Production of Asahi Ponzu, a popular seasoning that has been a fixture on Kansai dining tables for decades, has been suspended for the first time in the product's roughly 60-year history as a severe shortage of sudachi citrus exposes a deepening crisis in Tokushima Prefecture, which accounts for 98% of Japan's shipments.
Gutsu Grill Shinjuku has been serving hearty, affordable steak in Nishi-Shinjuku since 1999, attracting crowds with generous portions and a menu built around value for money. The 44-seat restaurant regularly fills up at lunchtime, with customers praising its tender meat, large servings and reasonable prices.
Lawson plans to cut prices on its main line of onigiri rice balls by 10 yen from September 29 as falling rice prices begin to feed through to retail costs.
Athletes competing in the Asian Games will be served around 370 dishes ranging from Asian-style curries and chicken dishes to Nagoya specialties such as chicken wings and kishimen noodles, with menus also designed to accommodate religious and dietary requirements.
A new type of fraud in which scammers pose as real farmers and advertise seasonal fruit at unusually low prices has been detected in the Kansai region, with police warning consumers to verify sellers through official websites before making purchases.
Shizuoka Prefecture has regained its position as Japan's leading producer of first-flush tea, overtaking Kagoshima Prefecture for the first time in two years as favorable weather and growing demand for matcha helped boost production.