On January 13, McDonald’s Japan released a colorful music video on YouTube featuring two of the biggest J-pop mega-hits of the last year! The remix combines Ado’s Odo and asmi’s PAKU with the familiar sound of the French Fry buzzer. A rhythm game using this song will also be available on TikTok starting on January 30!

In March 2019, the McDonald’s French Fry buzzer became a popular theme on TikTok with over 150 million views.

This remix may not be what most people expected, but it’s incredibly catchy and might make you hungry at the same time. Check out the McDonald’s Fry Buzzer Remix at the link below!

The neon-drenched music video features 3D models of both Odo-chan and PAKU-chan along with the three French Fry Brothers hanging out at an incredibly colorful and futuristic McDonald’s restaurant.

Be sure to check out the rhythm game coming to TikTok for a limited time starting January 30!

Taisho Pharmaceuticals has announced a new flavor of Vicks Medicated Drops available only in Japan! The Matcha flavor will be available starting October 1, 2022.

VICKS Medicated Drops are lozenges perfect to relieve sore throats, and in an attempt to make a product for everyone’s taste, 14 flavors have been developed so far–five fruit types, three refreshing types, and six sugarless types.

Matcha has become a more popular flavor among both young and old people in recent years, and this Japan-only flavor is sure to be a hit. The active ingredient, CPC, disinfects and sterilizes the mouth, so the next time you feel a cold coming on, try one of these lozenges out.

On August 5, McDonald’s Japan will begin selling some summer-only sweets! The McShake Doraemon Ramune and Doraemon Choco Banana Pie items are based on a summer festival, and the packaging will feature adorable Doraemon imagery. 

These treats will bring back memories of summer festivals, with popular flavors like chocolate banana and ramune. Each sweet will be available in a total of six newly-designed packages, so you might need to buy a few until you get your favorite character!

McShake Doraemon Ramune

The McShake Doraemon Ramune features the nostalgic flavor of ramune and a creamy texture. Two types of ramune flavors were used to create a taste that will keep you coming back for more, and citrus flavors were added to create a refreshing flavor perfect for summer. This tasty treat is available in three versions–Doraemon, Nobita, and Gian.

Doraemon Chocolate Banana Pie

The Doraemon Chocolate Banana Pie consists of a crispy pie crust packed with banana filling and a rich chocolate sauce. Fans of Doraemon can grab this pie in three different sleeves–Dorami, Shizuka, and Suneo.

※Product images for illustration purposes only. Actual products may vary.

Happy Meal

Round 1: August 5 – August 11

Round 2: August 12 – August 18

In addition, Doraemon-related items will be packed with every Happy Meal starting August 5.

Located in Uji, Kyoto, matcha shop Itohkyuemon was founded in the late Edo period. Three cozy locations have just launched a Hydrangea Parfait, perfect for spring.

Hydrangea Parfait

Hydrangea Coaster

The shop’s main location is headquartered in Uji, which is also home to Mimuroto Temple, known for its hydrangeas. The flowery location attracts thousands of tourists during the rainy season. 

The Hydrangea Parfait has been offered since 2013, now celebrating its 10th year. The popular seasonal treat features matcha hydrangea mashed sweet potatoes, hydrangea-colored jelly, leaf-shaped matcha cookies, and blueberries. Those ordering a parfait will also receive a hydrangea coaster as a gift, so why not enjoy the rainy season with something sweet to lift your spirits?

Hibiya Hayashiya Shinbei in Tokyo Midtown Hibiya is now offering a scrumptious Strawberry Matcha Parfait until April 24, 2022! If that’s not up your alley, four Kyo Hayashiya locations in Shinjuku, Omiya, Yokohama, and Ikebukuro will begin offering a Matcha and Berry Mascarpone Parfait from April 1 until May 8, 2022. 

Strawberry Matcha Parfait

The Strawberry Matcha Parfait is an eye-catching mix of green and pink, reminiscent of cherry blossoms and bright green grass. Green tea blends with rose jelly and lychee sorbet, offering a refreshing taste with a hint of bitterness. The sweet accent of crunchy chocolate feuillantine gives each bite a little kick.

Matcha and Berry Mascarpone Parfait

The Matcha and Berry Mascarpone Parfait mixes the deep, bitter taste of Uji matcha, the sweet and sour taste of berries, and the gentle sweetness of mascarpone cream. The berry sauce is blended with crunchy chocolate feuillantine, a layer of whipped cream, green tea jelly, green tea ice cream, and milk panna cotta. To finish, it’s garnished with refreshing raspberry sorbet, bittersweet matcha ice cream, and fresh strawberries.

McDonald’s Japan locations with ‘McCafe by Barista’ areas will begin selling special spring treats for a limited time starting April 6, 2022. Customers will be able to grab the ‘Strawberry Uji Matcha Frappe’ and the ‘Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart.’

McCafe by Barista invites guests to enjoy high-quality frappes and smoothies. The Uji Matcha Frappe was added to the regular product lineup in June 2021, and features a mellow matcha flavor. The Strawberry variant is coming back for the first time in three years. The Mont Blanc Tart is a new addition, and is a perfect treat to enjoy with this popular frappe! 

Strawberry Uji Matcha Frappe: ¥490

The Strawberry Matcha Frappe mixes together the full-bodied flavor of matcha together with sweet and sour strawberries. It includes both a strawberry paste made from whole strawberries and a strawberry whipped cream at the bottom. The drink is topped with more strawberry whipped cream and a sprinkling of matcha powder. The refreshing taste of the strawberry sauce coupled with the whipped cream serves to elevate the great flavor of the Uji Matcha even more.

Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart: ¥390

The Uji Matcha Mont Blanc Tart is made with Uji Matcha batter, Uji Matcha whipped cream, white bean paste, and green tea cream. The refined sweetness is complemented by the mellow aroma and slight bitterness of Uji Matcha.

How would you like to enjoy these treats beneath the cherry trees?

McDonald’s Japan will start selling the new Sakura Mochi Pie starting March 23, 2022 for a limited time only.

The new pie is inspired by sakura mochi, a traditional wagashi sweet popular during spring. 

Sakura mochi is typically made from mochi rice cakes filled with a sweet red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry blossom leaf. The McDonald’s pie is filled with azuki red bean paste and a chewy, sakura-flavored mochi that features bits of pickled sakura leaves.

The packaging will also feature spring designs and each pie costs just ¥150. They will be available until mid-April. 

Starting March 4, McDonald’s locations in Japan are selling two new Happy Meals inspired by Pokemon and Tabekko Dobutsu!

Each Pokemon set includes a Pokemon Mezastar tag, allowing kids to battle and catch Pokemon using tags. Five original tags featuring popular characters like Pikachu and Piplup will be available, as well as Legendary Pokemon like Palkia and Arceus! In addition to tags, kids will also be able to play games using Pokemon names on a special Shiritori sheet included with each meal. 

Tabekko Doubutsu is a classic Japanese snack, much like animal crackers in the west. This is the first time these characters are appearing at McDonald’s. The lineup includes five varieties of McDonald’s original coloring pages and stickers featuring familiar characters such as Lion, Bunny, and Elephant. Each sticker also includes the name of each animal in Japanese and English!

©2022 Pokémon. ©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
Developed by T-ARTS and MARV

©ギンビス

McDonald’s locations across Japan are now offering Curious George and Sumikko Gurashi Happy Meals for a limited time!

The Curious George set features six different toys that can be assembled and controlled by turning the gears. This year’s theme is inspired by creativity, shape recognition, and teaching children how things work. When the colorful gears on the toy are turned, the force is transmitted to the swing, Ferris wheel, seesaw, and other items, causing George to swing and spin! The first set of toys include ‘George’s Seesaw,’ featuring George and the Man in the Yellow Hat, and ‘George’s Swing,’ featuring George happily swinging back and forth. The second set will include ‘George’s Ferris Wheel’ and ‘George’s Rocket Ride.’

The Sumikko Gurashi includes six kinds of puzzles decorated with illustrations of popular characters. The theme of these toys is color and shape recognition, imagination, and communication. The front side of each puzzle shows Sumikko and Minikko, and the backside displays an illustration of a story related to a particular Sumikko character. By putting the pieces together one by one, children develop their ability to recognize shapes and move their fingers with increased dexterity. The inside of the case that comes with the puzzle is decorated with stories about Sumikko and her friends. To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Sumikko Gurashi, a new character called ‘Deshi’ will appear on the case as well, and by scanning the QR code on the back of the case, customers can play an original mini-game!

From January 8 until January 10, participating locations will also be giving away Curious George and Sumikko Gurashi stickers with the purchase of each set.

McDonald’s Japan locations with McCafe by Barista installations will begin selling the Cookies & Cream Frappe for a limited time starting December 8, 2021. The McCafe by Barista corner employs full-time baristas serving ‘authentic cafe coffee.’ 

McCafe by Barista invites guests to enjoy high-quality frappuccinos and smoothies and these locations are offering three unique Frappes this winter. Following the Strawberry Creme Brulee Frappe and normal Creme Brulee Frappe released in late November, the Cookies & Cream Frappe will release soon, filled with rich vanilla sweetness!

Cookies & Cream Frappe Medium: ¥470 / Large: ¥540 (Tax Included) 

The drink is a rich blend of creamy vanilla made from Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans, blended with crunchy Oreo cookie bits and topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. What’s not to love?

Each winter, McDonald’s Japan releases the wildly popular Gratin Croquet Burger, or Gurakoro for short. Starting December 1, this year’s iteration of the popular sandwich will be available at shops nationwide. This time, it’s the Angus Beef Bolognese Gurakoro, blending a creamy croquette with ripe tomatoes and stewed coarse-ground Angus beef Bolognese. 

The Gurakoro burger is made with a creamy white sauce blended with shrimp and macaroni, combined with cabbage and a special spicy croquette sauce. Basically, it tastes a lot like macaroni and cheese on a bun! Crispy on the outside and velvety on the inside, it’s a dish that’s perfect to warm you up after a long day in the winter cold. The new TV commercial for the Gurakoro features actress Mikako Tabe, and the theme is ‘let’s warm up the year.’ 

How would you like to give one of these a try?

McDonald’s Japan will be offering up a particularly tasty treat for the winter holidays! Starting November 24, the chain will release the Strawberry Creme Brulee Frappuccino for a limited time at stores featuring a McCafe by Barista corner. These locations employ full-time baristas serving ‘authentic cafe coffee.’ 

McCafe by Barista invites guests to enjoy high-quality frappuccinos and smoothies, and this winter, there are plenty of dessert-like additions to the menu. This Strawberry Creme Brulee Frappuccino is the first in the new lineup, combining strawberries and the annual winter staple, the Creme Brulee Frappuccino. 

Strawberry Creme Brulee Frappuccino Medium: ¥470 / Large: ¥540

Creme Brulee Frappuccino Medium: ¥470 / Large: ¥540

This new release has a base mixture of rich milk and creme brulee syrup, blended with sweet and sour strawberry sauce with crushed strawberries, fluffy creme brulee whipped cream, and thinly baked crushed cookies, all topped with a bittersweet caramel sauce.