Do you know what わさび (wasabi) is?
Wasabi is a spicy condiment made from a root. It is most commonly eaten with sushi…but, it is eaten with other foods as well–including avacado, noodles, and mayonnaise.
There are also “wasabi snacks”—potato chips and nuts—in Japan.
I like spicy food. So, I eat wasabi on many different things.
Do you like wasabi?
Well, now McDonalds in Japan is offering a new item…
the 「チキンタツタわさびタルタル」 (which is basically “Fried Chicken with Wasabi Tartar-sauce“) sandwich.
About two years ago, McDonalds Japan offered, for a limited-time, four original burgers that were collectively known as “Big America“.
Individually they were the “Texas Burger“, “New York Burger“, “California Burger” and the “Hawaiian Burger“.
Click here to read the post that I wrote about them.
Then, about one year ago, “Big America” returned to Japan with four new original burgers. These four were called “Big America 2” as a group.
They consisted of the “Texas 2 Burger“, “Idaho Burger“, “Miami Burger” and the “Manhattan Burger“.
The “Texas 2 Burger” and “Miami Burger” were, by far, the best of the eight “Big America” burgers, in my opinion.
Click here to read the post that I wrote about “Big America 2”.
And now McDonalds Japan is offering, for a limited time, the third set of “Big America” burgers.
The first one being offered is the “Grand Canyon Burger“. It’s available now at only two McDonalds locations in Tokyo…but it will available all over Japan from 2011 December 26 until 2012 January 4th.
Then, they’ll be selling the “Las Vegas Burger” starting in late January (2012).
Then, in mid-February (2012), the “Broadway Burger” will be on the menu.
And finally, starting in early March (2012), the “Beverly Hills Burger” will be available.
Some other limited-time menu items coming to McDonalds in Japan include:
 "Blueberry Cream-cheese Pie" (starting 2012 Jan 4) |
 "Creamy Ranch" McNugget sauce (starting 2012 Jan 4) |
 "Maple Custard Pie" (starting early Feb 2012) |
 "Spicy Buffalo (Wing)" Chicken McNugget sauce (starting early Feb 2012) |
 "American-Cherry" Milkshake (starting early March 2012) |
 "Sweet and Sour" Chicken McNugget sauce (starting early 2012) |
What unique menu items does McDonalds offer in your area?
McDonalds opened their first shop in Japan in 1971…forty years ago.
Japan was one of the earliest overseas (ie: outside the U.S.) markets that McDonalds opened in.
To celebrate McDonalds 40周年 (40th anniversary) in Japan, they will be offering a few different special campaigns at different times.
The first campaign is a free hamburger.
From 5:00 PM Saturday, 2011 September 24th – Sunday, September 25th, if you order any Value Meal set at a McDonalds in Japan, you will receive a free hamburger with your order.
They haven’t announced yet what the following campaigns will be.
Last Friday, McDonald’s in Japan began a campaign for the hot weather of summer.
From now until Thursday, 2011 August 18, all 炭酸ドリンク (carbonated soft drinks) will only cost ¥100 (about US$1.24) for any size (small, medium or large).
So, if you’re in Japan and you like Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero, Canada Dry, Fanta Grape Soda, or 「Qoo すっきり白ブドウ｣ (“Qoo White Grape Soda” with 20% juice) you can buy any of them at McDonalds for “one coin”.
Personally, I like the ¥120 (about US$1.49) free refill hot coffee at McDonald’s Japan. Actually though, I get the coffee even cheaper! I often pick up some McDonald’s discount coffee tickets for only ¥50 at one of the many “discount ticket shops” in Japan.
The four special burgers for the Big America 2 campaign at McDonalds in Japan have all had their turn on the menu.
And now McDonalds Japan is bringing back the “Miami Burger” and the “Idaho Burger“.
Back on the menu for one week only...2011 March 25th - 31st.
I think the two best burgers of the “Big America 2” campaign were the “Texas2 Burger” and the “Miami Burger“…but, unfortunately for me, McDonalds isn’t bringing back the “Miami Burger” and the “Idaho Burger” to their stores across the whole country.
The “Idaho Burger” will be in their stores in 東日本 (east Japan), except for the 東北地方 (“Tohoku Region”) which is the area that was hit by the recent disaster, and the “Miami Burger” will be in McDonalds in 西日本 (western Japan).
Tokyo, which is where I live, is in eastern Japan…so the “Idaho Burger” is available here until 31 March. I prefer the “Miami Burger” though.
I won’t be buying an “Idaho Burger“, but I do plan to try the other new burger that is currently on the menu at McDonalds Japan…the 「チリチキン」 (“Chili Chicken”) sandwich.
The "Chili Chicken" sandwich is available at McDonalds all over Japan.
I love chili and I love chicken…so I think I’ll like this sandwich!
McDonalds opened their first restaurant in Japan in 1971. So this year (2011) is their 40周年 (40th anniversary) in Japan. (That means I came to Japan before McDonalds 20周年 (20th anniversary) here! Hard to believe.)
The sign says "Makudonarudo (McDonalds) Hamburger"
For their 40th anniversary, McDonalds Japan is currently offering the “Big America 2” burgers that I mentioned in an earlier post.
They’re currently offering the third one (out of four)…the “Miami Burger“.
The “Miami Burger” looks good. I’ll probably try it.
The “Texas 2 Burger” and the “Idaho Burger” have already been on the menu…the “Texas 2” was quite good. I didn’t try the “Idaho Burger” though.
In addition to the “Big America 2” campaign, McDonalds Japan is also offering Chicken McNuggets for only ¥100 (about US$1.20) this week for their 40th anniversary.
And if you use your cell-phone to access the McDonalds Japan cell-phone coupons page (only in Japanese), you can get both Chicken McNuggets and a medium-size drink (I prefer hot coffee…which has free refills, by the way) for only ¥200 (about US$2.40).
Next week, instead of McNuggets, the “Filet-o-fish” will be discounted to ¥100.
The breakfast menu is also having specials for McDonalds anniversary.
From now until the end of March, a different breakfast sandwich and drink set will only cost ¥200 for two-weeks each.
Currently, the “Salad Marinade Muffin” and drink is only ¥200. Then the “McHotdog“, “Egg McMuffin” and “Filet-o-fish” will be discounted one-at-a-time for two weeks each.
If I eat fast-food, I usually choose McDonalds because of their ¥100 – ¥200 menu items, cell-phone coupons, and “bottomless” coffee.
If I want to spend more than a few hundred yen on lunch, I’ll go get “real” food.
Last January, McDonalds in Japan began offering, for a limited time, four new burgers at different times that were collectively known as the “Big America” burgers.
First they offered the Texas Burger, then the New York Burger, followed by the California Burger and finally they offered the Hawaiian Burger.
Click here to read my post about the McDonalds Japan “Big America” burgers campaign.
Of those four I thought that the “New York Burger” and the “California Burger” were the best and the “Texas Burger” was the worst!
I guess most people felt differently though because it seems that the “Texas Burger” was the most popular of the four. I don’t understand why…I thought it wasn’t good at all.
Anyways, now a year after the original “Big America” campaign, McDonalds Japan will begin the “Big America 2” burgers campaign next week.
The first burger will be the “Texas 2 Burger” because of the popularity of the original Texas Burger.
The “Texas 2 Burger” will become available on 2011 January 7th until late-January. And it says that the recipe has been changed a bit…hence the name “Texas 2“.
After that, from late-January until mid-February, the new “Idaho Burger” will go on sale. As the U.S. state of Idaho is mostly famous for it’s potatoes, this burger will have a potato hash-brown on it!
From mid-February until mid-March, the “Miami Burger” will be available and it will have nacho chips on it!
Then, beginning in mid-March the “Manhattan Burger” will be on the menu. It will be designed to be like a NY deli sandwich with pastrami beef and mozzarella cheese.
I still think that the Texas Burger doesn’t look good…even if they “updated the taste”. The Miami Burger (even though I think nachos on a burger is a strange idea) and the Manhattan Burger look the best to me.
Which do you think looks good? Will you be trying any of these?
From yesterday (2010 October 15) until next Thursday (2010 October 21), McDonalds in Japan are giving away free cups of coffee for one hour each day this week from 6:00PM – 7:00PM.
McDonalds Japan also has a number of “¥100 Menu” and “¥120 Menu” items that include such deals as a hamburger, small coffee and ice cream for ¥100 each and things like a cheeseburger for ¥120.
Well, starting last month, a new item has been added to the ¥100 Menu…a small size 「マックシェイク・バナナ」 (“Banana Milkshake”).
I remember the Banana Milkshake was on the menu at McDonalds Japan about six years ago…and now, starting last month, it’s back on the menu.
Does McDolads in your country offer Banana Milkshakes? Have you tried one? What did you think of it?
Also, McDonalds Japan is currently offering four new chicken sandwiches…one at a time.
These sandwiches are collectively called “iCon’ Chicken”.
The current one is 「チーズフォンデュ」 (“Cheese Fondue”).
In late October, the “iCon’ Chicken” will be changed to “German Sausage”, then in early November it’ll be “Diavolo”, then in late October they’ll sell the “Carbonara”.
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edit: Please click here to read a comment I added to this post about McDonalds coupons.
In America, key chains are popular (at least they were when I lived there. Are they still popular there?).
Key chains aren’t popular at all in Japan. Here, 携帯電話ストラプ (cell-phone straps) are very popular.
I wrote a post about “Samurai cell-phone straps” and another post about “Snoopy cell-phone straps”.
I had meant to write about the cell-phone straps that McDonalds in Japan began offering last July but I didn’t get around to it until now.
Unfortunately, if you want one of these straps it’s too late now. The campaign has recently ended.
I thought the straps were a good idea and they were fairly popular. They looked just like McDonalds burgers, fries, coffee and apple pie…but they’re too big, in my opinion.
I wouldn’t put one on my phone. I have a strap on my phone but it’s nothing like these.
To get one of these “McDonalds Food Straps“, you had to order a large size value meal set and a strap would be included with the set…during the campaign period.
Would you put one of these on your cell-phone? Do you already have one? Which one do you like best? Does McDonalds offer things like this in your country?
A regular menu item at McDonalds in Japan is the 「てりやきマックバーガー」 (“Teriyaki McBurger“).
「てりやきマックバーガー」 ("Teriyaki McBurger")
(Click here to see my post about other unique items on the menu only at McDonalds in Japan.)
But from April 5th, マクドナルド (McDonalds Japan) has a new teriyaki burger for a limited time…the 「てりたま」 (“Teritama“).
It’s got it’s name because “Teri” is short for “Teriyaki“…and “Tama” is short for “Tamago” (Japanese for “egg”).
It’s a teriyaki burger with egg.
The ad says that it has 「モチモチバンズ」 (“Chewy bun“), which is a texture of food that Japanese like.
It also says that it’s 「マクドナルドの日本の味」 (“McDonald’s Japanese taste“).
Also, according to the ad, at the end of this month the special burger will change to 「ゴマえびフィレオ」 (“Sesame Shrimp Filet“)…
and then in mid-May, they’ll offer the 「チキンタツタ」 (“Ginger-Grilled Chicken“).
Have you ever tried one of the unique menu items at McDonalds in Japan?
What special items do they offer where you live?
Tokyo Five 
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