We won’t have to wait until the blossoms appear to enjoy sakura with our Coca-Cola this year.
Cola (Page 3)
People in Japan will be the first in the world to find out what the unique flavour combination tastes like.
Warabi mochi is usually flavored with soybean powder, but not in the case of these treats from Osaka.
Although they are stopping just short of calling it an actual “health cola,” Coca-Cola Plus is the latest addition to the health-oriented cola war in Japan.
While a one-litre (two-pint) bottle of Pepsi usually contains 1.0 GV (gas volume), these much smaller bottles now pack 5.0 GV in more than half the size.
Finally, the great taste of a fried pork cutlet drenched in thick curry that you can slip in your coat pocket without getting wet!
A young man recently had a brush with death after his epic snacking caused his stomach to fill with so much gas that it nearly exploded.
Both foreigners and Japanese folks agree, Calbee’s new cola-flavored chips are a big win. But you’ll have to be pretty lucky to get some for yourself!
Among brands who like to get adventurous with the flavors in Japan such as Kit Kat or Häagen- Dazs, Pepsi is certainly one of the most prolific. Past Pepsi flavors have included cucumber, strawberry milk, and salty watermelon.
This time, everyone’s favorite alternative to Coke has unleashed a new flavor called Pepsi Ghost, especially for the Halloween season. They’ve really outdone themselves too, because for this limited-edition outing the special flavor is unknown.
So unknown, in fact, that even after drinking about a litre of the stuff I still can’t quite put my finger on it.
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!
There are some food and beverage pairings pretty much everyone finds complementary. Wine and red meat. Milk and cookies. Draft beer and edamame soybeans.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are certain combinations we’ve learned to stay away from. Soda and Mentos, for example, are well-known to produce a volatile reaction if consumed together. But just where exactly is the human body’s threshold for these two incompatible mouth-mates?
Or, more specifically, where is RocketNews24 reporter P.K.’s body’s threshold?
So this morning, my boss asked me if I wanted to do a taste test of a new drink that just went on sale in Japan. I figured this was a pretty sweet assignment to snag for the day, and not just because at that same moment my boss was having some of the other RocketNews24 writers strip down to their underwear and pose for pictures as part of another project, which I would then have an excuse to sidestep.
See, the taste test was of a new carbonated barley-based beverage, and since beer is one of the wells I go to as a writer, I assumed my boss was talking about the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage. But nope, it turns out that there’s now barley soda in Japan, so I was off to the store to try some of this drink that’s devoid of alcohol but surprisingly full of mystery.
Japan, thanks to its obsession with limited-edition and seasonal foods, has come to be known for its unusual drinks and snacks that come out throughout the year – matcha-flavored Kit Kats, purple sweet potato milkshakes, and sakura flavored hamburgers to name but a few.
Soda is no exception in the world of weird flavors, what with shiso and salted watermelon flavors having graced store shelves in the past. But here’s an even crazier one for all of you adventurous eaters out there: grilled eel flavor soda.
Garlic flavored cola. Just let that sink in for a moment. Fizzy sweet cola with a pungent garlic taste. Yum? Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of weird food and drink come out of Japan, and as of January 9, there has been a new addition to that list.
Hailing from Aomori, the garlic capital of Japan, which has previously produced such delectables as garlic ice cream and garlic beer, “Jats Takkola,” is brought to us from the garlic center of the garlic capital of Japan, also known as “Garlic Town,” Sannohe Districts’ Takko Town.
MOST POPULAR
Today
New Gundam Base superstores coming soon in the U.S., with one opening this month
Bear spotted near most popular hiking trail on Tokyo’s most popular hiking mountain
Tokyo’s Square Burger claims it’s a viral hit with foreign tourists who’ve given it near-perfect Google reviews
OC Japan Fair returns to California packed with all kinds of Japanese culture
Get more room in your luggage with new clothing compression machines at Haneda and Narita airports
Hatsune Miku/Hokusai exhibition in Tokyo lets you make your own Miku woodblock print
Starbucks Japan unveils Mitsuimo Milk, a new drink that celebrates the taste of autumn
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Corporation is planning to sell off Starbucks Japan, report says
“Lineup” begins for iPhone18 in Tokyo
Weekly
Studio Ghibli releases new onigiri rice ball-shaped lunch bag for Kiki’s Delivery Service fans
Mt. Fuji may soon require off-season climbers to register with government or pay for their rescues
Can hanging a handy fan on your crotch keep you cool in the Tokyo summer? SN24 investigates
Making the latest social media snack sensation in Japan, Dot Butter- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Burger King goes viral in Japan for opening new store in a Japanese-style building
7-Eleven Japan’s Ramen Machine is a viral hit, but there’s one glaring problem- Get more room in your luggage with new clothing compression machines at Haneda and Narita airports
Starbucks Japan unveils first-ever vending machine, with an exclusive coffee drink
TeamLab is building a new Tokyo museum, and it’s the digital art group’s biggest ever
Monthly
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
Studio Ghibli unveils new anime calendars and diary planners for 2027- Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
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
Solo travel in Japan: Hidden beer garden in Tokyo is a haven for single visitors
Kyoto temple bans visitors from wearing kimono
Hobonichi unveils new 2027 planners, diaries and stationery with One Piece, Suica Penguin, Hello Kitty and a must-buy Mini Techo
Yearly
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】
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Hatsune Miku/Hokusai exhibition in Tokyo lets you make your own Miku woodblock print
Starbucks Japan unveils Mitsuimo Milk, a new drink that celebrates the taste of autumn
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Corporation is planning to sell off Starbucks Japan, report says
“Lineup” begins for iPhone18 in Tokyo
Everything old is new, and cool, again at this hotel in Japan’s hot spring town comeback king
Free Mt. Fuji helicopter rescues for offseason hikers are ending in Yamanashi
McDonald’s Japan reveals exclusive new Tsukimi moon viewing collection for 2026
Pokémon Adidas crossover sneaker line releases in Japan, gives your feet Pikachu hugs [Pics]
New Ranma 1/2 anime tableware and lifestyle goods are appropriately multi-faceted [Photos]
Does Tokyo need self-driving taxis? Waymo thinks so, plans to launch fleet soon
Ghibli/Kyoto crossover artwork decorates goshuin papers for Zen and Ghibli art exhibition [Pics]
Snow Salt Soft Cream Cafe & Bar for grown-ups opens in Tokyo’s Ueno area with a bookish surprise
Japan’s new Pokémon Poké Ball hotel releases new details, and it’s giving away free stays [Video]
-
