Tsukimi Burger 2015

The Tsukimi Burger is back for Autumn 2015 in Japan! Currently available at McDonald’s restaurants across Japan, it is a sure tell sign that Autumn has finally arrived here in Japan.

Autumn is considered a time in Japan to enjoy delicious season food, cooler weather after the summer heat, and koyo (紅葉) which is viewing of the colourful Autumn leaves. The Tsukimi Burger It is only available for a limited time during the early Autumn and made its appearance back on the menu again in early September. It will remain on the menu until early October.

The Tsukimi Burger has been around for a few years now, making its first appearance way back in 1991. It has been a popular seasonal favourite ever since and always comes back in some form or the other every year. It traditionally contains a beef patty, smoky bacon, a poached egg and a special sauce (ketchup mixed with Japanese mayonnaise).

The Tsukimi Burger (月見バーガー) is named after the famous Japanese tradition of tsukimi (月見) or moon viewing, which is a festival honouring the bright Autumn moon. The poached egg in the burger is said to resemble the Autumn full moon with the egg yolk representing the bright Autumn full moon and the egg white the white sky.

In 2013 McDonald’s released a new addition to the Tsukimi line-up with the Chicken Cheese Tsukimi Burger. In 2014 it was the Kinoko Tsukimi Burger featuring mushrooms. What will it be in 2015?

This year in 2015 they have released two new Hokkaido cheese versions of the Tsukimi Burger to go along with the original Tsukimi Burger. The new additions are the Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger and the Chicken Tsukimi Hokkaido Cheese Burger.

Tsukimi Burger 

The original and some say best version of the burger contains a beef patty, smoky bacon, a poached egg and special sauce.

Original Tsukimi Burger

 

Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger 

The Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi is the same as the original Tsukimi Burger with the addition of Hokkaido cheddar cheese.

Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger

Chicken Tsukimi Hokkaido Cheese Burger 

The Chicken Tsukimi Hokkaido Cheese features a crispy chicken patty along with smoky bacon, Hokkaido cheddar cheese and special sauce.

Chicken Tsukimi Hokkaido Cheese Burger

The Tsukimi Burger has long been a favourite of ours at Japan Australia, so we had to head over the our nearest McDonald’s to test out the new Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger. 

The Taste Test 

The new Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger certainly didn’t disappoint and we really liked the addition of the Hokkaido cheddar cheese which was really creamy. Eating the burger was like being reacquainted with a long lost friend. Ah, Autumn is finally back in Japan and this cooler weather is just another sign that the long hot summer in Japan is finally over for another year.

Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger Set

The simple wrapping of the Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger

The Hokkaido Cheese Tsukimi Burger Unwrapped

Prices for the burgers vary depending on the region of Japan. The Tsukimi Burgers are only available for a limited time, so hurry on in if you want to give them a try.

McDonald’s Japan Website

Song of the Week: Natsu no Owari – Moriyama Naotarō

This week’s Song of the Week is Natsu no Owari by Moriyama Naotarō. The title “Natsu no Owari” (夏の終わり) means The End of Summer, which is perfect for this week’s song as last week signaled the end of summer in Japan and the start of Autumn. 

Moriyama Naotarō ((森山直太朗) is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter from Tokyo, Japan. He made his major debut in 2002 with the single “Hoshikuzu no Serenade” and made his big break with the hit song “Sakura” in March, 2003. Naotarō comes from a music family, his mother is the famous 1970’s Japanese folk singer, Ryōko Moriyama.

It was during University at Seijo University that Naotarō started seriously planning guitar and writing songs. He started doing street performances from there as well as playing in music clubs in the Tokyo area. He was picked up by the music label ‘NNR’, releasing a mini-album in 2001.

Natsu no Owari was released on August 20, 2003 and followed up on the success of “Sakura” released earlier that year. Natsu no Owari was Naotarō’s third single and is still very popular today as a summer song.

Moriyama Naotarō is a really interesting singer with a unique distinctive style. You can check out his official website here naotaro.com.

 I hope you like the song and if you’re in Japan like me enjoy the Autumn ahead.

Natsu no Owari by Moriyama Naotarō

Stay Healthy in Japan with HealthyTokyo.com

HealthyTokyo.com is a great resource for foreigners to stay healthy in Japan with its guide to Japan’s best health and wellness providers.

What’s the biggest health risk for foreigners in Japan? Experiencing an earthquake or major typhoon? Being jammed into a packed train during peak rush-hour? Actually, none of these. Whether you are an expat living in Japan or visiting the country for travel, the biggest risk is not getting the health and wellness support you need. With language a potential obstacle, a health care system different from what you are used to, or simply because you do not know who to ask and where to go, getting the treatment you need will most likely be complicated and time-consuming.

The good news is that there is now a very useful health and wellness web-service available. HealthyTokyo.com was created to minimize the risks and make it simple as ever for foreign residents and visitors to connect with English-speaking doctors, dentists, personal coaches and other health and wellness specialists in Japan.

You can become a member by signing up for free and access the HealthyTokyo network as you wish. Looking for an English-speaking doctor or dentist? Just search the Medical Partners category. Looking for an English-speaking personal trainer? Want to start a healthy diet? Or maybe you would you like to become a certified Yogi? You may find the perfect coach in the Wellness Coaches category. Finally, you get access to an extensive group of wellness and lifestyle experts in the Healthy Partners section; gyms, spas, Japanese Shiatsu Massage and healthy restaurants are some of the many services and places you can find on HealthyTokyo.com with details about their offerings.

HealthyTokyo also offers a premium membership plan. Premium members have access through a live chat service to a Healthy Concierge who will find specific places like a doctor, dentist or wellness services and make appointments, both in and beyond HealthyTokyo’s partner network. Last but not least, the premium plan provides members with special offers such as free trials and discounts offered by the multitude of partners.

Both short term visitors and expats living in Japan will benefit from HealthyTokyo.com. A great and long-awaited resource. The only condition for membership is that you care about your health.

If you want to stay healthy in Japan visit HealthyTokyo.com now and sign up for their free member registration.

Song of the Week: Eiko no Kakehashi - Yuzu

This week’s Song of the Week is Eiko no Kakehashi by a duo called Yuzu. The title “Eiko no Kakehashi” (栄光の架橋) means The Bridge of Glory.

Yuzu (ゆず) is a Japanese folk/pop rock duo who formed and made their debut in 1997 and released their first single in June 1998 with Summer Color (夏色). The duo comprises of vocalist/guitarist Yujin Kitagawa and vocalist/guitarist Koji Iwasawa.

Both members of Yuzu come from Yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture. Yuzu started out as street musicians in High School and their move into the J-Pop music industry was a big success story. The original name of the band was “Lights”, but Kitagawa disliked the name, so they changed it to Yuzu (after the fruit).

Eiko no Kakehashi was released on July 22, 2004 and was a massive hit for the band becoming one of the most popular songs of 2004. It reached number 2 on the Oricon charts. The song was Yuzu’s 21st single and was used as the theme song for NHK’s transmission of the Athens Olympic Games that summer.

I really like their music and songs with their mainly lush acoustic and upbeat sound.

Here is a live performance of Eiko no Kakehashi by Yuzu

Tokyo 2020 Olympics Emblem Revealed

The new Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games emblems were revealed on Friday, July 24th, exactly five years to the day before the opening ceremony of the games.

The new emblems were unveiled in front of officials and athletes at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku on Friday night.

The emblem was designed by Japanese artist Kenjiro Sano. The design is very modern looking and based on the letter “T” which stands for Tokyo, Tomorrow, and Team. Tokyo is of course the first letter of the host city, Tomorrow stands for “a better world and a brighter future”, and Team “Japan will unite as one team when the world comes together for Tokyo 2020”.

Kenjiro Sano, a graphics designer was chosen from an open call for submissions in which a total of 104 designers submitted proposals.

It is an interesting design and very modern looking compared to the original logo used during the bidding process. I like the colours of the emblem. The black of the central column represents diversity, the circle represents an inclusive world where everyone accepts each other. The red of the circle represents the power of every beating heart.

The IOC Vice President, John Coates said, “The emblem reflects the vibrant nature of Tokyo and the welcoming spirit of its citizens.”

What do you think of the new Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games emblems?

Song of the Week: Kona Yuki - Remioromen

This week’s Song of the Week is Kona Yuki by a group called Remioromen. The title “Kona Yuki” (粉雪) means powdery snow, which is what I’m dreaming of right now as I sit here in the 34C heat & humidity of the Japanese summer.

Remioromen (レミオロメン) is a Japanese rock band who formed in 2000 and made their debut in 2003 with the single Ameagari. The band is a three piece and comprises of vocalist/guitarist Ryota Fujimaki, bass guitarist Keisuke Maeda and drummer Osamu Jinguji.

Kona Yuki was released on November 16, 2005 and was a massive hit for the band becoming one of the best-selling singles of 2005. It reached number 2 on the Oricon charts. The video for the song also picked up “Best Pop Video Award” at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.

It is a great song and I hope you enjoy it.

Kona Yuki by Remioromen

Umi no Hi

Marine Day or “Umi no Hi” (海の日) in Japanese is an annual Japanese National Holiday held on the third Monday of July. It is also sometimes called Ocean Day or Sea Day.

This year Umi no Hi will be on July 20th.

Umi no Hi was established to appreciate and celebrate the ocean and to consider the importance of the ocean to Japan as an island nation.

History of Umi no Hi 

Umi no Hi was established on July 20th 1941 to commemorate the Meiji Emperor and his 1876 voyage in the Meiji Maru, an iron steamship constructed in Scotland. The voyage included a trip around the Tohoku region as well as a brief stop in Hakodate before returning to Yokohama on July 20th 1876. Umi no Hi was officially designated a national holiday in 1995, when it became the first holiday in the summer months. It was established as a holiday to express gratitude for the gifts of the sea, honour its importance and to pray for the prosperity of Japan as a maritime nation.

How is Umi no Hi Celebrated 

There are no particular traditions associated with Umi no Hi since it is quite a modern holiday in Japan. Many people take advantage of this holiday and the beautiful summer weather to visit the beach. You can also see special events held at aquariums and water parks around Japan to celebrate Marine Day.

How will you spend your Umi no Hi this year?

Image source