The first clear drink I came across in Japan was Yogurina a clear yogurt drink. I thought it was strange to have a bottle that looks like water but tastes like yogurt, but it got me curious (which is probably the whole point of making a yogurt drink look like water). So I bought a bottle, and I have to admit the yogurt flavored clear soda is delicious and super refreshing, perfect for the hot summers in Japan.
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But in the last couple of weeks, I have stumbled across more and more different clear Japanese drinks and have realized that it is becoming a real trend in Japan. With a lot of the drinks having their own TV commercials, there is a lot of promotion going on as well.
If you are planning a visit to Japan (or are already here) make sure to try some of these Japanese drinks for yourself. You can get them conveniently at every convenience store and many supermarkets in the country. In this post, I would like to introduce to you all the clear soda and other clear Japanese drinks that I have stumbled upon in the last weeks. I will tell you whether I liked them or not but don’t take my word for it and try them for yourself. It’s fun, trust me.
Post Contents
Coca-Cola Clear
The whole clear soda movement started in the US in the 1990s with Pepsi and Coca-Cola (as is often the case when it comes to soda). So let me give you a short history of clear sodas.
First there used to be a drink called Crystal Pepsi which was basically Pepsi without the characteristical dark brown color. It was marketed as healthy and managed to reach a vast market share. But because Pepsi can’t do anything without Coca-Cola going into competition with them, Coca-Cola developing a competitive product. They countered with their own clear soda called Clear Tap in a kind of kamikaze mission to destroy Crystal Pepsis popularity. It worked and in the process Crystal Pepsi, and Clear Tap was out of fashion for a long time to come.
But apparently, it has been long enough for Coca-Cola because they are having a comeback. Not in the US market but in Japan where since June 2018 you can get Coca-Cola Clear in all convenience stores around the country. It is again marketed as healthy (having 0 calories).
Of course, I had to buy it and try it, but since I am not a fan of the standard Coca-Cola Light I have to admit that I didn’t really like the taste of this Coca-Cola Clear either. I prefer my Coca-Cola to be brown and loaded with calories. Everything else doesn’t make sense to me.
Yogurina
As I mentioned in the intro Yoghurina was the first clear soda that I stumbled across in Japan. It tastes refreshingly like yogurt and is marketed as a morning drink in its TV commercials.
Following the success of Yogurina there is now a new version called Blueberry Yoghurina.
And also some competitive products from other brands with their own kinds of yogurt drink type flavored water. One I came across recently was peach and yogurt flavored.
Flavored Water
I guess this is a thing in other places in the world as well. Something like fruit infused water. The most common one is probably lemon infused water, but in Japan you get the stranges (and most delicious) flavors. There is of course orange, but also peach, Japanese pear, apple, and many more seasonal flavors.
Premium Morning Tea – Clear Milk Tea
Another curiosity is the move to clear teas. One of them is Suntory’s Milk Tea that you can now also get in a clear version. I am not a fan of milk tea in general, but I have to say I did like the Premium Morning Tea.
Clear Latte
And lastly, the absolute highlight on my list, because it is just so strange, Clear Latte. Yes, it is precisely what you think it is. Cafe Latte in a clear version. Why oh why did they have to do this?
Interestingly I haven’t come across a regular clear coffee yet, but maybe that will be the next thing to come on the market.
In Conclusion
There are many weird and exciting drink in Japan. I have already written about other unique Japanese drinks in a different post, and I encourage you to check it out. But clear soda and the other clear Japanese beverages are one of the highlights in my book.
If you love weird Japanese things have a look at my post about popular Japanese snacks!
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Lena
Authors Note:
None of the experiences in this post are in any way sponsored and have all been payed for by myself. The opinions stated are all my own and have not been influenced in any way.
This posts contains affiliate links. I receive a commission if a product is purchased through one of these links, at no extra cost to you. Please support me by purchasing products through my links!
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And start planning your unforgettable gap year around the world
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Lena is the creator of the Social Travel Experiment. Planning her trip around the world took a lot of effort. To make it easier for future world travelers she has made it her mission to teach others how to have an unforgettable trip around the world, through short stays with locals, without wasting valuable time or money.