In light of Japan’s annual autumn moon festival in September and October, McDonald’s has released the Tsukimi menu with lots of unique feeds!
Autumn in Japan is more than just seasonal sweet potato and chestnut goods, it’s also the season of the annual moon viewing festival known as Tsukimi (月見).
In celebration of this festival, Japanese cuisine often incorporates spherical-shaped foods such as egg yolk and mochi to honor the full moon’s beauty.
The Tsukimi Burger
McDonald’s has released the “Tsukimi Burger” in honor of the moon viewing festival.
Featuring a rather soft texture compared to other burgers, it is made with a soft-boiled poached egg, a soft brioche bun, creamy cheddar cheese, a beef patty, and minced saucy beef.
All-in-all, the Tsukimi Burger is unlike any other McDonald’s burger, for better or for worse, really depends on your preference.
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of a burger being this soft all around, but I do think the minced beef and soft-boiled eff were made to perfection!
Red Bean & Mochi Pie
The red bean and mochi pie has the outer appearance of a regular McDonald’s apple pie but with a completely different filling.
If you’re a fan of Japanese desserts, you’ll absolutely love this combination of red bean and melted mochi encompassed by a crispy piping hot pastry!
It certainly isn’t as sweet as the iconic apple pie (which I’m sure some may prefer), but it does offer authentic Japanese flavor combinations that you won’t get at any other McDonald’s!
The Tsukimi Shake
The best thing about the Tsukimi menu at McDonald’s is the beautiful packaging which I personally find quite enchanting.
A full moon on a starry twilight sky combined with a pair of rabbits representing 2023, otherwise known as the year of the rabbit.
Beautiful outside and in, the Tsukimi Shake is made with wasanbon (refined Japanese sugar) combined with kinako (roasted soybean flour).
The taste is absolutely amazing! To me, it resembles something like a sweet melon flavor (not sure how that transpired), but certainly has that roasty kinako aftertaste which I really adore!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!