Japanese crane game lets players catch, cook and eat sweet potatoes on the spot
By Bryan Ke
Everyday Tore Tore Ya, a popular Japanese chain of crane game-exclusive arcades operated by Toyo Corp., is releasing a machine that lets players catch raw sweet potatoes and cook them. The new game, known as the Yaki-imo (Roasted Sweet Potato) Catchers, launched at Tore Tore Ya branches in the cities of Gyoda, Yashio and Okegawa in Saitama Prefecture, as well as Tama City in Tokyo on Oct. 7.
- How it works: The Yaki-imo Catcher runs like a typical claw machine, but instead of toys, players receive raw sweet potatoes that they can roast in a nearby microwave. According to Tore Tore Ya, the sweet potato variety currently up for grabs is the popular beni azuma, which is known for its relatively firm texture and chestnut-like sweetness. The company noted that more varieties will be added in fall. This is reportedly the second consecutive year the chain released its Yaki-imo Catchers, which made their debut in 2023 at the Gyoda and Yashio branches.
- The big picture: Crane games remain popular in Japan. Despite the country’s move toward digitization and an increase in arcade closures in the past decade — from 26,573 in 1986 to 4,022 in 2019, with the data expected to fall further during the COVID-19 pandemic — crane games continue to generate revenue and maintain a strong presence. The industry reportedly generated 306.2 billion yen (around $2 billion in today’s exchange) in fiscal 2021, the Japan Amusement Industry Association said, with 70% of amusement centers’ overall sales coming from it. Believing that “analog experiences are stronger than digital ones,” Toyo Corp. President Hideo Nakamura told Kyodo News, “What excites human instincts are things right in front of us — things we can touch, hear, and can feel vibrate.”
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