Potato and meat nikuman nostalgia

Jagamarukun

Brand: 7-11

Price: 139 yen

Place of purchase: 7-11 Convenience store

Rating:

As the temperatures dip, I start reaching for items to keep warm. Along with heated canned coffee, nikuman. In mid-October 2025, 7-11 convenience stores released a nikuman, or steamed bun, that stands out for its colour. Rather than snowy white, this one is brown and dimpled. It's a revival of a popular 1980s 7-11 snack, Jagamarukun. The bun, priced at 139 yen, is filled with Hokkaido-grown potatoes and seasoned minced meat. The bun itself is a typical fluffy nikuman. I got mie at a 7-11 in Saitama Prefecture.

This nikuman variation, Jagamarukun, is worth trying and costs just 139 yen. However, it's small and the flavour won't knock your socks off. I suppose young people who don't remember the Bubble Era, this is a fun and cheap novelty. For older folks, it might be a trip down memory lane. I was suprised how small it is, but then consider that it is a low-priced item. Note that this item's release coincides with the 50th year since 7-11 was founded. The convenience store is woven into the fabric of Japanese life.