Twentythree

You can trust this tanuki to be as sweet on the inside as it looks on the outside.

In Japanese folklore, tanuki are tricksters. There’s nothing they love more than playing pranks on us unsuspecting humans, and that image of them even extends to Japanese cuisine. “Tanuki soba” and “tanuki udon” are styles of noodles topped with tempura flakes only, because those crafty racoon dogs have tricked you by already eating the shrimp or veggies that would ordinarily be inside the tempura.

But at the same time, tanuki are really, really cute, and thankfully it’s this aspect that Japanese bakery Kimuraya has chosen to focus on for the treats that’ll be coming out of their ovens next month.

Called Tanuki-kun (-kun being a form of address in Japanese that’s friendlier and more familiar than -san), these baked goods are the polar opposite from tanuki soba/udon in terms of filling generosity. Inside the bun is a mixture of caramel cream and chocolate chips, promising a richly sweet and satisfying flavor profile with an interesting texture too.

On the outside, the tanuki’s facial features are made of chocolate, and the mask-like marking around its eyes, and part of its ears too, are rendered with a chocolate biscuit dough.

Kimuraya is a little on the premium-priced side for a Japanese bakery, and the 400-yen (US$2.50) Tanuki-kun is likewise a little more expensive than the average bakery treat, but with something that looks this delicious and adorable, we can make room in our snack budget. The Tanuki-kun goes on sale at Kimuraya bakeries from November 1, but can also be ordered through the Kimuraya online store as of October 28.

Related: Kimuraya location list, online store
Source, images: PR Times
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Play that fung-ky music.

From creepy penguins hatching from eggs to flying balls of chaos, Japan likes to jump on the latest quirky trends, and if history is anything to go by, people will soon be putting fungi in their ears. If you have ever browsed the snack aisle of a Japanese convenience store, there’s a chance that you might have encountered Kinoko no Yama, bite-sized treats consisting of a crunchy biscuit stem topped with a chocolate mushroom cap. Now, imagine putting one in your ear.

Rather than being the latest dietary trend, or attempting to commune deeper with nature through the chocolate mycelia, what appears to be the start of a fungal colony growing out of your head is in fact the second-generation Kinoko no Yama Wireless Earphones Pro, a tech accessory that looks like you’re using actual confectionery as audio equipment.

The concept originally started as a playful visual joke on social media, but after an overwhelming response from netizens demanding to know where they could buy a pair, Kagomedia collaborated with Kinoko no Yama’s maker Meiji to turn them into a reality. The first batch of 3,500 units launched on the Japanese crowdfunding platform Makuake in early 2024 and famously sold out in a shocking ten minutes.

▼ Achieving 9,836 percent of its one million yen goal.

Two and a half years later, these chocolate earbuds are making a comeback from November 1, with a new revival project for the updated 2027 Pro model. If the campaign sees at least 1,000 people pledge that they want a pair, the second generation will officially go into production, but this time they will be made-to-order without a strict limit on quantities, so all those who want will be able to get their hands and ears on them.

Despite looking like a novelty gimmick, these earbuds pack some serious tech, with upgraded audio tuning and gold-plated touch sensors. The most ambitious feature though is the built-in AI simultaneous translation covering 144 global languages and dialects. So while you might look like you’re trying to store your snacks in your ears for later to onlookers, you could be able to understand nearly 150 languages in real time.

The case itself is designed to mirror the original snack box, complete with a pop-up tray where the two little mushrooms rest inside.

If you, like your 3,500 predecessors, want some fungi in your head, you’ll need to check out Makuake on November 1 at 12:00 p.m., where for the first 24 hours, the first 1,000 pairs of earphones will be sold at the same price as the first-generation (29,800 yen [US$188.96]). The next 2,000 pairs can be bought for 31,800 yen, and the following 2,000 for 33,000 yen. The last possible discount is for 3,000 pairs at 34,800 yen before each unit is sold for its regular price of 36,300 yen with no quantity limits as long as the order is placed before December 13, 2026, after which you will not be able to purchase these any more.

Whether you find the design quirky or strange, it’s a high-quality blend of everyday Japanese pop culture with high-tech innovation, so there’s no need to panic the next time you spot someone on the train with mushrooms sprouting from their ears.

Related: Crowdfunding Campain
Source and images: PR Times
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An isekai trip for your taste buds, no truck accident required.

Isekai translates to “alternate world,” but within the Japanese pop culture sphere it’s also the name of a genre of anime, novels, and other media in which someone gets transported from our mundane plane of existence to a realm with new adventures waiting for them. A salaryman might be whisked away to a second life as a spacefaring explorer, or a schoolgirl might awaken to find herself reborn in a kingdom where she’s now part of a web of romantic courtly intrigue.

But now it’s Cup Noodles’ turn to get isekai-ed, as Nissin has announced three new flavors that combine their instant noodles with other beloved food brands from outside the cup ramen world.

First up for the Cup Noodle Isekai Gattai series (gattai meaning “combination”) is a collaboration between the standard Cup Noodle flavor and Gindaco, one of Japan’s most popular takoyaki (octopus ball) chains.

The familiar Cup Noodle broth gets enhancements of extra dashi (bonito stock), and the customary takoyaki ingredients of powdered seaweed, pickled ginger, plus flavors evocative of the sweet sauce that’s squirted on the dumplings. Inside the cup, Cup Noodle’s iconic “mystery meat” is joined by the similarly mysterious-sounding “octopus-style balls.” There’s also an extra packet of oil on the side to add after the noodles cook as a salute to the oil that Gindako adds to its takoyaki.

Next up is a meeting of the worlds of Curry Cup noodle and Karamucho, Japan’s spiciest mass-market crisp potato stick snacks.

The already piquant curry broth gets its heat turned up a notch with the addition of chilies, plus garlic too. Floating in that spicy/savory mix are pieces of chili-spiced potato, mystery meat, and carrots.

And finally, Seafood Cup Noodle joins forces with Gohan Desu Yo, a brand of simmered seaweed. Gohan Desu Yo is usually eaten by adding a small spoonful to a bowl of white rice, but for this team-up you get a packet of simmered seaweed paste to squeeze into the broth after cooking. That broth is based on the Seafood Cup Noodle, but with extra seaweed, and the oceanic theme continues with pieces of squid and imitation crab, plus cabbage, egg, and green onion.

All three varieties are priced at 259 yen (US$1.65) scheduled to go on sale November 9.

Source: Nissin via Golden Times
Images: Nissin
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Festive cheer is here, with mugs, tumblers, candles and keychains you won’t find at any other time of year. 

It’s that time of year again, when we look at the calendar and realise there’s now less than eight weeks until Christmas. That means it’s time for Starbucks to start bringing us some holiday cheer, and this year it’s doing that with a massive collection of festive goods based around the theme of “Colours of Holiday“.

Red, green, white and gold are the main colours in the collection, with Bearistas and ribbons adding an extra touch of cuteness and glamour to the festivities. There are a lot of wonderful surprises in store, including a trio of exclusive candles, so let’s take a closer look at everything in the range, which Starbucks says will “brighten your heart for the holiday season”.

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Box Stainless Steel Bottle, Glitter Red, 473 millilitres (16 ounces), 5,550 yen (US$34.86)

This glittery bottle will add a touch of festive flair to your drinking experience during the holidays, but it can also be used all year long.

▼ Easy to cheer, easy to clean.

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Box with Canister and Ribbon (3,500 yen)

▼ This canister takes the look of a Starbucks cup…

▼ …and gives it a ceramic makeover, transforming it into the perfect vessel for storing your coffee beans.

▼ Beans not included.

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Box Double-Walled Heat-Resistant Glass with Ribbon (355 millilitres, 3,800 yen)

▼ This glass might look small in the image above, but seeing it in a human hand conveys its true size.

Though the glass itself is massive, the portion that holds the liquid has a 355-millilitre capacity. The rest of the glass is occupied by a beautiful red ribbon, and glittery gold pieces that swirl around every time you take a sip.

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Boxed Stacking Mug Set (237 millilitres, 4,800 yen)

These mugs stack beautifully within each other, creating a cheerful festive duo that can easily be used throughout the year.

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Boxed Cold Cup Tumbler Figure (473 millilitres, 4,250 yen)

This is another massive vessel that holds a lot of liquid, but your eye will be quickly distracted by the beautiful festive scene at the top of the tumbler.

A bright red bow and a Bearista keep you company as you sip, and they’ll stay firmly in place even when the tumbler is tilted.

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Box Glass Tumbler Bearista, 473 millilitres (4,600 yen)

This is one of the cutest items in the whole collection, as the colour of the bear changes depending on the drink inside it. Fill it with milk and you’ll have yourself a white bear, while a black coffee will turn it dark and a latte will give it a delicious light brown hue.

▼ Not only is the bear cute, it’s also easy to clean.

▼ Rounding out the drinkware items is the Holiday 2026 Reusable Cup Tree, 473 millilitres (500 yen)…

▼ …and the Holiday 2026 Reusable Cup Tree 473 millilitres + Holiday 2026 Reusable Cup Dedicated Drink Hole Cap Bearista Tree (1,150 yen)

▼ Moving on to the notebooks, we have the Starbucks Holiday 2026 Campus Ring Notebook Tree (650 yen)…

▼ …and the Journal Book (2,050 yen).

The festive season is a time for gifting, and to help with that are a series of food and drink tickets and beverage cards.

▼ Holiday 2026 Food & Beverage Card – includes food & drink tickets (1,100yen)

▼ Holiday 2026 Beverage Card Tree, with drink ticket (900 yen)

▼ This card becomes your own mini tabletop Christmas tree.

▼ Starbucks Holiday 2026 Mini Cup Gift Red Cup, with drink ticket (1,150 yen)

This is a gift you’ll want to keep for yourself, as the mini cup looks like a tiny Starbucks cup, with a bright festive design.

▼ It also comes with a beautiful mint-green bag…

▼ …and can be used to store small items like paper clips.

▼ Holiday 2026 Bearista Message Gift, with drink ticket (1,650 yen)

▼ A beary cute way to treat someone to a beverage.

▼ Holiday 2026 Craft Paper Shopper S (2,400 yen)

▼ This nifty bag is a beautiful way to carry, or gift, one or more of the bottles in the collection.

▼ Holiday 2026 Cup-Shaped Pouch with Keychain & Mirror (2,600 yen)

▼ Holiday 2026 Bearista (5,500 yen)

▼ Holiday 2026 Gift Boxed Plush Ornament Set (3,500 yen)

▼ This set lets you decorate your tree with a couple of Starbucks ornaments…

▼ … that are a lot bigger than they seem.

▼ Bearista Keychain Set in Holiday 2026 Gift Box (4,500 yen)

This cute item looks set to be a sell-out hit, as the Bearista comes with a change of clothes and a couple of cute snowy companions, creating a very unique type of keychain.

Finally, we have a trio of candles, which can only be purchased at the online store.

▼ Starbucks Moment Refresh Inspired by Yuzu Citrus & Tea (3,800 yen)

▼ Starbucks Moment Joy Inspired by Joyful Medley (3,800 yen)

▼ Starbucks Moment Relax Inspired by Coffee & Spice (3,800 yen)

There’s a lot of joy to be found in the holiday collection, but as always, it will only be around for a limited time while stocks last. This year, online sales will commence at 8:00 p.m. on 30 October, while in-store sales will start on 2 November. Be sure to act quick to grab your favourites!

Source, images: Press release
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