We drank crab-juice infused Crab Cola from Niigata Prefecture, because why not
21:21
cherishe
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We glugged a bottle of Crab Cola, infused with genuine crab essence, produced by a fishpacking company in Niigata prefecture.
Japan is no stranger to the land of crazy cola drinks, with recent years seeing an influx of barmy beverages hit convenience store shelves, ranging from the relatively tame Coca-Cola peach Coke to the the more experimental Coca-Cola Coffee and Christmas-cake flavor Pepsi, and even Salty Watermelon Pepsi. But for a truly out-there cola concoction, you’ll need to take a step away from the two big cola giants and look to a more avant-garde supplier of fizzy oddities. A company by the name of Takuyo Fisheries Industry which hails from Niigata Prefecture, has released a signature cola drink infused with the delicious taste of, um, crab, and we figured it was our duty to drink a bottle of the stuff and let you all know whether this is a drink that will really have legs in the cola industry or not.
The rather stylish bottle design immediately caught our eye… the retro-style katakana font reads: “Kani (crab) Cola” and is romanized above as “Cani-Cola.” At the very top of the bottle, it reads “Crab flavor? A strange flavor cola!”. Hmm, doesn’t the red and white style label actually look kind of familiar? Um, moving swiftly on, let’s get on with the taste test!
Now, since Takuyo Fisheries Industry specializes in aquatic foodstuffs and is not a dedicated soft drinks maker, even though we had high hopes for this beverage we were mindful to keep our expectations in check regarding carbonation levels, thirst-quenching ability, and other yardsticks by which you might measure a fizzy drink.
That being said, our resident guinea pig, I mean, taste-tester, Tasuku, had this to say about the drink: “At first, I was concerned there would be a distinct whiff of fish emanating from the drink’s bubbly emissions. To my pleasant surprise, the beverage registers naught but the pleasant scent of familiar cola. I took a sip. Alas! The palate reads only that of a pedestrian, humble cola. But wait…”
“Something’s…”
“…fishy… about this…”
“CRAB COLA!!!”
At this point, Tasuku was rendered temporarily speechless and unable to accurately summarise the experience. “It’s like cola, but also really crabby” was pretty much the best we could get out of him. Clearly, it’s the kind of thing you have to experience personally to really “get” it, like root beer or cilantro, or anime-song-only karaoke.
If you’re interested in trying a bottle of this snappy beverage, a small 200-milliliter (6.8-ounce) bottle will set you back around 300 yen (US$ 2.71), which is quite pricey for a cola drink… a 500-milliliter bottle of one of the two big- brand colas is only around 190 yen, for comparison. Still, you’re paying for the novelty factor of drinking liquidated crab, plus as we mentioned above, Takuyo Fishieries is still a novice to the cola game and not quite in the position to take on the cola giants re: competitive pricing.
Oh, and one final word on Crab Cola before we go… the label lists powdered crab as an ingredient, meaning those with shellfish allergies would do well to steer clear of the product. But don’t worry, Japan still had plenty of gross-out drinks available for you to try. Maybe we suggest the Princess Urine Sour as one example? You can thank us later.
One safety rule regarding trains that should always be taken seriously is staying behind the yellow line on the train platform, because falling onto the tracks could have deadly consequences.
Luckily, when one individual at a station in Kyoto fell off the platform, their fellow commuters jumped to action to help prevent them from meeting an untimely end. In fact, so impactful were their actions that officials at JR Nijou Station posted a sign thanking commuters for their assistance.
“Thank You
On February 18, 2019, at about 6:15 p.m., a customer fell onto the tracks from the platform.
When that happened, other customers who were nearby pushed the Emergency Button and waved at the oncoming train to stop. Because of that, the train was able to stop immediately, and did not come into contact with the fallen customer, who remained unscathed. Thank you very much.
We’d also like to thank the individuals who helped provide first aid to the fallen customer. We’d like to ask for your continued cooperation in pushing the Emergency Button in situations where a train must stop suddenly.
Nijo Station Master”
The individual who fell was lucky to have so many quick-thinking commuters looking out for them. If they hadn’t acted so quickly, the train driver may never have been able to stop in time, resulting in a gruesome incident that would not soon be forgotten by any who witnessed it.
The station’s message of thanks from the station gained attention on Twitter when a photo of the sign was initially shared by Twitter user Ke-ko (@neokeynish), and was quickly retweeted tens of thousands of times over the course of a day, until Ke-ko decided to make their account private.
Ke-ko’s tweet included the following text:
“This was posted at the JR Nijo station, but I’ve never seen a courtesy poster like this before. Lately all that people seem to like to talk about are bad train manners and crimes, so this kind of wonderful news about anonymous people helping avoid the worst kind of outcome is something that would have never made the news.”
The tweet sparked praise from Japanese netizens for the quick and compassionate actions of the commuters who came to the rescue:
“In times of emergency, we have to try not to be scared or embarrassed, and just push the emergency stop button. Even when the trans are delayed, we have to think about if we were in that position, and try not to get irritated.”
“I think this kind of thing is important. Announce it! Work to create cooperative relationships. No matter how long the trains are delayed, everyone should work together.”
“That’s a nice story. That’s not something that can be done easily.”
“This is the kind of Japan I want to see!”
Indeed, it can be hard to think quickly enough to act in time in a dangerous situation, so the actions of the people at JR Nijo Station on February 18 should be commended, just like in 2013 when JR customers in Tokyo worked together to save a customer trapped under a train. And, even if it doesn’t happen where you are, it’s something to keep in mind when a train is delayed and causes commuter chaos; someone’s life could be on the line, and perhaps people are working to save it. When you think of it that way, it makes a little delay seem insignificant in comparison.
Japanese schoolgirl points out an especially dumb part of her school’s “no tights” dress code
17:06
cherishe
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The rule is supposed to be for everybody, but it’s really only the girls who have to follow it.
Winter may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to break out the gauzy fabrics of spring fashion just yet. For most of the past week, Japan has been cold and rainy, and while that’s generally not anyone’s idea of pleasant weather, it’s been particularly rough for Japanese Twitter user @otonakodomo_.
Now in her third year of junior high school, @otonakodomo_ has to wear a uniform. Her school’s dress code doesn’t just dictate what student have to wear, though, but also what they can’t, and the prohibited list includes tights, which is a problem for @otonakodomo_ since her uniform requires her to wear a skirt.
The boys wear tights under their slacks, because they won’t get caught. Why do only we girls have to endure the cold?”
It’s an excellent point. Boys’ uniforms include long pants, so even if they’re technically banned from wearing tights too, no one will spot the dress code violation (sort of like the school in Tokyo that demanded students wear white underwear). But since the girls’ uniforms leave their legs exposed, the no-tights rule is only enforceable for female students, and so effectively they’re the only ones being restricted from keeping their legs as warm as they like.
It’s not uncommon for Japanese schools to prohibit students from wearing tights, but other online commenters were quick share their agreement with @otonakodomo_’s frustration, leaving comments like:
“I saw students walking to school in the cold this morning wearing skirts with no tights, and I felt so bad for them.” “What’s the point of banning tights in the first place?” “I wish they’d just give girls the options of wearing long pants as part of their uniform.”
Some schools in Japan have recently started letting students choose between skirts and slacks, but they’re still in the minority. As for why tights are banned, at least one school says it’s to keep students from becoming too relaxed and losing focus during lessons, and one commenter speculated it’s because schools are worried about students showing up with wild or distracting patterns to their tights, largely circumventing the practice of having uniforms in the first place, and don’t want to be bothered having to administer rules for what styles are and aren’t allowed.
@otonakodomo_ doesn’t know what her school’s rationale is, but she did voice her complaint to the administrators, saying it’s unfair for tights to be banned. The school’s response?
“We understand your opinion, but you’ll be graduating soon [the Japanese school year ends in the spring], so bear with it a little longer.”
It’s a pretty callous reaction, and was of little comfort to @otonakodomo_. “I wasn’t just doing this for myself,” she says, “but for the girls in my school who’re younger than me too.” It’s sad that her plea seems to have fallen on deaf ears, leaving her and her classmates with cold legs.
The tables turn when a funeral for Ally Beardsley turns into the Roast of Grant O'Brien.
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Starbucks brand-new Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo breaks SoraNews24’s Mr. Sato’s heart
09:36
cherishe
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He was supposed to be drinking the coffee of his dreams, but instead…
You might not guess it from some of the things he puts in his body, but SoraNews24’s ace reporter Mr. Sato is actually something of a coffee connoisseur. He’s particularly fond of Starbucks coffee (as evidenced by his world-famous photo shoot), and so when he heard there was a new Starbucks opening in Tokyo’s Naka Meguro neighborhood, he blew off his other assignments to go get a cup on the first day it was open to the general public, February 28.
Now in most cases, a new Tokyo Starbucks wouldn’t be an excuse to skip work, seeing as how just about every train station in the city has a Starbucks branch just a short walk from the ticket gates. However, this one is special, since the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo is a multi-story complex serving not only special gourmet coffees, but exclusive teas, Japanese desserts, artisanal pizzas, and even cocktails.
So Mr. Sato hopped on the train for Naka Meguro Station, and after he passed through the gate he made his way to the picturesque cherry blossom tree-lined path that runs along the Meguro River, one of Tokyo’s prime sakura-viewing spots. After about a 10-minute stroll, he saw what he’d come for.
The Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo exterior is understated and elegant, yet also distinct and fashionable, making it a perfect match for the vibe in this part of town.
Instead of the standard green-and-white plastic sign of an ordinary Starbucks branch, the Reserve Roastery renders the brand’s double-tailed mermaid as stately bronze-tone metal seal, installed above the entrance doors.
Looking through the large windows, Mr. Sato could make out gleaming glass bins of enticing coffee beans, and the equipment used to roast them to perfection.
However, since he’d shown up on opening day, there was a large crowd of fellow coffee fans who also wanted to get inside the brand-new facility, despite it being a Thursday morning. Since Starbucks is all about enjoying a relaxing atmosphere, the staff naturally wanted to limit the amount of congestion inside the Reserve Roastery, and so they were letting customers in a few at a time. Considerately, they were passing out slips of paper to those wanting to get in, so that you wouldn’t necessarily have to stand in a line the whole time.
Mr. Sato asked the staff for one of the slips, and was happy to see that by scanning the QR code with his smartphone, he could check on how many parties were ahead of him.
Still, he figured he was in for a pretty long wait, given how many other people were asking the staff for entrance slips. “I bet there’s probably like a hundred people ahead of me,” he thought, bracing himself as he scanned the code, after which the screen informed him that…
…there were 955 parties ahead of him!
Again, that’s 955 parties, not people. Considering how popular Starbucks is as a place to hang out with friends, take a break during a date, or snack on sweets with kids, there’s no way all 955 of those parties were people who’d come alone.
…Mr. Sato decided to go get his caffeine fix somewhere else, and trudged through the rain back towards the station, stepping into a branch of hamburger fast food chain Freshness Burger that he passed along the way.
On the plus side, Freshness Burger is really tasty. Still, it wasn’t what Mr. Sato had come all the way here for (he’d been hoping to lavish his taste buds with luxury like his coworker who actually did manage to make her way into the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo, and while he’ll definitely be trying again, he now knows that grabbing a quick cup of coffee there on his way to work won’t really be an option until the crowds die down.
Cafe information Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo / スターバックス リザーブ ロースタリー東京
Address: Tokyo-to, Meguro-ku, Aobadai 2-19-23
東京都目黒区青葉台2丁目19-23
Open 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Website
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo: A visitor’s guide to the biggest Starbucks in the world
07:16
cherishe
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Step inside with us as we try all the exclusive treats and drinks only available at this stunning Japan location.
Ever since Starbucks announced that Tokyo would receive a special Starbucks Reserve Roastery – the fifth of its kind in the world, following branches in New York, Seattle, Milan and Shanghai – there’s been a lot of hype surrounding its grand opening on 28 February.
We were lucky enough to step inside the huge four-storey complex on a press day ahead of the official opening, where Starbucks’ CEO Kevin Johnson, Starbucks Japan’s CEO Takafumi Minaguchi, Starbucks’ Chief Design Officer Liz Muller, and famed Italian baker Rocco Princi were also in attendance.
▼ Left to right: Princi, Muller, Minaguchi, Johnson.
The team behind the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo shared some interesting insights about the new outpost, including design details that pay homage to Japan and the Roastery’s location in Aobadai, right next to the beautiful sakura-lined Meguro River. So let’s take a look at all the things you should see and taste here, starting from the moment you approach the iconic new building.
▼ Take a look at the video below for a quick walkthrough of the complex.
▼ Japanese architect Kengo Kuma says he wanted to integrate the building into the city with modern hisashi (roof eaves) and planter boxes designed to look like modern bonsai.
▼ The Roastery is the first one in the world to be created from the ground-up, with the Starbucks mermaid greeting visitors as they enter through the main doors.
As soon as you walk inside, you’ll be struck by the sheer expanse of the interior. The ground floor (referred to as the “first floor” in Japan) is called “Starbucks Reserve”, and it’s where you’ll find a selection of the company’s rarest coffees.
▼ At the front there’s the main roaster, where customers can see the coffee journey firsthand as it makes its way from bean to cup on the premises.
▼ Green coffee beans are stored in these silos for seven to eight days so the gasses can be released before the roasting process begins.
At the back of the first floor is Princi Bakery, where focaccia pizzas, breads, and sweets are freshly baked and delivered to bars on different floors throughout the day.
▼ They also whip up an awesome platter of cheese and cured meats for events.
The Main Bar is where you’ll find some of the country’s most exclusive Starbucks coffee drinks, including a Barrel-Aged Cold Brew (1,200 yen [US$10.83]), which is made with beans stored in Bourbon whiskey barrels.
If you look closely at the bar, you’ll see that the ash wood counter features traditional Japanese joinery techniques, as the design team wanted to incorporate the same traditional nail-free woodworking techniques used on Japanese shrines and temples.
▼ The bars were made by Tendo Mokko, a wood company in Yamagata Prefecture, using strong box joints and a simplistic design that pays homage to Japanese culture.
Taking pride of place in the centre of the whole building is an impressive copper cask, which, at almost five-stories high, is the biggest one Starbucks has ever created.
As customers make their way up to the higher floors, they’re able to view the inside of the copper cask, which conceals all the different equipment needed to create the coffee produced onsite.
Running from the cask is a series of “symphony pipes”, which deliver freshly roasted coffee beans from the first floor up to the third floor, complete with digital displays showing the journey of the bean.
▼ Customers can journey up to the second floor via the elevator or two different stairwells.
The stairwell near the elevator features gorgeous murals painted by a local artist who lives in the Nakameguro area. This one shows the Meguro River outside, with its famous cherry blossom trees, and a Japanese tea field plantation.
Another way to get to the second floor is via the stairs at the back of the first floor area, which features a wall directing you to the Teavana Bar, which is the largest of its kind in the world.
This Teavana Bar pays homage to Japan and its local customs and traditions, starting with the brilliant teacup wall. This display contains hundred of mugs specially crafted by members of a small ten-person ceramic factory in the city of Seto in Aichi Prefecture.
The space here is dedicated to all things tea, with staff ready to guide you through the extensive range of specialty blends on offer.
The menu includes a number of signature drinks and creations only available at this Starbucks Reserve Roastery.
One of the drinks you won’t find anywhere else is the gorgeous Teavana Cream Soda Matcha (900 yen).
Made with Uji matcha, an original vanilla ice cream, and sparkling water, this is a tea experience like no other, with the sparkling taste of powdered green tea dancing on your tastebuds with every sip.
▼ Another highly recommended beverage is the Pop’n Tea Sakura Jasmine (950 yen).
This is, in a word, amazing. More like a non-alcoholic cocktail than a tea, this drink is filled with flavour, as it combines the natural hibiscus and cherry notes from the Sakura Allure Tea with the Jasmine Silver Needle Tea blend.
The fruity notes are enhanced by the addition of edible hibiscus flowers, both in the drink and frozen inside the icy sakura-jasmine tea popsicle, creating a deliciously light and refreshing flavour.
▼ Another must-try signature beverage from the Teavana bar is Sakura Path (1,200 yen).
Served on a wooden dew-drop tray, this comes with a small bowl of gyokuro green tea leaves, designed to add fragrance to the set, and a slim sake glass and masu (a wooden box which is sometimes used to serve sake).
Once the gyokuro green tea is poured into the glass, the serving set tricks you into thinking that you’re about to enjoy a sip of Japanese rice wine. There’s a good reason behind this, though, as the gyokuro used in this beverage has been stored in a tea box with sake lees for a week. This creates an incredibly unique type of green tea, which is imbued with the aroma and flavour of Japanese sake.
For those who prefer to enjoy a regular cup of tea, there’s plenty to choose from as well, complete with sweet side pairing suggestions.
Another thing to keep an eye out for here is the gorgeous Teavana wall, which is made with traditional Japanese washi paper. Individual paper strands on each of the fluttering tea leaves here were carefully applied by hand to help recreate their natural vein-like appearance.
The display here also features a beautiful range of locally made drinkware and products, which are all available to purchase.
▼ Before you head up to the next floor, there’s a Tea Scooping Bar where you can take home your favourite Teavana blend as well.
On the third floor is the Arriviamo Bar, which greets customers with a “Tokyo” Coffee Card Wall.
▼ This display is made up of 5,000 cards designed for Starbucks’ Reserve roast coffee regions.
▼ This is where you’ll also find one of two giant clacker boards.
These boards are designed to relay messages in a similar way to the old-school boards used at arrival and departure lounges. According to Muller, these boards are connected to the roastery system, and clack over when a new roast is on its way, much like an arriving train.
Another third-floor highlight is the “P-25” roaster, which is substantially smaller than the one on the first floor, but equally beautiful.
▼ Nearby, you’ll find mission statement plaques…
▼ Origami ceilings…
▼ A Whiskey Barrel Wall, which showcases the casks used to create their barrel-aged blends…
▼ And a side bar dedicated to serving coffee, alcohol, and sweets.
▼ This is where the third-floor cold brew silos are located.
▼ The main star, however, is the Arriviamo Bar, which features a selection of delicious snacks and desserts…
▼ Along with some stunning alcoholic beverages and signature cocktails made with various tea and coffee blends.
▼ Some of the highly recommended alcoholic cocktails here include the Spring Shower (2,000 yen).
This limited-time offering lets you enjoy “hanami cherry-blossom viewing in a cup”, with the addition of an edible sakura blossom and a spray of Starbucks Reserve Cold Brew Coffee on the surface.
There’s also the Tokyo Pour Over (3,000 yen), which comes served with its own drip filter coffee stand and two shot glasses, so you can share the taste of the whiskey-and-coffee blend with a friend or loved one.
▼ And the Nakameguro Espresso Martini (2,000 yen).
This cocktail contains a blend of Japanese vodka, chestnut liqueur, and cacao liqueur – which is shaken, not stirred – and served with chocolate shavings and a decadent piece of Green Bean to Bar Chocolate on the side.
The third and fourth floors also come with outdoor terrace areas where customers can sip their coffee and cocktails while enjoying a view of the sakura trees.
Then it’s up to the fourth floor, where the coffee pack line is located. The Tokyo Roastery packs its coffee beans on site for delivery to Starbucks branches around Japan.
Most of the fourth floor is dedicated to the Amu Inspiration Lounge, where seminars and impromptu meetings can be held.
“Amu” means “to knit” in Japanese, and this space “aims to inspire, connect and knit diverse people and thoughts together”.
Starbucks aims to turn this area into the chain’s first officially-recognised Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) training facility.
There’s also a custom-made Yamaha piano here, with an extended end for musicians to place their coffee drinks on while they play or enjoy impromptu jam sessions with friends.
From the fourth floor you can also enjoy a beautiful view of the Copper Cask, which Starbucks says is their “tribute to the sakura trees”.
The curved cask is adorned with approximately 2,100 flowers, all with a unique shape as they’re modelled on natural materials and hammered individually by hand.
The cask itself has also been hand-hammered, with design project members all leaving their mark with a mallet on the 12 sheets at the second row from the bottom.
Taking the elevator from the fourth floor back down to the entrance is a nice way to stop and take a closer look at some of the Reserve Roast coffee cards.
And before you head to the exit on the first floor, there’s a Coffee Scooping Bar to entice you with some Tokyo Roastery-exclusive beans.
This is where you’ll find exclusive merchandise to take home as well, and unlike the regular lineup of Starbucks sakura drinkware, these cherry blossom mugs and tumblers won’t be available to purchase anywhere else.
If you’re after an “elevated coffee experience” that combines great-tasting goods with unique aspects of Japanese culture, be sure to stop by the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo. And if you time your visit right, you’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of the sakura at its spectacular riverside location as well.
Cafe information
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo / スターバックス リザーブ ロースタリー東京
Address: Tokyo-to, Meguro-ku, Aobadai 2-19-23
東京都目黒区青葉台2丁目19-23
Open 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Website
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