Twentythree

There have been a lot of dumb hikers needing to be rescued from Japan’s tallest mountain recently, but this time the circumstances are a little different.

With June usually being a month of rainy, gloomy weather in Japan, you’ve really got to pack as much summer fun as you can into your July and August weekends. Sometimes that means doubling up on seasonal activities, like going to fireworks shows or shrine festivals on a Saturday and then right again on Sunday.

However, one Japanese man spent last weekend repeating something quite a bit less enjoyable, as he needed to call for emergency rescue service from the side of Mt. Fuji two days in a row.

On the morning of July 11, a 54-year-old man from Kobe arrived at the start of the Fujinomiya Trail, the quickest route to the top of Mt. Fuji and also the one most easily accessible to hikers arriving from central and west Japan. The man started hiking and, by around 2 p.m., was getting close to the trail’s eighth station, which is located at an elevation approximately 85 percent of the peak’s. He’d become so exhausted during the hike, though that he now knew he didn’t have the stamina to make it the rest of the way to the peak, and so he called for an emergency rescue. A team of Shizuoka Prefectural Police was dispatched and transported the man back down to a mountain hut near the trail’s seventh station, where they instructed him to rest, as he hadn’t suffered any injuries during his attempted ascent.

The man followed his rescuers’ directions and slept overnight in the hut, spending around 11 hours in the facility. The next morning, at around 6:45 a.m., he began walking back towards the bottom of the mountain, but after an hour or so on the trail, he once again called for a rescue, saying “I was worried this was going to happen” and “I’m too tired to walk any farther.”

It turns out, though, that his assessment wasn’t completely accurate, at least not in a permanent sense. After calling for assistance for the second time in as many days, the man was able to rendezvous with another rescue team who assisted and accompanied him as he made the descent back to the start of the trail walking under his own power.

With the recent rash of irresponsible hikers requiring rescue at Mt. Fuji, it might be tempting to immediately criticize the man for what happened, but several factors point to this being an honest mistake and an example of the rescue/support system working as intended. First, the Fujinomiya Trail officially opened for the 2026 climbing season on July 10, so the man wasn’t breaking any rules by being on the trail then. While he’s not a professional alpinist, according to the police he has hiking experience and was wearing suitable clothing and footwear for hiking Mt. Fuji at this time of year. When he realized he was too tired to safely continue his ascent, he called for help instead of pressing on or trying to turn back while dangerously fatigued, which could have made the rescue operation more difficult. He abided by the rescue team’s directions to rest in the mountain hut, and the next day, he didn’t make another attempt to reach the summit, but instead acknowledged that reaching the top of Mt. Fuji wasn’t in the cards for him this time and that he should head back home.

If there is a criticism to be made, it’s that he didn’t decide, on his own, to stop climbing while he was still at the seventh station, which would have allowed him to take refuge in a mountain hut without having to call for a rescue on the first day, and which might have also left him with enough energy, after resting, to make it back down without needing assistance. That said, it’s not like the trail stations are just a few steps away from one another, so it’s possible that the man didn’t feel so heavily fatigued until he was far enough past the seventh station that neither going back to the seventh or continuing on to the eighth seemed possible.

The takeaway from this, and the one the Shizuoka Prefectural Police are asking people to remember following the incident, is that, much like weather conditions, hikers’ physical conditions can change suddenly when high up in the mountains, so at the earliest sign of physical distress, it’s important to listen to your body and save the summiting for another attempt on another trip to Mt. Fuji.

Source: TBS News Dig via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert image: Pakutaso
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Iconic instant ramen brand now has a cold-water-only version designed to beat the heat.

Japan’s most famous instant noodle brand is getting a very cool makeover this summer, with Nissin releasing its first-ever chilled Cup Noodle.

Unlike a regular Cup Noodle, which is made with boiling hot water, this version is specifically designed to be made with cold water, creating a whole new way to enjoy the classic instant ramen during Japan’s hottest months.

Called Hiyashi Cup Noodle, (hiyashi means “chilled”) this is an exciting new development for Nissin, proving that the company, who first invented instant noodles in 1958, is still at the top of its game when it comes to noodle innovations.

The new noodles were in development for five years, with Nissin adopting a new noodle-making technology that allows the noodles to rehydrate using chilled water. The patented “Cold Rehydrate” process was developed specifically for the chilled Cup Noodle range.

▼ The release coincides with the 55th anniversary of Cup Noodle’s debut.

To enjoy the noodles, all you have to do is add chilled water from the fridge, wait five minutes (slightly longer than the three minutes required for a regular Cup Noodle), and like magic, the noodles are said to become firm, smooth and ready to eat.

▼ The new noodles come in two flavours that are perfectly suited to summer.

Spicy Kimchi combines a chicken-based broth with kimchi, creating a rich flavour that lingers with a satisfyingly sour and spicy finish. It comes topped with Nissin’s famous “mystery meat” (processed minced pork), alongside ingredients like egg, green onions and sesame seeds.

Chicken Salt Lemon offers a lighter option, combining chicken, bonito, dried sardines and lemon in the broth for a refreshing finish. The topping contains steamed chicken, egg, green onions and red bell peppers.

Central to both varieties is the new, specially developed chilled noodles, which are designed to remain springy and delicious with nothing but the addition of chilled water. While they look set to become bestsellers in summer, they could also prove to be useful in emergency scenarios, given that they only require cold water to prepare and can be stored at room temperature.

We never thought Cup Noodle could be any simpler to make, but by cutting out the need for us to even boil a kettle, Nissin has now made instant noodles easier to enjoy than ever before. Each cup will cost 285 yen (US$1.90) plus tax and will be available at stores throughout Japan from 20 July.

Source, images: Nissin
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Make every meal a Ghibli one, with Kiki’s Delivery Service also joining the dinner party.

Sometimes a movie can be so captivating that you can barely tear yourself away from the screen to deal with life’s other callings, like getting a proper meal. It’s a quandary that Studio Ghibli is no doubt aware of when it comes to its own stable of animated films, because now it’s giving us a placemat that features all the members of the main cast from My Neighbour Totoro.

Called the “Ookina koe de” Placemat, with “Ookina Koe de” meaning “In a loud voice”, this sweet product depicts all three Totoros – Small, Medium and Large – with the Catbus and sisters Mei and Satsuki, all shouting at the top of their lungs.

Exactly what they’re shouting is up for your imagination to decide, but the way it’s depicted, with beautifully woven tapestry, captures the warmth of Ghibli’s hand-drawn animation in such a way that it could almost be an anime cell from the film.

Though this particular scene doesn’t appear in the movie, it serves to capture the bold, loud nature of the characters, who can be seen calling out to friends over the way, and to neighbours from across fields in the film. Then there’s the roar-off that takes place between Mei and Totoro when they first meet, and Totoro’s equally impressive roar at the bus stop, which is one of the most famous scenes in the film.

▼ It’s almost as if you can hear the characters’ voices through the fabric, shouting at you to eat your meal.

While the Totoro placemat is a brand new release from Donguri Kyowakoku, the studio’s specialty retail chain, the store has also restocked two other placemats featuring characters from Kiki’s Delivery Service.

▼ The “Akai Hana” (“Red Flower”) Placemat shows black cat Jiji surrounded by a field of red flowers.

▼ The “Jiji to Aozora” (“Jiji and Blue Skies”) Placemat brings the freedom of flight to every mealtime

Whether you’re using them for yourself, or laying them out on the table for guests, these gorgeous placemats serve to add colour and fun to every meal. Measuring 48 x 33 centimetres (18.9 × 13 inches), each placemat retails for 1,650 yen (US$10.19), and they can be purchased at Donguri Kyowakoku stores and online while stocks last.

Source, images: Donguri Kyowakoku
Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3)
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Onigiri tendon looks set to become Japan’s newest viral food sensation.

For lovers of “tendon” (tempura rice bowls), Tenya is a name that immediately springs to mind. Known for being cheap, tasty and reliable, Tenya is a popular chain that specialises in tendon, and it’s run by Royal Holdings, which operates other big-name chains in Japan like Royal Host, Sizzler, and Shakey’s.

▼ Tenya has branches right around the country.

So when we heard that Tenya was opening a new spin-off restaurant under the Royal umbrella, we headed along to a preview event to see what it was all about. Held the day before the official 7 July opening, we arrived to find that Tenya’s brand-new restaurant concept is called Onidon, short for “onigiri tendon”, which is essentially a tempura rice bowl in the form of a rice ball.

Onidon was originally developed as “a Japanese fast food brand that could compete on the global stage“. Though the spinoff eatery came close to being a chicken burger chain, after a number of twists and turns, the concept eventually evolved into Onidon, which serves up a unique twist on onigiri rice balls.

The inspiration came from a staff meal created by Tenya employees, who turned a tempura rice bowl into an onigiri.

▼ Tendon’s beloved tempura rice bowl.

Royal Holdings took that idea and developed it into a new type of fusion fast food, with plans to gauge public response at this Onidon branch, before expanding into locations such as shopping centres, airports and highway service areas. According to our local reporter P.K. Sanjun, who attended the preview tasting, the onidon has everything it needs to become a hit with the public, and although there are places around Japan that serve tenmusu (short for “tempura musubi”, or “tempura rice balls”), this take on the combination is totally different, and like nothing he’s ever seen before.

Unlike tenmusu, which looks like an ordinary rice ball, but with a piece of tempura – usually fried prawn – inside, this rice ball puts the tempura component proudly on display. With rice concealed beneath, it actually looks more like a tempura rice bowl than an onigiri.

▼ The Original Oni Donburi (370 yen [US$2.28]) contains prawn, scallops, squid, lotus root, pumpkin, and green beans.

Rather than relying on the sauce to carry the flavour in the way tenmusu does, Onidon lets the rice take just as much of the spotlight as the tempura. With every bite, the fried ingredients come together with the rice and seaweed at the same time, creating a combination that’s similar but at the same time different from the experience of eating a traditional tendon.

▼ Onidon’s rice balls are designed to be enjoyed alongside dishes such as tonjiru (pork miso soup) and even fried chicken.

The menu features 10 different onigiri varieties, including deluxe versions, with prices starting from 310 yen (US$2.10). Given how much convenience store rice balls have increased in price recently, the fancy versions here are actually great value for money.

One of the most eye-popping offerings on the menu is the Onidon Special, which comes with a variety of tempura on top of the rice ball. We tried the shrimp variety for 560 yen, and every bite was moreishly delicious, making us want to come back and try everything on the menu.

With every onigiri made to order, this is a fantastic place to try one of the most unusual foodie finds in Tokyo. It’s an experience you can only get at this particular restaurant, and right now there’s only one branch in existence, tucked away in the Ecute building at Ochanomizu Station.

It’ll be interesting to see how far this fast food concept evolves, because with a menu this good Onidon deserves to become as well known and widespread as the Tenya chain. It just goes to show that staff who work at these chains know exactly how to switch up the menu by creating awesome so-called “makanai” meals, and over at Yoshinoya they have some staff secrets for creating tasty off-menu beef bowls too.

Restaurant Information
Onidon Ecute Edition Ochanomizu / おにどん エキュートエディション御茶ノ水店
Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda Surugadai 2-6, JR Ochanomizu Station 2F, outside the ticket gates
東京都千代田区神田駿河台2-6 JR御茶ノ水駅 2F 改札外
Open: Weekdays 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. (last orders 9:30 p.m.); Weekends & public holidays 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (last orders 8:30 p.m.)
Closed when the facility is closed

Photos ©SoraNews24
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To serve and get plush toys.

They say it’s the place where dreams are made. People from far and wide are drawn to the bright lights and all the glitz and glamour that crane games, or UFO catchers as they’re often called in Japan, have to offer, such as stuffed Pokémon, statuettes of anime characters, or curry ingredients.

It can be a lot of fun, but we mustn’t let our craving for key chains become a problem that interferes with our daily lives, especially if that involves ensuring the safety of the public.

On 9 July, the Shizuoka Prefectural Police imposed a 10-percent pay cut for one month on an investigator in his 50s for spending time at game centers and playing with UFO catchers while on duty. This happened on eight separate occasions over a five-month period.

This particular member of law enforcement was in the Criminal Investigation Department’s Mobile Investigation Unit. These investigators tend to work outside of the office and cruise around in plain clothes and unmarked cars looking for crime and being closer to the action so they can provide first response activities like locking down a crime scene to preserve evidence.

▼ Our hero has fearlessly patrolled these mean streets and alleyways.

Because of this, they are given a fair bit of autonomy compared to other members of law enforcement, and could more easily slip away for a round or twenty-five of crane games. The investigator admits to playing the games while on duty and apologized for that, but maintained that it was only done during standby times when he wasn’t actively needed to help deal with a crime.

That alone might make it seem forgivable, but it gets a little worse. He also stands accused of power harassment for making a lower-ranking sergeant in his 30s play a crane game on his behalf to win a figure he wanted. When the sergeant failed to do so, the investigator scolded him, saying: “You’re not taking this seriously because you’re playing with someone else’s money, aren’t you?!”

On top of that, he also reported time spent in game centers as overtime, and fraudulently received 3,700 yen (US$23) in payment for it, probably enough to snag one of those really big Snoopy dolls.

In online comments, readers of the news were understandably upset that a pubic worker tasked with keeping the streets safe was busy trying to pick up toys and knick-knacks with robotic claws.

“Our tax dollars at work.”
“What the hell is he doing?”
“I don’t even want a guy like that enforcing bicycle laws.”
“Eh, it’s not the worst thing in the world.”
“Maybe he was investigating to see if the machines were illegally rigged.”
“Those UFO catchers are pretty shady, after all.”
“It’s so wrong, but I can’t help laughing at it.”
“Is he being punished for avoiding work, power harassment, or fraud here?”
“Just buy the figure you want on the Internet. It’s usually cheaper.”
“Didn’t the cop who left his gun in a public restroom also work in Shizuoka?”

Actually, that last one was a Yamaguchi Prefecture incident, but even if it was in Shizuoka, forgetting guns is a rather disturbing trend all over the country. Nevertheless, the head of the Shizuoka Prefectural Police’s Personnel and Training Division said they will prevent future incidents through further training and guidance.

As for the rest of us, next time you’re playing a crane game and get the urge to just stick your arm up the hole and yank out a precariously perched toy on the edge, remember that there might be an on-duty undercover cop mere feet away. They’d be especially peeved about it too, because you’d be interrupting their own game.

Source: Look, Hachima Kiko
Photos ©SoraNews24
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Tokyo and Kyoto are just two of the places where you’ll find these secret gems.

It’s always fun to see what hidden treasures await on the menu at global chains outside of their home countries, and if you’re a fan of Shake Shack, you’ll want to stop by a branch in Tokyo to try an exclusive drink you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

▼ The “Hojicha Shake” (1,089 yen [US$6.71]) is only available at eight stores in Tokyo.

According to the chain, this shake first debuted in November 2024 as the “Tokyo City Shake”, to celebrate the ninth anniversary of Shake Shack’s arrival in Japan. Topped with whipped cream and a crunchy feuilletine topping, this thick dessert beverage is filled with the toasty notes of hojicha (roasted green tea), which has a strong aroma but mellow flavour.

▼ The tea leaves used in the drink were specially roasted by Japan’s Hachiya tea cafe to pair well with the creamy shake.

With kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) and frozen vanilla custard in the mix, the shake has a subtle sweetness throughout, giving it the luxury feel of a high-quality Japanese dessert. At the bottom, small pieces of kokuto jelly (brown sugar jelly) surprise the palate with every sip, adding an exciting texture that makes it extra fun to drink.

While the Hojicha Latte is limited to Tokyo, three other regions in Japan also have their very own Shake Shack shakes that can’t be purchased anywhere else.

• Uji Matcha Shake (limited to the Kyoto Shijo Karasuma Store)
• Mixed Juice Shake (limited to the Osaka area)
• Lemon Cheesecake Shake (limited to the Minamoa Hiroshima Store)

In addition to the list above, Shake Shack’s Hakata store in Fukuoka is scheduled to open on 21 July and will offer an exclusive Amaou Shake with Tirolian, which combines Amaou strawberry puree with a crisp Tirolian rolled cookie from Fukuoka confectioner Chidori Manju Sohonpo.

With no massive advertising campaign behind them, these regional-exclusive shakes tend to be overlooked by customers, making them a hidden gem reserved only for those in the know. So next time you’re travelling around Japan, you might want to check in at the locations mentioned above (and linked below), to get a sip of a rare drink that puts the “Shake” in Shake Shack, but with a very unique Japanese twist.

Related: Shack Shack store locations
Images©SoraNews24 
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We find out why people are raving about this new limited-edition burger.

While many businesses in Japan are tightening their belts due to rising costs, Burger King appears to be doing the opposite, expanding its footprint across the country. After boasting 337 locations in 2025, the chain brought that total to more than 370 by June, even opening its first-ever store in Miyazaki Prefecture.

To help support that expansion, Burger King has been rapidly rolling out new limited-edition menu items to entice customers through its doors, and its latest new release has been a runaway hit, with people raving about it on social media. One viral post even went so far as to say it was “so unbelievably delicious it blew my mind”, so we decided to pop by and see if it lived up to the hype.

Called the Big Mouth Dirty, there are two versions currently on the menu – Beef & Chicken and Double Beef & Hash – but it’s the Double Beef & Hash that’s getting all the attention.

Image: Press release

The Big Mouth series has become something of a summer favourite recently, making an appearance in early summer every year. While two flame-grilled beef patties remain a signature component, the other ingredients tend to change with each new release, and for the Double Beef & Hash version, Burger King has paired the double beef patties with a crispy hash brown and a special garlic mayonnaise sauce.

The sound of it alone is enough to send anyone into a beef coma, and when we laid eyes on it in person, it was even larger than we’d anticipated. The size of the two flame-grilled patties, jutting out from the sides of the bun, was mind-blowing to look at.

▼ The oversized look is very much part of Burger King’s appeal.

As for the taste, it was absolutely delicious. The biggest highlight, however, turned out to be the special garlic mayo sauce, which brought everything together perfectly, allowing us to enjoy the bun, beef patties and hash brown in unison, making every bite supremely rich and satisfying.

Aside from the pickles, there weren’t any other ingredients competing for attention, allowing the main flavours to take centre stage. Unlike a Whopper, which balances its beef with fresh vegetables, the Double Beef & Hash makes no apologies for being totally sinful, creating a more intense and indulgent experience for the palate.

▼ The crispy texture of the hash brown also added a great contrast, and despite the burger’s huge size, it was surprisingly easy to finish.

Though we wouldn’t go so far as to call it “unbelievably delicious”, we can totally understand why the burger has been garnering so much praise from customers. It’s rich, indulgent, packed with flavour, and will definitely leave you with a dirty big mouth, so in our opinion it is worthy of the praise it’s been getting. It’s also worth the 1,490 yen (US$10.20) price point…and the calories that we dare not look at.

Images©SoraNews24 unless otherwise stated
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