The “Donabe Rice Experience,” touring 7 cities nationwide, arrives in Tokyo this weekend!
Enjoy freshly cooked Donabe rice in an atmosphere reminiscent of a premium traditional restaurant.
The “Donabe Rice Experience,” touring 7 cities nationwide, arrives in Tokyo this weekend!
Donabe Rice Cooker 20th Anniversary Project: “Phantom Donabe Restaurant TIGER”
— 930 Visitors in 2 Days at the Inaugural Sendai Venue —
TIGER Corporation (CEO: Yoshisato Kikuchi, Headquarters: Kadoma City, Osaka), a global leader in heat control technology, is hosting a pop-up event touring 7 cities nationwide: “Phantom Donabe Restaurant TIGER.” This special event is being held to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our Donabe Rice Cookers, offering guests the opportunity to directly experience the exceptional deliciousness of donabe-cooked rice. Guests can enjoy a complimentary, freshly prepared serving of exquisite rice cooked in our 20th-anniversary model, the “Donabe Gohoubidaki JRT-A100,” accompanied by carefully selected premium side dishes.
As the first installment, “Phantom Donabe Restaurant TIGER in Sendai” was held over two days on Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4, 2026, in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture. The inaugural Sendai venue welcomed 930 visitors over the weekend, concluding as a massive success.
The second event will take place over two days, October 10 (Sat) and 11 (Sun), at the Tokyo Midtown (Roppongi) Galleria B1 Atrium in Minato Ward, Tokyo.
A Resounding Success! A Look Back at the Sendai Venue
The venue attracted 930 guests over two days, bustling with excitement right from the moment the doors opened. Surrounded by the rich, comforting aroma and warm steam of freshly cooked rice, participants who tasted the donabe rice served straight from the live kitchen shared overwhelming praise, expressing that the experience was “absolutely delicious.”
Coming to Tokyo on October 10 (Sat) and 11 (Sun)!
Following a highly successful opening in Sendai, our premium event arrives in Tokyo this weekend. Join us on Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11, at the Tokyo Midtown (Roppongi) Atrium for an exclusive pop-up experience: “Phantom Donabe Restaurant TIGER in Tokyo.”
Kicking off in Sendai, this special exhibition will tour seven major cities across Japan. After our Tokyo stop, we will continue bringing the warmth and premium quality of our dining experience to Hiroshima, Sapporo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Osaka.
Tokyo Event Overview
■ “Phantom Donabe Restaurant Tiger in Tokyo”
- Dates: Saturday, October 10 – Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Hours: 11:00– scheduled for each day / Available while supplies last / Free admission)
- Venue: Tokyo Midtown Roppongi Atrium
Event Schedule
(Hours: 11:00– scheduled for each day / Available while supplies last / Free admission)
■ “Phantom Donabe Restaurant Tiger in Hiroshima”
- Dates: Saturday, October 17 – Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Venue: Kamiyacho Shareo
■ “Phantom Donabe Restaurant Tiger in Sapporo”
- Dates: Saturday, October 24 – Sunday, October 25, 2026
- Venue: Sapporo Factory Atrium
■ “Phantom Donabe Restaurant Tiger in Nagoya”
- Dates: Saturday, November 7 – Sunday, November 8, 2026
- Venue: Midland Square Basement Event Space
■ “Phantom Donabe Restaurant Tiger in Fukuoka”
- Dates: Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 15, 2026
- Venue: ONE FUKUOKA BLDG. 1F Plaza A
■ “Phantom Donabe Restaurant Tiger in Osaka”
- Dates: Saturday, November 21 – Sunday, November 22, 2026
- Venue: KITTE Osaka Sunken Garden
Special Contents Page
https://www.tiger-corporation.com/ja/jpn/feature/maboroshi_ryoutei
*Venue, dates, and times are subject to change without notice.
*To participate, you must add the official Tiger LINE account as a friend or follow Tiger on either Instagram or X.
Thoughts on the 20th Anniversary of Donabe Rice Cookers
In 2006, TIGER released the industry’s first rice cooker featuring an Authentic Donabe as its inner pot. Rice cooked in a donabe has an exceptionally delicious taste, characterized by its plumpness, the signature “Texture: Delicious Fresh,” and a rich sweetness and umami. However, determining the perfect heat selection has always been challenging, making this premium flavor difficult to replicate at home.
Driven by the desire to “let you enjoy the true deliciousness of Authentic Donabe rice at home,” we have spent the past 20 years continuously perfecting the “traditional restaurant-level heat selection” through our unique heat control technology. In recent years, as the true value and price of rice are being reconsidered, our survey (published in September 2026) revealed that 83.5% of respondents “want to eat their daily rice in an exceptionally delicious way,” highlighting a growing desire to savor everyday meals more thoroughly.
The heat control technology that TIGER has continually refined is not mere “temperature management,” but rather a “technology to connect hearts with loved ones.” On the milestone of the 20th anniversary of our donabe rice cookers, we want to once again deliver the deeply moving, premium taste of Authentic Donabe rice directly to everyone across the country. With this heartfelt sentiment, we are proud to launch the “Donabe Rice Cooker 20th Anniversary Project.”
As part of this project, we are rolling out a variety of nationwide initiatives where people can truly experience the deliciousness of donabe rice. These include the exclusive pop-up “Phantom Donabe Restaurant TIGER,” collaborations with 25 restaurants across 7 cities known as “TIGER’s Famous Donabe Rice Restaurants,” and a tie-up with ABC Cooking Studio, where participants can actually use and taste donabe rice during their lessons.
Outdoor Ads for This Event and Our Global Tagline “HEAT TO HEART” to be Deployed in 7 Cities Nationwide!
To announce the pop-up event “Phantom Donabe Restaurant TIGER” and express the worldview of our global brand message “HEAT TO HEART,” outdoor advertisements will be rolled out sequentially in 7 major cities across the country, synchronized with each event’s schedule. In line with the pop-up event dates in each city, we will display advertisements inside major stations near the venues (such as poster ads), as well as on surrounding facilities and large outdoor screens. (*Advertisement content will vary by city.)
Product Information
The Flagship Model Featuring an Authentic “Ceramic Pot.”
Going Beyond Tradition: The 20th Anniversary Ceramic Pot Rice Cooker Model, “Donabe Gohoubidaki JRT-A100,” Launches June 21, 2026
~Like a First-Class Japanese Restaurant. The Ideal Bowl of Rice, Cooked by the “Ceramic Pot”—a Crystallization of Master Craftsmanship~
Product URL: https://www.tiger-corporation.com/ja/jpn/product/rice-cooker/jrt-a/
Ceramic Pot
Adopting the Industry’s First “Ceramic Pot” in 2006
A reward-level bowl of rice that fulfills the true calling of the ceramic pot, brought to life by 20 years of dedication.
Umami Convection Shape
For this product, we have newly developed the “Umami Convection Shape,” featuring precisely varied thicknesses throughout the ceramic pot. This meticulous design generates an ideal thermal convection that agitates in multiple directions within the pot, transferring heat evenly and uniformly to cook the rice to absolute perfection.
Sensor Spot
To master the overwhelming heat retention capabilities of the ceramic pot, a “Sensor Spot” has been introduced to the base. To maximize the sensor’s detection accuracy, the contact point on the bottom of the pot has been intentionally thinned using advanced processing techniques. This enables extraordinarily precise temperature management, drawing out the deep sweetness of the rice and the resilient, chewy texture that only a true ceramic pot can provide.
High Heat
A New Heating Structure Supporting 20 Years of Evolution
The ultimate cooking process, achieved by a new structure designed to lock in heat.
300°C W-Layer IH *1
This model adopts a dual-layer IH (Induction Heating) coil structure on the base. The first layer of the heating coil, which wraps around the bottom of the pot, transfers heat seamlessly to the entire vessel. By utilizing a two-layer structure, it replicates both the intense heat and the dynamic temperature differentials of cooking with a ceramic pot over an open flame. Leveraging the ceramic pot’s characteristic slow heat transfer, it creates a fierce yet gentle thermal convection using the temperature contrast between the top and bottom, drawing out the maximum sweetness of the rice to cook it rapidly and evenly.
*1: Approximately 300°C for the JRT-A100. Measured on the outer bottom surface of the inner pot during cooking on the “White Rice” menu, 4 go (approx. 720ml), “Firm” texture setting, and “High” heat setting. (Based on in-house research.)
Sweetness
Replicating the Temperature Control of a High-End Restaurant’s Ceramic Pot with the New, Masterful “Simmering IH Control” Technology
Simmering IH Control
We scientifically analyzed and replicated the “continuous heating on a low flame” process used to prepare ceramic pot rice at first-class Japanese restaurants. Through advanced control that perfectly balances intense high heat with an extremely delicate simmer, we have achieved an approximate 19%*2 increase in the rice’s sweetness and a 6.7%*3 increase in its rich, chewy texture.
*2: Comparison of reducing sugars when cooking on the “White Rice” menu, 3 go, “Standard” texture, and “Medium” heat setting between the JRT-A100 and our conventional model JRX-S100 (manufactured in 2025). Reducing sugars for JRT-A100: 186mg; JRX-S100: 156mg (per 100g of dry matter). (Based on in-house research.)
*3: Comparison between the JRT-A100 and our conventional model JRX-S100 on the “White Rice” menu (“Standard” texture, “Medium” heat setting). JRT-A100: 321.19 J/m³; JRX-S100: 301.11 J/m³. (Based on in-house research.)
Tiger Corporation Global Tagline “HEAT TO HEART” Brand Site / Movie Now Available
Freshly made, sealed with care.
Inside, a silent thought for another.
Freshly cooked rice for the family table.
Piping hot coffee to share with friends.
Refreshing soda for a moment of me-time.
The warm and the cold.
Born from heat, bringing people together.
In that connection, “heartwarming DANRAN” begins.
To create heat, and to hold it close.
Tiger’s century-long legacy of perfecting thermal control technology.
Bringing you closer to the people who matter most.
May this heat find its way to your heart.