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Narita Airport stranded travelers record rain Chiba Japan

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Japan Now! 7,000 Stranded at Narita as Record Rain Slams Chiba. What Travelers Need to Know Right Now (8/11)

japanup_akane 08/13/2026

If you or someone you know is flying to or from Tokyo this week, read this first. Record-breaking rain hammered Chiba Prefecture overnight into August 14 Japan time, triggering the country’s highest-level emergency rain warning and cutting the train and bus links out of Narita Airport, Tokyo’s main international gateway. As of 4:00 AM, about 7,000 passengers were stranded inside the terminals, and the disruption lands in the middle of Obon, Japan’s busiest travel week of the year. Quick Answer: Heavy rain suspended trains and buses serving Narita Airport overnight, leaving roughly 7,000 people in the terminals as of 4:00…

Japanese crepe whole purin creme brulee Tree Crop Ise viral

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Japan Now! Whole Torched Purin on a Crepe. Ise’s Viral Dessert Is Testing the Limits of Genius (8/12)

japanup_akane 08/12/2026

For American dessert fans, a crepe is a thin French pancake folded politely around some fruit. However, Japan long ago rebuilt the crepe into something else entirely, and this week the internet found the format’s final boss. A crepe shop in Ise, Mie Prefecture, called Tree Crop serves its signature order with an entire house-made purin, torched crème-brûlée-style until the top crackles, balanced whole on the mouth of the cone. The viral post that sent it around Japanese social media this week needed only three words: “This is genius.” Quick Answer: Tree Crop, a crepe specialty shop in Ise, Mie,…

Donbei 50th anniversary Nissin udon cup noodle Japan

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Japan Now! “Nobody Called, But Today Was My 50th Birthday.” Donbei, Japan’s Melancholy Udon Cup, Turns 50 (8/11)

japanup_akane 08/11/2026

For 50 years, one cup noodle has fed Japan’s udon cravings, outsold every rival in its category, and pioneered an entire container shape. However, when its birthday arrived this week, the celebration was, in classic fashion, a little sad. “Nobody contacted me,” posted the official account of Nissin’s Donbei, “but today was my 50th birthday.” Within hours, tens of thousands of people were wishing a cup of instant udon a happy birthday, which tells you everything about how Japan feels about Donbei, and about the account that has turned corporate self-pity into an art form. Quick Answer: Donbei, Nissin’s iconic…

bakudan onigiri giant rice ball michi no eki Japan

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Japan Now! Japan’s “Bomb” Rice Balls Are Going Viral, and They Live at Highway Rest Stops (7/23)

japanup_akane 07/23/2026

For decades, American road trip food has meant one thing: gas station snacks you eat out of mild desperation. However, in Japan, the roadside stop is a destination in itself, and this week the internet found its new proof. A photo set of two enormous “bakudan onigiri,” literally “bomb rice balls,” sold at roadside stations in Tokushima and Hokkaido has racked up over 7 million views, under a caption every Japanese driver understood instantly: “This is why I can’t quit michi no eki.” Quick Answer: Bakudan onigiri are oversized rice balls, often bigger than your face, stuffed with premium local…

Tatsuya Fujiwara lettuce campaign Japan food waste viral

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Japan Now! A Famous Actor’s Face on Your Lettuce? Japan’s Weirdest Grocery Campaign Has a Genius Reason (7/22)

japanup_akane 07/22/2026

For years, American grocery stores have tried everything to move produce: coupons, recipe cards, the occasional mascot. However, Japan just escalated the game to a place no one saw coming. Since July 21, supermarkets around Tokyo and Osaka have been selling the now-viral Tatsuya Fujiwara lettuce: heads wrapped in plastic film printed with the intensely staring face of one of Japan’s most famous actors. If that name sounds familiar, it should: he played Light Yagami in the live-action Death Note films and starred in the cult classic Battle Royale. And yes, there is a completely serious reason his face is…

sudachi soba chilled noodles green citrus slices Japan summer

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Japan Now! Sudachi Soba Is Trending, Japan’s Prettiest Way to Survive Summer (7/21)

japanup_akane 07/21/2026

For most Americans, summer noodles mean one thing: a heavy bowl best eaten in air conditioning. However, Japan is currently obsessing over the exact opposite, a dish so light and photogenic it looks like edible stained glass: chilled soba topped with a full spiral of paper-thin green citrus slices. It is called sudachi soba, it is trending on Japanese social media this week, and it might be the most beautiful thing you can do to a bowl of noodles. Quick Answer: Sudachi soba is cold buckwheat soba in chilled dashi broth, covered edge to edge with thin slices of sudachi,…

Doyo no Ushi unagi grilled eel Japan summer tradition

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Japan Now! What Is Doyo no Ushi? The Day All of Japan Eats Eel(7/15)

japanup_akane 07/15/2026

For decades, America has had its seasonal food rituals: turkey in November, pumpkin spice in October, hot dogs on the Fourth. However, Japan has one that outdoes them all in specificity: one calendar-appointed day in late July when the entire country, from centuries-old specialty restaurants to fast food chains and convenience stores, sits down to eat grilled eel. It is called Doyo no Ushi no Hi, and in 2026 it falls on Sunday, July 26. Quick Answer: Doyo no Ushi (the “Ox Day of Doyo”) is the traditional day for eating unagi, Japanese grilled eel, believed to build stamina against…

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Shinsengumi Yakitori Izakaya is coming soon to Little Tokyo!

japanup_akane 03/20/2026

Opening a new shop in Little Tokyo A well-loved yakitori izakaya in Southern California. 「Shin-Sen-Gumi Yakitori」 After more than 30 years of offering authentic izakaya experiences, the chain is opening its 17th store! With a relaxed interior and authentic Japanese hospitality, the restaurant offers yakitori while quickly becoming a new hotspot in downtown. Follow us on social media for the latest updates! Shinsengumi Yakitori Izakaya – Little Tokyo 📍368 East 2nd St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 TEL:213-328-7778Instagram：＠ssg.yakitori.littletokyo この投稿をInstagramで見る Shin-Sen-Gumi Yakitori Izakaya Little Tokyo(@ssg.yakitori.littletokyo)がシェアした投稿

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YUZU – Japan’s Citrus Star Taking Over Global Cuisine

yuka 07/07/2025

Yuzu is a small, highly aromatic citrus fruit native to East Asia, and it has been treasured in Japan for centuries. In modern times, it remains deeply rooted in Japan’s food culture and traditional customs. The fruit is roughly the size of a small grapefruit, with a rough, bumpy skin. As it ripens, its skin turns a vibrant yellow, releasing a powerful fragrance that can fill an entire room with just a single piece. The flavor of yuzu is uniquely complex, blending the sharp acidity of lemon, the gentle sweetness of mandarin orange, and a slight bitterness reminiscent of grapefruit.…

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Discover Japanese Beer🍻

miwako3 07/19/2024

Eventhough Japan is famous for sake, Japan is a beer drinking country. Dinner always start with beer! With carefully selected ingredients, Japanese beer has been made to a rich, bitter, first-rate taste, with an irresistible aroma, and refreshing after-taste that will blow away your stresses with just one sip!

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Over 140,000 Attended Asian American Expo, the Largest Chinese New Year Celebration in the U.S., Held in Pomona

online@ 02/06/2024

Hokkaido Scallop Booth Makes Popular Debut at Asian American Expo.

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＜SUMMER IS HERE! ＞ CHEERS！Beer Time🍺🍻

online@ 07/05/2023

Discover Japanese Beer Eventhough Japan is famous for sake, Japan is a beer drinking country. Dinner always start with beer! With carefully selected ingredients, Japanese beer has been made to a rich, bitter, first-rate taste, with an irresistible aroma, and refreshing after-taste that will blow away your stresses with just one sip! The Best Way to Pour Beer Japanese beer has more foam? We usually think less foam means less bitter and we are getting more of what we paid for. But in Japan, people prefer to have more than an inch of foam. The beer foam affects the taste…