Early November 2008, a mysterious fast-food restaurant called Quarter Pounder appeared in two specialty locations in Tokyo. Just weeks before both locations were McDonald’s restaurants however the Quarter Pounder restaurant had suddenly emerged in their place. There was much fanfare and people queued in long orderly lines as word got out that the Quarter Pounder was the thing to try.

The Quarter Pounder stores had minimalistic décor and no sign of brand or markings to indicate that these new stores were affiliated with McDonald’s. All of the old wall coverings, fixtures and furniture and had been removed and the interior had been painted black and red, giving it a cabaret club look.

It is worth noting that the Quarter Pounder has not been available in Japanese McDonald’s restaurants for almost 30 years.

Quarter Pounder storefront

A queue at the QP store

Quarter Pounder service counter

Quarter Pounder meal

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Kyūshū Jangara is a chain ramen shop that boasts five franchises within Tokyo. Specialising in Hakata ramen, which has a rich, milky pork-bone tonkotsu broth. It is fused with a Tōkyō-style soy shōyu stock to form the signature dish, a new-style hybrid, called the Kyūshū Jangara.

Kyūshū Jangara Noren

Inside the Harajuku shop