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.

The Yo-Kai Express ramen vending machine at Haneda Airport has introduced two new menu items in collaboration with the popular ramen chain Ippudo! Guests can now enjoy Ippudo’s Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen and Ippudo’s Plant-based Tonkotsu-style Ramen. 

Guests can also enjoy Chicken Yuzu Shio Ramen, Tokyo Shoyu Ramen, Kyushu Tonkotsu Ramen, and Sapporo Spicy Miso Ramen. Each order only takes 90 seconds to prepare, so if you’re rushing to chow down before your flight, this is the way to go!

*Yo-Kai Express is a start-up company headquartered in Silicon Valley developing ramen vending machines. The company’s name comes from the word yokai (monsters) and reflects the brand’s desire to entertain people whenever and wherever they are. 

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?

teamLab Planets TOKYO DMM, located in Toyosu, Tokyo, have completed the refurbishment of their outdoor food stand, opening Vegan Ramen UZU Tokyo on October 8 2021. The new shop allows customers to eat vegan ramen from Kyoto in a new art space from teamLab. In addition, the teamLab Flower Shop & Art will be opening, a shop where customers can purchase orchids previously used in one of the group’s art pieces to take home with them. 

Menu

Vegan Ramen Flower (Cool): ¥1,980 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Tea: ¥1,650 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Soy Sauce: ¥1,320 (Tax Incl.)

Vegan Ramen Miso (Spicy): ¥1,320 (Tax Incl.)

Newly Released Works

Reversible Rotation – Non-Objective Space, teamLab, 2021

Table of Sky and Fire, teamLab Architects, 2021

Floating Flower Garden: Flower, Myself and Cognate, Garden and Myself as One

teamLab Planets Original Tote Bag

The menu at Vegan Ramen UZU uses no animal products like meat or fish, instead condensing the taste of vegetables into a delicious ramen that you can enjoy in a space designed by teamLab. Vegan Ramen UZU Kyoto first opened in March 2020 to great popularity, with many customers queuing for over an hour to get inside the store. 

At the new Tokyo store, customers can enjoy a bowl of vegan ramen while enjoying teamLab’s latest art installations, the Non-Objective Space and the Table of Sky and Fire.

Not only that, you can also take home some of the orchids used in the Floating Flower Garden: Flower, Myself and Cognate, Garden and Myself as One exhibit that was held from July 2, along with a section of teamLab merchandise such as stickers, patches, postcards, and more, at the newly opened teamLab Flower Shop & Art store.

Look forward to tasting this healthy ramen while immersed in an artistic space!

The Yojiya Café, opened by the Yojiya brand famous for its Aburatorigami, or facial oil blotting paper, will be renewing its menu from September 13. The popular face parfait, which features the logo alongside a Kyoto woman with a mole, comes in three flavors available – Kinako, Matcha, and Milk Tea. Each parfait comes with a sauce, so you can adjust the taste as you eat.

Kinako Parfait: ¥1,200 (Tax Incl.)

Matcha Parfait: ¥1,200 (Tax Incl.)

Milk Tea Parfait: ¥1,200 (Tax Incl.)

The Yojiya Café is currently open in two locations, Gion and Sagano Arashiyama, offering a relaxing space to rest between shopping and sightseeing.

The café has renewed their iconic Kinako Parfait, which combines Japanese Kinako and Western Maple Syrup, along with the Matcha Parfait, which is packed full of matcha ice cream, jelly, and cookies. The Milk Tea Parfait is made with a rich Japanese Tea and Earl Gray ice cream.

Take a trip to Yojiya and find out which parfait is your favorite!

In Japan, McDonalds McCafe by Barista will be releasing the new Kuromitsu Uji Matcha Frappe beginning September 1. The sweet autumn drink will only be available for a limited time.

McCafe by Barista has been popular with customers looking for sweet beverages, such as Frappes and smoothies. The Uji Matcha Frappe was added to the regular product lineup in June 2021, and features a mellow matcha flavor. With this release, kuromitsu, or Japanese black sugar syrup, has been added to enhance the drink’s flavor.

Kuromitsu Uji Matcha Frappe: ¥490 (M), ¥560 (L)

The Kuromitsu Uji Matcha Frappe is made with powdered Uji Matcha tea from Kyoto, mixed with milk and topped with Kuromitsu jelly, known for its gentle sweetness and rich flavor. Brown sugar from Okinawa Prefecture along with whipped cream is added on top.

Uji Matcha Frappe: ¥440 (M), ¥490 (L)

The regularly available Uji Matcha Frappe is made with Uji Matcha powder from Kyoto, milk, and fluffy whipped cream. Dark green matcha powder and pure white whipped cream gives the beverage a gorgeous appearance, along with a truly Japanese flavor.

These are two drinks not to miss if you’re in Japan!

Gion’s Tatsumi Bridge, a picturesque area plucked straight from a painting. From there, continue south and into the backstreets, you’ll find the popular Kyoto Ramen store, Ramen Muraji.

The bridge takes you over the Shirakawa River which flows into Lake Biwa, with the connecting street spanning a distance of only 180m, with paths the width of three adults. Once you head into the alley, the scenery will completely change. 

The asphalt becomes cobblestone, surrounded by Kyoto-style lattice windows. Here you’ll find Ramen Muraji, located in a renovated 100 year old Kyoto-style building, perfectly blending into its surroundings. 

At first glance you wouldn’t believe it to be hiding a ramen shop,  with many people calling their discovery of the shop a once-in-a-lifetime encounter as they wander the streets of Gion.

The back alleys of Gion retain the history of Kyoto, with hidden shops shrouded by curtains, gently glowing lanterns, and carefully handwritten signboards. Each spot has been crafted to become a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with those who visit.

Ramen Muraji was built in the alley

Tatsumi Bridge, an area famous for retaining the distinctive Gion look.

Muraji’s Speciality White Chicken Ramen

Gion has been popular with Kyoto tourists for years, surrounded by attractive buildings and cityscapes. Located here is the Yasaka Shrine, a world heritage site which hosts the annual Gion Summer Festival. 

While the locals rarely explore the area, Gion is full of traditional beauty that has inspired many novels, maintaining the culture and history that has been passed down for generations. 

Why not relive the splendor of Gion at Ramen Muraji, a shop that was born 、

With its long history and culture that weaves towns, humans, and spirits together, why not relive the splendor of Gion with a historical cup of Muraji ramen? 

Ramen Muraji is a space where anybody can enjoy ramen, surrounded by Kyoto-style interior decor and Japanese-style decorations. 

Their chicken ramen, boiled in a plain water soup, boasts a selection of carefully selected ingredients that condenses the taste of Kyoto’s unique food culture. Kyoto Sake matched to the flavor of the ramen is also available.

Enjoy the charms of Kyoto’s food for yourself at Ramen Muraji.

As a company aiming to bring a new kind of happiness to many people, Ramen Kourakuen have announced their new slogan: All New Happy! 

In order to spread the message even further, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has been appointed as Kourakuen’s new CKO – Chief Korekara (Future) Officer. 

Their new goal is to work towards each step of the New Happy 5 Plan in order to spread cheer across Japan.

Plus, a new Kourakuen commercial featuring Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will be released nationwide.

The special commercial will be promoting the new student discount set, where students will be able to enjoy ramen meals for ¥550 on weekdays, plus the mobile order service which allows customers to order their ramen in advance, meaning it’ll be ready when you arrive.

The students and workers shown in the commercial are so satisfied that their face morphs into Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s as she dons the Kourakuen logo on her cheek. Make sure to check out Kyary’s China themed hair and costume!

TZEN, a company dedicated to promoting traditional Japanese culture around the world, has teamed up with Yamamasa Koyamaen, a tea wholesaler in business since the Edo period, to open a new matcha cafe in Tokyo!

ATELIER MATCHA, a quick walk from Ningyocho station, is harnessing the concept of ‘the third wave of matcha,’ serving up premium matcha in a cozy atmosphere. 

MATCHA Cookies & Cream Shake: ¥748 (Tax Included) 

MATCHA with Warabimochi and Red Bean Topping: ¥748 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Jelly Cider: ¥660 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Granola and Yogurt Latte: ¥715 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Cotton Candy Milkshake: ¥748 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Affogato: ¥660 (Tax Included)

MATCHA Shot (Espresso Style): ¥220 (Tax Included) / MATCHA Water: ¥275 (Tax Included) / MATCHA Green Tea: ¥330 (Tax Included)

Supreme MATCHA Terrine: ¥660 (Tax Included)

(This is a partial menu, all prices are for those dining in.)

Matcha is becoming popular around the world. ATELIER MATCHA was created to offer customers a unique experience which showcases the true taste and culture of this beloved tea grown in Japan. 

Yamamasa Koyamaen is a Kyoto institution, cultivating and grinding matcha tea leaves for 160 years. Over 1,000 tea retailers, department stores, domestic and international trading companies and hotels stock their high-grade matcha, gyokuro, sencha, and other specialty teas, making them one of the most recognized and respected names in this traditional Japanese art. The company even prefers to call themselves a ‘studio’ rather than a ‘factory’, using the 800-year history of tea cultivation in Uji, Kyoto as a starting point to create their masterpieces. 

ATELIER MATCHA is Yamamasa Koyamaen’s first cafe, and also the company’s first experience selling directly to consumers. 

Blending the highest-grade matcha with locally made sweets, the cafe hopes customers will enjoy these original creations while surrounded by the relaxing aroma of tea. 

The matcha used in the cafe includes signature Yamamasa Koyamaen blends, including Ogurayama and Tennozan, both varieties often used in tea ceremonies. For a limited time, the cafe is offering a single-origin blend with one rare variety of matcha, as well as a beverage made with tencha, which are the leaves used to make matcha before being ground down in a stone mortar. Visitors can also enjoy gyokuro and hojicha teas, made from carefully selected leaves. 

Pulling recipes from Yamamasa Koyamaen’s book ‘Kyoto Uji-Koyamaen: Simple Matcha Drinks to Enjoy at Home,’ the menu features refreshing drinks blending the traditional with the modern, with unexpected combinations of soda, fruit and yogurt. Seasonal drinks will also be making an appearance, including shaved ice in summer and chocolate drinks in winter. 

The name MATCHA SHOT packs a punch, using matcha instead of espresso for a needed pick-me-up. MATCHA WATER, a refreshing cup of watered-down tea, offers a way to fully enjoy the fullness and more hidden flavors of this popular Japanese tea. 

As expected, ATELIER MATCHA also has a sweets menu set to impress: these sweet treats feature only the best, created with the top 0.03% of total national matcha production. This insanely high-quality matcha is a part of Yamamasa Koyamaen’s ultimate matcha experience project, titled “ALL FOR ONE,” which provides these rare leaves to some of the country’s top professionals in various fields. 

At opening, only limited qualities of the Supreme MATCHA Terrine, made by well-known pâtissier Toshi Yoroizuka, will be available. 

These authentic matcha creations are perfect for a hot summer’s day, or as a gift for a friend. When in Tokyo, don’t miss it!

Uji-based matcha tea shop Matcha Republic is taking their menu to Tokyo for the first time with a pop-up shop inside Shibuya Hikarie which will run from July 15-28.

Matcha Ink Hikarie Exclusive Version Premium Matcha Latte | ¥681 (Tax Included)

Original Clear Shopping Bag

Matcha Republic’s ink bottle matcha lattes are super popular on Japanese social media. For their Tokyo pop-up shop, their premium matcha latte arrives in an exclusive design. The dirnk is made from only the best picked matcha leaves to make a smooth, milky beverage. The bottle is also sold in an original shopping bag.

Matcha Panna Cotta Hikarie Exclusive Version | ¥681 (Tax Included)

The brand’s popular panna cotta set also arrives in a Hikarie exclusive design. The delicious dessert is made with fragrant Uji matcha.

PREMIUM GOLDEN UJI MATCHA CASTELLA | ¥2,381 (Tax Included)

Matcha Republic’s moist matcha castella is sprinkled delicately with gold leaf, creating a luxurious dessert.