McDonald’s Japan is releasing four matcha drinks at McCafé by Barista cafes in Japan from April 8: the “Strawberry Rice Flour Dumpling Matcha Frappe,” “Matcha Latte Frappe,” “Iced Matcha Latte,” and “Matcha Latte.”

The Strawberry Rice Flour Dumpling Matcha Frappe is a new drink by McDonald’s which combines the bitter flavour of matcha powder with sweet-tasting strawberries. It’s topped with a creamy strawberry whipped cream and mixed with tasty milk to create a matcha frappe. It’s also topped with almonds, sliced strawberries, and shiratama, which are Japanese rice flour dumplings. It’s an explosion of flavours that bring together the refreshing taste of the strawberries with the full bodied flavour of the matcha.

The base of the cool Matcha Latte Frappe beverage is matcha powder made using famous Uji matcha from Kyoto and milk which brings sweetness and richness to the drink. It’s finished with whipped cream and a generous sprinkling of matcha powder. The contrast between the white whipped cream and deep green matcha powder makes for a delicious frappe with a Japanese taste.

The Iced Matcha Latte and Matcha Latte too are made with Uji matcha powder and are made with cold milk and hot foamed milk respectively. The milk brings out the richness of the drinks, while the whipped cream with the iced beverage makes for a perfect match with the matcha.

McDonald’s Japan is set to release two hearty new thick-cut beef burgers under the name “Samurai Mac” at all branches in Japan on April 8, 2020.

The two new Samurai Mac burgers are crafted so the bellies of both kids and adults alike will be satisfied after they chow it down. The burgers mix together Japanese flavours, like charred soy sauce, which is lathered over thick-cut beef burgers.

The “Charred Soy Sauce Thick-Cut Double Beef Burger” is piled with two fat juicy patties made from 100% beef, the taste of which is elevated by the addictive charred soy sauce.

The “Charred Soy Sauce Bacon & Tomato Thick-Cut Beef Burger” is made with a single 100% beef burger and a generous and balanced serving of veggies. The soy sauce once again brings all the flavours together.

McDonald’s Japan has appointed award-winning Japanese actor Masato Sakai as the campaign ambassador to promote the Samurai Macs on social media and the McDonald’s website to help cheer on those working hard every day.

Doremo LeTAO has released a new pancake flavour called “Very Berry” for the spring season which tops the cafe’s popular pancakes with strawberries and raspberries.

What is Doremo LeTAO?

Doremo LeTAO is about 7-minutes by car from New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. This desserts cafe makes use of its almost 5,300m² space to pack in all the charm of the brand. Its concept is “Sweets Resort” with which it whips up everything from authentic homemade pastries made using Japanese white birch yeast, cakes and cheesecakes to eat in or take away, soft-serve ice cream which is served all year round and is made with milk from Jersey cattle and cheese, and more.

It also serves melt-in-the-mouth pancakes and seasonal parfaits, as well as meals too like their original Beef Stroganoff which is made with beef fillet and local Hokkaido ingredients. They even serve pasta which is made from 100% “yumechikara” Hokkaido wheat.

Very Berry Pancakes – ¥1,600 (Before Tax) / With Drink – ¥1,930 (Before Tax)

Doremo LeTAO’s pancakes have been a hit with customers ever since they entered the menu line-up and never fail to boast the true cookery craftsmanship of their chefs. Each pancake takes about 20 minutes to make, and flavours range from classics to exclusive ones each month. At Doremo LeTAO, it feels like they drop a tasty new strawberry pancake on us every year, and this year it’s the rich berry-topped “Very Berry” which combines strawberries with raspberries, and it’s thanks to the cheese flavour in their pancakes that it all comes together so well.

Topped with sliced strawberries, sorbet, and a drizzle of sauce, these really are the pancakes of the gods, and they’re available this spring only.

McCafé by Barista branches of McDonald’s in Japan released two new flavours in their macaron series on Wednesdayーpistachio and citronーwhich will be served for a limited time until the end of August this year.

 
The pistachio and citron flavours join McCafé by Barista’s colourful macaron series alongside vanilla, raspberry, and chocolate, which cost just ¥150 each.

The pistachio flavour is filled with a pistachio powder-dusted pistachio cream, giving the crunchy macaron a deliciously nutty flavour and fragrance.

The citron macaron is filled with a refreshing and sour lemon cream. Both of the new flavours are the perfect treat for the start of spring and going into the summer season. They’re even better with one of McCafé by Barista’s high quality coffees.

McCafé by Barista is also serving the “Special Macaron Set” for ¥500 which comes with any two macarons of your choice and a medium hot or iced latte.

GELATO PIQUE CAFE branches in Japan began their “Strawberry Fair” on Wednesday serving up drinks and desserts made using seasonal strawberries.

What is GELATO PIQUE CAFE all about?
“Desserts for adults” is the concept at GELATO PIQUE CAFE, a cafe brand developed by GELATO PIQUE which specialises is comfy loungewear. The cafe, which has branches in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and elsewhere in Japan, serves comfort food and is interested in the health and happiness of its guests. Their menu is overflowing with ideas, with all options made using only the best selected ingredients.

The enticing line-up is nothing short of kawaii, and screams springtimeーfitting for the season as Japan celebrated Vernal Equinox Day yesterday, the first day of springーwith sweet and sour strawberries adorning their crepes, smoothies, gelatos, soft serve ice creams, and more.

Strawberry Mille Feuille Crepe – ¥830 (Before Tax)

Topped with a whole strawberry, this mille feuille-inspired seasonal crepe is made with an in-house crafted strawberry cream, mille feuille puff pastry, and vanilla gelato. The strawberries used are a mix, all grown in Kumamoto Prefecture, including yuubeni, koinozomi, koiminori, and others. Much love and care is put into growing strawberries in Kumamoto, making them sweet and delicious.

White Strawberry & Red Strawberry Gelato – ¥460 (Before Tax)

This two-coloured serving of gelato ice cream is made with sweet-smelling white strawberries and a brand of red strawberry from Fukuoka called amaou. No strawberry lover will be able to resist this pick.

Strawberry Smoothie – ¥590 (Before Tax)

Enjoy a cold strawberry smoothie made from seasonal strawbs, milk, and honey. Indulge in the refreshing sweetness of the strawberries, and enjoy the cute pink flavour of the beverage.

Strawberry Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream – ¥450 (Before Tax)

Or grab yourself a cone of soft serve ice cream to enjoy the combination of flavours: sweet and sour strawbs and sweet, creamy milk.You can also get a mix together with the light blue vanilla flavour.

Chiba Prefecture is one of the leading places in Japan for growing strawberries. Thanks to its warm climate, the prefecture enjoys hearty a strawberry harvest, which it celebrates with strawberry-picking events and markets across the prefecture. The true fun in strawberry picking in Chiba is that you get to taste a variety of different types, all ripe, there and then, so you can compare flavours.

To further promote the wonderful world of its succulent strawberries, Chiba Prefecture has set up a special website, and is also hosting a photo campaign entitled “Chiba Strawberry Fair 2020.” This is also the season to try an original type of strawberry grown in Chiba Prefecture called the “Chi-Ba Berry.”

Check out Strawberry Fields Chiba’s special website

The Strawberry Fields Chiba website has a wealth of information on strawberry varietiesーincluding the “Chi-Ba Berry”ーas well as places to pick strawberries in the prefecture, places selling strawberries, and more. If you’re interested in finding out more about strawberries in Chiba, then check out their website below.

Strawberry Fields Chiba Official Website: https://chiba-ichigo.jp

Chiba Strawberry Fair 2020

People who post a photo on Instagram of their time in Chiba enjoying the strawberries with the hashtag #ちばいちごフェア2020 (“Chiba Strawberry Fair 2020”) have the chance to win the above-pictured Chi-Ba Berry-kun plush toy. The campaign is running until February 29, 2020.

Strawberry picking season in Chiba runs until May, so if you’re planning a trip there this year, make sure you don’t leave without trying the prefecture’s famous strawberries.

American gourmet popcorn brand Garrett Popcorn Shops® has revealed its new cherry blossom pink coloured, strawberry and white chocolate flavoured popcorn “Very Berry White Chocolate,” along with the new “Garrett Sakura Tin”ーboth of which will be released tomorrow on February 15 in limited quantities.

Very Berry White Chocolate: Small ¥580/Medium ¥1,030/Large ¥1,670/Jumbo ¥3,300/Quarter Tin ¥1,700/1 Gallon Tin ¥4,300/2 Gallon Tin ¥8,250

Also released for spring last year to overwhelming popularity, the “Very Berry White Chocolate” popcorn takes Garrett Popcorn’s fruity, sweet and sour “Strawberry Caramel Crisp™” flavour, coats it in sweet white chocolate, and sprinkles it with strawberry flakes to create a truly succulent strawberry treat, which is made even more delicious with the milk white chocolate. Its pink colour also brings to mind images of Japan’s cherry blossoms.

Garrett Sakura Tin/Quarter Tin: From ¥1,130

The Garrett Sakura Tin has been sold every spring since 2014, and makes a return once again for 2020, covered in beautiful cherry blossoms in full bloom.

The pink-on-pink combination is a great Valentine’s Day present, for a springtime movie nightーwhatever takes your fancy!

McDonald’s Japan has teamed up with Nestlé Japan to release a KitKat® McFlurry®. It was released on Wednesday at all McDonald’s branches in Japan.

It has been seven years since McFlurry® and KitKat® came together in their delicious chocolatey ice cream combination. It was such a hit back in 2007 that it has finally made its fabled return to the delight of sweet-tooth McDonald’s customers.

The KitKat® McFlurry® is a simple combination of smooth soft serve ice cream and crushed KitKat®. It’s also drizzled in a special sauce made from rich couverture chocolate.

The mix of the wafer-like chocolate KitKat® with the soft serve ice cream is a combination to die for, and the sauce only adds to the mouth-watering flavour.

The dessert will be served in limited-edition cups as pictured above. These cups are limited in stock and will discontinue once all are sold.

If you thought we hadn’t covered enough desserts and food from Fukuoka already here on MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON, never fearーwe’ve got you covered with another tasty line-up for you. This time we’re looking at a list of 5 must-try strawberry desserts from Kyushu’s northern island, and we’re joined by Instagrammer moe who has provided us with some mouth-watering photos of each pick.

COFFEE COUNTY | Kurume

Kurasukoto | Hirao

DAIMYO SOFT CREAM | Hakata

Pinsirio | Kuromon

yorimichi | Kasuya

Hattendo is released a new flavour in its popular “Cream Bread” series last week that is served with Japanese Amaou strawberries. You’ll find them at the following Hattendo branches: ekimo Umeda, ekimo Tennoji, JR Sannomiya Station, Aeon Mall Okayama, and Sun Station Okayama.

The breads are made from a combination of custard cream which is cooked up everyday in-store, and a simple fresh cream, creating a smooth texture that just melts in your mouth. They come in five flavours: Custard, Fresh Cream & Custard, Chocolate, Matcha, and Adzuki.

Unlike regular Japanese cream bread, where the bread is baked after inserting the cream, the cream of this cream bread is injected inside after the bread is cooked like a cream puff dessert. It’s also left to set in the refrigerator to make the cream even more melt-in-the-mouth and to firm up the bread. The best way to describe it is to say that it’s like you’re eating cream, rather than eating bread. From the first bite, the cream fills your mouth with its refreshing taste and velvety texture.

The bread is also filled with sweet and sour a jam made from sweet Amaou strawberries, a brand from Fukuoka Prefecture, which mixes deliciously with the soft cream. The jam is made by Hattendo and has a very juicy and refreshing strawberry flavour.

In Japan, McDonald’s McCafé by Barista will soon be releasing a new drink series that you won’t be able to resist. The new series includes the Oreo®︎ Choco Frappé, Oreo®︎ Hot Café Mocha and Oreo®︎ Ice Café Mocha and it will be released on January 15 for a limited time only.

Mc Café by Barista has developed three new drinks based on their popular Choco Frappé and Café Mocha, to which they have added crunchy Oreo®︎ cookies. The series includes both hot and cold drinks, catering for a range of moods.

Oreo®︎ Choco Frappé

The Oreo®︎ Choco Frappé is back with a rich chocolatey flavour and mellow aroma. This high-quality sweet drink is accented by crunchy Oreo®︎ cookies. With your first sip, the bitter Oreo®︎ flavour will spread through your mouth.

Oreo®︎ Hot Café Mocha

Oreo®︎ Ice Café Mocha

The Oreo®︎ Hot and Ice Café Mochas are brand new drinks. Using their Café Mocha as a base, the drinks are topped with whipped cream, drizzled with a sauce made from high-quality Belgium couverture chocolate, and sprinkled with chocolatey Oreo®︎ cookie pieces. This enhanced Café Mocha is sweet and enjoys the crunchy and bitter goodness of Oreo®︎ cookies.

 If you’re in Japan, pop into your nearest McDonald’s and try one for yourself!