The "Sweet Potato Expo" held last month brought together 33 select stores from across Japan, where innovative sweet potato desserts were born, thanks to breeding advancements that have produced varieties with higher sugar content and a velvety texture.
"Harupon," a type of Dekopon that is allowed to fully ripen while still on the tree, is at peak season in Kihoku Town, Mie Prefecture.
Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan's top producer of oysters, is facing a crisis as bird flu dampens demand for used shells, leaving storage facilities full to the brim.
In the process of making butter from milk, 90% becomes skim milk, which is traded at low prices, posing a challenge for dairy farmers. However, "Butter no itoko [Butter's Cousin]," a confectionery made from this reduced fat byproduct, is enjoying brisk sales.
A Japanese sweet shaped like a toilet has customers licking the bowl for more.
Across Japan, specialty hamburger stores are gaining traction, as witnessed by a list of 100 prestigious stores based on user ratings from Tabelog.
White Day is just around the corner, and many might be struggling with what to give in return.
While the Kanto region is approaching the full swing of spring, as seen with the blooming rapeseed flowers at Mother Farm in Chiba Prefecture, some areas have already begun harvesting a taste of summer.