footbath will abide by the new rules and the Pokémon will be able to enjoy their baths for a long time to come.

Related: Wakura Pokémon Footbath website
Source: Chunichi Shimbun, Hokkoku Shimbun, Ishikawa TV
Top image: Pokémon with You
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Proof that magazines in Japan are unlike anywhere else in the world.

One thing we love about magazines in Japan is the amount and quality of freebies that often come attached to them. That’s certainly the case with the August issue of Sweet magazine, which comes packed with limited-edition Sanrio goods featuring characters in their popular suntanned designs.

The standard edition of the magazine, priced at 1,790 yen (US$12.20), comes with a three-piece “Suntanned Sanrio Characters” summer set consisting of a mini tote bag, a mesh pouch and a sheet of five stickers.

The star of the collection is the mini tote, which features Hello Kitty carrying a surfboard. Measuring approximately 20 x 26 x 12 centimetres (7.9 × 10.2 × 4.7 inches), it’s designed to be used as a handy everyday bag with enough room for essentials such as a purse, cosmetics pouch and water bottle.

The matching mesh pouch features Hello Kitty’s tanned face in a fluffy textile finish, while the sticker set includes five popular characters: Hello Kitty, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Pochacco and My Melody, all showing off their summer tans, along with hibiscus flowers and sunglasses.

There’s also a special edition of the magazine, priced at 1,830 yen, which puts Pochacco in the spotlight.

The special edition comes with a fluffy drawstring pouch shaped like the lovable dog’s face, complete with soft ears that flap about.

There’s also a matching face-shaped mirror showing Pochacco wearing heart-shaped sunglasses.

▼ The pouch is large enough to hold the mirror, as well as other small essentials like sunscreen and cosmetics.

While any Sanrio freebie is highly sought after in Japan, the suntanned character designs are particularly special as they tend to only appear in summer. Both editions go on sale in Japan on 10 July, and, as with many Japanese magazine freebies, supplies are limited so it’s best to get in quick to avoid missing out.

Images©SoraNews24
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Legendary performer now has a new song about combining some other forbidden things.

It’s been a while since we last saw Piko Taro, the leopard-print loving persona of Japanese entertainer Kazuhito Kosaka who took the world by storm with his viral global hit “Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen”. Wherever he’s been hiding, it seems he hasn’t lost his love of combining things, because now he’s back on the scene with a new video encouraging us to stir chocolate biscuits into tubs of ice cream.

For this outing, the star is bringing his signature dance moves and whacky personality to Japanese confectionery giant Meiji for its new “Kinotake Gururi” summer campaign. The campaign brings many things together, starting with two Meiji chocolate cookies that have enjoyed a longstanding rivalry, Kinoko no Yama (literately “Mushroom Mountain) and Takenoko no Sato (“Bamboo Shoot Village”). Fans tend to get great pleasure out of siding with one of these chocolate cookies against the other, so much so that they even cast votes in a politically-inspired popularity election, but Piko Taro is encouraging unity between parties by encouraging fans to combine the treats with Meiji’s Essel Super Cup ice cream.

For the campaign, Piko Taro isn’t just combining sweets, he’s combining names as well, bringing Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato together with the word “Kinotake”, and using it to inspire an original song titled “Guruguru Majemaje” (“Round and Round, Mix Mix”).

Written and composed by Piko Taro, it’s also being performed by him as well, in a crazy new commercial that showcases the same surreal humour that made him an Internet sensation nearly a decade ago. The ad features retro video game-style visuals alongside multiple versions of the performer, including one where he wears a giant mushroom-shaped hairstyle inspired by Kinoko no Yama…

▼ … and another with a bamboo shoot-inspired look based on Takenoko no Sato.

▼ Take a look at the new video below.

After filming the commercial, Piko Taro revealed that the melody for the song had actually been sitting unused in his drafts for four years before finally finding a home in the campaign. One of the track’s catchiest phrases, “majemaje“, actually came about by accident after he stumbled over the pronunciation of “mazemaze” (“mix mix”) during recording. Rather than rerecording it, he decided to keep the mistake after seeing it made his five-year-old daughter laugh, and now it’s one of the most memorable phrases of the campaign.

According to Meiji, the act of mixing chocolate cookies and ice cream together couldn’t be simpler – just choose your favourite cookie flavours and “mazemaze” them into a Super Cup. With a number of different flavours on the market, more than 7,905 possible combinations are said to await your taste buds, and the company has provided some suggestions to get you started.

▼ “Matcha Mint“

▼ “Berry Cute“

▼ “Chocolate Mountain”

▼ The ultimate combination is said to be the “All In One”, which brings everything together for a treat that transcends factions.

With so many combinations to choose from, it looks like we’ll be enjoying a very Guruguru Majemaje summer. Whether it catches on to become the next big viral food trend, well, that’s up to the public to decide, but with Piko Taro on board for the shenanigans, anything is possible.

Source, images: Press release
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Everyone’s feeling a little salty this summer.

It’s often said that as technology gets faster and faster, our attention span shrinks in response. TikTok feeds condition millions of people to…

Hey, where are you going? OK, fine. I’ll get to the point.

Major Japanese karaoke service provider Joysound released their weekly ranking for the first week of July, and surprised everyone with the announcement that a 3-second jingle for a brand of table salt was the most sung track of all tracks in the entire country. Let’s take a listen.

About a month ago, we reported “Hakata no Shio” (Hakata Salt) reaching number four in the national ranking, which was already impressive in its own right. That achievement only seemed to have fueled interest in the sound logo, which is a very short melody announcing a company’s name or slogan. Sound logos are so short, they make the “Sometimes you feel like a nut” jingle sound like “Freebird.”

This marks the first time a sound logo has ever topped the charts in the thirty years since such records were kept. In our previous article, we mentioned several reasons that sound logos in general were growing in popularity, such as the timemaxxing trend.

But what is it about “Hakata no Shio” that makes it such a wildly popular sound logo among classics like “Sehhhhhh-gahhhhhh” or the haunting, “Onedan ijo, Nitori!” (More than just a nice price, Nitori!).

▼ Sega

▼ Nitori

The answer lies in its challenge. One of the many features most karaoke systems have is the ability to rank your performance in the sense of how closely it matches the original pitch and timing. Joysound can also keep track of national scores and found that the average for “Hakata no Shio” was 61.36 out of 100. It is said that even cracking 70 on this sound logo is extremely difficult.

Not all systems are created equal, but Joysound’s evaluation breaks down as follows: Pitch (40 points), Stability (30), Dynamics (15), Long Tones (10), and Technique (5). Right off the bat, it’s easy to see that there’s no way of sustaining a long tone without sacrificing your Pitch score, because that also judges your timing.

That leaves us with a ceiling of 90 points. Dynamics is the ability to go from soft to powerful in the same song, think Whitney Houston going Super Saiyan in the climax of “I Will Always Love You.” This could be possible in “Hakata no Shio,” but there isn’t much opportunity to even try, so a zero should be expected there. Technique is mainly the ability to add flourishes to notes by adding some vibrato to it or scooping up to it. Again, not a whole lot of real estate in this track to try something like that, so there will probably be a zero there too.

This whittles the most you can expect to get on this sound logo to 70. Even then, you got your work cut out for you. The real challenge of “Hakata no Shio” is that there is no intro at all. You just have to dive right into it without getting any sense of the first note or when you need to start.

To make matters worse, the entire track is only six notes: Ha-ka-ta-no-shi-o. When singing a standard song, you’ll likely be judged on hundreds of notes, so one mistake would only amount to a deduction less than one percent. But with this jingle, a single slip-up in Pitch will cost you about 7 points, and faltering or cracking on a single note will also lead to a 5-point deduction.

▼ This person got an impressive 73.38 (with the help of an 8-point AI judgment bonus). Her style was interesting in that she managed to work in some Technique and Dynamics to get high scores there, but got heavily dinged in Stability as a result.

So, it’s a rather punishing song for those looking to get high scores. But on the bright side, it’s also really short, which means you can just grind away at it and try to find a way to overcome its technical hurdles. And in doing that, its play count gets juiced right to the top of the charts. 

Its notorious difficulty also encourages people to share their high scores on social media for bragging rights, further spreading its popularity. Also, unlike “Sega,” which might only appeal to gamers, or Nitori’s sound logo that might only appeal to people who haven’t been driven crazy by hearing it on TV thousands of times, “Hakata no Shio” appeals to people from all generations and walks of life. 

After all, everyone loves a little salt.

Source: Oricon News, My Game News Flash, Music Planet, Joysound
Photos ©SoraNews24
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Calbee’s potato chips and shrimp chips get partway back to normal as war in Iran drags on.

For the past several months, much of the world has been getting an unpleasant geography reminder about the importance of the Strait of Hormuz. But while it seems like even casually glancing at a map should have been an indicator that the U.S.-led war in Iran was going to disrupt global shipping, it was harder for the average person to see just how widespread the effects would be, such as forcing changes in Japanese potato chip packaging.

In May, Japanese potato chip manufacturer Calbee announced that it would be reworking its traditionally colorful packaging and switching to black-and-white bags for many of its most popular snack products. Why? Because one of the key components in making colored printing inks is naphtha, a liquid hydrocarbon for which the majority of the global supply is sourced from the Middle East, and makes its way to the rest of the world via shipping vessels that sail though, you guessed it, the Strait of Hormuz.

▼ Calbee’s Usushio (“light salt”), Consomme Punch, and Norishio (seaweed and salt) potato chips, all of which went to black-and-white packaging due to naphtha supply issues.

▼ The black-and-white packaging

Sadly, the resolution to the conflict in Iran is turning out to be much more haltingly time-consuming than its beginning. Apparently the shipping situation has improved enough, though, that Calbee will be reinstating color on its potato chip bags, but conditions are also still bad enough that the color will only be returning to one side.

Specifically, it’s the front side that’s getting all of its color back, with just a few patches of popping color on the back of the bag. Having to choose between the two, Calbee says it made the decision to prioritize the front in order to make its snacks easier to find for shoppers used to the pre-naphtha crisis packaging.

In addition to Usushio, Consomme Punch, and Norishio potato chips, Calbee says that color is coming back to the bags for its Kappa Ebisen shrimp chips and Furugura granola with dried fruit.

There’s actually an argument to be made that with so much modern snack packaging being ostentatiously bright and colorful, Calbee’s black-and-white bags actually stand out more distinctly from competitors’. On the other hand, snack foods are, in a sense, a form of edible entertainment, and an indirect visual reminder of the current strained state of geopolitics and economic woes probably doesn’t put shoppers in a festive, snack party kind of mood.

The recolored packaging is estimated to start arriving in stores on August 3 for Kappa Ebisen, and August 10 or 24 for the potato chips, depending on flavor and package size.

Source: Calbee, Nihon Keizai Shimbun via Otakomu
Top image: Calbee
Insert images: Calbee (1, 2)
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