Food

Sayuri Matsumura Helps Launch Samurai Mac

TOKYO, Mar 21 (News On Japan) - Sayuri Matsumura and comedy duo Diane appeared at a press event in Tokyo on March 19th to unveil new regular items from McDonald’s Japan’s Samurai Mac series.

With graduation season approaching, Matsumura was asked what she doesn’t want to “graduate” from. She responded with a smile, referencing her well-known nickname: "Lately people ask me, 'When is Sayuringo going to explode?' There’s a senior I love whose star already exploded, but as for my kingdom, there are no plans for an explosion anytime soon," she said, jokingly alluding to fellow agency talent Yuko Ogura.

When a PR staff member followed up with, "So there’s no graduation for the character?", Matsumura replied, "It’s not a character! It’s the real me. Please believe me!" maintaining her signature laid-back style through the end of the event.

Source: Kyodo

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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Bluefin Tuna Prices Tumble on Record Haul

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Koshihikari Rice Prices Fall Below 3,000 Yen

Brand rice variety Yumepirika was being planted one after another in rice paddies in Higashikawa, Hokkaido, as rice planting work accelerates across Japan ahead of the autumn harvest, with attention now turning to how much this year’s new rice will cost.

Inside Tokyo’s Coolest Foreign-Owned Food Spots

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Visitors Cry for Shirako Onions

Visitors began arriving early on May 10th for the Shirako Onion Festival in Shirako Town, Chiba Prefecture, where the region’s famous fresh onions—known for their mild flavor and rich sweetness—were sold in large quantities, with the town ranking as the prefecture’s top onion producer.

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