McDonald’s Japan Summer Menu

I love the seasonal menu items they come out with here in Japan and McDonald’s is no exception. Recently they came out with some new menu items just for summer.

These include such goodies as the Pork Tatsuta, Chicken McNuggets with Wasabi Sauce and Fruit Curry Sauce, Shoyu Butter Shaka Shaka Fries, and Banana Oreo McFlurry.

The Pork Tatsuta

The Pork Tatsuta was released on May 31 and is based on the popular Chicken Tatsuta. The Pork Tatsuta contains a grilled pork patty, onion ginger sauce, shredded cabbage and a slightly spicy sauce all contained within a soft fluffy bun. The burger is really easy to eat and we liked the flavour combination of pork and ginger, which reminded us of the popular Japanese dish shogayaki. The soft bun is a nice touch as well and sets this burger apart from the regular burgers on the menu.

The Pork Tatsuta in the Box

Opening up the Pork Tatsuta

About to eat the Pork Tatsuta

Chicken McNuggets with Wasabi Sauce

Chicken McNuggets with Wasabi Sauce is now one of my all-time favourites. Why didn’t they think of this flavour before? The combination of wasabi and sweet Japanese mayonnaise is a classic and I could easily dip all of my future food into this awesome combination. The wasabi sauce has a sweet initial taste with the wasabi hitting you later as an after-taste. It wasn’t as hot as we would have liked and is very mild, so don’t be afraid to give it a try. Definitely my favourite of all the summer menu items. A must try if you are in Japan this summer.

Chicken McNuggets with Wasabi Sauce

You can see the creamy Wasabi and Japanese Mayonnaise Sauce

Shoyu Butter Shaka Shaka Fries

Shoyu Butter Shaka Shaka Fries are a limited edition, where your fries come with a paper bag and a special seasoning. You simply put the fries in the bag, sprinkle in the seasoning and shake vigorously. The special seasoning for this one is shoyu butter (soy sauce and butter). The seasoning is quite mild and not too strong, so it adds a nice gentle kick to the flavour of the French fries.

The Bag and Special Seasoning for the Shaka Shaka Fries

The seasoned fries ready to be eaten by one hungry JA

Banana Oreo McFlurry

Banana Oreo McFlurry makes a summer comeback and is always very popular. It is easy to see why as banana and chocolate is such a great combination.

Banana Oreo McFlurry

Chicken McNuggets with Fruit Curry Sauce

A new sauce is available for Chicken McNuggets in Japan called Fruit Curry Sauce. It is a curry sauce that is very fruity and is like a mix of a curry sauce with chutney. I would definitely recommend this one!

Fruit Curry Sauce

A mix of curry sauce with fruit chutney

McDonald’s Japan Website http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/

Have you tried any of these new summer items from McDonald’s Japan? What would you like to try? Please leave your comments below.

Kappa Zushi

Kappa Zushi or かっぱ寿司 in Japanese is a family chain of kaiten sushi restaurants in Japan. The chain is well known for offering delicious sushi at reasonable prices. The sushi passes your table via a conveyor belt and you can just take the sushi that you want to eat. You can also order your choice of sushi by using the touch screen computer at your table. The order is then delivered to your table via a plastic shinkansen (bullet train) that runs on a separate track. It is fun to do and watch the train arrive with your sushi.

The kaiten (conveyor belt) at Kappa Zushi

The Kappa Zushi Shinkansen (Bullet Train) with our order

The interior is very plain and simple with wood a common feature. You can either sit at a bench type table or at a counter.

Table at Kappa Zushi

Most of the sushi cost 105 yen for a plate of two. There is a large selection of sushi ranging from nigirizushi to makizushi. There is also salad, soup, fresh fruit, pack juice, cakes and desserts along with side menu items like karaage (fried chicken) and French fries.

Maguro Nigirizushi (tuna)

Salmon & Avocado Nigirizushi

Ebi Tempura Nigirizushi (prawn tempura)

Tuna Makizushi

Gyuushigure gunkan Makizushi (Japanese beef)

There are many condiments which can be found at your table and these include things like soy sauce, wasabi, plastic chopsticks, green tea powder, pickled ginger and small dishes for the soy sauce.

The green tea at Kappa Zushi is also very good and you can make your own for free at your table.

Japanese Green Tea

The final bill is based on the number and type of plates you have eaten. The plates come in different colours and shapes ranging in price from 100 yen to 500 yen. The bill is calculated by counting these plates. When you are done you just select the bill on the touch screen computer and one of the shop staff will come and work out your bill for you. The final price is recorded on a paper tab which you take to the register to pay as you leave. It is a very simple, quick and effective system.

Kappa Zushi can be very busy so if you arrive at peak times (12 – 2pm or 5:30 – 7:30pm) you might need to wait to be seated at a table.

If you are looking for a good affordable sushi restaurant in Japan then give Kappa Zushi a try.

Ramen Burger at Lotteria Japan

Lotteria is a fast food chain in Japan that is often overshadowed by its big rivals McDonald’s and MOS Burger. Lotteria always has an interesting menu with a great variety of choices and some unique burger selections. This month they released their latest creation: The Ramen Burger.

The Menya Musashi Ramen Burger has been developed in collaboration with the famous Japanese ramen restaurant chain “Menya Musashi”. The chain is popular for its ramen broth which is made from katsu dashi (bonito stock). The Menya Musashi Ramen Burger features such ramen staples as disposable chopsticks, ramen broth, and even an option for “Kaedama” or a second serving of noodles. The Menya Musashi Ramen Burger is on sale for a limited time only from May 20 until mid-June.

The Menya Musashi Ramen Burger

What’s in the Menya Musashi Ramen Burger? It consists of ramen noodles that have been seasoned and lightly grilled (in replace of your traditional patty). It is topped with mayonnaise and chashu (barbecued pork) in sweet brown sauce. The ramen broth is made from katsuo dashi (bonito stock).

ramen noodles topped with mayo, sweet brown sauce and chashu

The famous ramen broth made from katsuo dashi

The Menya Musashi Ramen Burger is available for 634 yen (USD$6.30) and extra noodles (kaedama) will cost you 100 yen (USD$1) each.

How does it taste? It doesn't taste as bad as we expected. The ramen noodles are tasty but a little oily and remind us of yakisoba. I thought they would be more カリカリ (crunchy). The sauce is probably the best part of the burger with the mayonnaise and sweet brown sauce proving to be a tasty combination. The chashu is fatty just like good chashu should be and the ramen broth is very good and has a strong flavour. We ended up eating half the burger and then putting the rest of the noodles and chashu into the ramen broth to enjoy it that way. Two different types of meals in one.

The Ramen Burger in all its glory

A great way to finish the burger with the noodles and chashu in the broth

What do you think? What you be willing to give the Menya Musashi Ramen Burger a try?

Fanta Ume

Coca Cola Japan has released a new flavour of Fanta for spring called Fanta Ume. It is available only for a limited time. What is Ume? Ume is a Japanese plum (梅) that is associated with spring in Japan. The Ume Blossoms are very popular in early spring and you can read about them from my visit to Bairin Koen this March.

Most people might know ume from “umeboshi” which is a sour pickled plum or “umeshu” which is a sweet alcoholic drink made from plums.

I always love trying the new seasonal food and drinks in Japan, so just had to give this one a try. How does it taste? Fanta Ume is surprisingly very sweet and refreshing. I expected it to be a lot more sour, but it was very easy to drink. Fanta Ume is perfect for the warmer weather and I would definitely have this again, especially in summer to cool down. One of the better Fanta flavours I have tried recently. I would recommend giving Fanta Ume a try if you are in Japan this Spring/Summer.

You can pick up a 500ml bottle of Fanta Ume for 98 yen (USD$1) at the local supermarket or 150 yen (USD$1.50) at the convenience store.

Fanta Ume in Japan

Check out my video on YouTube for more on Fanta Ume https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INGQIzxQhtM

Matcha Green Tea KitKat

Just tried a new version of Matcha KitKat called オトナの甘さ Matcha KitKat. This is a new series of KitKat made for adults with a less sweet flavour. オトナの甘さ means Adult Sweetness. A KitKat geared towards adults! KitKat is really popular in Japan and they are always coming out with new seasonal varieties.

They also make great おみやげ (souvenirs) as each region has their own unique specialty flavour.

This flavour is Matcha which is a type of Japanese green tea where the tea leaf is ground into a fine powder. The Matcha is from Uji which is a region of Kyoto famous for their green tea.

How does it taste? Matcha KitKat tastes really good and the flavour is not too strong. It’s not as sweet as your regular KitKat but sweet enough and the Matcha flavour really hits you as an aftertaste with a slightly bitter note.

We picked up this KitKat for 50 yen ($USD$0.50) which contained three bars inside.

Matcha KitKat

Three of  these delicious bars in one pack

Close-up of the Matcha KitKat

Cormorant Fishing in Gifu

Cormorant Fishing or ukai in Japanese is a major summer attraction on the Nagara River in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Ukai is a traditional fishing method that uses trained cormorants to catch river fish. The art has been practiced along the Nagara River in Gifu for more than 1300 years. It has a very long history in Japan and is mentioned in many ancient chronicles. The samurai warlord Oda Nobunaga took the ukai fisherman under his patronage and created the official position and title of usho (Cormorant Fishing Master). The Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, enjoyed watching ukai when he visited Gifu City and also gave his patronage and protection to the art. He was so fond of the sweetfish he had it delivered to Edo Castle in modern day Tokyo. Today the fishing masters are the official fisherman of the emperor of Japan.

Picture depicting the Cormorant Fishing

Cormorant fishing takes place at night in the darkness. It begins with six long, wooden boats, each manned by a master fisherman and two boatmen, who propel the boat downstream with long wooden poles. The fishermen are dressed in traditional costume of straw skirt, sandals and black kimono. They use the flames of the kagari-bi (fire lanterns) which reflect of the surface of the river to attract the fish. The fishing masters usho use cormorants u to catch the fish as they come to the surface. The cormorants dive underwater to catch the fish by swallowing them whole. A special snare around the neck of the bird prevents them from eating the fish, which are kept in the cormorant’s throat and are retrieved later. The fish are ayu or sweetfish and are very tasty.

It is spectacular to watch and is made even more beautiful by having Mt Kinka and Gifu Castle as a background to the scene.

Cormorant Fishing Viewing Boat

The Usho Fishing Masters 

There are six Cormorant Fishing Masters on the Nagara River in Gifu City. The title and occupation are inherited and are passed down from generation to generation. Their lives are dedicated to cormorant fishing and the skills and techniques used are honed over many years. They lovingly care and raise their cormorants all year round and take great pride in them.

Bronze Statue of a Fishing Master

The Cormorants 

The cormorants are migratory birds and are captured in the wild and trained by the fishing masters to grow into fishing cormorants.

Manhole Cover in Gifu City featuring the famous Cormorants

Where to see Cormorant Fishing in Gifu City 

You can view the cormorant fishing free from the banks of the Nagara River east of the Nagarabashi bridge, or for a closer view, from one of the many viewing boats. The boats range in size from 15-50 passengers.

The Ukai season is from May 11 to October 15 and usually start from 7:30 pm. Boats depart nightly (except after flooding or on the night of the harvest moon) from the Nagarabashi bridge.

You can purchase tickets at the Cormorant Fishing Viewing Boat Office at 1-2 Minato-machi Gifu City.

For more information and fishing schedules, visit the tourist information office in Gifu station or the Cormorant Fishing Viewing Boat Office.

There are some spectacular fireworks to celebrate the opening of the Cormorant Fishing Season on May 11th.

Cormorant Fishing Viewing Boat Office

How to Get There 

From JR Gifu Station take a Gifu Bus heading towards the Nagara area and get off at the Nagarabashi bus stop. It takes around 15 minutes.


View Larger Map

Website: http://www.gifucvb.or.jp/en/01_sightseeing/01_01.html

MOS Burger Tempura Rice Burger

MOS Burger (モスバーガ) is a popular Japanese fast food chain that originated in Japan. MOS stands for Mountain Ocean Sun. MOS Burger is famous for their original burger, which is called the MOS Burger.

They are also famous for their unique burgers such as the MOS Rice Burger, which they have been serving now for many years. The rice burgers use a bun made of rice mixed with barley and millet.

Last month on April 23rd they launched their new Tempura Rice Burgers, which will be available for a limited time (until the end of October). These are more than your typical burger as the tempura is sandwiched between grilled rice which acts as the buns and hence the name “rice burger”.

The two new Tempura Rice Burgers are:

Ebi Shinjo ~ Fried Shrimp Dumpling Tempura Rice Burger 

The fried shrimp dumpling contains grated shrimp and onions, which are fried in tempura batter and then topped with a Japanese style sauce that contains oroshi (grated daikon), with added ao negi (green onions) on top. This is all sandwiched between two plates of grilled rice.

The Ebi Shinjo costs 350 yen (USD$3.60)

Ebi Shinjo Tempura Rice Burger

Kisetsu no Yasai Kakiage ~ Seasonal Mixed Vegetable Tempura Rice Burger 

The tempura in this burger contains various vegetables such as onions, edamame beans, and sweet corn. This is all fried together in crispy tempura batter and topped with an original wasabi and seaweed sauce. The tempura again is all sandwiched between two plates of grilled rice.

The Kisetsu no Yasai Kakiage costs 280 yen (USD$2.85)

Kisetsu no Yasai Kakiage Tempura Rice Burger

How Do They Taste?

We tried the two new rice burgers and give them both the thumbs up. The rice bun is very much like a yaki onigiri and the fillings were tasty and reminded us of Japanese dishes like Ten-don (tempura on rice) and Kakiage-don (mixed vegetable tempura on rice). We would definitely have these again.

Ebi Shinjo Tempura Rice Burger

Close up of the Ebi Shinjo. You can see the oroshi and ao negi

Kisetsu no Yasai Kakiage Tempura Rice Burger

Close up of the Kisetsu no Yasai Kakiage Tempura Rice Burger

Visit the MOS Burger website for more details