Poached Egg was held again this month! It was packed with topics ranging from the latest subscription services to the next big takeout trend following tapioca.
Hello! I am Hirahara, the Smile Keeper.
“Poached Egg” is our monthly meeting where we share noteworthy news and the latest trends. Many members joined us again this month, drawn by the promise that participating makes you an “instant expert” on what’s trending! Here are some highlights.
Is the next takeout specialty after tapioca side dishes? Fried chicken shops are rapidly increasing!
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/90ddeda2c6b16e044e4ba73d8a7293c4205f0941?page=1
Image source: Yahoo! JAPAN News
In the former locations of once-booming tapioca shops, a new genre of product is seeing a surge in openings! While one might expect a new dessert-like sweet, the answer is actually “karaage” (Japanese fried chicken).
Due to requests for shortened business hours as part of COVID-19 countermeasures, demand for takeout has increased, and karaage—which easily serves as a main dish for dinner—is exploding in popularity. Furthermore, because it can be prepared in small spaces, many shops are opening in the former sites of tapioca stores.
Since karaage also pairs well with alcohol, it makes a great companion for remote drinking parties!
The true identity of the Instagram beauty is actually a middle-aged man: The reality of #Kakojo revealed!
https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/20018230/
Image source: livedoor NEWS
Searching for #Kakojo on Instagram reveals many posts of beautiful women. However, looking closely at a selfie taken inside an elevator… the reflection in the mirror behind her is actually the back of a middle-aged man!
In reality, these beauties are processed images created by middle-aged men using an app. “FaceApp,” an application that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) to process photos on a smartphone to change gender, age, or rejuvenate, is currently trending on social media. These images reportedly receive comments such as “How does this work?” and “So cute! Let’s date!”
App evolution has finally come this far! Since it eliminates the need for makeup, it might even become an ally for low-maintenance women.
Demand is soaring during time spent at home! A cooking-enthusiast member recommends the YouTube cooking video series “Michelin Chef Shusaku Toba’s [Specific] Dishes.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7CAq7FszFI
Image source: kurashiru Official YouTube Channel
A member who introduced a cooking YouTuber about a year ago is back with a new recommendation! This time, they shared a video where Michelin-starred chef Shusaku Toba teaches simple recipes. He is a highly popular chef who also appears on television, and he is so well-regarded that people say, “There is no way anything this man makes isn’t delicious!”
Surprisingly, this topic was introduced by a male member living alone. He recommended it, saying, “You can easily make delicious food in a short amount of time!”
Hair salon “subscriptions” emerged during the pandemic!
https://www.tbsradio.jp/574342
Image source: DIAMOND online
While “flat-rate (subscription) services” are increasingly being adopted across various industries, some hair salons are also implementing them. One subscription service at the Harajuku salon “loki” offers unlimited visits for two months for bangs trimming and damage-repair treatments (including shampoo and blow-dry), starting from 15,400 yen (including tax). Other options reportedly include head spa plans, retouch color plans, and even plans for hair straightening, which is usually quite expensive and hard to afford regularly.
Even beauty routines that were put on the back burner during the pandemic can be enjoyed again through these services.
Instagrammable vibrant blue foods: High expectations for butterfly pea!
https://www.qab.co.jp/news/20210303134580.html
Image source: macaroni
While blue has generally been said to suppress appetite, vibrant blue is recently being used in drinks and sweets to make them “Instagrammable.” The plant that makes this color possible is called “butterfly pea”! It is named for its petals’ resemblance to butterflies and is said to be rich in the antioxidant polyphenol. An industry promotion organization has been established to create jobs through the production, processing, and sale of butterfly pea, as well as to link it to inbound tourism as a resource. They aim to expand the market to 20 billion yen by 2025 through further product development.
It is now possible to create products inspired by the refreshing sea and sky, and we are very excited to see what kind of items will be released for the summer!
What did you think? There was plenty of information to help enjoy the extended time spent at home.
A wide variety of other topics were discussed, including a member who opened up about having AGA (Androgenetic Alopecia) to encourage others who might be quietly suffering from the same condition! (laughs)
In addition to the monthly Poached Egg blog, we will continue to regularly introduce topics that catch our members’ attention through the “Fun News from Around the World” section of our blog and our official Twitter. Stay tuned!
Author of this article
SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP Smile Keeper
Ayumi Hirahara
Smile Keeper at SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP. She is stationed daily at the central kitchen in the office to bring smiles to the members. Her hobbies include cooking, gaming, music, and flowers; she is an indoor person who dearly loves spending time at home.
