Vietnamese instant noodles winning Japanese hearts

Japanese researchers are developing a new generation of nursing care meals using 3D printing and other advanced food technologies, creating realistic-looking sushi, vegetables and other dishes that can be safely enjoyed by elderly patients and people who have difficulty chewing or swallowing.

Kyoto's Shin-Kyogoku Shopping Street, a bustling 500-meter arcade with more than 150 years of history, is home to some of the city's oldest restaurants, seven Buddhist temples and a Shinto shrine, while a recently rediscovered 90-year-old restaurant manual has revealed unusual dishes and the philosophy of a pioneering Western-style restaurant.

Osaka's iconic Midosuji boulevard hosted its first-ever bread-eating race on November 6 as part of a three-day event exploring new ways to use public space, with 1,200 servings of sweet bean buns and dorayaki pancakes prepared for participants over two days as the city moves ahead with plans to transform the major thoroughfare into a more pedestrian-friendly destination by 2037.

Bears preparing for winter hibernation may be able to determine when astringent persimmons have lost their bitterness and become suitable to eat, according to research by the University of Hyogo, which suggests that prioritizing the removal of sweet persimmon trees could help prevent bears from entering residential areas.

FamilyMart will introduce its first do-it-yourself Christmas cake for the 2026 holiday season, allowing customers to decorate their own cakes as the convenience store chain seeks to attract demand for affordable, at-home celebrations.

Japan by Food and Shizuka head into the mountains of Nagano to explore Karuizawa, a historic highland resort just over an hour northwest of Tokyo, to see if it’s truly Worth The Trip. Join Shizuka as she strolls the iconic street food and rolls up her sleeves to make Nagano soba from scratch! (Japan by Food)

Bean sprouts, long regarded as one of Japan's most affordable and dependable vegetables, are becoming increasingly expensive as rising raw material costs and soaring energy bills push up production expenses, putting pressure on ramen shops and hot pot restaurants that rely heavily on the ingredient.

Hokuyo Bank has launched an agricultural initiative in Hokkaido aimed at addressing a growing shortage of farmers and agricultural workers, with bank employees taking to the fields themselves to gain practical experience and help aspiring farmers and businesses enter the industry through financial assistance, technical training, and hands-on guidance.