Archive for October 2026
We’ve previously covered spring and summer seasonal exclusives. Now let’s head into the colder months of the year.
Autumn Specials - 秋季限定
Around October, sweet potatoes or satsumaimo (さつまいも) start appearing throughout Japan. It’s such a recognizable flavor of the season that convenience stores and retail chain Donki will set up stations selling yakiimo (焼き芋) or roasted sweet potatoes, and yakiimo trucks drive around certain areas offering a hot snack for people to buy. Many snacks and drinks also feature suīto poteto (スイートポテト), a paste or flavoring made from sweet potato often written in katakana to differentiate it from the actual vegetable.
Chestnuts or kuri (栗) are another popular autumn flavor that gets picked for seasonal campaigns. Chain coffee shops often put out chestnut lattes, and many bakeries and patisseries will push their chestnut-based products like mont blanc cakes and breads. It’s good to keep in mind, though, that the French word marron (マロン) is used to refer to chestnuts in the context of sweets and Western-style dishes.
As for fruits of the season, nothing says autumn like apples. While apple dishes and various apple-flavored products are widely available during the season, consider doing something different for your trip to Japan: apple picking. Aomori Prefecture up north is known to produce the majority of Japan’s apple supply, but areas like Nagano and Gunma are also popular areas for apple picking closer to Tokyo. It’s a fun way to experience other parts of the country and a chance to get the freshest produce.
As temperatures start dropping, persimmons become widely available at supermarkets throughout Japan. They’re not as widely used in other snacks as other foods on this list, but the seasonal dried persimmons known as hoshigaki (干し柿) are sought after delicacies. The artisanal process takes weeks of meticulous care so don’t be surprised by how expensive hoshigaki can be. And since it takes time, people who want to buy hoshigaki have to wait until winter.
Winter Specials - 冬季限定
Most items on this list have been fruits and vegetables, but crabs are a must when it comes to winter’s offerings. Even though crabs become available in the market as early as November and go all the way until spring, their image is highly associated with the coldest time of the year. Tons of seasonal dishes at restaurants include crabs, particularly the Japanese snow crab known as zuwaigani (ズワイガニ). Crabs are so popular in winter that it’s possible to find limited edition crab-flavored chips, instant ramen, and other products that you can bring home.
Mikan (みかん), also known as satsuma mandarin, is a type of citrus similar to oranges. They start popping up at stores in early autumn, but the sweetest mikan peak around mid-winter. In fact, mikan is so closely associated with the season that it’s often seen in various imagery during winter—particularly relating to New Year celebrations. During this time mikan gentei products range from juices to ice cream to desserts, so citrus lovers have tons of options to choose from.
During winter, we also have another popular citrus known as yuzu (柚子). Unlike other fruits we’ve mentioned here, it’s not usually eaten on its own. It’s so acidic that it’s almost too sour to snack on, but its juice and zest have a delicious citrus flavor that works well with other foods. Ponzu (ポン酢), a type Japanese sauce with a citrus-base, is often made with yuzu juice.
One unique winter tradition associated with the fruit is yuzuyu (柚子湯), or a hot bath infused with yuzu. It’s a relaxing wintertime activity where people can enjoy the heat of the water with the refreshing scent of the fruit. Izu Shaboten Zoo, located in Shizuoka, is popular for their capybara baths where visitors can watch the animals also take part in this bathing ritual during the winter.
Like summer’s kakigōri, oden (おでん) and nabe (鍋) are more seasonal dishes than flavors. Walk into a convenience store around fall and you might notice the smell before you even spot the steam rising by the counter. This is oden, a dish of various ingredients simmered in a soy-dashi broth. While some items are common across convenience stores and supermarket packs, restaurants that specialize in oden might have special menu items.
Another staple dish for the cooler months is nabe, which is more of a style of cooking than a dish with a specific recipe. Similar to hotpots from other Asian countries, whatever goes into nabe is up to personal preference—from the broth base to all the other ingredients. Some regions of Japan have specialty nabe dishes using local ingredients, so it’s a really great way to try a region’s cuisine.
Some restaurants also serve specific types of nabemono (鍋物) or nabe dishes throughout the year. Motsunabe (もつ鍋) is a type of stew made from beef or pork offal that originated in Fukuoka, though nowadays it can be found in other areas of Japan. Meanwhile chankonabe (ちゃんこ鍋) started out as a dish made for sumo wrestlers to gain weight as they trained, but now it’s served at specialty restaurants especially around Tokyo’s Ryōgoku district.
No matter what time of the year it is, there are seasonal exclusives for you to find on your trip. But if it’s a limited edition figure, don’t wait to go to Japan to pick it up. Keep an eye out for pre-orders available at TOM, especially for limited edition merch and collab goods! Stay up-to-date with those special releases via our socials.
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Written by Alon Bramble for TOM News
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A Taste of the Seasons (Part Two)
Ryokuoushoku Shakai is a popular Japanese band known for their energetic sound and vocals, and they've been steadily gaining traction within the anime community. Their music has been featured as the opening and ending music for The Apothecary Diaries, Delicious in Dungeon, My Hero Academia, and other anime.
We had the opportunity to interview them about their career, dive into their latest album "atamago", and ask them about the process of having their songs featured in anime.
Introduction & Career
Tokyo Otaku Mode: For our readers and viewers who might be discovering you for the first time, could you please introduce yourselves and describe the unique musical style and energy of Ryokuoushoku Shakai?
Ryokuoushoku Shakai: Nice to meet you. We have been making music for about 15 years, ever since we were high school classmates and childhood friends. The way we create songs has evolved over the years, and now all four members are involved in songwriting. We believe that the colorful and diverse range of songs that can only come from all of us contributing, together with Nagaya’s distinctive vocals, are at the very heart of what makes us Ryokuoushoku Shakai.
TOM: Your music has been featured in several highly popular Japanese anime and dramas. How does it feel to see your songs become such an integral part of these beloved stories and reach such a massive global audience?
RS: Having our music reach people through different avenues means that we can connect with audiences we may not have been able to reach otherwise. For example, anime allows us to connect with anime fans and fans of the original works, and now it is also becoming an opportunity for people overseas to discover our music. As a band, we feel very grateful for these valuable opportunities.
TOM: We'd love to know more about the creative process behind these tie-up tracks. Are you typically approached to write a brand-new original song tailored to the story, or do producers choose from songs you’ve already written? Do you usually get to know about the specific scenes where your music will be used beforehand?
RS: We have experienced both, but I think we more often write songs specifically for the project. When we do, we read the original work or script beforehand and look for things that resonate with us. At the same time, we make sure to create the song in a way allowing us to express it as a Ryokuoushoku Shakai song.
TOM: Speaking of anime tie-ups, you recently provided music for the anime movie Paris ni saku étoile. What was your experience like working on this specific film, and how did the story influence the music you created for it?
RS: This was our first time creating a theme song for an anime movie, so we were very happy about that. At the director’s request, we took the historical and social context of Paris at the time into consideration when creating the song, including things like our choice of instruments. This was a very fresh experience for us as a band and gave us the opportunity to create something we had never made before, so we were very grateful for it!
About the New Album "atamago"
TOM: Congratulations on the release of your new album, Atamago! Could you tell us about the overarching theme of this record and the main inspirations that fueled your songwriting this time around?
RS: In terms of a specific theme, there isn't really one, as the word “Atamago” itself represents the songs of Ryokuoushoku Shakai. However, once we came up with the title “Atamago,” we gained a sense of reassurance that no matter what kind of new song we created, it would fit within the world of “Atamago.” This gave us more freedom in our songwriting and allowed us to take a fresh look at what we want to do and what we love doing right now. That became the foundation of this album.
TOM: The title of the album is Atamago (あたまご), and there is also a track titled “utamago” (うたまご). What is the meaning behind these words? Is it a play on words combining concepts like head (atama), song (uta), and egg (tamago)?
RS: Yes! From the very beginning, we wanted the title to be four hiragana characters because of the familiarity and catchiness of the word. The word “tamago,” meaning “egg,” came from the feeling that we cherish our songs as if they were our own children. Since these “eggs” are born from our “atama,” or heads, we came up with “Atamago.” “Utamago” was another candidate we had considered when deciding on the album title, and it was the one that came just after “Atamago.”
TOM: With so many diverse tracks on the album, does each member have a personal favorite or a song that was particularly challenging to record? Which track from Atamago would you recommend to someone listening to your band for the very first time?
RS: “Utamago!” We created this song with the idea of making a “school anthem” for Ryokuoushoku Shakai. The lyrics include memories from our school days, and all four of us sing on the track. We feel that it is a form of expression that we could create precisely because it is an album.
TOM: You have a massive Arena Tour coming up right after the release of Atamago. When you were writing and recording these new songs, were you already imagining how they would sound live in front of thousands of fans? Which new track are you most excited to perform on stage?
RS: We were very excited to perform all of the new songs. By performing them live, the way we express ourselves and the way the songs reach the audience can change, so we were looking forward to seeing how people would respond to them.
International Fans & Conclusion
TOM: Thanks to streaming platforms and your anime tie-ups, your international fanbase is growing rapidly. Have you noticed this increase in overseas listeners, and do you have any goals or dreams to perform outside of Japan soon?
RS: We often feel it through the comments we receive on social media. We’ll come and perform overseas again!
TOM: Finally, could you leave a special message for all your international fans who are listening to your music and cheering you on from around the world?
RS: Thank you for always listening to our music and your support means so much to us! We hope to perform in your city someday. Love you guys!
- from Ryokuoushoku Shakai
This is an original interview by Julie B.
Photos by 西槇太一
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