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Thursday, November 12, 2026Nov 12

Burger King Japan’s latest meal is the new black

FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2014 file photo, Burger King employee Rumi Sekine shows the Kuro Diamond burger, right, and the Kuro Pearl burger at its Shibuya restaurant in Tokyo. The fast-food chain is offering customers an initially unappetizing experience as it launched two limited edition "Kuro" burgers with black buns, black sauce and black cheese on Friday. Kuro means black in Japanese. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2014 file photo, Burger King employee Rumi Sekine shows the Kuro Diamond burger, right, and the Kuro Pearl burger at its Shibuya restaurant in Tokyo. The fast-food chain is offering customers an initially unappetizing experience as it launched two limited edition "Kuro" burgers with black buns, black sauce and black cheese on Friday. Kuro means black in Japanese. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2014 file photo, Burger King employee Rumi Sekine shows the Kuro Diamond burger, right, and the Kuro Pearl burger at its Shibuya restaurant in Tokyo. The fast-food chain is offering customers an initially unappetizing experience as it launched two limited edition "Kuro" burgers with black buns, black sauce and black cheese on Friday. Kuro means black in Japanese. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

TOKYO (AP) – The first Kuro, or black, burger had a signature black bun and sauce. Last year’s edition, the Kuro Ninja, added a slice of (non-black) bacon to the signature black components. Now Burger King Japan is going black on black.

The fast-food chain added black cheese and deepened the color of the other ingredients in the special burger duo added to menus Friday. Marketing Manager Kana Ienega said Burger King Japan wants people to try the burger and find it tasty even though it may look unappetizing at first.

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WHAT’S IT MADE OF?

The Kuro Pearl is simple with a black pepper beef patty covered with Chaliapin (onion and soy) sauce infused with squid ink. Its black cheese and buns are colored with bamboo charcoal. The Kuro Diamond is the same burger, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and mayonnaise.