Suntory Bikkle drink: This tastes exactly like Yakult, the Asian yogurt i had growing up in miniature plastic milk jug contained. It's very sweet and doesn't taste of plain yogurt - I think e have comes more from the milky opaque color thank any flavor profile. Purchased at a vending machine in Tokyo. 3.0/5.0
drinks vendingmachine japan suntory bikkel drink 3.0
Emial Tapiocatime Royal Latte: My sleep has been terrible, with jetlag and the world burning down, so I've been relying on caffeinated beverages more than normal. On my way to lab, I purchased this tapioca drink from 7-11. It's an iced coffee, very sweet, that contains gelatinous balls that aren't quite like normal starchy and chewy tapioca but have a unique texture all its own that I surprisingly enjoyed. It reminds me a little bit of a more chewy jellyfish, which I know is not the most appetizing comparison but the cl... (read more) 3.5/5.0
drinks coffee japanese 711 emial tapiocatime royal latte 3.5 recommended
Pokemon Sweets Pikachu Crackle Juice: I purchased this beverage from the Pikachu Sweets shop in Sunshine City, a mall in Tokyo featuring many Pokemon shops. The juice was pretty pricy, at $6, and tasted strongly of sweet pineapple. It had an ice cube in a shape of a round Pikachu head and contained pop-rocks so that it literally crackles. I like the creativity of the drink and think it's fitting for the game; it was too sweet for me to ever want to have again, though, and was priced for tourism. 3.0/5.0
drinks pokemon juice pineapple pokemonsweets pikachu crackle 3.0
Fanta Socata Soda: This is a limited edition vending-machine exclusive in Japan from Fanta, the first in a series they're calling 'Delicious Flavours of the World,' where they introduce flavors only available in other regions of the world to the Japanese market. I found out about it because I was intrigued by the name SOCATA?! on the label, with the universal white and blue color scheme of mystery flavors (e.g. White Air Heads, Mystery Oreo, etc.) The label also features a castle in the background, hinting a... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks soda japanese vendingmachine fanta socata 3.5
Coca-Cola Strawberry Coke: I saw this bottle at Family Mart, and while I typically drink diet soda, I decided this was too interesting to pass on. Strawberry coke is a Japan-only product introduced only earlier this year in January. Since I enjoy cherry coke, I was interested in the soda giant’s take on a beloved fruit, particularly in Japan (I’ve seen several boxes of light pink strawberries going for an inordinate sum here). In color, the coke looks exactly the same as regular Coca-Cola, but the taste is undeniab... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended soda drinks japanese familymart cocacola strawberry coke 4.0
Vivit's Peach Mix Soda: This was a vending machine purchase made out of dehydration. In the US, I had solely associated Ito En with calorie-free bottles of ice tea, but they own a wide variety of brands of sweet drinks in Japan. This one is extremely sweet and reminds me a lot of ramune, but tasting of peach instead of pear. It's also very fizzy and one of the more carbonated drinks I've had here. Maybe it's the nostalgia of drinking ramune as a kid, but I really liked this one, even though I could tell it was ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
drinks recommended vendingmachine itoen vivits peach mix soda 4.0 japanese