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We are Gregg and Eriko! We live in Japan. We’re here to teach you all about Japanese life and the fun stuff there is to see here.

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Introducing Mister Donut

Introducing Mister Donut

You may not be familiar with Mister Donut, but it’s actually an American chain. Founded in 1956, it had hundreds of locations throughout the US at one time before the company was eventually sold and all locations converted into Dunkin’ Donuts. However, Mister Donut is still alive and kicking overseas, and is the largest donut chain in Japan.

We braved the cold and took a trip to our local shop this past weekend. Thankfully, they provided hand sanitizer as we walked in, and everyone wore masks like good boys and girls.

Use the hand sanitizer. Spreading COVID is bad.

Use the hand sanitizer. Spreading COVID is bad.

They also had helpful images on the floor to show you where to stand for proper social distancing.

The text reads, “Don’t be a hater.”

The text reads, “Don’t be a hater.”

Having lived in Los Angeles, where there’s a donut shop every other block, you might think it can’t get much better when it comes to getting a healthy morning sugar rush. Unfortunately, America kind of gets the short end of the stick when it comes to cheap baked goods. Pretty much every country I’ve been to in Europe and Asia is filled with bakeries where you get a tray and a pair of tongs like this:

That tong, ta-tong-tong-tong

That tong, ta-tong-tong-tong

And can help yourself to a bounty of healthy treats, like so:

Don’t they look magnificent?

Don’t they look magnificent?

Many places have more than just donuts - croissants, baguettes, raisin bread, cheese loafs, cheesecake, custard, etc. - but Mister Donut employs this model to deliver high-quality donuts at low prices. We managed to procure five kinds to sample for only about eight bucks, and it was all neatly wrapped up for us in a colorful box.

What’s in the box??

What’s in the box??

And now, for the donuts. These were taste-tested using a scientific method of shoving them in our faces as fast as we could.

It says “Nom nom delicious happy calorie,” more or less

It says “Nom nom delicious happy calorie,” more or less

First up is a Cinnamon Fruit Stick. I picked this one because I had no idea how cinnamon and fruit would go together in a donut. It was a bit hard, like a breadstick, but the inside was quite soft. The sweet cinnamon on the outside worked perfectly with the bits of fruit on the inside. Each bite was a pleasant surprise, and this ended up being our favorite thing we tried.

That’s how you sell a donut.

That’s how you sell a donut.

Next up: a Fondant Chocolate Hazelnut donut from the Misdo Meets Pierre Marcolini Brussels collection. This one was way fancier than the other ones we got, and stood out for its presentation in the cute little box.

The only negative thing I can say about this one is that it’s not really a donut. It’s a chocolate candy bar with hazelnut cream, more a cookie or cake than a pastry, and it’s not really fair to compare it to your standard donut. It was rich and super-sweet, and just the right size. A full-size donut like this would be too much, but this little guy was a decadent treat. He was our second favorite.

I have a great idea for a TV episode about people who only eat the tops of muffins.

I have a great idea for a TV episode about people who only eat the tops of muffins.

Up third: the Salt Butter Muffin with “salt butter taste cream.” This one was a bit of a wild card. The outside was really crunchy, too dry and crunchy for a muffin by my estimation, though Eriko said she liked it. But the inside had this delicious cream all over it - not a full pocket of cream like in a filled cupcake, but just enough to make it really moist. Eriko put this third on her list, while I put it fourth behind our next challenger.

You know him. You love him.

You know him. You love him.

It’s the Honey Dip! Not the best glazed donut I’ve ever had, but if you’re looking for something traditional and simple, this guy will get the job done. No complaints here.

Our only major issue was with the last one:

Why yes, that IS the blood of my enemies! How did you know?

Why yes, that IS the blood of my enemies! How did you know?

Rounding out our tasting menu is the Pon de Wreath. It’s a take on Pon de Lion, or lion’s mane, except this is a Christmas version. The red stuff tastes like strawberry. Unfortunately, this one was kind of chewy rather than flaky, and didn’t exactly wow us. A bit of a disappointment.

Overall, if I had to calculate a total score, I’d say Mister Donut gets a 15/10. If you get the chance to visit while in Japan, make sure to try the donuts. They’re good.

Konbini Kinyoubi: Hard Candy from 7-11

Konbini Kinyoubi: Hard Candy from 7-11

For Sale In Japan: Interesting Shirts

For Sale In Japan: Interesting Shirts