My Neighbour Totoro is here to help you look and feel cool in traditional Japanese style. 

With the weather heating up in Japan, people across the nation are reaching into their cupboards and bringing out their fans, cotton bedding, and other cooling items to help cope with the rising temperatures.

Those who like to stay cool in traditional Japanese style, however, will be reaching for items made with igusa, a soft rush grass that has been used here for centuries. Commonly used for tatami flooring, products made with igusa have an earthy scent, natural deodorising effects, and excellent moisture-regulating properties – when humidity levels are high, igusa absorbs excess moisture, and in dry environments, it slowly releases moisture, providing comfort without the use of air conditioning.

▼ The cooling, air-cleansing properties of igusa are part of what makes Japanese homes so special.

Image: Pakutaso

Igusa is a common element in traditional countryside homes where the old ways still hold strong, like the Kusakabe family home that features in the Studio Ghibli film My Neighbour Totoro. So it makes sense that Studio Ghibli would release its own series of igusa products, adorned with motifs and characters from the movie.

▼ The first item is the Igusa Seat Cushion, which comes in two gorgeous designs.

The cushions measure 40 centimetres (15.7 inches) in height and width, and are two centimetres thick, with a smooth surface that makes them very comfortable to sit on, even for long periods of time.

The first design, “Drop“, gives us a Soot Sprite, Small Totoro, and Medium Totoro, with a handful of sweets for added colour and cuteness.

The second design, “Retro Style“, adds a dash of retro colour to a Soot Sprite, a Small Totoro and a silhouette of the Large Totoro, accompanied by an auspicious traditional shippo pattern.

These two designs also feature on three other cushions, starting with the “Mini Flat Pillow” which is filled with breathable polyethylene pipes.

▼ Drop

▼ Retro Style

▼ Next up, we have the Bale Pillow, which is filled with low-rebound urethane chips.

These chips have excellent resistance against sagging, so the cushion is less prone to losing its shape, giving you just the right amount of neck support for summertime naps.

▼ The final cushion is the Candy Pillow, so-called as the rolled shape and ties on each end resemble a candy roll.

Filled with breathable polyethylene pipes, this pillow is less prone to heat buildup, making it another summer naptime essential.

For the ultimate nap, you can pair the pillows with an igusa rug, and there are two to choose from in the collection, both cutely named “Wagororo“.

Wagororo combines the word “wa” (“Japanese style”) with “gorogoro” (“to lounge around”), and that’s exactly what these mats are designed for.

▼ The rectangular mat comes in two sizes, 140 x 200 centimetres and 176 x 230 centimetres.

▼ The round mat is 176 centimetres in diameter. 

Every item in the range is made with domestically sourced igusa, and protected with “Hiba Essence” extracted from Hiba trees in Aomori Prefecture, using a special process unique to the manufacturer. Hiba essence contains a natural substance called hinokitiol, which adds further antibacterial and deodorizing properties to each product.

According to stockists Donguri Kyowakoku, the scent of grass and the expressions of Totoro and his friends will help “soothe away the fatigue of everyday life”. That’s something we could definitely do with when Japan’s humidity starts zapping our energy levels, and the entire range is available to purchase now, at Donguri Kyowakoku stores in Japan and at the online store (links below).

Source: Donguri Kyowakoku
Featured image: Donguri Kyowakoku
Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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A fun new way to learn kanji… and reward yourself for it at the same time.  

It’s been just over two weeks since Kanji Ice opened a store in the historic district of Kamakura in Tokyo’s neighbouring Kanagawa Prefecture. The opening on 1 May was perfectly timed to precede Golden Week, a string of holidays on 3-6 May, which is known for being a busy travel and shopping period.

While the store’s operators had hoped it would be busy, they couldn’t predict just how sought after its wares would be, and demand turned out to be so great that many of its ice creams totally sold out, proving they were onto a winner.

▼ The word “ice” commonly means “ice cream” in Japan.

So what makes these new ice creams such a sell-out hit? Well, for starters, they look amazing, with three flavours – Crunchy Rich Chocolate, Crispy Strawberry, and Chewy Milk – moulded into kanji letters that read: “Kamakura“, “Japan” and “Ninja“.

▼ 鎌倉 (“Kamakura“)

Then there’s the fact that they’ve been developed with a special ice cream manufacturing technology that prevents the ice cream from melting, so it remains solid even after 30 minutes even at room temperature. The non-melting ice cream is a patented technology of a Japanese company called Fulllife, who is working with the store to jointly file a new patent application for the Kanji Ice Cream.

Non-melting ice cream is said to be perfect for carrying around, so you can capture memorable photos of the Kanji Ice cream at various tourist spots in the vicinity. The store is also working at expanding beyond Kamakura, with Kanji Ice cream now available at sites like Sanga Stadium in Kyoto and JR Shin-Fuji Station in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Fuji Shibazakura Festival in Yamanashi Prefecture, where you can pick up an ice cream that says “Mt. Fuji” (富士山).

The store is also able to create custom ice creams for events, like these two, which read 高輪 (“Takanawa”) and ゲートウエイテック (“Gateway Tech”), for an annual business event at Tokyo’s Takanawa Gateway City.

With so many options for customisation, the Kanji Ice Cream might soon be greeting you at all sorts of tourist sites around Japan.

▼ Strawberry polyphenols are used for the ice cream’s non-melting properties.

This is a very social media-friendly ice cream that’s sure to attract attention online, so keep an eye out for it while you travel around Japan. And if you happen to find yourself over in Gifu, there’s a non-melt katana samurai sword ice cream that draws upon the secret powers of kudzu for its remarkable strength.

Store information
Kanji Ice Cream / 漢字アイス
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Kamakura-shi, Yukinoshita 1-6-4
神奈川県鎌倉市雪ノ下1-6-4
Open 11:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Source, images: Press release
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Why go to Starbucks when you can find hidden gems like this at a locally born chain?

Are you a Chokomintou supporter? If you are, then you will be gearing up for a very busy, and refreshing, summer in Japan, because Chokomintou means “Choco Mint Tou”, where “tou” (“political party”) humorously refers to the chocolate mint party, a faction despised by some and strongly supported by others.

Choc mint is certainly a divisive flavour combination, but here in Japan, where summers can be excruciatingly hot and brutal, it’s become immensely popular, so much so that “Chokomintou” quickly became a common term, with people proudly declaring their support for it.

This summer, those supporters are being treated to a whole slew of new treats, and one that’s currently causing a stir is the Chocolate Mint Shake from Japanese coffeehouse chain Tully’s.

This beverage is so thick it’s more like a drinkable ice cream than a shake, but what makes it even more special is the fact that you can request extra mint, making it one of the strongest mint-to-chocolate drinks on the market.

▼ The Chocolate Mint Shake retails for 790 yen (US$4.98).

The blue-green hues will immediately refresh your mind when you lay your eyes on the shake, and the pop of contrasting colour with the bright orange straw is another nice visual touch. The topping of chocolate shavings adds another accent in colour and, as it turns out, texture.

We ordered our shake with extra mint, and the resulting flavour was super minty, hitting the taste buds with an invigorating freshness. Thankfully, there was no “toothpaste-like” taste that’s sometimes evident in chocolate mint products – it was purely a fresh mint zing that paired beautifully with the chocolate, all wrapped up in a rich and creamy, ice cream-like texture. It was a delightful sensation, and the occasional crunch of the chocolate shavings added a nice surprise in between mouthfuls.

It was such an exquisite balance between mint and chocolate that we’d describe it as the golden ratio of choc mint. It’s by far the best chocolate mint product we’ve ever tasted, and so good it has the power to move a chocomintou fan to tears.

As a home-grown coffeehouse that tends to sit in the shadow of Starbucks, Tully’s is often coming out with unusual releases to stay in the competition. The Chocolate Mint Shake is a great example of that, and a good reminder that sometimes the best finds can be found in the shadows.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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Plus some surprising extra requirements, like having to say “thank you” at least 10 times a day. 

Every school in Japan has its own set of rules, and while many of these guidelines are perfectly understandable, there are some that are baffling, to say the least.

This topic of nonsensical school rules was recently explored by Jukusen, one of Japan’s largest online directory and comparison platforms for cram schools, in a survey that targeted 104 high school students nationwide.

More than half (56.7 percent) of the respondents said there were rules at their school that they did not agree with, and out of these, about 70 percent said they hadn’t been given an explanation as to why those rules are necessary.

So what were the rules that made no sense to students? Let’s take a look at the top 12 responses below – totals exceed 100 percent as students were allowed to give multiple responses – starting with a brief rundown from 12 to six.

12. No stopping anywhere on the way home after school (27.9 percent)
11. Limits on the number of keychains students can carry (30.8 percent)
10. Ban on sunscreen and lip balm (31.7 percent)
9. Restrictions on winter clothing such as coats and scarves (34.6 percent)
8. Restrictions on sweaters and cardigans (34.6 percent)
7. Rules specifying the type and colour of school bags (34.6 percent)
6. Restrictions on underwear colour (36.5 percent)

▼ The question put to students for the survey was: “Which school rules honestly make no sense to you?“

Taking a closer look at the top five revealed the following results:

5. Restrictions on smartphones (36.5 percent)

Many respondents accepted bans during class but thought prohibitions during breaks or school events were unreasonable as students want to communicate and take photos at those times.

4. Restrictions on the colour, length, and design of socks (39.4 percent)

Students questioned why schools sought to regulate such a minor detail, saying it felt pointless to regulate tiny fashion issues.

3. Restrictions on how to wear the uniform (42.3 percent)

Students complained that uniform rules were excessively detailed and inconsistently enforced, with one student saying she was pulled up by teachers for folding up the waist of her skirt, even though she was only doing it as it was uncomfortably loose.

▼ Low socks and a high skirt is a no-no at schools.

2. Ban on eyebrow grooming (48.1 percent)

Students argued that not being allowed to care for your eyebrows actually makes people look less presentable. They also expressed concern for people who feel insecure about their brows, as they’re not allowed to tend to them.

1. Restrictions on hairstyles and hair colour (54.8 percent)

Students strongly questioned why schools regulate hair at all, with many saying they felt these rules weren’t in line with the times as they prioritise conformity over individuality.

The survey also revealed some unusual rules that exist at some schools:

• On graduation day, girls must wear tights of 80 denier or higher
• Students are required to say “thank you” at least 10 times a day within the school
• Bans on establishing a light music club

While “light music” originally referred to lighter orchestral pieces, it now involves popular music like punk, rock and J-Pop, and some schools fear these clubs might “increase the number of delinquent and misbehaving students”.

Though students are quick to complain about these “incomprehensible” school rules, saying they have little to do with academic performance, in the end, they mostly put up with them, with approximately 70 percent of current respondents indicating that they abide by the rules despite their dissatisfaction.

The remaining 30 percent are likely plucking an eyebrow hair every now and then, and holding out hope for their school to rethink some of its requirements. With some schools now easing up on black-only hair rules and abolishing underwear checks, change may very well be on the horizon.

Source: Press release
Featured image: Press release
Insert images: Press release, Pakutaso (1, 2, 3)
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We challenge you to find a saltier ramen in Japan.

Once you start diving into the world of Japanese ramen, you’ll find that the waters are deep, with an incredibly diverse array of varieties, and new dishes being created somewhere every day.

A great example of that can be seen at Kuwabara, a ramen restaurant in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro that specialises in “shio soba“, a light, salt-based ramen. The store’s full name is “Shio Soba Specialty Shop Kuwabara” so it prides itself on salty ramen, but according to diners, a dish on the menu called “Ikebukuro White” is off the scale, with diners describing it as “shockingly salty“.

▼ A sign out the front shows customer’s views of the store, with “The soup is salty” in top place, written in red.

The saltiness of the Ikebukuro White is said to be so insane that the restaurant is now trending on social media, with some online commenters describing it as “salty delicious”, “incredibly addictive”, “one of a kind” and “the saltiest salt ramen I’ve ever eaten in my life.”

▼ Needless to say, those comments immediately piqued our interest so we headed out to the store to try the Ikebukuro White.

Ironically, the dish is marked by a black-and-white button on the ticket machine inside, where it’s priced at 1,200 yen (US$7.61). Next to it is a handwritten sign that says, “rapidly gaining popularity”, indicating that this dish really is attracting attention from diners.

After handing our ticket over to staff, we took a seat and a few minutes later our Ikebukuro White arrived. At first glance, it looked like a slightly unorthodox salt ramen, with black pepper and flat noodles, but nothing could prepare us for what we tasted when we took our first sip of the broth.

▼ SALTY!!

The saltiness is so strong it needs to be emphasised in all caps, and although it’s not extreme enough to make you stop eating, it toes the line by erring on the side of tolerable. This really was the saltiest ramen we’d ever had in our life, and in addition to the saltiness, the garlic and black pepper also pack a punch. The firm texture of the flat noodles, cooked perfectly al dente, attempts to soften the flavours, but they remain strong in every mouthful.

▼ Perhaps because of the intense saltiness, we found ourselves finishing the noodles in no time.

One unexpected side effect of the salty broth was it made the water taste incredibly delicious. And yes, we gulped down an entire glass after the meal.

Now that we’ve tried the famed ramen, we challenge anyone to find a saltier broth in Japan. It’s so salty that if you didn’t know its reputation beforehand, you might find yourself wondering if the chef made a mistake with the seasoning.

There’s no mistake here, though, and although the saltiness is incredibly overwhelming, it’s a one-of-a-kind ramen you won’t find anywhere else. So if you’re willing to dive into Japan’s ramen world, this is definitely the deep end, where the broth is delicious, but as salty as the sea.

Restaurant information
Shio Soba Specialty Shop Kuwabara / 塩そば専門店 桑ばら
Address: Tokyo-to, Toshima-ku, Higashi-Ikebukuro 1-27-5
東京都豊島区東池袋1-27-5
Open 11:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
Closed irregularly

Photos ©SoraNews24
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Getting more convenience store food for our yen is always a fun time, but this campaign is bordering on ridiculous.

On 12 May, 7-Eleven Japan kicked off its its “Founding Anniversary Sale” by giving us over 50 percent more of some of our favourite products in the first phase of its so-called “Thank You Extra Large” series.

▼ We immediately visited our nearby 7-Eleven and managed to get our hands on four of the upsized products.

The products we procured were:

• Corn & Mayonnaise (170.64 yen [US$1.08])
• Egg Salad Sandwich (291.60 yen)
• Radish, Cucumber, Carrot, Rice Malt, Miso & Mayonnaise  (280.80 yen)
• Mega Pork Ramen with Extra Fat (734.40 yen )

There are actually six products in the range, but despite visiting several stores to purchase the complete set, we were unable to find the following two items:

• Flame-Grilled Pork Fried Rice (496.80 yen)
• Fluffy Dorayaki with Red Bean Paste & Whipped Cream (213.84 yen)

This was probably a blessing in disguise, as the size of the four we had already looked like a lot of food. The ramen, in particular, produced under the supervision of award-wining Chiba-based ramen restaurant Chuka Soba Tomita., looked especially ginormous.

We decided to test this hefty beast first, popping it on the scales to reveal its true weight, which turned out to be…

▼… an astonishing 1,084 grams (2.4 pounds)!

As the container weighs about 23 grams, what we have here is more than a kilo of food, which is a great deal given that the price remains unchanged despite the 50-percent upsize. Although the pork fat is highlighted as an increased ingredient, it’s also said to have more vegetables, noodles, soup, and garlic, so we were curious to know how these extra ingredients would affect the taste.

▼ We popped it into the microwave, for 10 minutes at 500 watts, which is quite a long time for microwaveable food.

As it was heating, we felt slightly intimidated by the intense garlic smell that filled the room, and when we opened the lid we couldn’t quite believe the amount of food that lay before us.

The ingredients were so huge they made the container look tiny, and we began to wonder how we could eat our noodles without them spilling out everywhere.

Carefully lifting the char siu, we could see a huge pile of bean sprouts and cabbage beneath it, with the rest of the meal consisting of garlic, noodles, and pork fat.

With big noodle meals like this, locals make use of a special move called “tenchi gaeshi“, which literally translates as “heaven-and-earth flip“. This involves lifting the noodles from the bottom of the bowl and “flipping” them over the vegetables on top, to prevent them from getting soggy and to mix the broth, noodles, fat, sauce, and vegetables more evenly.

▼ Performing the “tenchi-gaeshi” mixing maneuver requires extra skill with this huge meal.

After carefully flipping heaven and earth, we were even more impressed at how much food was in the bowl, and when we took a sip of the broth, we were hit by the intensely powerful flavour of garlic and pork fat, which was absolutely delicious.

This was a high-quality meal, and the noodles were equally fantastic, providing just the right amount of chewiness to help round out the bold flavours.

The sheer volume was truly unbelievable, and nothing like what you’d normally see at a convenience store. It was so filling that by the end of the meal, we didn’t have any belly room for the other items we’d picked up.

▼ The vegetable sticks, with rice malt, miso and mayonnaise dip, would’ve been a nice way to cut through all the fat, but we just couldn’t fit them in.

The Egg Salad sandwich, or “THE Tamago” (“THE Egg”) as it’s called in Japanese, now contains three cut sandwiches instead of two, making it a great deal.

▼ And finally, the Corn & Mayonnaise bread has also been upsized, so it’s now almost twice as large as a smartphone.

The first phase of the campaign is scheduled to run from 12 May to 25 May, with the second phase bringing us a new line of upsized items from 19 May to 1 June. After receiving flack from customers who claimed that some convenience stores have been skimping on their offerings recently, there’s certainly no skimping with these campaign products, so hop in and try them while you can!

Images©SoraNews24
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