Twentythree

Spring is in the air.

In Japan, it has long stood as a symbol of both nature’s boundless fertility and its delicate transience, serving as a regular reminder that all is not long for the world and yet everything comes around again. Yes, poop is a miraculous thing, second only perhaps to cherry blossoms.

So, it’s only natural that this year, Unko Museum locations across the country will be holding the Super Full Bloom!!! Unko Sakura 2026 event. The Unko Museum, in which “Unko” is the Japanese word for “poop,” has long been Japan’s leading facility for fecal activities and merchandise. It is also important to note that this is not a science museum, and instead celebrates the aesthetic side of crap, using it in a variety of design exhibits.

The centerpiece of all Unko Museums (located in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Okinawa’s Nakagami) is the Unko Volcano, and from 5 March to 23 April, twice a day, the entire volcano will fully bloom with cherry blossoms while it erupts little turds.

One cherry blossom eruption will occur during the day, and the other will take place at night, each having its own unique look and charm to it.

Also, during this event, the Love Unko Room will be given a special sakura makeover. Here you can experience all the joy and wonder of sitting on a toilet, as gorgeous pink petals seem to dance around you. It’s perfect for couples to enjoy together, and Unko staff are happy to help with taking commemorative photos.

▼ Actual Love Unko Room may vary depending on location.

Another way to remember your visit to the Super Full Bloom!!! Unko Sakura event is with a spring-themed sticker for 300 yen (US$).

Some of these same designs can be gotten in the form of a key chain by paying 500 yen and taking a turn of the Unko Museum’s capsule machine. It’s the one time where having crap luck is a good thing!

Let’s face it, as wonderful as they are, the reality of going to see cherry blossoms can be quite a drag. Making sure you go at just the right time, fighting the crowds in the best spots, and hoping the weather behaves. Why not skip all that and admire the beauty of these iconic flowers, displayed among a big poop volcano in a festive and climate-controlled environment? I’m sure it’s what Saigyo Hoshi would have wanted.

Event information
● Super Full Bloom!!! Unko Sakura 2026 / 超満開!!うんこ桜2026
Unko Museum Tokyo / うんこミュージアム TOKYO
Tokyo-to, Koto-ku, Aomi 1-1-10
東京都江東区青海1丁目1-10

● Unko Museum Nagoya / うんこミュージアム NAGOYA
Aichi-ken, Nagoya-shi, Minato-ku, Komei 2-3-2
愛知県名古屋市港区港明2丁目3番2号

● Unko Museum Okinawa / うんこミュージアム OKINAWA
Okinawa-ken, Nakagami-gun, Kitakakagusuku-son, Aza Rycom 1
沖縄県中頭郡北中城村字ライカム1番地

Event runs 5 March-23 April, 2026
Website

Source, images: PR Times
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Gametech wants you to be able to keep one hand free for doing other things while you play.

The Switch 2 is a very flexible piece of video gaming hardware. You can play games in handheld mode, on your TV in docked mode, or even split the difference by deploying the kickstand and using the main unit as its own self-standing monitor.

And now, you can even play Switch 2 games with just one hand.

That might sound like a hard trick to pull off. The complete Switch 2 controller, after all, has a total of two analog sticks, eight main face buttons, two smaller supplementary face buttons, and four triggers. Even so, Fukuoka-based peripheral maker Gametech has figured out a way to manipulate all that while still leaving one hand completely free to do other stuff, and they call it the Katate (“One-hand”) Grip SW2.

Rather than a complete stand-alone controller, the Katate Grip SW2 is a multi-piece frame into which you fit the left and right Joy-Con 2s after disconnecting them from the Switch 2’s main unit. After snapping the two central pieces together, you slot a Joy-Con 2 into each, then place a cover over them to lock them in place.

Then it’s just a matter of adjusting the hinge in the middle to an angle that lets you manipulate both sides of the combination at once.

Your thumb works the analog stick of whichever Joy-Con 2 is facing you, while your middle finger, ring finger, and pinkie handle the stick and face buttons of the Joy-Con 2 on the opposite side. Your index finger does double duty, working the triggers on both Joy-Con 2s, and the Katate Grip SW2 is designed so that you can use it with either hand.

It probably takes some time to get used to, but, in theory, once you do it should work pretty well. Now, as to why someone might want to keep one hand free while playing video games, the low-hanging fruit would be to suggest that this could be beneficial to fans of lascivious dating sims, but Gametech has several much more chaste examples, such as being able to snack on finger foods without getting your controller greasy or sticky…

…being able to play even while recovering from a hand or finger injury…

…or being able to play games while simultaneously using your phone.

▼ Admittedly, this one doesn’t seem to speak very highly of the game’s entertainment value, but hey, maybe you’ve got some important texts to fire off or bills that need paying ASAP.

▼ Preview video for the Katate Grip SW2

Gametech isn’t the first company to figure out a way to do one-handed gaming as ASCII had a couple of one-handed controllers back in the circa 16-bit era, when turn-based RPGs were the prestige genre in Japanese video games.

It’s likely that the Katate Grip SW2 will also work best with turn/menu-based games, or at least games that don’t require intense, precise button-striking. Still, for relaxed gaming sessions, it should be up to the task, and it’s available through Gametech’s online store here for 2,750 yen (US$17.75).

Source: Gametech via Denfamico Gamer via Hachima Kiko
Top image ©SoraNews24
Insert images: GAMETECH 公式チャンネル, Gametech
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Totoro is tickled pink, and so are we.

Pretty much anyone with an interest in animated cinema can tell you that there’s a gray Totoro, and anime enthusiasts are well aware that there are blue and white varieties of the cuddle forest spirit too. Serious Studio Ghibli fans can probably inform you that there’s a green Totoro too, who sometimes shows up in illustrations.

But with spring on the way, it’s time for pink Totoros!

Just as the cherry blossoms are about to return to Japan’s forests, parks, and gardens, so too has Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku brought back its adorable sakura Totoro series.

The cherry blossom-like color isn’t the only connection the pouches have to Japan’s most famous flower, either, as the pouches feature little cloth sakura petals.

In the case of the “gamaguchi” pouch, the petal is attached to the metallic clasp. “Gamaguchi” translates literally as “frog mouth”…

…which is very fitting, considering how wide it opens!

If you’d prefer your Totoro pouch to be both pink and particularly petite, there’s also a zippered pouch…

…with its sakura petal on the pull.

And don’t worry, while not visible in the above photos, the designers did remember to include Totoro’s cute tail.

With their cloth construction and stylized design, you could argue that the pouches are actually half pluhies. If, though, you’ve got your heart set on an actual sakura-themed Totoro stuffed animal, Donguri Kyowakoku has that too.

Standing 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) tall, this cuddly little guy is out for a springtime stroll with a flowering sakura tree branch in hand, and a soot sprite keeping him company.

The zippered pouch is the lowest-priced of the bunch, at 2,200 yen (US$14), while the clasp pouch is 3,300 yen and the plushie 3,080 yen. They’re all available through the Donguri Kyowakoku online shop (here, here, and here) now, so fans should be able to get theirs before this year’s forecasted sakura season start.

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3)
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Spring hasn’t quite sprung yet but we can still soak up its essence in the humble yet mighty plum blossoms.

Despite their beauty, plum blossoms, known as ume no hana in Japanese, are often overshadowed by their cherry blossom cousins that unfurl their petals just a tiny bit later every year. One has to admire the tenacity of the plums, however, which may even begin blooming when their branches are still coated in a dusting of snow.

Plum blossoms are long overdue for more widespread appreciation, and we’re more than ready to spread the word. While we previously shared some excellent viewing spots that are easily accessible from the greater Tokyo area, this time, we’re branching out to five locales in other parts of Japan that are currently awash in plum blossoms.

● Sankeien / Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Website

There are over 500 plum trees in Yokohama’s Sankeien Garden, including rare cultivars such as gairyubai, which have been there since its opening in 1906, and ryokugakubai, which were a gift from Shanghai in 1977. This year, the period between February 7 and March 3 has been designated as a special plum blossom-viewing event. All kinds of special incentives are available during this time, including haiku contests, tea ceremonies, and a plum bonsai exhibition. Furthermore, on Saturdays and Sundays, free hot mugicha (barley tea) will also be distributed for visitors to sip on as they stroll. Perhaps you’ll take inspiration from the grounds as noted in a poem of Japanese literary genius Ryunosuke Akutagawa.

● Hasedera / Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Website

While Kamakura’s Hasedera Temple is particularly famous for its hydrangeas in the summer months, its grounds turn into a stunning display of color every February as the plums are blooming. There are eight varieties on the premises, including some that bloom a bit earlier and some a bit later to make for a constant changeover of flowers. From February 6 through 15, the temple also held a nighttime illumination event to showcase the beauty of the blossoms.

● Osaka Castle Park / Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
Website

Within these sprawling park grounds in metropolitan Osaka, visitors can soak in the sight of both Osaka Castle and the stunning 1,245 blooming plum trees–featuring 105 cultivars–between January and March. Of particular note are the shirakaga, ryokugaku, and nanko (often used to make umeboshi) varieties in bloom until mid-February, which are then followed by bungo and musashino varieties through March.

For a special treat, you may want to indulge in the lunch course offered by the neighboring Hotel New Otani Osaka, which allows visitors to continue soaking in the scenery while dining after taking a stroll on a plum-viewing route in the park.

● Kairakuen / Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture
Website

Kairakuen Garden is classically considered to be one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens. It was developed by feudal lord Nariaki Tokugawa and was mostly opened to the public–a rather novel concept at the time–in 1842. During the garden’s UME The Lights 2026 light-up event between February 13 and March 15 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the plum trees are illuminated by a sea of colors and projection mappings. Be on the lookout for the “Layered Colors Garden” spotlighting the plums in particular.

● Kitano Tenmangu / Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
Website

Sugawara no Michizane, a scholar and poet of the Heian era (794-1185) who is now enshrined at Kyoto’s Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, is said to have be enamored with plum blossoms. He would surely be pleased to know that in the present day, around 1,500 plum trees from 50 cultivars continue to make the shrine grounds awash in color come the start of each new year.

This year, the shrine is participating in the Kyoto Nippon Festival 2026 between February 1 and May 24 for a collaboration with photographer Mika Ninagawa. Ninagawa, who’s famous for her work capturing vibrant flower visuals, has installed special exhibits such as “Garden of Light and Flowers” and “Afterglow” that are definitely worth a visit.

We hope that the above recommendations will continue to grow your love for the gorgeous plum blossom. For anyone visiting Tokyo soon, Ikegami Plum Garden is another spectacular, off-the-beaten-path place to admire the blossoms.

Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: PR Times (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
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Welcome back, Anna (and Anna’s pies)!

It was with sad hearts, and growling stomachs, that we learned back in 2022 that Anna Miller’s would be closing. A legend among sweets fans, the restaurant chain with a focus on delicious pies first arrived in Japan in 1973 and went on to even greater fame here than it had ever achieved in its original home of Hawaii. Just shy of 50 years of being an iconic part of the dessert scene, though, the chain announced in June of 2022 that it would be closing its last branch in Japan, and with less than two months’ advance notice. That narrow window meant that many pie fans were left out in the cold, figuratively speaking, when the restaurant closed up for its final time on August 31 of that year.

▼ A crowd of customers waiting to get into Anna Miller’s in June of 2022, after the announcement of its impending closure

All hope was not lost, though. The last Anna Miller’s closed not because management wanted to call it quits, but because the building it was housed in was being demolished as part of a redevelopment project. After a few station popup events that helped ease the pain of separation, last summer Anna Miller’s let it be known that they would be returning to the restaurant business with a brand-new branch slated to open in December of 2025 in Tokyo’s Minami Aoyama neighborhood, the same part of town where the very first Japanese Anna Miller’s opened in 1973.

As you can probably guess, as a team of writers who think with our stomachs at least as often as we think with our heads, we were eagerly awaiting Anna Miller’s return. So why hadn’t we written about our visit to the new Minami Aoyama branch before this? Because its opening got delayed. Thankfully, we only had to wait a little longer, and as of February 13, Anna Miller’s is back!

To repeat, the new branch is in the Minami Aoyama neighborhood, not far from Harajuku, as opposed to the Shinagawa Takanawa district, where the last branch before the chain’s 2022 shutdown was located. Strolling up to the building, the Tokyo sunshine was glinting off the glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows, making it difficult to see inside from the street, but what was easy to see was…

…the Anna Miller’s logo, shining like a beacon through the second-floor windows.

But as welcome as that sight was, things got even better when we stepped in the front door.

This was a sight that, back in 2022, we weren’t sure if we were ever going to get to see again. There they were, though, lined up in the showcase like treasured friends or family at a long-awaited reunion party.

Marrron (chestnut) and banana!

Strawberry and cheesecake!

Chocolate!

And the Anna Miller’s all-stars, cherry and apple!

We missed you all <sob>…we missed you all so much!

Also making a comeback: Anna Miller’s famed waitress uniforms, which are arguably as much a symbol of the chain as the pies themselves. To mark this new chapter in the chain’s history, the outfit has gotten a new maroon color, but there are plans to bring back the traditional orange and pink versions as well.

Pies can be purchased either for take-out or eat-in, and you can mix and match different flavors to suit the tastes of everyone you’re inviting to your pie party (or to give yourself some variety through multiple personal sweets sessions).

Speaking of eating in, the restaurant offers non-dessert items too. In addition to hamburgers and BLTs, Anna Miller’s can whip you up a Reubun sandwich…

…or a “Farmer’s Breakfast.”

Anna Miller’s Pennsylvania Dutch-style pancakes are pretty unique among cafes in Japan. Instead of being pillowy soft all the way through, they’re crips across their flat surfaces, but fluffy in the middle.

It’s a tantalizing texture, and with a bit of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, has a rustic, comforting, and delicious flavor.

Our bacon and eggs were also cooked to perfection, and we have a hunch that if we’d asked for the eggs scrambled instead of fried (which is an option), they’d have been no less beautiful.

Prices for pie slices hover around 875 yen (US$5.65), while our Farmer’s Breakfast was 1,760 yen. So Anna Miller’s isn’t the cheapest place to grab a bite to eat, but with the quality of the food and cozy ambiance, the prices felt very fair to us.

We were lucky enough to be able to visit for a pre-opening press event one day before the official grand opening, but with three years-plus of pent-up demand, we’re sure that the place is going to be busy, especially on the weekends. But hey, after waiting so long for Anna Miller to come back, we’ll be OK having to wait a while for a table.

Restaurant information
Anna Miller’s (Minami Aoyama branch) / アンナミラーズ（南青山店）
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Aoyama 2-26-34
東京都港区南青山 2-26-34
Open 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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