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McDonald’s Japan has introduced its 2024 Tsukimi menu, offering seven moon-themed items, including new burgers and desserts. The launch is accompanied by a Kaguya-hime-inspired commercial, adding a cultural touch to the seasonal celebration.
McDonald’s Unveils Tsukimi Menu with New Moon-Inspired Burgers and Classic Favorites
When the tsukimi moon-viewing season arrives in September, fast food chains across Japan seize the opportunity to celebrate with special limited-edition menu items that honor the moon. Among these, McDonald’s consistently offers a full range of treats and a heartwarming commercial. This year is no exception.
The 2024 tsukimi collection at McDonald’s features seven items, beginning with the Tsukimi Muffin, priced at 400 yen (US$2.76). This breakfast sandwich tucks a “moon” — a round egg yolk resembling the moon — inside an English muffin, paired with a sausage patty, smoked bacon, and a rich, creamy tomato sauce.
Next are the Tsukimi Burger (440 yen) and the Cheese Tsukimi Burger (470 yen), which include the same base ingredients as the muffin but are served on a sesame seed-topped bun with a beef patty. These three egg-centric items have become regular staples on the tsukimi menu yearly.
According to SoraNews24, this year, McDonald’s is introducing four new items to the lineup. The Houjun Fuwatoru Tsukimi Burger, priced at 520 yen, stands out with its name translating to “Mellow Fluffy Moon-Viewing Burger.” The highlight of this burger is the buttery, fluffy, scrambled eggs nestled beneath the beef patty, seasoned with pepper and garlic for an extra flavor kick.
For those craving more meat, an additional patty can be added to any burger for 100 yen after 5 p.m.
McDonald’s Adds Yuzu Tartar Sauce, Custard McShake, and Kinako Mochi Pie to Tsukimi Menu
The side menu features a new Yuzu Shichimi Tartar dipping sauce (40 yen) for McNuggets, combining the tangy Japanese citrus fruit with seven-spice seasoning for a touch of heat. The Custard Pudding Flavour Tsukimi McShake (190 yen for a small) offers a golden hue representing the moon, with custard and caramel adding a sweet touch.
Finally, the Kinako Mochi and Anko Tsukimi Pie (190 yen) combine roasted soybean powder, sticky rice cake, and red bean paste, a combination inspired by the Japanese belief that the moon’s markings resemble rabbit-pounding mochi.
McDonald’s Heartwarming Kaguya-hime Commercial Celebrates Tsukimi Menu with a Touch of Japanese Folklore
In conjunction with the menu, McDonald’s has released a new commercial that continues the tradition of tugging at the heartstrings, focusing on the father-daughter relationship. This year, the ad draws inspiration from the traditional Japanese folk tale of Kaguya-hime, or “Princess Kaguya.” According to the story, a bamboo cutter found a baby girl inside a shining bamboo stalk, took her home to his wife, and raised her as their daughter. Kaguya-hime grew into a beautiful woman with many suitors, including the emperor, but she refused them all, revealing that she came from the moon and would return there on the night of the next full moon.
In the commercial, Kaguya-hime returns from the moon to enjoy tsukimi burgers with her family. The ad, titled “The Return of Kaguya-hime,” also includes shorter versions where the family enjoys the Tsukimi Pie and another promoting McDonald’s delivery, with messengers from the moon joining as guests catered for by McDonald’s delivery.
The commercial concludes with Kaguya-hime saying, “When we return to the moon, we won’t be able to do moon-viewing,” to which the messengers agree. It serves as a poignant reminder to pause and appreciate the beauty around us — and to enjoy the tsukimi menu items while they last, from September 4 to mid-October.
