What the heck is oboro tofu, and why can you eat so much of it without feeling sick? Just seeing or hearing the words “all-you-can-eat” can make your heart beat faster. The freedom to eat to your heart’s content makes for an exciting dining experience, but the only downside is it’s usually limited to certain types of food like yakiniku (grilled meat), sweets, and Western-style buffets, with traditional Japanese foods, apart from sushi, being hard to find. In Kyoto, however, you’ll find a rather unusual type of all-you-can-eat meal at a restaurant called Kyotofu Fujino. Kyoto is famous for tofu, and that’s what this restaurant specialises in, but here you can eat as much tofu as you like, with unlimited refills of their carefully crafted specialty dish. ▼ Kyotofu Fujino is located on the 11th floor of JR Kyoto Isetan, which is directly connected to JR Kyoto Station, making it a convenient stop for travellers. We arrived at Kyoto Station to visit the restaurant at around 5 p.m. on a weekend evening, and as we made our way there, we wondered if we might be too early for dinner. However, when we registered for a seat at the ticket machine, there were already 16 other groups waiting! In some cases, the wait time here can be over 90 minutes, and although the restaurant closes at 10 p.m., they often stop accepting customers at 6:30 p.m. due to the amount of people who reserve their spot at the machine. A restaurant with this level of popularity is a hallmark of high quality and good value for money, so you’ll want to get in early to eat here. The machine ticketing system allows you to leave the store while you wait as alerts are sent to customers’ smartphones, but we stood outside and waited… for an hour and 40 minutes. ▼ It felt great to finally take a seat after such a long wait. There are a variety of Kyoto-style set meals to choose from, such as the “Fun Meal” (3,960 yen [US$25.15]), the “Kyoto Hot Tofu Meal” (6,490 yen), and the “Tofu and Yuba Meal” (6,600 yen). ▼ We ordered the simple yet elegant “Fun Meal“. The first thing to arrive at the table were the appetisers: yuba sashimi (fresh, raw tofu skin that’s served without cooking) and sesame tofu. Both appetisers were absolutely delicious, with condiments like wasabi and yuzu adding a beautifully delicate contrast in flavour. Soon after, we were treated to the main star of the show – oboro tofu. Oboro Tofu are curds of super soft, melt-in-the mouth silken tofu. Considered a delicacy in the dining world, oboro tofu has a creamy, addictive texture similar to purin (pudding), and retains the natural sweetness of soybeans. Often eaten with simple condiments to enhance its inherent flavour, here at Fujino it’s served with a wide variety of seasonings such as soy sauce, coarse salt, chilli peppers, bonito flakes, ground sesame seeds, and salted kelp. First, you should try the tofu as it is, without any seasonings, to get a sense of the delicate flavour. You can really taste the richness of the soybeans in Fujino’s oboro tofu, proving why the restaurant is so popular with diners. Then you can start varying the flavour with the seasonings, starting with the simplest through to the strongest. The oboro tofu with a sprinkling of salt was to die for. With as many free refills of oboro tofu as you like, you don’t have to worry if, like us, you finish it all after just trying the salt seasoning. Staff are always quick to ask if you’d like refills, so you won’t have to feel self-conscious about requesting more at any time throughout the meal. ▼ As a high-protein, low-fat food that’s highly digestible, oboro tofu is easy on the stomach, allowing you to eat quite a lot of it without feeling uncomfortable. The combination of oboro tofu with salted kelp and bonito flakes is another taste sensation. In fact, if we closed our eyes, we’d say it’s similar to eating white rice with a tasty topping, which shows just how flavourful this simple dish can be. The meal is accompanied by tofu dengaku (grilled tofu coated with a sweet and savoury miso glaze), yuba (tofu skin), and other soy-based dishes. Many of these dishes can be purchased at the direct sales store in the building so you can enjoy them at home. There are also small seasonal dishes, and when we visited, we were able to enjoy the autumnal flavours of Persimmon and Konjac Shiraae (mashed tofu salad). It was great to have so many different tofu dishes at the table, but we found ourselves going back to the oboro tofu time and time again. After trying all the different seasonings, we found our personal favourite. ▼ Chilli pepper! This chili pepper is truly spicy, even in small amounts, and it has a refreshing citrus fruit flavour. We were surprised by how clean the flavour was, making all other chili peppers we’ve tried seem dull by comparison. It’s fun to play around with the different combinations to find your favourite pairing, but you’ll want to leave some room at the end for the final dish of rice cooked with fried tofu and sweet potato. ▼ And at the end of the meal, you’ll be served tofu sweets and coffee. After finishing the meal, we were pleasantly full, and surprised that after eating so much oboro tofu, we didn’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest. In fact, we had a clean palate and the sensation that we’d eaten something healthy, so there was no guilt whatsoever after this all-you-can-eat session. ▼ We left the restaurant feeling refreshed, both physically and mentally. We never thought tofu could be so satisfying. It was the most tofu we’d ever eaten in one sitting, and after doing it once, we’re keen to do it all again. Compared to all-you-can-eat yakiniku or all-you-can-eat sushi, all-you-can-eat tofu might seem a little lacklustre, but with so many varied cooking methods and condiments to literally spice things up, it’s a fantastic meal that you won’t regret trying on your next trip to Kyoto. Restaurant information Kyotofu Fujino Isetan JR Kyoto Store / 京豆富 不二乃 伊勢丹JR京都店 Address: Kyoto-fu, Kyoto-shi, Shimogyo-ku, Higashi Shiokojicho 901 , JR Kyoto Isetan 11F 京都市下京区 東塩小路町901 JR京都伊勢丹11階 Open: 11:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. Irregular holidays (following the department store’s holidays) Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Spirited Away’s No Face also gets into the Japanese New Year’s spirit with a special kadomatsu. Traditionally, Japanese homes are decorated with something called kagami mochi at New Year’s. A stack of two thick mochi rice cake discs, usually with a mikan (mandarin orange on top, the kagami mochi symbolizes prosperity in the year to come, and the cakes are customarily broken up and eaten on January 11. The “kagami” part of kagami mochi is the Japanese word for mirror, since the round shape of the rice cakes is meant to be evocative of a hand mirror. However, the resemblance really isn’t all that strong, on account of how thick the rice cakes are. As a matter of fact, you could say that the shape of kagami mochi is more similar to that of a cuddly little Totoro, and as proof… …here’s an adorable Totoro kagami mochi plushie! This seasonal little guy is now back in stock at Studio Ghibli anime specialty shop Donguri Kyowakoku, as the chain gears up for the holiday shopping season. Standing 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) tall, it’s even got a mikan on top of the Totoro’s head. Aside from looking cute, there are some practical benefits to having a Totoro plushie as your kagami mochi. As mentioned above, tradition dictates that the rice cakes are supposed to be displayed in the home for about a week and a half before eating. In the modern era, most kagami mochi are sold packed in a clear plastic case to stay fresh, but the contents will still only keep for so long after the casing is opened. That can mean a lot of successive mochi meals, perhaps more than you’d like if mochi isn’t already a staple of your diet or if you don’t have a big family to split the cakes up between. A plushie version lets you sidestep all those meal repetition or food waste concerns, and if you’d like something more substantial than a stuffed Totoro to display, Donguri Kyowakoku has a resin New Year’s Totoro figure too. This one is a little bigger, 11 centimeters in height, but what really gives it its stately presence is the stand it comes with, plus the shihobeni base paper and streamers which are said to ward off disasters and keep your home safe in the coming year. ▼ The Totoro kagami mochi figure can also be taken off the stand, if you prefer. Along with kagamimochi, another traditional Japanese New Year’s decoration is an arrangement of bamboo and pine called a kadomatsu. For this, Totoro is letting fellow Ghibli character No Face, from Spirited Away, take care of things. This 12.5-centimeter resin figurine is full of symbols associated with prosperity and good fortune in Japanese culture, from the auspicious trio of bamboo, pine, and plum blossoms, to the tai (sea bream) and gold coins that No Face is folding and the folding fan spread wide behind him. ▼ No Face looks very pleased with this spread of traditional osechi cuisine New Year’s delicacies. The Totoro kagami mochi plushie is priced at 2,200 yen (US$14.70), the Totoro kagami mochi figure 6,930 yen, and the No Face kadomatsu 8,800 yen. They’re all currently available for order through the Donguri Kyowakoku online store (here, here, and here). Source: Donguri Kyowakoku Top image: Donguri Kyowakoku Insert images: Pakutaso, Donguri Kyowakoku (1, 2, 3) ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

10 great getaways from Japan’s crowded capital, all within two hours of Tokyo Station. With so much to see and do in downtown Tokyo, it’s no wonder that so many travelers choose it as their base when visiting Japan, and as Japan’s most populous city, it’s a popular choice for residents too, of course. However, there are times when the Tokyo city center can start to feel a little too hustling and bustling, or just general wanderlust starts to kick in, and you find yourself craving a day trip out of the capital. So when that mood hits, there’s Japanese travel portal Jalan’s new ranking of the 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo, as compiled from survey answers from 1,031 respondents between the ages of 20 and 59 living in Japan’s eastern Kanto region. All of the destinations are within two hours by train of Tokyo Station, so let’s hop on the figurative train and see where the survey results take us. 10. Sawara historic district (Chiba Prefecture) Website We start off by heading to Tokyo’s neighbor to the east, Chiba Prefecture. Sawara is a neighborhood within the city of Katori, and it’s also known as “the little Kyoto of northern Chiba” because of its rows of preserved buildings. In particular, the area along the canals where trade flourished during the Edo period (1603-1867) is not to be missed, with boats carrying passengers up and down the waterways as their guides explain the local history and culture. 9. Tobu Zoo (Saitama Prefecture) Website Tobu Zoo actually describes itself as a “hybrid leisure land,” since there’s more to the place than just the zoo where a penguin became an otaku and fell in love with an anime character. There’s also a theme park with full-size roller coasters, a summertime swimming pool, and illumination displays on winter nights. 8. Hitachi Seaside Park (Ibaraki Prefecture) Website We’ve been fans of Hitachi Seaside Park for a while. The hills at the back of the park are always worth strolling to the top of to take in the view of the surrounding area, but especially so in fall, when the tens of thousands of kochia bushes turn a dazzling shade of crimson, or in the fall when the similarly sized area of baby-blue Nemophilia flowers come into bloom. 7. Funabashi Anderson Park (Chiba Prefecture) Website The stories of Hans Christian Andersen are well loved in Japan, and this picturesque park in the Chiba countryside seeks to recreate the charm of a Danish village. In addition to the eye-catching windmill there’s a petting zoo and obstacle courses, flower gardens, and a lake with rowboat rentals, as well as seasonal events like a European-style Christmas market. 6. Fujiko F. Fujio Museum (Kanagawa Prefecture) Website Fujiko F. Fujio is the collective pen name of the artists who created Doraemon, and this museum, located in Kawasaki, is dedicated to the iconic anime/manga robot cat. With hundreds of pieces of artwork and whimsical photo spots, this is a must-visit for fans of the series, but be aware that the museum is popular enough that advance reservations are required. 5. Cup Noodle Museum Yokohama (Kanagawa Prefecture) Website With instant ramen being such an integral part of Japanese food culture, it’s easy to forget that its invention is actually a fairly recent thing. The Cup Noodle Museum traces the history of its development, with historical displays, photos, and videos covering the innovative solutions to the challenges instant ramen faced on its way to market, and also allows you to make your own unique cup of instant ramen, blending the flavors and ingredients for a combination that’s exactly what you’re craving. 4. Enoshima (Kanagawa Prefecture) Website “Shima” means island in Japanese, but there’s now a bridge that connects Enoshima with the mainland, meaning that you can stroll right on over to it and explore its winding walkways that go up and over the mountain, passing by souvenir shops, old-school seafood restaurants, modern cafes, and Shinto shrines before arriving at the cave network at the back of the island (or just take a tour boat there if you want to skip the walk). 3. Shibamata Taishaketensando (Tokyo) Website Wait a second, wasn’t this supposed to be a list of the best day trips from Tokyo? Yes, you could argue, based on semantics and strict geography, that this shopping street stretching from Shimabata Station to Shimabata Taishakuten temple doesn’t technically belong on the list. However, it’s far outside the city center (about 50 minutes from Tokyo Station) to still feel like you’ve taken a trip to another town, especially in terms of atmosphere. The 200-meter (656-foot) long shopping street feels like a preserved pocket of Japan from two or three generations back, with hundred-year-old shops selling senbei rice crackers, kusadango dumplings, and other traditional foodstuffs. It’s also been used as a filming location in the Tora-san/Otoko wa Tsurai yo movie series, giving it some added appeal to Japanese cinema buffs. 2. Enoshima Aquarium (Kanagawa Prefecture) Website We’re back at Enoshima again, but this time staying on the mainland coast across from the island itself. The facility’s main tank, focused on sea life from Sagami Bay, is home to some 10,000 fish, and the aquarium is also famous for its wide variety of jellyfish. 1. Kawagoe Candy Shop Alley (Saitama Prefecture) Website And finally, the top-ranked day trip from Tokyo, which takes us to the town of Kawagoe. A center of culture and commerce since the Edo period, Kawagoe boasts a preserved warehouse district and other historical attractions, but the sweetest one of all is the stretch of streets known as Kashiya Yokocho, or Candy Shop Alley. The focus here is traditional and old-school Japanese confectionaries, of both the elegant and kid-friendly variety, and there’s so much variety on offer that even pre-existing Japanese sweets fans are sure to find a new treat to fall in love with. Source: Jalan, PR Times Images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

If you’re worried about additives in convenience store food, this rice ball set is for you.   When you eat out in Japan on a regular basis, you might find yourself looking for something lighter and simpler to counteract all the rich and salty meals. That’s where our newly established “Light Flavour Gourmet Exploration Team” steps in, with gourmet food finds for those seeking out lighter, healthier options. ▼ For this instalment, the team would like to introduce the “Nekase Genmai Onigiri” (213 yen [US$1.35]) from 7-Eleven Japan. First released in 2024, this onigiri is a collaboration with Yuwaeru, a health-focused Japanese restaurant in Kuramae, Tokyo. It features their signature “nekase genmai” (aged brown rice), which is incredibly chewy, with the delectable texture and aroma of mixed grains. It’s amazing that you can enjoy the high quality of Yuwaeru’s aged brown rice onigiri at a convenience store for around 200 yen, but what’s most surprising is how mild the flavour is. With just a faint taste of salt, the flavour is mild but not completely tasteless. The saltiness brings out the aroma of the grains and the sweetness of the rice, creating an exquisite taste. A lot of convenience store foods are filled with additives so it’s nice to find an option like this at 7-Eleven. The delicious flavour of the unadulterated ingredients makes it a classic, guilt-free way to fill your stomach. ▼ Looking at the ingredients, the only seasoning used is salt, so if you’re worried about convenience store additives, this is a product for you. Simply add a cup of miso soup to the rice balls, and you have yourself a delicious, healthy meal that’ll quickly reset your stomach. If you feel like you want to add a little more flavour, a side of pickled plums or tsukudani (a preserved food simmered in sweetened soy sauce and mirin) will do the trick. The only downside to the rice balls is the fact that they’re only sold at the larger 7-Eleven branches with a wide selection of food. Still, it’s nice to see a convenience store chain providing healthy options like this in amongst the not-so-healthy ones. Because, in reality, there’s only so much convenience store fried chicken our stomachs can handle. Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

You know, you really have been working hard, so why not treat yourself to a dip in a bath full of negi? In Japan, there’s a custom of putting foodstuffs into your bathwater. This isn’t an everyday practice, but the occasional addition of fruits or herbs to the bath is said to aid relaxation, beautify the skin, and provide a soothing aroma. Some of the most common special baths of this type are orange, apple, or yuzu citrus fruit baths, the last of which is pictured above. However, one bathhouse in Saitama Prefecture, Tokyo’s northside neighbor, is mixing things up with a very unorthodox idea: a green onion bath. You’ll find this unusual option at Ofuro Cafe Hareniwa no Yu, a bathhouse in the city of Kumagaya. Situated right next to Kumagaya is the town of Fukaya, which is one of Japan’s largest producers of green onions, or negi, as they’re called in Japanese. Fukaya is so proud of its negi that even though the city’s mascot character, Fukka-chan, is of a non-specified species (“sort of like a rabbit, and sort of like a deer” according to Fukka-chan’s official bio), the character clearly has two green onions on its head. As for why it’s tossing green onions into the bath now, this November 24 is Labor Day in Japan, and negi sounds very close to negirai, meaning appreciation for hard work. As such, Ofuro Cafe Hareniwa no Yu is officially calls its negi bath the “Negirai Bath,” and it’s an annual limited-time affair, in both the men’s and women’s outdoor baths, taking place this year on November 22, 23, and 24. Oh, and Ofuro Cafe Hareniwa no Yu also has a yuzu bath planned for December 19 to 22, so they’re not turning their back on more established food-in-bath combinations. Ofuro Cafe Hareniwa no Yu has made no statement regarding how the negi baths will smell, but considering that negi have a noticeable aroma, bathers should probably brace for a certain amount of pungency. On the other hand, since it’s a sure bet that anyone interested in taking a soak in a green onion bath also like eating green onions, on the days of the negi bath packets of negi to take home will also be given to visitors, while supplies last. Location information Ofuro Cafe Hareniwa no Yu / おふろcafeハレニワの湯 Address: Saitama-ken, Kumagaya-shi, Kubojima 939 埼玉県熊谷市久保島939 Website Source: PR Times, Fukaya City Top image: PR Times Insert images: PR Times, Fukaya City, PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Sweet or savory? With a whole 25 toppings to choose from, after school is getting a lot more delicious. Casual restaurants like Denny’s have long been frequented by students in Japan as a place to stop by after school for a cheap bite to eat or study for a couple of hours, thanks to the unlimited refills at the drink bar. Back in September, Denny’s Japan released the first phase of their new #Deni-bu project that is aimed at students. With the name using the Japanese “bu” that denotes a school “club”, Denny’s are hoping to create an atmosphere that sees more students stopping by after school, much like they would do for their after school club activities. The first phase consisted of an offer of a serving of fries with the unlimited drink bar for an astounding price of just 500 yen (US$3.20), perfect for enjoying while having a lively conversation with your friends. Seeing as how the normal menu prices for this combination would cost 1,111 yen, it makes it quite a deal. Now, the second phase is being introduced: the “Crispy Crepe”. It involves an arrangement of crepes, one of the most popular desserts among young people in Japan, and uses the same batter as Denny’s Japan’s beloved Caramel Honey Pancake, so there are no doubt high expectations for the Crispy Crepe. The Crispy Crepe menu comes in a total of three varieties: ● Crispy Crepe: Sugar Butter + Drink Bar ● Mini Crispy Crepe and Mini Fries with Two Toppings of Your Choice + Drink Bar ● Mini Crispy Crepe and Vanilla Ice Cream with Two Toppings of Your Choice + Drink Bar The regular price of 880 yen for these menu items drops to 500 yen when you show your student ID. While it’s possible to order the crepe as a standalone item, if you order it as part of this combo you can choose two toppings from a selection of 25, with any additional toppings costing an extra 55 yen each. On paper, the Crispy Crepe looks to be a promising product both visually and financially, but how about the real deal? Well… it’s huge. It’s roughly about the size of a large naan bread, and if you were to place it in a fancy mansion, you might be able to pass it off as stylish interior decor. It also possesses a vague resemblance to a baseball glove, though it would seem a waste of good food to try attempting to catch with it. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to find some interestingly-shaped marks on the crepe; we found one that kind of looks like a person. Taking a bite, the sweet sensation of buttery sugar fills your mouth, and with both crispy parts and soft parts, it’s delicious even without any of the toppings. Next, we tried the Mini Crispy Crepe and Mini Fries. At the tasting event we were at, whipped cream and caramel sauce were provided as toppings. Adjusting the flavors accentuates the deliciousness of the crepe in different ways. However, we couldn’t help but also get curious about the savory options, so we were specially allowed to try five different toppings: chicken, boiled egg, curry sauce, cod roe mayonnaise sauce, and salad. All of the toppings were incredibly tasty, but we were partial to the boiled egg and curry sauce combination. The curry sauce used is the same one used in Denny’s curry doria, a type of Japanese rice gratin, so you can be confident that the curry used is a delicious one. During product development, Denny’s took into account the opinions of actual high school students who work at the chain, so this offer already has the seal of approval from high schoolers even before it’s reached the launch date. The second phase started from November 19, and all students who are in junior high school and above can enjoy the featured menus for 500 yen, between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, just by showing their student ID or with the Deni-bu Student ID on the Denny’s app when paying. Even for those of us who are still young at heart, but unfortunately don’t meet the requirements to join the Deni-bu, we can still enjoy our inner youth, although we do have to pay the regular price of 880 yen. On the plus side, the crepes are also available at night, so they might make a good companion for a little alcoholic drink, too. Given the nature of the wording of “first phase” and “second phase”, some people might assume that the Deni-bu is a limited-time only offer. However, as of this moment, there is no set end date, so there are many crepes awaiting you in the future. The next time you feel like reliving your youth, swing into Denny’s with some friends and experiment with the various crepe toppings for a deliciously nostalgic get together. Related: Deni-bu Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Landmark Akihabara location reopens with new owners. In July, arcade operator GiGO announced that it would be closing its Akihabara Building 1 branch (pictured above) at the end of August. It’s always sad to hear that an arcade is shutting down, but the sting this time was especially sharp, since not only is the Akihabara neighborhood Tokyo’s biggest video game culture district, before GiGO Akihabara Building 1 was called that, the arcade used to be High-tech Land Sega Shintoku, which was opened all the way back in 1992. ▼ GiGO Akihabara Building 1 Still, there was a ray of hope, as GiGO said it was leaving the building because its lease had expired and use of the space had been acquired by the company Matahari Entertainment. Matahari has a handful of ventures, but one of them is an arcade chain of its own called Silk Hat, and as of November 22, the structure that used to house GiGO Akihabara Building 1 has been renovated and reopened as Silk Hat Akihabara, a gigantic nine-floor arcade with roughly 1,653 square meters (17,782 square feet) of floor space. Silk Hat isn’t turning a blind eye to the building’s history, either. Their theme for the new arcade is “We love Akihabara – Since 1992 to be continued,” and the company has specifically said that it wants Silk Hat Akihabara to be a place where both people who enjoyed coming to the arcade since its Sega-owned days and new arcade fans alike can have fun. \外観完成しました///11月22日（土）いよいよオープンです そこで… 【問題です】﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏2枚目の画像に五角形は何個あるでしょうか？答えは明日っ#silkhattokyo pic.twitter.com/vFvWBdrBrz — シルクハット秋葉原 (@SILKHAT_Akiba) November 19, 2025 Different floors will have different themes, with “video games” (standard stick-and-button-controlled games) the basement area, crane games on floors 1 through 4, card-controlled games on floor 5, music/rhythm games on floors 6 and 7, and more music games, darts, and an Ichibankuji merchandise lottery shop on the 8th floor. Located just a block away from Akihabara Station, Silk Hat Akihabara is likely to be a beacon for international travelers, many of whom are visiting from countries where arcades have already become a thing of the past, and hopefully Silk Hat will enjoy a long future keeping this unique part of Japanese pop culture alive. Arcade information Silk Hat Akihabara / シルクハット秋葉原 Address: Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Soto Kanda 1-10-9 東京都千代田区外神田1丁目10−9 Open 10 a.m.-midnight Source: PR Times via Anime News Network/Ken Iikura-Gross Top image: PR Times Insert image: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

With chairlifts, an illuminated slide, and a dazzling Tamagotchi display, Illumillion is a must-visit spot in Japan this winter. Around a year ago, our reporter Masanuki Sunakoma received an invitation from amusement park operator Fujikyu to visit one of the largest illumination events in the Kanto area. With expectations low, he went along to the event and ended up being totally blown away by what he saw. There were lights as far as the eye could see, and he was able to meet popular characters Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma, and later on he learned that the light-up won third place in the “Illumination Event Division, Excellent Entertainment Award” at the International Illumination Awards. So when he received another invite this year, with the promise that the  event had been powered up even further, he immediately hopped on a bus at Shinjuku that would take him to the park. His destination was Sagamiko Illumillion at Sagamiko Mori Mori, an adventure resort surrounded by nature in Tokyo’s neighbouring prefecture of Kanagawa. about an hour by bus, or 90 minutes by train and bus, from Shinjuku. Mori Mori is a leisure facility that includes a vast space with hot springs, campgrounds, and an amusement park, making it a popular destination for adults and children alike. What makes the illuminations here so special is the fact that you can enjoy “a spectacular lightscape integrated with vast nature” as it incorporates the expansive land and slopes around the site. ▼ The first thing you’ll want to do after arriving at Mori Mori is snap a commemorative photo at the entrance. Then you’ll want to take the Rainbow Lift to the mountain summit, which will make you feel like you’re flying over a rainbow. ▼ It’s super romantic, but the lifts get cold at night, so be sure to dress warmly. Part of the fun of the lift is the anticipation of what’s waiting for you at the summit, and this year, there’s a special display ready to greet you. ▼ The “たまごっちのキラキラいるみねーしょん” (“Tamagotchi Sparkling Illumination”)! The Tamagotchi surprise wasn’t just limited to lights, as several characters were on hand to light up the hearts of all who came by. ▼ Why hello, Kuchipatchi, Mametchi, and Memetchi! Hope you’re warm and have been well fed. This glittery mountaintop world is heaven for Tamagotchi lovers, with photo spots all over the place. ▼ At these spots, you can take photos that make it look like you’re inside a Tamagotchi device. ▼ This display lets you interact with a dazzling Tamagotchi. After walking through the brights lights of the Tamagotchi mountaintop paradise, you can set off for a ride on “たまごっちのほしぞらペだる” (“Tamagotchi’s Starry Sky Pedal”), a cycling attraction where you pedal through the sky at an altitude of about 370 metres (1,200 feet). ▼ It’s a thrilling ride. After pedalling through the night skies, you can rest your legs with a trip on the “Light Train“. ▼ The view from the top of the Ferris wheel is truly magical. The main highlight, though, which Masanuki was particularly excited about, is a 100-metre long slide called the “Magical Wave”. The ride only opened this year, and the exhilaration of sliding down the brightly lit lanes is said to feel incredible. It’s the crowning glory of the park’s “Three major evolved experiential illuminations“, with the other two being the Rainbow Lift and the Starry Sky Pedal cycling experience. ▼ The view from the top of the Magical Wave is fantastic and frightening at the same time. After placing his butt on the tube, Masanuki heard the staff member behind him ask, “Do you want me to push it straight? Or do you want it to rotate?” Without any hesitation, Masanuki requested rotation. Wheeee! Masanuki immediately found himself spinning down the rainbow slope as staff smiled and waved goodbye. “Wait! What? Whoa!” Masanuki found himself sputtering as the world spun by at speeds that left his head spinning. ▼ Well, this is one way to get a 360-view of the lights in the park. The ride was far more thrilling than even Masanuki had anticipated, and as soon as he reached the bottom, he felt like running up the hill and doing it all again. ▼ But that’s when he saw… ▼ … the giant ladder truck tree! This magical sight came together before everyone’s eyes in such a creative way, with strings of LED lights gently raised towards the skies to resemble a Christmas tree, complete with the largest glowing star we’ve ever seen. ▼ The giant tree, raised by the Mori Mori Fire Department, stands about 30 metres high. The “Rising Show” as the tree-raising event is called, is said to be the world’s first dynamic tree illumination show that uses a real ladder truck, and it occurs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 5:40 p.m. ▼ With other sparkly trees around the park, Illumillion is a great place to visit at Christmas. The lightup is being held from 15 November 2025 to 10 May 2026, although from April 6 onwards it will only be open on weekends and holidays. Admission fees start at 1,000 yen (US$6.35) for dogs, with accompanying owners of course, while tickets for children and seniors start at 1,300 yen and adult tickets start at 2,000 yen. Photos don’t do justice to just how sparkly and breathtaking the scenery is here, so whether you’re looking for a place to confess your love or spend time with family and friends, or a Tamagotchi or three, Sagamiko’s Illumillion has you covered this winter. Site information Sagamiko Illumillion / さがみ湖イルミリオン Address: Kanagawa-ken, Sagamihara-shi, Midori-ku, Wakayanagi 1634 神奈川県相模原市緑区若柳1634番地 Period: November 15, 2025 – May 10, 2026 (open only on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from April 6 onwards) Website Photos ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Cutlery, mugs, tumblers and MiiR bottles sparkle in this dazzling new collection. The end of the year is a magical time in Japan, when cities sparkle with brighly lit illuminations. Starbucks is now capturing that holiday spirit in its latest Christmas Collection, dubbed “Moments of Joy“, with sparkly details mimicking the city lights and bringing joy and festive fun to the proceedings. This new range has some surprises in store for customers, with a set of cutlery and a couple of furry bags in the mix, alongside a wide selection of tumblers and mugs with dazzling gold details. So let’s take a closer look at all the items in the range, starting with the Stainless Steel Cutlery Set, which is priced at 3,300 yen (US$20.96) and comes in a beautiful box for gift-giving. Next, we have the Heat-Resistant Glass Mug Medal (355 millilitres; 3,100 yen), which has the iconic mermaid glistening on a medallion. Green-and-gold is a classic festive combination, and Starbucks uses them in carefully designed measures to create a mug and reusable cup that catch the eye in any situation. ▼ Mug Medal Green (355 millilitres; 2,900 yen) ▼ Reusable Cup Green (473 millilitres; 550 yen) The reusable cup is sold both on its own or as a set with a Santa Bearista drink hole cap stopper for 1,200 yen. Next up, we have a couple of stainless steel bottles made in collaboration with American lifestyle brand MiiR, which specialises in stainless steel drinkware, hydration bottles, apparel, and coffee accessories. ▼ Handle Lid Stainless Steel Bottle MiiR (591 millilitres; 6,750 yen) ▼ Stainless Steel Tumbler MiiR (591 millilitres; 6,200 yen) Heading over to the cute side for a moment, we have the Cold Cup Tumbler Ribbon (710 millilitres; 3,500 yen), which cleverly adopts the ribbon cookie used in the Starbucks holiday Frappuccino and transforms it into a straw accessory. If sparkly Starbucks tumblers are more your thing, then you’ll want to invest in the Stainless Steel Tumbler with Rhinestones (473 millilitres; 19,500 yen) For sparkles at a significantly lower price point, we have the Can-shaped Stainless Steel Bottle, Glitter Grey (355 millilitres; 4,400 yen)… ▼…and the Glitter Champagne Gold Stainless Steel Bottle (444 millilitres; 4,750 yen). Moving on to the gift cards section, there are three beautifully designed items to choose from. ▼ Champagne Gold Beverage Card (750 yen) ▼ Champagne Gold Mini Cup Gift (1,150 yen) ▼ Champagne Gold Mini Pouch Gift (1,500 yen) And finally, we have two cosy bags to keep your bottles and tumblers nice and snug throughout the winter months. ▼ Bottle Shoulder Bag Beige Fur (2,950 yen) ▼ Bottle Shoulder Bag Grey Fur (2,950 yen) The Starbucks holiday collection is filled with so many treats it’ll be hard to choose just one as a holiday gift, but as always, we’ll have to act fast to secure them as they’re likely to sell out when they’re released online at 8:00 p.m. on 25 November, and in stores around Japan from 26 November. Source, images: Press release ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Renovations are almost finished for Toei’s Uzumasa Kyoto Village. Toei is one of Japan’s biggest producers of samurai movies and TV series, and 50 years ago the company hit upon the idea of combining some of its filming sets with a theme park. The result was Toei Kyoto Studio Park (called Toei Uzumasa Eigamura in Japanese), located 30 minutes away from Kyoto Station and currently in the middle of a comprehensive renovation which will see it reborn as Uzumasa Kyoto Village, an immersive entertainment experience with a focus on fun for adult visitors. Artists and designers from Toei’s film production department have put their talents to use recreating a bustling Japanese cityscape from the Edo period, which started in the early 17th century following the lengthy civil wars of the Sengoku era. Guests are invited to don period kimono and “lose yourself in Edo-period Kyoto,” exploring the streets and structures that serve as venues for a variety of shows and activities, including a ninja adventure, dramatic Noh and comedic kyogen theater performances, and beginner-friendly lessons in tea ceremony and flower arrangement. While tales of samurai-era drama, action, and intrigue are popular across a wide swatch of demographics, Toei is promoting Uzumasa Kyoto Village as a place that’ll be especially enjoyable for visitors in their 20s and 30s. In keeping with this adult-oriented shift, instead of closing at 5 p.m. as the facility regularly has until now, the renovated park will stay open until 9 o’clock, and should feel even more like you’ve gone back in time after sundown. Preview images even include what appears to be a den for cho-han, a dice game popular in the Edo period where gamblers bet on whether the dice total will be even or odd. Though gambling for money in such a way is now illegal in Japan, the image shows guests placing wagers of some sort, likely under a framework where winners receive some sort of non-monetary prize. Uzumasa Kyoto Village will also have 10 different street stalls, offering meals, snacks, and beverages including Kyoto-brewed craft beer, as well as souvenir shops stocked with items such as Minoyaki (Mino ware) ceramics. Uzumasa Kyoto Village’s grand post-renovation opening will take place on March 28, 2026, with additional renovated areas slated to start welcoming guests in the springs of 2027 and 2028. Source, images: PR Times ● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!