Earlier this week, a Tokyo Tofu Tribune correspondent witnessed a curious exchange at a local convenience store. As a customer placed several items into their basket—a yakiniku bento, a canned coffee, and a slim package labeled Emotion Meal Pack—the cashier asked:
Clerk: “Would you like your bento heated?”
Customer: “Yes.”
Clerk: “And regarding your purchased Emotion Pack… Graduation Ceremony type, shall we keep the cry temperature at medium?”
Customer: “…Umm, I’ll go with strong today.”
Clerk: “Understood. Would you like to use the empathy assist film?”
Customer: “No, I’d prefer to feel it raw today…”
Clerk: “Very well. Shall we use the right ear for emotional insertion?”
Customer: “…Left, please.”
Clerk: “Thank you. Including the emotional processing tax, your total comes to 842 yen.”
Startled, the correspondent glanced toward the refrigerated shelves. Nestled between packaged soba and curry rice was a modest array of pastel pouches bearing labels like Graduation Ceremony, Pet Separation, and Family Reunion Scenario.
What Is an Emotion Meal Pack?
Billed as “a compact emotional experience for modern life,” these refrigerated pouches contain carefully curated emotional narratives, designed to evoke reactions ranging from mild nostalgia to full-body catharsis. Each pack includes:
- A short-form emotional arc: “Fall semester farewell,” “Lost-but-found dog,” or “Dad’s unspoken pride.”
- Adjustable cry temperature (mild/medium/intense)
- Optional empathy enhancer film (ear-mounted)
- Suggested digestion time: 7–18 minutes
- Labelled with “emotional nutrition values,” such as Reminiscence (32%), Empathy (45%), and Bittersweetness (12%)
Heating is performed at the register, with staff trained to match emotional temperature preferences. Ear canal insertion options (left or right) are available upon request.
The idea of selling emotion meal packs at convenience stores reportedly originated from a collaboration between MaruHi Street Holdings and a group of behavioral psychologists. The psychologists observed that modern urban life often left individuals emotionally undernourished, leading to a demand for accessible emotional experiences. Convenience stores, with their ubiquitous presence and reputation for quick solutions, became the ideal venue for this experiment. After a successful pilot program in select Tokyo neighborhoods, the concept was rolled out nationwide.
Public Reactions
TTT reached out to consumers across Tokyo.
“I grabbed one for the train ride home, but it was so intense I ended up crying in front of my boss the next day. He gave me a raise, though, so I guess it worked out,” said one commuter.
“Yesterday I accidentally purchased a Societal Resilience Pack. Cried through half my shift. My coworkers thought I was having a breakdown. Powerful stuff,” remarked a store clerk.
“I heat mine to medium and pair it with black coffee. It’s cheaper than therapy,” noted a college student.
Untold Development Tales
In response to an inquiry from TTT, a representative from MaruHi Street Holdings (Emotional Product Division) commented: “Incorporating emotional fulfillment into daily convenience is part of our ongoing commitment to human-compatible logistics. The Emotion Meal platform reflects a growing demand for accessible catharsis.”
The development of the emotion meal pack was not without its challenges. Early prototypes were criticized for being too emotionally overwhelming, with testers reporting feelings of exhaustion rather than catharsis. Engineers struggled to calibrate the cry temperature settings, often resulting in uneven emotional arcs. Additionally, the empathy enhancer film initially caused mild ear irritation, requiring a complete redesign. Despite these hurdles, the team persevered, driven by the vision of making emotional nourishment as commonplace as a cup of coffee.
The company has reportedly begun experimenting with “seasonal blends,” including Summer’s End Set and Rainy Farewell Mix. Loyalty points may soon be tied to cry frequency and tear volume, pending regulatory guidance.
Convenience Store Employees Speak Out
While customers report satisfaction, store staff revealed the operational strain of emotion retail.
“We have six bento temperatures but nine cry settings. If someone orders ‘intense sadness plus warm noodles,’ things get tricky.”
“If the empathy film wrinkles during sealing, you’ll get uneven nostalgia distribution.”
“My shift yesterday? Seven tearful awakenings, three awkward confessions, and one Pet Loss Extreme. I need my own pack just to process that. One customer even asked me to recommend a pack for their breakup, and I had to explain that we don’t offer personalized emotional consultations. It’s a lot to handle,” said one employee.
Shelf Display Observed by TTT
The refrigerated shelf now offers more than just chilled soba and triangular rice balls. Nestled discreetly between bottled tea and shelf-stable curry lies a new category altogether: These compact doses of curated feeling are designed for spontaneous consumption, complete with heating options and cry-temperature settings. Whether you seek soft melancholy or engineered catharsis, the options are conveniently sorted and labeled.
| Pack Name | Flavor Profile | Suggested Cry Temperature |
|---|---|---|
| “Bus Just Left” | Frustration, resignation, misplaced guilt | Lukewarm sighs |
| “Childhood Toy Rediscovered” | Nostalgia, mild identity crisis | Gentle reheat with wistful finish |
| “Mom’s Silent Effort” | Gratitude masked as guilt | Medium-high with slow emotional release |
| “Rain Delay Romance” | Hope, glimmering misconnection | Misty mode with scattered ache bursts |
| “Almost Got the Promotion” | Low-grade bitterness, dignity maintenance | Ambient warmth, no steaming |
| “Cousin’s Graduation Speech” | Joy envy, surrogate pride | Emotional temp swings expected |
| “Unsent Email to Ex” | Self-sabotage, digital longing | Requires manual reheating. Handle with care |
| “Cat Observing You Cry” | Existential loop, calm judgment | Cold-pressed, no heat recommended |
| “Disappointment in Soft Focus” | Melancholy wrapped in ambient jazz | Serve room temperature only |
| “Forgotten Birthday Call” | Fleeting sadness, forced cheer | Steady simmer, follow with social media cleanse |
| “Post-Party Clean-Up” | Isolation, fading laughter | May contain fragments of glitter and regret |
“Have you felt something today?” Now available alongside carbonated drinks and frozen dumplings.
