Japan is well-known for having an abundance of vending machines offering liquid refreshment, and Japanese convenience stores offer an extensive selection of cold drinks sold in plastic bottles and hot beverages sold in cans.
For Week 5 of Friday Favorites, we share with you our favorite beverages from Japan.
C.C. Lemon (C.C.レモン) - Suntory Beverage & Food Limited
Calpis (カルピス) - Calpis Co., Ltd.
Koucha Kaden Royal Milk Tea (紅茶花伝) - Coca-Cola Japan
Oronamin C - (オロナミンC) - Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Rich GreenTea (生茶) - Kirin Beverage Co., Ltd.
Skal (スコール) - Southern Japan Dairy Cooperative Co., Ltd.
Read staff comments below for our top choices of Japan’s beverage industry this weekend.
These and other delectable sips can be found in Houston’s local Japanese markets, Daido and Seiwa, as well as beloved Japanese “dollar store” Daiso. Specialty beverages are also now available at Shun Japanese Restaurant’s pop-up bodega. Enjoy.
IKUYO
Image from Southern Japan Dairy Cooperative
Skal (スコール)
Southern Japan Dairy Cooperative (南日本酪農協同株式会社)
SkaI is one of my “must have” items!
Skal was the first carbonated milk soda produced in Japan and has been sold since 1972 by Southern Japan Daily Cooperative Co., Ltd. The name means "squall" or storm and is also the Danish word for a toast: skål. Although this drink is a soda, Skal has 0.4mg of milk protein per 100ml.
Mr. Kinoshita, the president of the company, went fishing with a cooler which had beverages including milk and sodas. When he opened the cooler, he found that the milk and sodas had spilled and were mixed together. He was inspired by this combination of milk and soda to create a new product for children who dislike drinking milk.
Skal comes in a variety of flavors, but having drunk the original growing up, it is still my favorite.
Skal is more popular in Kyushu, and it can be difficult to find it in eastern Japan. Fortunately, DAIDO Japanese market in Houston carries Skal original. The ingredients and the manufacturing method of this drink have not changed since 1972, so I am able to enjoy my favorite drink exactly like I did as a child.
I hope everyone in Houston enjoys Skal, too.
KEIKO
Image from Otsuka
Oronamin C (オロナミンC)
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (大塚製薬株式会社)
My favorite Japanese drink is Oronamin C, created by the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company. It is the most famous energy drink in Japan. You can get it from supermarkets, convenience stores, or vending machines. It comes in tiny brown glass bottle, so it might look a bit strange.
People never pour it in a glass. Instead, like other energy drinks, they tend to drink it straight from the bottle. I enjoy drinking Oronamin C because it has a sweet soda taste. As the portion is super small, I always want to drink more. I do not drink it very often, but I will after playing sports or following a hard workout.
Oronamin C's slogan is genki hatsuratsu (元気ハツラツ) which means “Full of Energy.” I always feel Full of Energy after I’ve had an Oronamin C, and I hope you will too.
LAUREN
Image from KIRIN
Rich GreenTea (生茶)
Kirin Beverage Co., Ltd. (キリンビバレッジ株式会社)
My favorite Japanese beverage is the Rich GreenTea (生茶；なまちゃ; pronounced namacha) crafted by Kirin Beverage Co., Ltd. While most people associate Kirin with their alcoholic products (beer), the brand has a variety of non-alcoholic options that are quite delicious.
I have a serious tea addiction, and with so many options in Japan, I can almost always some readily available. Hot, cold, sweet, unsweet; does not matter, so long as it is good. That being said, this particular tea came out with a revised recipe not long after I moved to Japan and I have been in love ever since. It is a versatile beverage that is good both hot and chilled, which was a bonus for me in those scalding Yokkaichi summers.
Flavor wise, this tea lacks the bitterness that most associate with bottled green tea without having to be sweetened. It has a pleasant aroma that is not as overpowering or tangy as many other brands. I also like how the liquid itself is cloudy green with visible specks of ground leaves. Pleasant on the eyes, the nose, and the tongue, I encourage you to try Kirin’s Rich GreenTea from Seiwa Market.
MEGUMI
Image from Calpis Beverage USA
Calpis (カルピス)
Calpis Co., Ltd. (カルピス株式会社)
My favorite Japanese beverage is Calpis, which is called Calpico in the US as Calpis sounds awkward to English speakers.
Calpis is an uncarbonated probiotic drink, which has a slightly acidic milky flavor that is similar to Yakult. It was first released in Japan in 1919, about 100 years ago, and it is still a very popular drink you can find anywhere in Japan. Calpis was originally sold in a glass bottle as a concentrated mix, and we had to add water and ice to it when we drank it. It was an especially popular drink for Japanese kids during the summer.
Nowadays, there is a variety of types of Calpis, such as diluted Calpis Water and carbonated Calpis Soda in plastic bottles, cans, or cartons, as well as the original concentrated Calpis in a plastic bottle and a carton.
The new flavors, such as kiwi, pineapple, kyohou grape, and seasonal fruit flavors, are also available. Since we can even buy ready-to drink Calpis Water from vending machines wherever and whenever we wish, Calpis is no more ‘a drink for Summer’, but ‘a drink for all year long’. I also buy Calpis Water from vending machines or convenience stores a lot when I’m out in Japan, however my favorite is still concentrated Calpis mixed with water to my liking.
MIDORI
Image from Suntory
C.C. Lemon (C.C.レモン)
Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (サントリーホールディングス株式会社)
I rarely drink soda because I cannot tolerate highly carbonated drinks. But I loved the refreshing flavor of C.C. Lemon by Suntory. It is semi-carbonated and does not have an overly sweet taste.
I was actually shocked when I read an article that revealed its sugar content is equivalent to 15 sugar cubes per 500ml bottle.
To satisfy a market need for healthier beverages, Suntory has also developed a diverse lineup of C.C. Lemon products, such as a low-sugar version, a version with more lemon juice and version with vitamin C or honey instead of sugar.
Unfortunately, because C.C. Lemon is only available every once in a while at Asian groceries in Houston, I have not had one for almost ten years.
PATSY
Image from Coca-Cola Japan
Koucha Kaden Royal Milk Tea (紅茶花伝)
Coca-Cola Japan (コカ・コーラ)
One of Japan’s most popular drinks is Royal Milk Tea.
Created by Lipton tea company in 1965 as part of a “royal recipe” series, milk tea is now sold in Japan as bottled, canned, and freshly brewed drinks.
One of my favorites is Koucha Kaden Royal Milk Tea. The name comes from the classic noh treatise Fushikaden (風姿花伝).
It has a lovely balance of black tea to 100% milk and is my go-to sweet drink splurge. I also enjoy having royal milk tea-flavored pastries and treats!
As the brand campaign says, “enjoy at your leisure!”
ごゆっくり。