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jueves, 30 de mayo de 2019

KFC will straight-up sell you a bag of fried chicken skin in Indonesia

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This Tokyo temple offers breakfast that’s beautiful, delicious, and includes message of salvation

http://bit.ly/2wvT4S1 Casey Baseel


Sushi isn’t the only thing worth eating in Tsukiji.

If we’re being totally honest, we’re not really the biggest morning people here at SoraNews24, which means breakfast usually isn’t much of an event for us…unless you classify “cramming a convenience store onigiri rice ball into our mouth while typing at our work desk because we overslept and didn’t have time to eat at home” as an event.

Every now and again, though, we figure we should make time to make the most important meal of the day a little more special, which is how we ended up at Tokyo’s Tsukiji Hongangi temple at a time when we’re often just dragging ourselves out of bed.

Located just down the street from Tsukiji’s still-in-operation outer market, Honganji Temple’s main hall is a rare example of classic Indian-inspired Buddhist architecture in Japan. However, our destination was the cafe that’s housed in one of the courtyard annexes, called Tsumugi.

Tsumugi has quietly become one of the area’s most popular breakfast spots, and often has lines forming before the doors open at 8 a.m. When we showed up at 8:33, all seats were already taken, but we were given a seiriken (a card that acts as your place in line), and just five minutes later were ushered to a counter seat.

It didn’t take us long to decide what to order, either, as we instantly felt the pull of the “Japanese Style Breakfast with 18 kinds of items,” which also comes with your choice of hot or cold green tea.

▼ The menu’s English text makes it easy to order even if you don’t speak/read Japanese.

Since we’d gotten a seat so quickly, we assumed our food would be out soon too. And sure enough, we put in our order at 8:40, and just nine minutes later, a server came walking back over to our seat…

…but it turned out she was just bringing us our tea. Still, it had a rich aroma, tasted just as good, and between the sound of the ice cubes tinkling in the glass, the enchanting green color, and the cool sensation of the chilled beverage on our lips, all five of our senses were satisfied as we spent the next 10 minutes drinking it.

We followed that up with another 10 minutes looking out the window at the courtyard and temple architecture, and when our food still hadn’t come, 30 minutes after ordering, a certain fear began to build in our mind.

Had they forgotten our order?

We’re not ones to complain, though, so we decided to take inspiration from our surroundings and attempt to enter a calm, meditative state to cope with our hunger. But no matter how much we tried to clear our minds of conscious thought, our stomach kept growling and reminding us of the one worldly desire we couldn’t shed: FOOD!

We began to lose hope, with our hunger making us so delirious that we wondered if we’d been forsaken by the gods themselves. Ready to give up, we opened up the menu to confirm the official name of the breakfast we’d ordered, so we could tell the waitress to cancel it and then make another convenience store breakfast run, but within the pages of the menu came a message of divine salvation.

▼ Salvation

Honganji’s patron deity is Amida, and the celestial buddha has a special connection to the breakfast we’d ordered. According to the cafe’s menu:

“The reason for the 18-item breakfast:

The buddha Amida, Honganji’s patron deity, has made 48 vows to protect the lives of all living things. Amida’s 18th vow is ‘Whatever may occur, you will not be forsaken.’ Please taste the essence of that promise through the 18-item breakfast.”

And, like a miracle, moments after we read these words of encouragement, the waitress once again appeared, this time carrying our breakfast, 47 minutes after we’d ordered it!

So let’s run through the complete set. You get…

▼ Okayu (rice porridge), sliced octopus, grilled duck with sansho pepper (left to right, bottom row)…

▼ Umeboshi (pickled plum), ikura (salmon roe) (top row)
Tamagoyaki omelet, grilled eggplant with soybeans (bottom row)

▼ Fish and tofu cake, miso sardines, miso soup

▼ Sliced tomato, sweet kombu seaweed (top row)
Taro with sweet miso, tofu with yuzu citrus fruit (bottom row)

▼ Sliced orange, matcha green tea gelatin (top row)
Seasonal vegetables, spicy cod roe with seaweed (bottom row)

Since rice porridge doesn’t have much flavor by itself, several of the dishes are meant to be mixed into the okayu, such as the umeboshi, kombu, and spicy cod roe.

So what caused the delay? According to the waitress, because of how many customers are waiting to get in before the restaurant opens, they get a huge rush of orders right at the start of the day, which tends to back things up a bit (and the cafe caps its breakfast seating after the first 110 people). Still, we’ve waited longer than 47 minutes in lines outside of restaurants in Japan, and at least this time we had a seat, air conditioning, power outlets, and free Wi-Fi to keep us entertained while we waited for our order.

More importantly, was it worth the wait? Definitely, and as proof, you’ll see that we cleaned all 18 of our plates.

At 1,944 yen (US$17.80), Honganji’s 18-item Japanese breakfast isn’t the cheapest morning meal in Tokyo, and it’s definitely not the quickest either. But it’s one of the most unique, and surprisingly tranquil, provided you’re not in a rush, and if it leaves you craving yet another spiritual food experience, don’t forget that Tsukiji’s sushi shrine is just a short walk away.

Restaurant information
Tsukiji Honganji Cafe Tsumugi / 築地本願寺カフェTsumugi
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Tsukiji 3-15-1, Tsukiji Honganji Information Building
東京都中央区築地3-15-1 築地本願寺インフォメーション棟
Open 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Website

Photos ©SoraNews24
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How to stay cool in Japan this summer? With a mist-spraying Fanbrella

http://bit.ly/2EK532O Oona McGee

Push the parasol into a drink bottle and you’ll enjoy a coastal breeze all day long.

If you’ve been to Japan during summer, you’ll know how uncomfortably hot it can get, with temperatures often in the high 30s (around 100 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity reaching stifling levels above 80 percent, making it hotter than summer in Death Valley.

So it’s understandable when people say they like to hibernate indoors under the air conditioning when the heat arrives. However, there are times when leaving the coolness of our lairs becomes unavoidable, and for those occasions, Japanese company Thanko has us covered – literally – with the new Fanbrella.

The fan-umbrella hybrid works like a new-fangled parasol, shading you from the sun’s rays while keeping you cool with a fan above your head.

While the fan can be used on its own, there’s also an option to add some cooling mist to the experience, by simply shoving the end of the handle into a plastic drink bottle.

Then all you have to do is push the button on the handle to release the cooling mist from above.

Take a look at this video below to see exactly how it works.

We have to admit, it’s a pretty neat gadget, and one we’re keen to try out this summer. We already have plenty of ideas of when and where we’ll use it too, like at high school baseball games, in the queue at Summer Comiket, and if we ever get asked to join Prime Minister Abe on the golf course.

The Fanbrella will get you five hours of fan/mist bliss on four Double A batteries, and can be used with 550-millilitre (18.5-ounce) or even two-litre bottles. Actually, any bottle with an opening of 28 millimetres (1.1 inches) in diameter is compatible, making us wonder how the Fanbrella would taste with a bottle of iced tea attached to it instead.

The Fanbrella can be purchased at the Thanko online shop for 5,980 yen (US$55.42) including tax. If you haven’t been sold on the concept, there are still plenty of other Thanko gadgets that might just catch your eye, like the atamabrella umbrella for your head.

In fact, the mayor of Tokyo just unveiled the umbrella hat concept as recommended headwear for visitors to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, so maybe the Fanbrella will become a hot commodity for the Games too. And one group of people who’ll definitely be needing it will be the thousands of volunteers, who unfortunately won’t be dressing like ninja next summer.

Source, images: Thanko
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Sexy race queen team’s seventh member is a costumed cat girl【Photos】

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J Casey Baseel

Up-chan once again shows that Japan loves cuteness and sexiness in equal measures.

Race queens are an ubiquitous part of motorsports marketing in Japan. Dressed in outfits that are a mix of fanciful and revealing design elements, the racing team spokesmodels are uniformly fit and cheerful young women, radiating active, energetic auras.

For example, here are the Drift Angels, who represent the racing team of Up Garage, which also runs one of Japan’s largest used auto and motorcycle parts chains.

As you can see, there are six women currently in the unit, but they’re often accompanied by a seventh race queen. See if you can spot her.

Still can’t find her? How about now?

Yep, it’s that fluffy cat on the right, named Up-chan, who’s thought to be the industry’s first kigurumi (full-body costumed character) race queen.

The “industry-first” claim might be kind of surprising, since all sorts of Japanese companies have cute mascot characters (even one that makes enemas). But Up-chan isn’t a traditional mascot character, but rather a recognized trainee member of Drift Angels. That means she appears alongside the human Drift Angels at races and promotional events, and even dresses in the same outfits.

▼ Yes, even the cleavage-exposing ones.

Of course, being a costumed cat means that sometimes Up-chan’s behavior is unique from her human teammates, like when she was recently filmed wrapping her mouth around this thick tube, which looks like some sort of air duct that she wanted to use to funnel a cool breeze into the costume.

And then there was the time Up-chan decided to prank one of the regular Drift Angels by surreptitiously fanning the back of her thighs.

Still, it’s not like Up-chan is constantly goofing off, as she’s also often seen working on her alluring poses in an effort to be as photogenic as possible.

However, Up-chan is yet to be made a full-fledged Drift Angel, as her trainee status is unchanged since her 2016 debut. Her official profile still lists her dream as to one day become an official member of the unit, though, which means she hasn’t given up yet, so maybe one day she’ll become famous enough to warrant her own race queen clock photo series.

Source: Up Garage, Twitter/@KOKUYO4923 via Jin
Featured image: Twitter/@upchan_upchan
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Mr. Sato tries to buy a Rolex for his mid-life celebration, crisis occurs

http://bit.ly/2KiY6JP Master Blaster

An attempt at a new watch for a new chapter in the life of our star reporter.

Some of our long-time readers might remember a plucky little mankini-wearing, rubber-band-gun shooting, cornrow-sporting writer called Mr. Sato. Well, now he’s all grown up and has reached the ripe old age of 45, which would mean roughly half his life is behind him now.

▼ Mr. Sato circa 2011

It’s not a terribly pleasant thought, but it’s one which Mr. Sato is meeting with a lot of optimism. He set out three goals to achieve in the back nine of his life: Be able to travel abroad every year; set up a studio inside his home; and buy a really nice watch.

And while the first and second goals are still going to take a little time, our writer is happy to announce that he is all set to get the timepiece. After his recent breakup with Docomo and its iPhones, he felt it was time to ditch the Apple Watch get something that matched his maturity as well as his Guns N’ Roses T-shit.

One morning he walked into the SoraNews24 office and made an announcement to his coworkers: “Listen up schlubs! I’m going to buy an accessory that is going to make you all think differently of me from now on. That’s right. I’m taking 100,000 yen (US$915) in cold hard cash right now to go buy the Rolex that I, Mr. Sato, so rightfully deserve.”

Fellow writer Harada asked, “Can you even buy a Rolex for…”

“ONE MORE THING,” interrupted Mr. Sato, “I expect that once I am wearing the mighty Rolex you will all address me directly as ‘sir.’ And when speaking about me in third person, please refer to me as ‘Dr. Feelgood, The One that Makes Ya Feel Alright.’ That is all.”

He then headed to the Isetan department store in Shinjuku, just outside of his own building. However, the confidence which he left the office with began to melt away when faced with the cold, judgmental architecture of the building…

Mr. Sato had walked past this entrance everyday for the past 10 years, and it was right near here that he met the head of SoraNews, Yoshio, for the first time. Back then he was so poor he could hardly eat. He never would have imagined that a decade later he would be here buying a Rolex.

The thought made Mr. Sato a little teary-eyed, but he decided to push on with his mission and headed inside, past all the cosmetics, and up the escalator to the fourth floor jewelry section. The sign showed the Rolex section in the very back, alongside Omega and Frank Muller and not too far from Tag Hauer, Patek Philippe, Cartier, Hublot, and many other brands that Mr. Sato knew well, but until now had absolutely nothing to do with his life.

Mr. Sato headed right over to the Rolex counter and began scanning all the prices. The way he was looking, you’d think he was planning to buy a price tag rather than an actual watch. However, nothing appeared to be in his price range at all. Perhaps these were just the signature models and the more reasonably priced stuff was kept in the back.

To find out he asked the staff.

Photography is strictly prohibited in such high-end stores so the following scene was digitally recreated on our state-of-the-art supercomputers.

▼ CG Re-enactment: Inside Rolex, Clerk (left, pink) and Mr. Sato (right, blue)

▼ Mr. Sato: “This is my first time here. Um… Do you have anything for around 100,000 yen?”

▼ Rolex Clerk: “100,000 yen you say…”

The clerk seemed to process that question for a split second, as if she were slightly stunned by its audacity.

▼ Rolex Clerk: “The lowest priced watch we have is 500,000 yen ($4,570) I’m afraid.”

The price hit Mr. Sato like a soul punch, knocking his consciousness out of his physical body and back a few feet. He could see himself with the clerk, still stammering and fidgeting, but was unable to do anything about it.

▼ “Gah!”

The reality of Rolex had devastated his dreams of a fruitful old age. With his aspirations instantly dashed, his astral projection began to spiral into a dark pit of despair…

Then everything went black.

 

 

Later that day, everyone was hard at work in the office when suddenly an ecstatic Mr. Sato burst through the door.

▼ [Two hours later] “I’m back!”

And he was wearing a watch.

▼ “Yessir! Look who just bought himself a watch! Ta-Da!”

▼ “Finally a timepiece that tells the world what kind of a man Mr. Sato really is. “

▼ “Hey, not so close! You’ll get cooties on it… Argh!”

Mr. Sato broke down and told everyone what happened. He was rejected hard by Rolex and in a daze he wandered over to the nearby electronics store Bic Camera. Not wanting to go back empty-handed he decided to buy the Casio for only 1,590 yen ($15) and a 10 percent point rebate.

He figured that if he just acted like he had bought a Rolex, everyone would go along with it and not notice.

▼ “…”

▼ “Okay… Let me have it. I know… I’m pathetic! I can’t even buy a Rolex…”

▼ “But…”

▼ “But! But! But! But! But!♫”

▼ “This isn’t the end of my story… LOOK AT THIS!”

▼ “You might have noticed this little brown box sitting next to me.”

▼ “It says ‘Gucci!’ That’s right, G-U-C-uh… [looks at box] C-I! Taaaah-Daaaah!!!”

▼ “Perhaps you’ve heard of it? You know, the high-end fashion brand? Gucci?”

▼ “It came in this thing that looks like a little lunch box, but rather than a tasty meal, the engagement ring of my dreams lie inside it. Now, like a blushing bride-to-be, I shall open it…”

Kapahk!

▼ “Behold, the Gucci G Metro Chronograph which sells for 115,344 yen ($1,050)!”

He also got a receipt but planned to hang onto it, not as a proof of purchase, but as a souvenir of this milestone in his life. He even had the store put on his maiden name “Hidenori Sato” for the full effect.

▼ “The sales tax alone was 8,544 yen. I could buy like five Casios with that.”

And so, for the rest of the day, Mr. Sato wore the Gucci watch and carried it with the dignity and maturity befitting such an accessory.

▼ At work…

▼ “What time is it, Gucci?”

▼ “Time for a smoke!”

▼ “Oh? What time is it now, Gucci?”

▼ “Lunch time!”

▼ “Oh dear. Now what time is it, Gucci?”

▼ “Snack time!”

▼ “Oh my, would you look at the time. Seriously, LOOK AT IT!”

And so, Mr. Sato learned a valuable lesson. At first, he had been so obsessed with buying a Rolex that he didn’t even stop to consider whether the watch was right for him. In getting rejected by the luxury brand he was able to gain the proper perspective and choose a watch that he could truly love and appreciate for what it is.

He hoped that the G Metro Chronograph would last a long time and join him on this journey into the latter half of his life as a reminder of the hope it contained.

Photos: SoraNews24
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