Random Japan

“Hungover today, sorry!” Laidback Tsukuba cafe gives hilarious reasons for frequent closings


Mike 

Tsukuba is a small, planned city nestled in the mountains of Ibaraki, which has a reputation for being a pretty chilled out place to live. The small population size and abundance of surrounding nature give the city a slow-paced, laid back feeling compared to the bustle of major cities like Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka.

We hear there are also a lot of great places to eat in Tsukuba, provided your restaurant or cafe of choice isn’t closed for the day because they couldn’t decide on the day’s menu items or the manager has a hangover.

stats

• 340Number of wristwatch models on display at the Japan Watch Collection, a twice-yearly trade show held last month at the Royal Park Hotel in Tokyo
• 10Prefectures in Japan that issued pollution warnings in February because of high levels of the PM 2.5 microparticle
• $1.5 billionAmount transferred by Japan to the Central Bank of Iran for oil payments that had previously been halted by sanctions

OH, SO NOW YOU TELL US

• Following the crash of the Tokyo-based Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox, Finance Minister Taro Aso said that “he had been thinking that the digital currency would collapse sooner or later.”
• On the occasion of his 54th birthday last month, Crown Prince Naruhito vowed to “to continue respecting the Constitution.”
• Researchers at Fukuoka National Hospital have determined what every hay fever sufferer already knows: that inflammation in the nose can worsen sleep quality.
• Headline of the Week: “Military Police Officer’s Confidential Journal on 1936 Failed Coup Discovered in Liquor Shop” (via Mainichi Japan)

The Money Arrives In The Post
Literally 

Here Comes
The Sakura

Abe Wants To Serve
 Perhaps Quitting Would Be Best

Mos Burger outranks McDonald's as Japan’s most popular fast food chain

It seems there’s a fast food chain Japan loves even more than McDonald’s. According to a recent Niconico News survey of adults, the reigning king of fast food in Japan is the country’s own native Mos Burger – although McDonald’s runs a close second.

First: Mos Burger (45.1%)

Some of those surveyed said that Mos Burger seemed to use higher quality ingredients, while others appreciated that some burgers are offered with grilled rice patties instead of buns on request. Mos Burger has exploded in popularity since its debut in 1972 and we can’t help but think national pride for the native Japanese chain may have a little to do with its strong showing in this survey.

Second: McDonald’s (37%)

McDonald’s unsurprisingly grabs the second spot, with survey respondents saying the consistent taste and low price kept them coming back. Some with larger appetites also noted that the Big Mac set and other larger meal sets were also a big draw.

Third: Freshness Burger (3.8%)

“Mosu” and “Makku” may take the lion’s share of the vote, but there was still some love for the slightly lesser-known guys. Most of those surveyed commented on the high quality of the burgers at Freshness Burger, which seems to maintain decent customer loyalty despite a piddling market share. Freshness Burger borders on “fast casual” rather than “fast food,” with burgers and fries handcrafted to order and delivered to your table. Many locations also serve beer, which doesn’t hurt.