Twentythree

No more heavy ball baskets or stacks of cash, but the same ol’ sensory rush with a modern flair.

While wandering the streets of a Japanese city, there’s a chance that during your stroll through a tranquil neighborhood suddenly some automatic doors will open near you, unleashing a torrent of flashing lights and thundering sounds out of seemingly nowhere. You’ve just found one of Japan’s pachinko parlors, a hypnotic and massive gaming spectacle that is beloved by some and hated by others.

Long considered to be an industry in a slow decline, these gaming halls actually recently experienced their first total revenue rebound in a decade, although this tech-based revival is creating a divide between the thriving mega chains and struggling neighborhood parlors.

▼ Machines often use enticing visuals from popular culture to draw in more players.

For unaware visitors, pachinko parlors might look like shopping centers or innocent video game arcades, but it’d be a mistake to stroll right through the front door with kids in tow looking to win some prizes from a claw machine. Under Japanese law, parlors are strictly 18-and-over venues, and despite appearing to be a fusion of an arcade and pinball arena, offer a very different experience.

Traditional pachinko is like a vertical pinball game mixed with a slot machine, where players fire small metal balls into a densely pinned board. If a ball hits a target, it triggers the slot reel on a digital screen, and winning spins trigger payouts of more metal balls. It’s not uncommon to see successful players surrounded by dozens of plastic baskets that are overflowing with thousands of these balls. Pachinko parlors also typically have pachislot machines, which are Japan’s answer to the slot machine where players press physical buttons to stop the spinning reels, with winning combinations also paid out in metal balls.

▼ A retro machine showing off the numerous pins embedded inside.

Pachinko is not strictly speaking “gambling” in the eyes of Japanese law, due to the lack of monetary payouts, and instead players will exchange the multitudes of steel balls for a commemorative item and leave the parlor in happy spirits with their little present. Turning around a street corner, they will head to a little window where they will “sell” the item they received and get cash for it in return, leaving the whole industry in a very gray area.

However, in 2024, Japan’s pachinko industry pulled in over 11.7 trillion yen (US$71 billion) in revenue, a five-percent increase from the previous year and the industry’s first annual gain in a decade. This figure completely dwarfs the country’s national horse racing, boat racing, and bicycle racing markets (all of which have legally sanctioned gambling) combined. That 11.7 trillion yen was a five-percent increase over the previous year, and the first increase for the industry in a decade. Since 2015, overall industry revenue has shrunk by more than ten trillion yen, and the total number of registered companies in 2024 alone dropped by 10.1 percent since the previous year. Smaller, family-owned parlors are bearing the brunt of this change, frequently facing bankruptcy as they struggle to afford the expensive equipment upgrades required by modern gaming laws, driving players toward mega-chain parlors. Despite this, the continuing strength of the pachinko industry as a whole has been thanks to two major technological advances.

First is the introduction of Smaslo (Smart Pachi-Slot) and Smapachi (Smart Pachinko) machines in late 2022. These machines eliminate the need for players to manually load balls or tokens into the machines, instead tracking an individual’s winnings/assets digitally while physical balls still continue to bounce around inside the machines themselves. This frees up developers to create richer, cinematic animations based on anime and pop culture franchises, which help to pull in a brand-new generation of players. With Smapachi machines, players still get the mesmerizing visual of metal balls cascading down the board, but they’re now all in a sealed environment, so they no longer have to touch them or haul heavy baskets to the counter.

The latest game-changer for the pachinko scene, finalized and introduced in 2026, is PPPAY, a dedicated cashless payment system, which allows players to forego the need to bring in wads of thousand-yen bills and instead simply tap their smartphones or debit cards at the counter or right from their seat to load credits. This is seeking to turn what was traditionally a very cash-heavy pastime into a smoother, more modern experience.

Both Smaslo and PPPAY have not just been implemented without consideration of wanton spending, as both systems incorporate precautionary limits. Smaslo machines have set an upper limit on the number of net tokens gained in the “yuri kukan” (“advantageous zone”), an internal mode where machines are permitted to actively help players win payouts by telling them what to press, as well as a daily cap on overall payouts, after which gameplay is halted. PPPAY on the other hand, sets the spending limit at 20,000 yen per day and 80,000 yen per month.

While the expectation is for the pachinko market to continue to shrink gradually, efforts such as these and the total sales suggest that the industry is far from entering its declining phase. Whether you love it or hate it, pachinko is a pastime that has been a part of Japanese culture for many years, and the shift to modern technology will most likely see it continue for several years to come. For adult tourists looking to experience the novelty of pachinko, stepping into a parlor will provide a sensory rush seldom seen elsewhere, but it’s no different than heading into a casino: the house will always eventually win and you run the risk of walking out with no money and a possible addiction to watching balls bounce around in front of your eyes.

Source: JCast News via Livedoor via Otakomu
Photos ©SoraNews24
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Grown with special electrolysed hydrogen water, this ultra-sweet fruit reaches more than 17 degrees Brix.

Melon season is upon us in Japan, and there are plenty of delicious varieties to choose from. One melon, however, stands out for being so sought after it sells out within 12 hours, leading it to be dubbed a “phantom” fruit, as it’s so rare and difficult to find.

▼ Yokoe Farm’s Tokushu Kusatsu Melon.

Kusatsu Melon is a premium melon brand produced in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture, with sugar levels that are amongst the highest in Japan. Under the Kusatsu Melon grading system, fruit that is size 3L or larger with a sugar content of at least 14.6 degrees Brix is awarded the highest Tokushu (“Special Selection”) grade. By growing its premium melons with electrolysed hydrogen water – a mildly alkaline water containing hydrogen, created by filtering tap water and passing it through an electrolyser – Yokoe Farm consistently harvests fruit that exceeds these requirements, reaching an average size of 6L and an impressive 17–18 degrees Brix.

With these credentials, Yokoe Farm’s Tokushu Kusatsu Melons are an especially sweet and large version of the already delicious Kusatsu Melon, making them very sought after in Japan.

One of the “phantom” melons arrived in our office the other day, and as soon as we lifted the lid on the box, the sweet aroma of melon gently filled the air. Even before tasting it, it was clear this was a magnificent fruit that would make for a very impressive gift.

With its satisfying weight, perfectly balanced oval shape, and beautiful netted pattern, this truly was a stunning melon.

Although it was tempting to cut straight into it, the pamphlet that came with the package advised it would taste even better if left at room temperature to ripen further. So, with some difficulty, we waited patiently for around a week until we sensed it was ready to be eaten.

▼ Slicing into it, we were met with a stunning, vibrant green flesh that looked incredibly fresh and juicy.

Taking a bite, the first thing that stood out was the sweetness, which was unlike any other melon we’d tried before. Then came the beautiful aromatic flavour of the fruit, which was subtle yet juicy and incredibly delicious.

If we’re being totally critical, we could’ve given the fruit a little more time to ripen, as the flesh closer to the skin was slightly firmer and had a lighter flavour. However, the rest of the flesh was wonderfully soft and juicy, especially the part closest to the seeds, which had a deep, robust sweetness that was absolutely divine.

The elegant flavour was exactly what you’d hope for in a premium melon, and it didn’t take long before the entire thing was gone, all in one sitting. As the refreshing flavour lingered gently on the palate, we were able to sit back and savour the luxury of having indulged in such an exquisite fruit, which is one of the joys that comes with enjoying a premium melon.

Prices for this particular grade of melon start at 4,500 yen (US$30.50), plus shipping, with deliveries scheduled for sometime between late June and early July. Customers aren’t able to choose their desired delivery date as each melon is only sent out once it’s reached the perfect level of ripeness.

Unfortunately, this year’s crop has already sold out, but if you love melons or are keen to gift them to a friend, keep an eye on the farm’s official site and Instagram account for updates on next year’s release, which is likely to commence sometime around mid-late June.

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New “Jimoto” series celebrates the unique flavours and charms of different parts of Japan.

To mark its 30th anniversary in Japan, Starbucks has announced a new initiative called the Starbucks Jimoto Program, which includes the release of exclusive drinks and products only in select prefectures. With “jimoto” being the Japanese word for “local area“, the new program aims to celebrate the culture, nature and local produce that make different parts of Japan so unique.

Set to begin on 5 August, the program will start in Aomori, Gunma and Okinawa prefectures, where you’ll be able to pick up unique exclusives in each region that won’t be sold anywhere else in the country. What makes the new releases even more special is that they’ll be available year-round as permanent menu items, so you can get a taste of them whenever you’re visiting the area.

Up in Aomori, the prefecture famous for apples, customers will be able to purchase the Aomori Yadaramee Apple Almond Milk Frappuccino.

▼ “Yadaramee” comes from the Aomori dialect, where it means “extremely delicious“.

Made with locally grown Aomori apples, this drink is said to recreate the texture and taste of biting into a fresh apple, allowing customers to enjoy the prefecture’s renowned fruit year-round. Stores across Aomori will also offer a unique customisation option, where customers can add juicy chunks of Aomori apple to select drinks and even food items.

Over in Gunma, customers will be able to choose from three Frappuccinos inspired by the famous local mountains, all containing locally produced drinking yoghurt. Each Frappuccino is designed to represent one of the Jomo Sanzan (“Three Great Mountains of Jomo“).

▼ The “Mount Akagi” version contains strawberry…

▼ …”Mount Haruna” contains kiwi fruit…

▼ …and “Mount Myogi” contains pineapple.

The colours match the mountains’ traditional depictions in the beloved local Jomo Karuta card game, and each Starbucks store in Gunma will sell just one of the three Frappuccinos, encouraging fans to visit different locations to try them all.

▼ Gunma stores will also be selling an exclusive 355-millilitre (12-ounce) Forest Connection Tumbler, priced at 3,600 yen (US$21.98).

Made using thinned timber from forests in Minakami, the lightweight tumbler highlights the prefecture’s forests while repurposing wood that would otherwise go to waste. Its natural finish is inspired by the colours of both the Minakami woodlands and a Starbucks latte, while the back features the logo of the Minakami UNESCO Eco Park.

In Okinawa, the focus is on the prefecture’s famous brown sugar, made from sugarcane grown in the island’s subtropical climate. Locally grown shikwasa citrus also appears in several food items, adding a distinctive Okinawan flavour.

▼ The star drink is the Maasan Brown Sugar Frozen Milk Coffee.

This drink takes its name from the phrase “Ma-san kame kame”, which means “delicious, eat, eat” in the Okinawan dialect. The beverage combines frozen milk and iced coffee with rich Okinawan brown sugar, while keeping small pieces of sugar in the mix so you can enjoy the feeling of eating brown sugar.

▼ An Okinawan Brown Sugar Iced Milk Tea will also join the permanent menu.

Three exclusive food items – a BLT sandwich, BBQ chicken sandwich and jerk chicken wrap – contain Okinawan shikwasa as a secret ingredient to give them a special local flair.

Starbucks stores in Okinawa will also gradually begin displaying unique fish sculptures made from plastic waste collected from the prefecture’s beaches, celebrating the Okinawan spirit of yuimaru (“helping one another”).

These regional exclusives look so good they’ll be worth travelling for, and with Aomori located north of Tokyo, Gunma in central Japan and Okinawa down south, it won’t be too hard to tack on a daytrip to one of these regions while visiting some of the bigger cities nearby.

Now that three regions are getting their own exclusives, we have high hopes that the Jimoto program will work alongside the new Discovery Series to include more regions of Japan in future. With Starbucks previously creating an exclusive Frappuccino for every one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, they do have a blueprint, or should we say a Frappuccino-print, for a whole nation of regional exclusives.

Source, images: Press release
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Turn a Samurai Mac into an expensive Omotesando gourmet burger by taking one thing out – and no, it’s not the pickles.

Whether you’re in Japan or overseas, social media is filled with all sorts of food hacks at the moment, but most of the time it’s about how to add things to enhance the flavour of something rather than take things away.

Right now in Japan, though, less is more, because fans of McDonald’s are currently raving about how good the Japan-exclusive Samurai Mac tastes when you take the sauce away.

If you’re new to the Samurai Mac, it’s a relatively recent addition to the menu that first appeared in 2020 as a limited-time menu item designed to offer “a Japanese-style flavour that appeals to adults”. There are currently two Samurai Macs on the menu, Roasted Soy Sauce Double Thick Beef and Roasted Soy Sauce Egg Bacon Thick Beef, but this hack is said to work best on the former.

After becoming a permanent menu item in 2021, the Samurai Mac series quickly established itself as one of the chain’s slightly more premium offerings, with its combination of thick double beef patties and an intensely flavoured sauce making it distinct from other McDonald’s burgers.

Oftentimes the sauce is one of the best things about a burger, so taking it out of the burger seems counterintuitive, but the original post that sparked the trend has already racked up more than 29.7 million views and continues to go viral.

最近はマックにいくとサムライマックダブル肉厚ビーフのソース抜きを頼んでいる。
肉肉しさが増して表参道の1個2500円ハンバーガーになる。 pic.twitter.com/mximLY6lvW

— 外ステ@サムライマックソース抜きの人 (@gaisutesan) July 20, 2026

According to the post, when you order a Samurai Mac without the sauce “The meatiness increases, making it comparable to a 2,500-yen (US$17) hamburger from Omotesando”. With Omotesando being one of Tokyo’s fanciest areas, with some very premium dining establishments, this seemed like a bold claim, but with so many people backing it, we decided we had to try it out for ourselves.

▼ So we stopped by our nearest McDonald’s and ordered a Roasted Soy Sauce Double Thick Beef Samurai Mac without sauce.

▼ The circle around “ソース” (sauce) indicates that we requested for it not to be used.

After unwrapping it, we couldn’t help but think it already seemed meatier just on appearance alone. Without the sauce covering everything, we were able to appreciate just how thick the beef patties were, but the big question was: Would it still have enough flavour without that powerful sauce?

Taking a bite, the first thing to hit the palate was meat, meat and more meat. With no sauce to get in the way, the rich flavour of the beef was much more pronounced, so the sense of meatiness really had increased, just as all the proponents say.

What was particularly interesting was how there was still plenty of saltiness. The burger was seasoned so well that we now realised the addition of sauce actually throws the balance off, making it slightly too salty. The cheese also added saltiness to the overall taste so there was absolutely no feeling that the burger lacked flavour.

An even more surprising discovery was that removing the sauce allowed us to appreciate the flavour of the buns. In fact, the simplicity of meat, bun and cheese is what makes the sauceless Samurai Mac really striking, so the “2,500-yen hamburger from Omotesando” claim isn’t quite as exaggerated as we first thought.

After trying it, we can confidently say that the claims are no joke – the saucelss Samurai Mac really does taste like an elevated version of itself, and much more like something you’d get at a specialty burger restaurant. It’s so good that we may never be able to return to the regular version ever again, which won’t actually be too hard, because ever since its 2025 renewal, where they messed with the onions, the Samurai Mac just hasn’t been the same.

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Ice cream chain famous for its 31 flavors celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise with temptingly tactile treats and a salute to every starter Pokémon.

As any etiquette expert knows, you can’t have a proper party without ice cream, can you? So with Pokémon celebrating its 30th birthday this year, Pikachu and friends will be stopping for supplies at Baskin-Robbins Japan.

With this year being a big milestone for the franchise, Baskin-Robbins is simultaneously getting nostalgic and giving us something new. When the 31 Poké Summer promotion kicks off next month it’ll be doing so with a brand-new flavor, Pikachu Volt Tackle.

This new flavor takes its name from the attack that was added to Pikachu’s repertoire in the third generation of Pokémon games in which Pikachu dashes towards his target while wrapped in crackling electricity. The yellow here is a sweet and tangy pineapple sorbet, and Baskin-Robbins says the white ribbons interlaced with it are “cider”-flavored, which in Japanese sweets jargon usually refers to a refreshing apple/citrus taste. Symbolizing both Pikachu’s cheeks and the high-voltage nature of the technique is an extra-large amount of popping candies. As a matter of fact, there are 31 percent more popping candies here than in Baskin-Robbins Japan’s eternally popular Popping Shower ice cream, so the Pikachu Voltage Tackle (priced at 420 yen [US$2.60] for a regular-size scoop) promises to be a very stimulating scoop.

Also getting a special salute is Ditto, who’s having a big year as the star of spinoff game Pokémon Pokopia.

Baskin-Robbins is giving Ditto some time off from building cities/rebuilding civilization and letting it get back to doing what it does best: transforming. The 760-yen Ditto Crush Soda is a carbonated crushed ice dessert drink with two different flavors, grape and pineapple, that come with their respective syrups only partially blended. After the drink is served, it’s up to you to use the included Ditto stirrer stick to mix everything up until the contents of the cup turn a Ditto-like purple, and there’s also a dollop of jiggly grape gelatin, so like with the Pikachu Volt Tackle, this treat not only looks like its inspiration, it feels like it too. Since this is an ice cream float, you also get your choice of ice cream flavor to add to the cup, with the Pikachu one being the obvious selection.

The Ditto cup isn’t the only special container that’s part of the 31 Poké Summer fun, though. If you’re in the mood to upgrade your ice cream to sundae status, you can do it with the Poké Ball Sundae, which gets you one scoop of your choice, a Pikachu chocolate whipped cream, and sprinkles on top, all served inside a Poké Ball for 820 yen. A special cup calls for a special spoon, so this sundae also randomly provides you with one featuring Pikachu and one of the three original starter Pokémon, Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle, plus a toothpick-like decorative character illustration.

Meanwhile, if you’re good without toppings but instead want more ice cream, the Pokémon Double Cup lets you choose two flavors (510 yen for small scoops or 760 for regular) and serves them in a cup decorated with cross-generational images of either Grass, Fire, or Water-type starters.

These also come with one of the three starter spoons, plus one of 30 stickers (featuring all nine generations of starters so far plus Pocket Monster all-stars Pikachu, Eevee, and Mew).

▼ The stickers seem to indicate each species’ favorite ice cream. It’s a little surprising Pikachu didn’t pick Voltage Tackle, but maybe the interviewers had some sort of rule preventing him from voting for his own flavor.

And if you want some Pokémon ice cream spoons that are even more special, Baskin-Robbins Japan has two stainless steel designs, with Pikachu and Eevee in alternating levels of prominence.

These are included in the Pokémon Summer Special Set, along with your choice of nine scoops of ice cream (3,520 yen for small or 4,100 yen for regular) in special paper cups, plus nine of the plastic starter Pokémon spoons.

And finally, during 31 Poké Summer, Baskin-Robbins Japan’s four, six, eight, or 12-scoop Variety Boxes will have a Pokémon visual theme going on.

31 Poké Summer as a whole is scheduled to run from August 1 to 31, but the Poké Ball Sundae will only be offered from August 1 to 9, and, as always with promotions like this, supplies are limited, so this is, once again, a reason to listen to your ice cream cravings as soon as possible. And if you’re a Pokémon fan who’s into not just sweets, but specifically cakes, a different sweets shop in Japan is ready to accommodate you too.

Source, images: PR Times
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Gotta scan ‘em all if they want to get in.

In today’s digitally secured world, there are certain sensitive situations in which you can expect facial recognition systems to be part of the procedure. International travel often requires a facial scan as part of immigration protocols, and banking apps may ask for it as an authentication factor before you can access your account.

And as of this summer, you may also need to have your face scan before you can purchase Pokémon cards.

On July 24, the Pokémon Card Game’s official website quietly announced that it will be introducing a facial recognition system for customers wishing to enter Japan’s Pokémon Card Stores. Agreement to the scan is a requisite for entering the stores.

The Pokémon Company says that facial recognition scans are being implemented for the purposes of crime prevention and to ensure compliance with entry and purchase rules, with that last point implying that this is the latest attempt to combat the growing problem of Pokémon card scalping. The Pokémon Company appears to be wising up to the risk that letting speculative bulk-buying run rampant will eventually erode its broad base of younger and more casual fans who, if the only way they can get Pokémon stuff is by buying it an inflated prices from a scalper though an online retail site, might instead just find another hobby/series to love.

Under the new system, customers will need to submit to a facial scan before entering Pokémon Card Stores . Facial scans will also be required for obtaining seiriken, essentially queue tickets that stores give out during crowded times with an entry time specified for later in the day, so that shoppers don’t have to physically wait outside the store for the entire time until they can get in. If any individual enters a Pokémon Card Store twice in the same day, or attempts to get more than one queue ticket in a single day, the system will alert the store staff, who may then ask the aspiring shopper about their repeat visit and have the right to refuse entry if they suspect the person of being a scalper.

▼ A Pokémon Card Store

Facial scans will be required for all shoppers of elementary school age or older, which translates into ages 6 and up. Children younger than 6 will not need to have their faces scanned, but are also prohibited from entering the Pokémon Card Stores without being accompanied by a parent or guardian, so in effect no one will be getting into the stores without themselves or someone in their group getting scanned. The Pokémon Company says that facial and visit number data will be retained to the extent necessary to fulfill the system’s safety and anti-scalping purposes, then deleted “after a certain amount of time has passed.”

At the present time, the facial recognition system appears to be only for the Pokémon Card Stores, popup stores that sell not only Pokémon cards, but also a selection of Pokémon plushies, toys, and sundry/household items. Facial recognition has not yet been announced as a requirement to the larger, permanent Pokémon Center superstores, though their online branch will be requiring shoppers to show Japanese government-issued ID cards for certain purchases, and even more regulations could be coming in the wake of the Japanese government setting up a task force to address potential problems within the trading card industry and retail spaces.

Related: Pokémon Card Store location list
Source: Pokémon Card Game official website via Kotaku
Images: Pokémon Card Game official website
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The haircut wasn’t the only great thing we got out of this great-price deal.

China has a rich street food culture, and for many travelers grabbing a bite to eat from a roadside food stall is high on the list of things they want to do in the country. But did you know that China has roadside haircut stalls too?

Though he can’t say for sure how common they are, our Japanese-language reporter Seiji Nakazawa can confirm that there’s at least one in the town of Datong, in Shanxi Province. Seiji spotted this boxy little hair salon while out for a walk in the afternoon, and was shocked at the listed price of just 8 yuan, which converts to about 160 yen (US$1) at the current exchange rate. That’s roughly a tenth of the price charged by most of Japan’s budget chain hair salons, and since Seiji was feeling a little shaggy, he figured this deal was too good to pass up.

However, maybe this deal was also too good to be true? Despite it being the middle of the day, there was no staff present at the haircut stall, and he guessed that maybe it had gone out of business due to unsustainably low prices, and the owners had just abandoned it. This theory, though, turned out to be incorrect, because when Seiji wandered back down this same stretch of street after sundown…

…the stall was now open for business! It turns out that because of the intense heat of the summer weather in Datong, locals try to avoid doing errands during the hottest times of day, and instead try to shift those schedules to the cooler nighttime hours, and so that’s when this haircut stall starts welcoming customers.

Now, though, Seiji had a decision to make: How was he going to get his hair cut? To be honest, considering how cheap the price was, he wouldn’t have been surprised if this place had a no-requests policy and simply kept all customers’ hairstyling the same as it was when they came in but trimmed it to be shorter. However, peeking inside at a customer seated in the stall’s single chair, he could see the conversational back and forth between the customer and stylist as he told her how he wanted his hair cut.

So after giving it some thought, Seiji decided to ask for the Haaland.

OK, so maybe that’s not an officially recognized term in the hairstyling industry, but in any case, Seiji wanted to look like Erling Haaland, the star striker of Norway’s national soccer team who shined especially brightly in the squad’s campaign at the World Cup. Haaland has a distinctive look, with a long ponytail and the sides of his head shaved clean, and between that and his on-field prowess, he received lots of screen time during media coverage of the tournament, including in China, as Seiji saw him several times on TV during his trip.

We should probably mention that Seiji doesn’t speak Chinese, but through gestures and murmurs he was able to convey that he wanted a haircut, and the stylist let him know to wait outside, as there’s not much spare space inside the stall. He was the only non-local waiting for a haircut, and the regular customers regarded the traveling newcomer with friendly curiosity.

Haircuts at the stall took about 10 minutes per person, so Seiji figured he wouldn’t have that long to wait, and his wait got even shorter when the elderly gentleman who was actually ahead of him in line good-naturedly gestured for him to go ahead of him, as a sign of hospitality to their visitor from overseas.

Once inside, Seiji took a seat and attempted to bridge the language barrier and make his request. Unfortunately, when he smiled and said “Haaland,” the stylist repeated “Haaland…?”, with an audible question mark that showed she didn’t know who he was talking about.

This wasn’t a complete shock, as while Seiji was waiting he’d been pulling up pictures of the soccer player on his phone, and none of the other customers seemed to recognize him either. Like we said above, Haaland is known among soccer fans in China, but maybe this stylist and her clientele just aren’t all that into sports.

Thankfully, though, this wasn’t actually such a big problem, because Haaland’s fame within the sporting world means there are all sorts of photos of him online, showing his head and hairstyle from various angles. After looking at a number of them, the stylist seemed confident that she could give Seiji the same look, and so they got started.

Seiji was impressed that despite being a roadside stall, this is still a very professionally run hair salon. The stylist had a proper cape that she draped around his shoulders, and all of the scissors, razors, combs, and spray bottles necessary for a transformative haircut on the order of what Seiji had asked for.

Speaking of the stark contrast in Seiji’s before and after appearances, a small crowd had gathered to watch the show as the stylist cut his hair.

At one point, a man running a nearby food stall even took a break to come over and take an extended look.

And when it was all done, not only did the stylist give him a heartwarming wave goodbye, he even got a round of cheers from the group that had been watching.

So, how did Seiji’s haircut turn out?

Very nicely! Not only would anyone who’s a Haaland fan immediately recognize the inspiration, the styling itself looks good enough on Seiji that it’s be a satisfying cut even without the sporting connection.

▼ Before

▼ After

It’s one of the best haircuts Seiji’s had since that time he had a stylist turn him into Rengoku from Demon Slayer.

▼ Video of Seiji’s roadside hair salon stall haircut

Even more than how he looked or how little he’d had to pay, though, what really made Seiji happy about the experience was the people he’d interacted with. Japan and China have a complicated history, to put it mildly, and the anonymity and echo-chamber environment of social media can be a breeding ground for all sorts of ignorant, antagonistic rhetoric. There are people with good hearts in every country in the world, though, and even if Seiji couldn’t communicate directly with the staff or other customers, the smiles they exchanged showed that they know thought of each other as friends, even if they didn’t necessarily think of Seiji as Haaland.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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