Brian Nagele
Japan is an ideal place to visit for countless reasons. From the heights of Mount Fuji to the coasts of Okinawa, there’s always something incredible to witness there. On a smaller scale, another solid reason to visit Japan is their unique McDonald’s Japan menu items.
In the list below, I’ll be going through 14 unique items you can only find at McDonald’s locations in Japan. Yes, that means the only way we can get our hands on these items is to visit Japan.
But, you can still indulge your curiosity and check out items ranging from the meaty McPork sandwich to the delicious Pineapple Pie. So, let’s jump in and take a look at 14 McDonald’s Japan menu items you can only find in Japan!
German Sausage Chicken
The German Sausage Chicken sandwich is a chicken sandwich with a few additions that make it extremely unique. The chicken has a slight lemon flavor.
It’s breaded, fried, and topped with a slice of mozzarella cheese. The real unique part starts with the sausage, though.
Beneath the chicken, the sandwich has a slice of bologna sausage that they quickly fry, much like the ham in an Egg McMuffin. As for veggies, the German Chicken Sausage sandwich only has steamed cabbage.
The ingredients all fit on top of a steamed rye bun that’s slathered in a substantial amount of their specialty mustard dill sauce.
McPork
The McPork is a MacDonald’s Japan menu item that would sell well in the United States. It consists of a normal McDonald’s bun topped with teriyaki sauce and hand-leaf lettuce.
Even in Japan, McDonald’s usually shreds their lettuce, so the McPork has some unique elements.
The main star of the McPork show is the pork, though. The pork patty is flavorful, with hints of that memorable breakfast sausage flavor. The teriyaki sauce is slightly sweet, but the primarily salty flavor pairs well with the pork.
These days, since the original McPork has been so popular, McDonald’s introduced another option.
Now you can get a McPork with toppings that include bacon, which means you’ll easily get your pork fix!
Teriyaki Burgers
McDonald’s Japan has multiple teriyaki burgers on its menu. The original, the Teriyaki McBurger, is one of the most popular items on the menu.
It has a tender pork patty, shredded lettuce, mayo, and a spicy-sweet teriyaki sauce.
Next, McDonald’s Japan released certain menu options that included added ingredients to the already popular Teriyaki McBurger.
The Kurokosho Teriyaki consists of the same ingredients as the original, but with bacon, black-pepper sauce, and spicy mayonnaise.
Finally, there is the Akakara Teriyaki, which is the spicy version of the burger. It comes with the same ingredients as the original with an added flair.
It has zesty cheese, red chili powder in the bread, and spicy mayo.
Shrimp Filet
The Shrimp Filet, as the name suggests, is similar to a Filet-O-Fish. Instead of fish, this sandwich uses shrimp to give it a flavor that you won’t find anywhere else.
The Shrimp Filet uses the classic McDonald’s buns. Workers then top the bun with shrimp tempura sauce, mustard, and lettuce. They also put some raw onions on top of the filet.
The magic starts to happen with the shrimp in the filet. The shrimp are put in Panko-style bread crumbs and fried.
The result is a crispy outer layer filled with shrimp. Be careful, though, as the shrimp are always piping hot—you may burn your mouth if you’re not careful!
The Full Moon Cheese Tsukimi Burger
The Full Moon burger line is a lineup of burgers that McDonald’s releases every year to commemorate the return of the autumn season.
One of their most popular releases of all time, the Cheese Tsukimi Burger, has made its way to a permanent menu item.
The Cheese Tsukimi Burger consists of a burger patty on a light, fluffy sesame seed bun. On top of the beef are a slice of cheese and an egg. The namesake for this dish is due to the egg’s resemblance to a full moon.
The egg is a lot like the egg you would find on an Egg McMuffin, and it adds a nice texture to the burger. Finally, the burger has two toppings—a piece of fried ham and a special sauce.
Mega McMuffin
The Mega McMuffin—what a name for a fast food item! And with a name like that, it has to be big, right? If you like big breakfast items, you’ll love the Mega McMuffin. Its primary draw is its two sausage patties.
The Mega McMuffin consists of an English muffin topped with two sausage patties, with a slice of cheese separating them. On top of the sausage is a fried egg.
Finally, on top of the fried egg is a thick slice of bacon, all of which is covered in large amounts of ketchup.
Who could go wrong with a McDonald’s breakfast like that?
Chocolate Fries
Introduced in 2016, Chocolate Fries are one of the more mysterious McDonald’s Japan menu items.
Is it a dessert or a meal? Honestly, who cares! These fries are something you have to try at least once in your life.
So, as the name suggests, Chocolate Fries are fries covered in chocolate. Two types of chocolate, white and milk chocolate, coat the fries in a drizzle.
The fries have a sweet and salty taste that pairs well with milkshakes.
Cheesecake McFlurry
McDonald’s Japan is innovative with its menu items, including its desserts. McDonald’s Japan was the first chain of McDonald’s restaurants to serve the now widely popular Cheesecake McFlurry.
You can find Cheesecake McFlurries during promotional campaigns in the U.K., Malaysia, and more! Be on the lookout for these sweet treats in your local restaurants.
As for the Cheesecake McFlurry in Japan, they offer a few different options.
They have the Hyuganatsu Cheesecake McFlurry, which has a citrus flavor. At one point, they even served an Oreo Cheesecake McFlurry.
Check out other McFlurry flavors available in the US!
Sankaku Choco Pie Black
The Sankaku Choco Pie Black is one of two popular desserts served at McDonald’s in Japan.
The Sankaku Choco Pie Black is like the pies you get in the United States, but with a few differences.
The Sankaku Choco Pie Black is a triangle-shaped pastry. The pastry is light and flaky, with cocoa imbued in the dough to give a rich flavor.
The filling is almost like Nutella, with a chocolate-hazelnut taste. They’re similar to a chocolate-filled croissant.
Pineapple Pie
First introduced in Japan in 2014 alongside other Hawaiian-themed foods, the Pineapple Pie is the perfect addition to a Cheesecake McFlurry or milkshake.
Using McDonald’s perfectly flaky pastry, pineapple pie is reminiscent of the classic apple pie you’ll find in American McDonald’s.
If you like pineapple, you’ll love the Pineapple Pie. The flavor is true to a pineapple. It has some pretty sweet tang, although some sourness is present.
All in all, the pineapple pie is a delectable dessert!
Chicken Tatsuta
The Chicken Tatsuta is a limited-time sandwich that comes out almost every year for a short period.
The Chicken Tatsuta sandwich is most known for its soft buns and flavorful ginger-soy sauce.
Aside from the bun and sauce, the Chicken Tatsuta consists of one piece of fried chicken on top of a bed of shredded cabbage.
Altogether, the sauce, chicken, veggies, and bun create a delectable combination. You can substitute the bun for a rice bun, too.
Cheese Tsukimi Burger
Also known as the “Rich Melty,” the Cheese Tsukimi Burger is one of the newest, favorite additions to the McDonald’s Japan menu. Like other Tsukimi burgers, it contains an egg meant to symbolize the full moon.
Aside from the egg, the burger consists of a beef patty, a slice of cheese, bacon, spicy mayo, and cheese sauce. The truly mouth-watering part is the bun, though.
Instead of using a regular McDonald’s bun or a sesame seed bun, the Cheese Tsukimi Burger uses a bun imbued with cheese.
Yes, you heard that right—they add cheese to the bun dough. That means every bite of the Cheese Tsukimi Burger is super cheesy!
New York / Manhattan Burger
The Manhattan Burger, first released in 2011 and re-released every few years, is a menu entry inspired by New York City.
It consists of a beef patty topped with mozzarella cheese, lettuce, onions, and a slice of pastrami. They use sour cream for its sauce.
The added pastrami gives the Manhattan Burger a certain quality that makes anyone think of New York.
The burger also uses different bread. Instead of the standard McDonald’s bun, we all know and love, the Manhattan Burger uses a light bun similar to Italian bread.
The Manhattan Burger isn’t the only America-themed burger—there’s also the Idaho and Big Texas burger.
Sesame Ebi Filet-O Sesame Buns
The Sesame Ebi Filet-O Sesame Buns is the same as the Shrimp Filet burger— the only difference is the type of bun they use. Instead of the classic McDonald’s bun, the Sesame Ebi Filet-O Sesame Buns uses sesame seed buns.
Ebi is the Japanese word for shrimp, which is why you’ll see it alongside most of the shrimp sandwiches sold by McDonald’s.
Overall, the Sesame Ebi Filet-O Sesame Buns looks almost identical to the American filet-o-fish—until you bite into it! Then you’ll see the shrimps captured in the Panko-breaded outer layer.
If you’re looking for a wide variety of new fast food items, many of which you cannot find anywhere else, Japan is the place to visit!
Aside from their popular items, like the Teriyaki Burger and the McPork, you’ll find everything from sweet desserts to rich supper items.
So, now you know some of the unique McDonald’s Japan menu items you might be able to get if you visit. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to pair some of these items with each other for the ultimate experience. The Pineapple Pie and Cheesecake McFlurry are fantastic together.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Japan or you’re already there, be sure to check out a local McDonald’s. You never know what treats you’ll find unless you go looking!
