Category: RECIPE

Black Thunder Royal Milk Tea Thunder new flavor Japan
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Japan Now! Black Thunder Goes Royal Milk Tea, and Yes, “Royal Milk Tea” Is a Japanese Invention (8/6)

japanup_akane 08/06/2026

For American snack hunters, Black Thunder needs little introduction: it is one of the few Japanese candy bars you can actually grab in LA, stacked at Daiso and Japanese markets for pocket change. However, Japan just gave the cult chocolate bar its most elegant costume yet. Starting August 25, convenience stores nationwide get the Royal Milk Tea Thunder, a purple-wrapped newcomer built on real Uva and Assam tea, and its name smuggles in one of Japan’s best-kept linguistic secrets: “royal milk tea” is not British at all. Quick Answer: The Royal Milk Tea Thunder launches August 25, 2026 at Japanese…

View More Japan Now! Black Thunder Goes Royal Milk Tea, and Yes, “Royal Milk Tea” Is a Japanese Invention (8/6)
mizukake gohan water over rice Yamagata Japan summer dish
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Japan Now! Mizukake Gohan? Japan’s 1,000-Year-Old “Water Over Rice” Hack Is Back, Thanks to Record Heat (and an Idol Radio Show) (7/29)

japanup_akane 07/29/2026

For Americans, “rice with cold water poured over it” sounds less like a recipe and more like a kitchen accident. However, in Japan’s record-breaking summer of 2026, it is suddenly the most talked-about dish on late-night radio. It is called mizukake gohan, a nearly forgotten regional tradition from Yamagata Prefecture, and it is having a viral moment after members of idol group Nogizaka46 championed it on their All Night Nippon show, with member Nagi Inoue taste-testing it live on this week’s broadcast. Quick Answer: Mizukake gohan (literally “water-poured rice”), known in Yamagata as mizu mama, is chilled cooked rice rinsed…

View More Japan Now! Mizukake Gohan? Japan’s 1,000-Year-Old “Water Over Rice” Hack Is Back, Thanks to Record Heat (and an Idol Radio Show) (7/29)
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EASY STEP Recipes with Japanese Ingredients

miwako3 10/07/2024

This month, JapanUp! teams up with top Japanese brands and talented culinary influencers to bring you special recipes that are simple to recreate at home. Some of the most popular influencers in the U.S. will show you how to turn Japanese products into delicious, easy-to-make dishes. With just a few steps, you’ll be enjoying authentic Japanese flavors right from your own kitchen!
Get ready to discover a whole new world of tasty treats!

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