Just last month we brought you news of its arrival and now it’s finally here! It’s the delicious/disgusting-sounding Eel Cola, made with real eel extract.
If the thought of drinking it makes you shudder, never fear: your intrepid RocketNews24 reporters have done the tasting for you. All the details after the break!
On a recent trip to Shizuoka Prefecture, we stopped by the Fujikawa Service Area for a pit-stop and came across this sign, alerting us to their special sales of eel cola.
▼ The advertising poster features stars of a popular morning television programme and includes nuggets of gold such as “Attack chance!” “Heeeeeeee?” and “Discover a refreshing eel!”
We went over to the fridge and picked up a 206 yen (US$1.71) bottle for tasting. We wonder how many foreign visitors with katakana-reading skills have picked this up thinking it was an innocent bottle of cola!
The first things we noticed was that the glass bottle was heavy and the label design was very different to those on your average soft drink. Combined with the dark colour of the liquid, it looked more like a bottle of soy or noodle sauce.
Upon decanting a little we found it was no different to regular cola; the colour, fizz, and even the aroma were exactly the same. Anticipating all sorts of fishy, eel flavours, we took a tentative sip and … we could hardly believe our taste buds. It tasted like regular cola! We didn’t know whether to feel duped or relieved.
Checking the back of the bottle, we saw the ingredients definitely include unagi eel extract. Surprisingly, the top ingredient was grape juice, followed by the eel extract and then carbonic acid, caramel colouring and flavours. This combination did a great job of masking any fishy flavours.
By the time we finished the bottle we had decided we were actually happy to have all the stamina-replenishing effects of unagi without the fishy taste. Now that we’ve drunk the extract of a slimy, river-lurking bottom-feeder, we might just move on to taste-testing the sea squirt ale!
Photos © RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]
Our Japanese-language reporter tries eel cola so you don’t have to 【Taste Test】
Bacon soda’s new contender is here – Say hello to unagi cola!
Does eel ramen really taste like eel?
We ordered RAW eel through the mail and achieved a state of total Unagi
Coca-Cola Japan releases new clear coke this month, we get to try it before it goes on sale
New Pokémon anniversary song is 22 minutes long, features all 1,025 Pokémon species [Video]
Lego PlayStation recreates Sony’s original console, makes unusual choice for games to salute
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
New Japanese convenience store rice balls taste like instant noodles [Taste test]
7-Eleven Japan releases new Tsukimi Moon-Viewing range for autumn, with a must-try daifuku and teriyaki burger
Studio Ghibli adds new finger puppets to its anime merchandise collection in Japan
Kobe middle schools begin abolishing extracurricular activities, shift to community programs
Starbucks Japan releases new coffee table book featuring 18 of the most unique stores around the country
Japan’s Tsukimi One-hand Bento’s name is all wrong, but it still looks entirely delicious
Join Naked in the Niwa garden: Kyoto Station’s newest spot to craft traditional art
Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors
A real-world Pokémon Poké Ball hotel is opening in Japan at a still-secret location [Video]
Japan’s first fall color forecast for 2026 is here!
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027
One Piece Day 2026 brings new art, music, and new cast announcements
Tamagotchi evolves into a ring for its 30th anniversary, preorders now open
Starbucks Japan reveals new Tsukimi Moon-Viewing drinkware and gifts for autumn 2026
Family Mart releases Famima convenience store products nationwide, but which ones are worth buying?
12-year-old British girl who went missing in Tokyo found safe after visiting anime sites around Yokohama
7-year-old boy left behind on Mt. Fuji by his own dad
Japan’s final Penguin Suica train cards have already shipped, and when they’re gone, they’re gone
Sushi Bus: Japan’s first conveyor-belt bus lets you eat sushi while sightseeing around Tokyo
Japanese toilet aims to attract foreign tourists but not everybody is happy about it
New Japanese vending machine at Shinkansen station sells cups of ice on platform
Study finds hundreds of people in Indonesia legally named after Naruto, Inuyasha, other anime stars
Japan approves foreign resident visa renewal fee increases of up to 967 percent, starts soon
Japan tripled its departure tax to fund tourism but is using the money on cherry blossoms and bears
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Eating Japan’s Mystery Eel, mysteriously, both is and isn’t like eating real eel【Taste test】
Eel-fortified chocolate now on sale in Japan
Japan creates Umeboshi Pickled Plum and Takuan Pickled Radish colas to pair with rice dishes
What’s it like to eat eel from a Japanese vending machine?
In Japan, you can now get Coca-Cola pre-mixed with coffee【Taste test】
Is Coca-Cola Japan’s brand-new strawberry Coke any good?【Taste test】
Apple coke is here! World-first flavour exclusive to Coca-Cola Japan
Japan gets a taste of Coca Cola Orange
We go to bed with Coca-Cola’s new Sleep Water to test its snooze-inducing effects
Does the eel from these cheap takeout shops pass the buyobuyo quality test? We find out
Butter on sushi? We’d heard it was great, but we wouldn’t believe it without trying it ourselves
Peach Coca-Cola coming to Japan in a world-first for the company
Coca-Cola Japan releases new Peach Coke for 2019
Is Coca-Cola Japan’s new canned Jack Daniels cocktail better than mixing your own?【Taste test】
The Unagyu Burger Kit’s ultra expensive/ultra cheap mixture is here, and it’s time to taste test it