Taito is also giving away free games to fans with personal memories of the Crown 602. Crane games are so ubiquitous in Japan that they feel like something that’s always been a part of the country, like the arcade landscape equivalent of Mt. Fuji. But much like how there was no Mt. Fuji until what would become Japan’s tallest mountain formed through volcanic activity, so too is there a starting point for the history of Japanese-made crane games, and Taito claims to be the originator. Taito is most famous for being the video game developer that created Space Invaders, though arguably in the modern era their Bubble Bobble/Puzzle Bobble/Bust-a-Move franchise gets more attention and playtime. However, before Taito created any of those series’ titles, they manufactured the Crown 602, which is said to be the oldest Japanese-made crane game machine. Though not an officially established record due to the less stringent documentation practices of the arcade industry in its early days, there’s no record of any other Japanese company mass-producing crane games prior to 1965, when the Crown 602 made its debut. As you can see, the Crown 602 was very different from the crane machines/claw machines/UFO catchers we have today. Instead of an upright cabinet with a prize case that’s as tall or taller than players, the Crown 602 was more of a box, or maybe you could call it a treasure chest, with a clear glass top and sides. With a height of just 87 centimeters (34.3 inches), even kids could look down into it from above. That probably also means that the techniques that give players the best chance of winning a prize were a little different from the tactics favored for modern machines, but there’s currently no way to be sure. Why? Because not only does Taito no longer have a Crown 602 in its offices or warehouses, there’s not even an archival video of it in play. All the company has in its records is a few still images. Not keeping at least one working example of such a major piece of pop cultural history might seem like a major screwup, but in Taito’s defense, at the time no one knew that crane machines were going to go on to be such an enduringly popular multigenerational form of entertainment, and with the amusement machine sector still in its infancy, the rapid pace of technological progress no doubt created an “out with the old, in with the new” atmosphere. With the perspective we have here in 2025, though, Taito regrets not doing a better job preserving this part of its legacy, and so it’s launched the Search for the Crown 602 campaign in order to properly celebrate the machine’s 60th anniversary. Ideally, Taito is hoping that someone can come forward with information leading them to a surviving Crown 602 machine. However, that’s not the only thing the company wants to hear from people about. With the Crown 602 turning 60, most people who played, built, operated, or serviced the machines are getting up there in age as well, and even younger game fans who encountered the machine after it was already firmly in the “retro” category are few and far between. So in addition to possible leads on where to find a Crown 602 that’s either in operation condition or can be restored to such, Taito simply wants to hear from people with direct experience or other personal stories connected to the Crown 602. Until January 16, Taito is soliciting such stories and information, which can be submitted either through the online form here or by following and posting to the official Taito Twitter (here) or Facebook (here) accounts with the hashtag ＃クラウン602 or ＃クレーンゲーム60周年(#Crown602 or #Cranegame60thanniversary). For the most useful information regarding acquiring a Crown 602 machine, Taito is offering a 100,000 yen (US$667) reward, and the participants who submit the three most heart-warming personal stories will each receive a copy of a new Taito video game. Full details, including licensing information regarding submitted stories, can be found on the Taito website here. Source: PR Times, Taito Top image: PR Times Insert images: Taito ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Poképark Kanto is opening sooner than expected on Tokyo’s southern border. Waiting can be hard, especially when you’re waiting for something that sounds as cool as the first-ever permanent Pokémon theme park zone. But following the formal reveal of Poképark Kanto back in July, which included the announcement that the facility on the border of Tokyo and neighboring Kanagawa Prefecture would be opening in Spring of 2026, we didn’t really have any choice but to be patient, did we? But in a very welcome turn of events, we don’t actually have to be as patient as we’d thought, because not only has Poképark Kanto moved up its grand opening, ticket applications are going to open before the end of this month! ▼ Teaser video for Poképark Kanto Poképark Kanto is now scheduled to open on February 5, allowing fans to encounter a promised 600-plus Pokémon as they explore the trails of the Pokémon Forest and the streets of Sedge Town, with the park having a total area of 2.6 hectares (roughly 280,000 square feet). ▼ The Poképark entrance plaza (red), Pokémon Forest (blue), and Sedge Town (green) Judging from the preview images released so far, Poképark Kanto’s Pokémon population is going to be a mix of costumed performers and statuary, as both stage shows and Pikachu/Eevee parades will be among the spectacles to see. Poképark Kanto is being built at the edge of the pre-existing Yomiuriland amusement park. Similar to the situation with Universal Studios Japan and its Super Nintendo World area, admission to Poképark Kanto will be an add-on to a Yomiuriland ticket, or, as diehard Pokémon fans may wish to interpret the arrangement, admission to Yomiuriland is included in your Poképark Kanto ticket. Regardless of how you chose to mentally frame it, there will initially be two classes of Poképark Kanto ticket, the Trainer’s Pass and the Ace Trainer’s Pass. The Ace Trainer Pass provides the additional benefits of one free ride on each of the park’s attractions and priority line access, as well as priority reservation privileges for stage show seats. The Ace Trainer Pass also gets you admission to the Sedge Mansion for a photo shoot with Pikachu and Eevee and some exclusive merch. Prices have yet to be announced, but the Ace Trainer Pass will naturally cost more than the standard Trainer Pass, which itself will logically be more than a basic Yomiuriland ticket. Yomiuriland’s pricing is sort of like an old-school carnival in that the base ticket just gets you in the gates and you have to pay separately for rides, but that also means the base tickets themselves aren’t so expensive, at 1,800 yen (US$12) for adults and 1,000-1,500 yen for kids, depending on exact age, and kids under 3 years old free. Single-day unlimited-ride passes for adults are 5,900 yen, and for kids they’re 2,500-4,700 yen. In addition, there’s also a planned Town Pass for Poképark Kanto, which is similar to the Trainer’s Pass except that it doesn’t give you access to the Pokémon Forest area. Initially, though, the Trainer and Ace Trainer Passes will be the only ones offered, and purchase rights for the initial batch will be awarded by a lottery system, with applications open from November 21 (starting at 6 p.m.) until December 8, with results announced in late December. Applications can be submitted through the Poképark Kanto official website. Related: Poképark Kanto official website Source: PR Times, Yomiuriland Top image: PR Times Insert images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Straddling the line between food and cappuccino. Starbucks is famous for its drinks, but this month all eyes will be on its food, with the announcement that customers in Japan will be receiving a brand new menu item called the Soupuccino. Whipped up fresh by baristas, the Soupuccino is said to be a “fluffy cappuccino-style soup“. The star flavour is fragrant black truffle, with mushrooms including porcini for depth, and roasted bacon and vegetable bouillon for richness. The truffle-scented three-mushroom flavour serves to deliver a luxurious moment that warms the heart and body during the colder months, with the highlight being the topping, which is made with fluffy, foamed milk. Customers will be able to customise the milk to their liking, in the same way they can with the drinks on the menu. According to Starbucks, a switch to soy milk will add a dash of gentle sweetness to the soup, while oat or almond milk leaves a nutty finish. The chain suggests trying the Soupuccino with different types of milk in order to find your favourite. To help customers try the new soup, which straddles the line between food and cappuccino, Starbucks will be adding it to its eligible “drinks” on the new “Good Start Morning” service. This discount deal gives you up to 40 yen (US$0.26) off the total price when you buy one drink and one food item together from the following list: brewed coffee; Cafe Misto; Latte; Soupuccino; Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel Sandwich; Strawberry and Cranberry Bagel Sandwich; Coarse-Ground Sausage Pie; Sugar Doughnut. The special deal will be available from opening until 11:00 a.m. starting on 14 November and running all the way through until 25 December. Alternatively, you can order the new Soupuccino on its own from 14 November, when it will be on the menu at 491 yen for takeout or 500 yen for eat-in. The Truffle Soupuccino will only be available for a limited time while stocks last, but if it’s well-received there’s a high chance we’ll be seeing other flavour combinations coming our way soon. Perhaps they’ll follow in the footsteps of instant noodle specialist Nissin, who once created a line of drinks containing flavours like curry, seafood and chilli tomato. Source, images: Press release ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

When you really want to immerse yourself in the world of Japanese trains.  There are a lot of things Japan does well, and one aspect where it shines is themed hotel rooms. After giving us a way to sleep with Hello Kitty and snooze in the midst of a Godzilla battle, we’ve now discovered a new place to stay, in the Yurikamome 30th Anniversary Collaboration Room at the Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel. ▼ The hotel is about a three-minute walk from Ariake Station on the Yurikamome line. ▼ You can see the hotel’s curved building from the station. The theme of the room is clearly evident when you check in and receive your room key, as it looks like a train ticket. Curious as to why the amount on the ticket was 390 yen (US$2.54), we asked staff at the front desk about it, and they told us the 3 (“san” in Japanese) and the 9 (“kyu“) sounds like “san kyu” or “thank you“. Tapping the ticket against the lock, the light flashed green and we pushed the door open to reveal… ▼ …the Yurikamome Room! Located on the 18th floor, this room has a great view, but you won’t spend much time looking outside as all your attention will be drawn to the train driver’s seat in the middle of the room. The driver’s seat is at the foot of the beds, making you feel like passengers on a train while you sleep. The seat is no gimmick as it’s an actual operator’s cabin used on the Yurikamome, a major transportation line linking downtown Tokyo with the Odaiba and Toyosu areas. Staff say that bringing the train equipment into the hotel room and setting it up was a challenge, but it was definitely worth it as it gives rail fans the rare chance to touch buttons and dials that are usually off limits to the public. ▼ The control panel, including the emergency call (緊急呼出) and call (呼出) buttons are charmingly worn from years of use. Even the seat has beautiful details that’ll make you feel like you’re riding a train. And if you look out the window, you’ll see the Yurikamome line, cutting a path over the approach to Tokyo Big Sight, the convention centre where famous events like Comiket are held. There are plenty of interactive elements on the driver’s panel to help you feel like you’re driving an actual train. Those yearning for even more realism can head over to the DVD player, where there’s a special DVD provided. Playing the DVD will give you a driver’s view from the front of the train, so you can watch the journey and hear the sounds of the train while you drive it. Watching the scenery from the Yurikamome while looking at the real Yurikamome from the Yurikamome room is a wonderfully immersive experience. And when it’s time to head to bed, you’ll be snuggling up to a cushion shaped like a train, while the wall of train windows gives you the sensation of rocking off to a deep slumber. ▼ The cushions are especially adorable. Before you get into bed, though, you’ll want to try out the “station name sorting magnets” on the route map attached to the entrance door. It’s a simple game where you have to line up the station names from Shimbashi to Toyosu in order, but it can be challenging for those who aren’t used to riding the Yurikamome Line. And when it comes to dinner, guests can head over to the nearby Ariake Garden shopping mall, where you can take your pick from the food court options. ▼ German cuisine is highly recommended. After testing our knowledge of the train line and filling up on chips and sausages, it was time for bed. The sleep that came was a special one that can only be had in a train-themed bed in a train-themed room while the very train that inspired it all runs past the window. When you wake in the morning, you won’t be able to resist a little more driver play before checkout. Limited to one hotel room per day, the themed experience will only be available for a limited time until 19 March, with prices starting at 22,000 yen ($143.28) per person. Beware, though — the room is so immersive that you may well find yourself wanting to step into the driver’s cabin on the train ride home. Related: Yurikamome Collaboration Room Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Kirby is making a combini run ahead of the launch of his new game. This November is a big month for Kirby fans. Not only will we be seeing the release of Kirby Air Riders for the Switch 2, the first all-new full-scale game in the franchise since 2022’s Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Japanese convenience store Family Mart is releasing a batch of new Kirby-themed foods and drinks! And while Kirby Air Riders won’t be out until November 20, the lineup for Family Mart’s Kirby Super Satisfied Fest is on sale right now! ▼ Kirby and Waddle Dee sharing the excitement of the Super Satisfied Fest As lovers of cute things, delicious things, and, especially, cute delicious things, we decided to follow Kirby’s lead and commenced scarfing as soon as we could, starting with the Kirby Inhaling Lachs Ham Sushi (240 yen [US$1.60]). Despite the “sushi” part of the name, there’s no seafood, raw or otherwise, in this rice ball. Instead, sushi is being used in its orthodox meaning of “vinegared rice,” and topping it is a slice of cured ham with onion mayo sauce. The packaging and pinkish color of the meat are the visual connections to the Kirby franchise, but the references get a little more direct with the Kirby Fluffy Egg Warp Star Roll (398 yen), which gives you not only ham, Japanese-style omelet slices, scrambled egg, and lettuce, but also a row of Warp Star-shaped cheese slices. Things start looking truly Kirby-ish, though, with the Big Eater Kirby Apple Steamed Bread (158 yen). Japanese steamed bread, or “mushi pan,” as it’s called in Japanese, is really more like a pillowy soft sponge cake. For this Kirby version, apple juice is poured into the batter for a fruity sweetness, and there are also chopped apple pieces waiting inside the cake. If you prefer your apple sweets in drinkable form, Kirby and Waddle Dee have got you covered with the Kirby Apple Gelatin Drink (318 yen). If you’re wondering why the cup has a bubble top or what’s inside that silver packet, the answers are related. Tear open the pouch and stir in the fizzing powder, and the drink froths like a cloud, making us almost expect to see a little Kirby zipping through it on his star. Rounding out our Kirby food haul run are two different soups, the first of which is the Kirby’s Creamy Mushroom Soup (216 yen). This one also features the Kirby and Waddle Dee illustration, making us tempted to keep the cup sealed as a decoration on our shelf, but doing so would mean we’d never get to see the kamaboko (fish cake) Warp Stars inside, nor get to enjoy the tasty, creamy broth that makes this a great side-dish option for those times when we’re putting together a meal with pick-up items. And last, we polished off the Kirby Creamy Tomato Noodles (246 yen), which has not one, but two adorable pieces of Kirby artwork on its packaging. The noodles here are similar to what you’d find in a cup of instant ramen, but the broth is a Western-style mix of tomato and chicken soup bases. The kamaboko Warp Stars from the mushroom soup make an appearance here too. Everything tasted good, but like we said, there’s a bit of a temptation to leave the soups unopened as unique display items. However, even if you do eat everything you buy, there’s still a way to have a lasting physical reminder of the Kirby Super Satisfied Fest. If you buy two or more of the items at once, you get a Kirby spoon, randomly selected from four possible designs. ▼ We’ll definitely be using this once we restock our kitchen with more of the Kirby soups. Family Mart’s Kirby Super Satisfied Fest is scheduled to run through December 1, though as is often the case with such promotions, that’s dependent on supply availability, so once again, the best thing to do is make like Kirby and eat these as soon as you find them. Kirby Super Satisfied Fest illustration, four-spoon image: Family Mart All other photos ©SoraNews24 Kirby ©Nintendo/HAL Laboratory, Inc. ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Design allows you to go from no Totoros to all the Totoros with a flick of your wrist. When designing anime-themed fashion items, the easy route is just to take an existing piece of apparel or accessory and slap an illustration on it. If you want to make something really special, though, you go the extra mile and make something that not only has the look of its source material, but the feel of it too. So yes, these Totoro tote bags from Studio Ghibli specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku are filled with likenesses of the famous forest spirit, but they’re also embroidered such that they’re soft and fluffy to the touch. Between the rows of Totoros are lines of acorns, appropriate not only because they’re a recurring visual motif in My Neighbor Totoro artwork but also because Donguri Kyowakoku’s name translates to “Acorn Republic.” As further proof of the care put into the designs, instead of just switching the base colors, the brown and white bags actually have different patterns, with the brown one sporting an extra-large Big Totoro and the white bag keeping them all of similar stature. The Totoro Hokomoko (“Fluffy”) Embroidery Series Lunch Tote Bags, to use their full name, measure 37 centimeters (14.6 inches) in width, so they’re viable options if you’re packing a light picnic or some snacks to enjoy in the crisp late-autumn open air. They close with a magnetic snap, and there’s also an interior pocket for some extra organization options. Also, should you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you don’t want all those Totoros on display, either because you’re self-conscious or simply don’t want to make everyone around you jealous, the bags’ backsides are unembroidered. The patterns are also available on 20-centimeter zippered pouches. As with the tote bags, all of the Totoros here have congregated on one side, though in the case of the pouches both the white and brown patterns have a brown field on the back. And yes, the pouches are sized to slip easily into the tote bags, since if you like one, odds are you’ll like the other too. The pouches are priced at 3,630 yen (US$24.20) and the tote bags 4,620 yen. They’re all available once again following a restock and can be ordered through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store here. Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3, 4) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Find out if these new Pokémon are worth capturing. As the year draws to a close, sweet-toothed Pokémon fans are celebrating with the annual release of Japan’s Mister Donut x Pokémon collaboration. Last year, the star of the show was Diglett, so fans were keen to find out which pocket monster would be making its sweet debut this time around. When the company announced it would be Foongus, a mushroom-inspired character with a head shaped like a Poké Ball, we immediately hot-footed it down to Mister Donut on the 5 November release day to check it out. This is the eighth year of the Mister Donut and Pokémon collaboration, and although it’s always popular, we were surprised to see there was no sign of any Pokémon doughnuts on display when we arrived at noon. That’s okay, though, as seasoned fans like us know that the best way to secure the Pokémon donuts is to pre-order them via mobile. This year’s “Goods Set” (2,100 yen [US$13.68] for takeout) includes a choice of two Pokémon doughnuts, one Pon de Wreath, and a blanket. The contents are almost the same as last year, but the price seems to have increased by about 100 yen. As has been the case in previous releases, the ever-popular Pikachu doughnut is making a return, but this year it’s a special “fluffy” version. The fluffy face has been created with custard-flavoured flakes and chocolate crunch pieces, and the cute pink cheeks are another new feature we don’t usually see. Although Pikachu is an annual staple, this year’s star doughnut is dedicated to Foongus who, from above, looks just like a Poké Ball. From the side, though, you can clearly see Foongus’ round, endearing eyes peering out from underneath. The Foongus we captured was a bit droopy, but we chose to see this as a lovable quirk that gives it personality. While the face looked cute, we couldn’t help but notice that the character’s hands were missing. Sure, it might be hard to add little hands to the doughnut version, but as they play a key role during the evolution into Amoonguss, making it seem even more Poké Ball-like, it would’ve been nice to have seen some semblance of them. Picking it up for a closer inspection, we found there really were no hands to be seen. In fact, seeing it in this state gave us a strange sense of déjà vu, because when we turned it upside down… ▼ …it looked like Diglett!  No matter which way we looked at it, we could only see Diglett, or seeing as it’s white, perhaps Wiglett. Having previously eaten a Diglett doughnut from Mister Donut last year, we couldn’t help but think this was a copy of that model, although we had to give them credit for the Poké Ball addition, which added extra colour and texture to this year’s star sweet. ▼ Like Diglett, Foongus’ body contains smooth, rich cream. We didn’t expect to be seeing Diglett again this year, but hey — we’re certainly not complaining. When it’s been remodelled to look like Foongus, and comes with a matching red-and-white lap blanket, all is forgiven. At Mister Donut, the annual end-of-year “Lucky Bags” also feature a tie-up with Pokémon, but according to what we’ve heard, the 2026 lucky bag campaign may not be entirely Pokémon-centric. That news hasn’t been officially announced yet, so if you want to get your hands on Mister Donut’s Pokémon goods, this current collection is your safest bet. More details about the lucky bags will be released late November, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

The bears are disrupting our national infrastructure now. This year’s spate of bear attacks really has been unlike any other year before it, and frightening incidents seem to be reported on a daily basis. Still, these incidents are largely limited to the rural areas of Japan, so for the majority living in the nation’s urban areas is easy to keep thinking of it as someone else’s problem. But now the problem has grown so large that effects are starting to be felt by people all over the country and maybe even beyond. Japan Post recently announced that it will restrict its courier service Yu-Pack in areas where bears were sighted. To give a sense of what Japan Post is trying to protect their drivers from, here’s recently captured dashboard cam video of a bear attacking a rancher’s car in Hokkaido. 11/6、19:30頃に、桑田牧場本場に繋がる、浦河野深橋で、夜飼いに向かうスタッフが熊に遭遇しましたスタッフはこの動画以上のことはなく無事で済みましたが、近くに住んでる方、近辺を通る方もご注意ください。 pic.twitter.com/JE2izwyW6H— (有)桑田牧場　公式従業員 (@MULBERRY_STABLE) November 7, 2025 That person was lucky to have been in a vehicle at the time, but a lot of Japan Post workers use mopeds for deliveries, which would offer little protection from what we just saw. So, in areas where a bear was sighted, moped deliveries will be suspended after 5 p.m., and depending on the details, other services may also be suspended. Couriers may also start using homes’ and businesses’ driveways or other parking areas to minimize their time outside of vehicles. The announcement was also posted on social media, where it’s easier to see the irony that the Yu-Pack service’s mascot is a bear named Posukuma. 【重要なお知らせ】クマの出没等の影響で、一部の地域で集荷・配達や窓口業務を一時的に見合わせる場合があります。近隣にクマが出没している地域では、夕方以降（原則17時以降）の二輪車による配達業務を見合わせます。ご理解とご協力を賜りますようお願い申し上げます。…— ゆうパック【日本郵便公式】 (@yupack_official) November 5, 2025 Despite the inconveniences it might create, readers of the announcement were overwhelmingly in favor of Japan Post’s decision, saying that people’s safety is more important than packages. “This puts bears on the same level as a blizzard or typhoon.” “Safety first. Don’t take unnecessary risks.” “Those little bikes don’t stand a chance against a bear.” “Other companies will probably do the same thing. It’s hurting the logistics industry.” “I knew it was a big problem, but not this big.” “People’s lives always come first. Please be safe.” “They should give them all Mad Max cars.” “It’s not just couriers either. Food delivery, salespeople, and care workers all need to be extra careful.” “It’s the right call.” Luckily, the bears will eventually go into hibernation, and the postal service disruptions should go away with it. However, this especially warm autumn may be pushing the animal’s hibernation time back, and once the spring returns so too will the risks, so this will only be a brief respite. Unfortunately, as Japan’s rural population continues to dwindle, and as rising temperatures affect the bear’s natural food supply, causing them to venture further in search of it, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Even measures like calling in the military feel like temporary solutions to a more deeply ingrained problem that will only continue to get worse if not dealt with properly. Source: Japan Post, Twitter/@yupack_official Top image: Pakutaso ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Dip Me Banana elevates the simple snack to something a whole lot more substantial and special. The choco banana seems like it should be about as simple as a dessert can be. It’s just a banana dipped in chocolate, right? Unless you buy into that “Fruit is nature’s candy” philosophy, you could even make the argument that a choco banana is really only half a dessert. Ah, but what if you wanted to tip the scale more towards undebatable-dessert elements? That’s how you end up with Dip Me Banana, Tokyo’s first gourmet chocolate banana specialty shop. The press release photos, seen directly above and below, had our mouths watering when Dip Me Banana opened last month on Takeshita Street in Tokyo’s Harajuku neighborhood. So with a slot having just opened up in our always-packed dessert calendar, we hopped on the train and dove into the crowds of the famously packed Takeshita to try one for ourselves. But as we stood there, musing over the many, many different order options we had, we noticed something. Since arriving in Harajuku, we’d been seeing the name “Noa” all over. There was a Noa Dance Academy… …Noa Coffee… …and even Gelato Noa. The dance academy wasn’t a surprise, as Noa is the name of a Tokyo-based company that manages a chain of rental music studio spaces, like this one in the Nakano neighborhood. But without our realizing it, they’ve also been expanding into the food and beverage world. In addition to the ventures above, they also have a soba noodle restaurant (Yoshi Soba), a Japanese-style sweets cafe (Yoshi Kitchaan)… …a crepe shop (Sweet Box)… …and they also run the Harajuku Churros stand. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with diversifying your offerings, right? After all, Mister Donut, Japan’s favorite donut chain, is actually owned by Duskin, whose original primary field was office cleaning services. Ordering at Dip Me Banana is done by filling out a check sheet with your choices. The first one to make is whipped cream or no whipped cream, which also determines the price (all bananas with whipped cream are 770 yen [US$5.10]) and all without are 660). Your next choice is chocolate base, either regular or white chocolate. For toppings, you pick from choco caramel crunch, color chocolate spray, coconut, crunch chocolate with nuts, sugar sprinkle, Oreo with marshmallow, corn flakes with choco spray, or Oreo and nuts. Finally, your sauce options are chocolate, caramel, milk, coconut, and strawberry. It was a lot to think about, but in the end we went for a whipped cream chocolate chocolate caramel crunch caramel sauce banana, which is the longest-named chocolate banana we’ve ever ordered… …which is fitting because it’s the biggest and most decadent one we’ve ever had, too! As something that’s served on a stick and often sold at festivals and amusement parks, places where it’ll be eaten while walking around and simultaneously doing other fun things, you could make the argument that choco bananas sometimes feel more like a snack than a dessert. That’s definitely not the case here, though, as this is a substantial sweet treat that demands a certain amount of attention and care in eating, lest you spill all of the mouthwatering accoutrements on yourself. Not only could all that chocolate and sauce make an awful stain on your shirt, it’d be a crying shame to miss out on even a spec of that sweet deliciousness. ▼ They say you shouldn’t cry over spilled milk, but dropping choco banana toppings like these would be a tear-worthy blunder. As such, Dip Me Bananas’ choco bananas are really best enjoyed in a stationary state. That’s probably why the Noa Coffee directly above the choco banana shop allows them as carry-in items as long as you also order a drink, but whether you take them up on that offer or not, this is a dessert worth making your way to Harajuku, and then stopping your steps for a while, to enjoy. Location information Dip Me Banana Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Jingumae 1-16-6 東京都渋谷区神宮前1丁目16-6 Open 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Website Top image: SoraNews24 Insert images: PR Times, SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

The chain may not be called “Mister Ramen,” but that doesn’t mean they don’t know how to make a really good bowl of noodles. Mister Donut doesn’t play coy with what it has to offer, does it? The donut chain puts its signature menu item right there in its name, and the “Mister” part tells you that while they’ve got a sense of fun, they also have respect for the craft of donut-making. But while Mister Donut truly is Japan’s premier donut provider, they actually have a handful of non-dessert items on their menu too, including ramen. Back in 1992, Mister Donut started serving a number of Chinese dishes, including steamed pork buns and shumai dumplings, but the only one that’s still around is the ramen. What’s more, while various versions of noodle dishes have come and gone over the years, Mister Donut’s standard baseline one, the Shiru Soba, is still on the menu, more than three decades after its debut. It’s unusual for a menu item to have that kind of longevity while also being firmly out of the limelight at its restaurant, and so we decided to head to a Mister Donut branch a few blocks away from SoraNews24 HQ to reacquaint ourselves with this oft-forgotten veteran. The Shiru Soba (“soba” here is being used in its sense of Chinese-style noodles/ramen, and not to refer to Japanese buckwheat noodles) is about as simple as can be. You won’t find any slices of pork or hard-boiled eggs. All that’s in the bowl are noodles, broth, and a sprinkling of sliced green onion. And yet, that’s all we really needed, we discovered as we took a bite. The noodles are tender and easy to chew, and the broth doesn’t have even a hint of oiliness to it. The flavor instead comes from the chicken stock and mixture of sun-dried and bittern salt. It’s satisfyingly flavorful, but comes to an impeccably clean finish, with none of the lingering greasy heaviness that so often comes from consuming a mouthful of ramen. Fans of super-heavy ramen might say that Mister Donut’s Shiru Soba misses the point of eating ramen, but that’s really a matter of personal preference. While some people genuinely enjoy the guilty pleasure and near-bursting fullness of devouring a bowl of ramen crammed with slices of chashu floating between fingertip-sized blobs of oil, others may prefer the flavor to come from the seasonings and broth-base stock, and for them, Mister Donut’s Shiru Soba is wondrously pure in its simplicity. It also has only 229 calories and 1.1 grams of fat, and costs just 374 yen (US$2.50). As such, the Shiru Soba won’t overload the taste buds, bloat the gut, or empty the wallet, and so… …it’s an excellent choice for if you want some non-dessert food before also enjoying a donut. In taste-testing, we found that the Shiru Soba works great as an opening act for Mister Donut’s Pon de Ring, French Cruller, or New Home Cut donuts (pictured above), which are more subtly sweet than the other, more sugary options from the chain. ▼ Not that we’d turn down a Fluffy Pikachu or Ditto Donut Tree after eating a bowl of Shiru Soba, mind you. It’s worth noting that Mister Donut also has a few other, more substantial types of ramen on the menu, including a few spicy varieties. But if you’re looking to enjoy noodles and donuts in the same sitting, the Shiru Soba is hard to beat, even if its existence is easy to forget about if you haven’t tried it yet. Bottom image: Mister Donut All other photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!