This time, we bring you the "Hokkaido/Tohoku Edition." OnTrip JAL editorial team and JAL staff working in Hokkaido and Tohoku. Each drink is strongly influenced by the local culture and climate, and just picking one up will surely enrich your travel experience.
*Prices include tax.
INDEX
<Hokkaido>
The only lactic acid bacteria drink for Hokkaido residents | Soft Katsugen
From the left, 180ml 97 yen, 300ml 129 yen, 500ml 169 yen, 1,000ml 275 yen / Sold by: Snow Brand Megmilk
This soul drink, only available in Hokkaido, has been passed down through the generations among Hokkaido natives. Its roots date back to 1938, when a lactic acid drink called "Katsumoto" was first served in Shanghai at the request of the Japanese military during the Sino-Japanese War. After the war, bottled "Snow Brand Katsugen" was released in Hokkaido in 1956, and in 1979, "Soft Katsugen," with a truly "soft" taste with less sourness and sweetness, was released.
A word from JAL staff!
"It's available in many supermarkets in Hokkaido! There are lactobacillus drinks that are famous nationwide, but this is the one that people in Hokkaido are accustomed to drinking." (Hokkaido branch staff)
Available at supermarkets and convenience stores in Hokkaido
All-Hokkaido blended tea | Hokkaido corn tea
500ml 172 yen / Sold by Itoen
This is a blended tea sold exclusively in Hokkaido by Itoen. All the ingredients, including corn, brown rice, black beans (soybeans), and red beans, are produced in Hokkaido. In addition, water from Hokkaido is used, and the production is also carried out in a factory in Hokkaido, making it an all-Hokkaido system. With one sip, a sweet and gentle aroma spreads, and the unique taste is likely to become addictive.
A word from JAL staff!
"It has a sweet corn aroma, but it has a clean aftertaste and is easy to drink." (Hokkaido branch staff)
Available at supermarkets and convenience stores in Hokkaido
<Aomori Prefecture>
Thinned apples turned into an ethical drink | Tekikaka Apple Soda
330ml 486 yen / Sold by: Moriyamaen
"Thinning" refers to the process of thinning out small fruits in order to grow tasty fruit. After five years of improving the cultivation management method, they succeeded in turning thinned apples, which were previously discarded, into raw materials. This drink was born, made with pure fruit juice and carbonation, and contains no additives. It is lightly sweet and full of polyphenols, making it perfect to enjoy with a meal.
A word from JAL staff!
"You can only find it in liquor stores and supermarkets that are particular about their product lineup, but it's a product that we want to show off to the whole country, not only for its taste but also for its SDGs." (Aomori branch staff)
Available for purchase at some liquor stores and supermarkets in and outside Aomori Prefecture.
<Iwate Prefecture>
Refreshing taste of the town's specialty fruit | Sarunashi drink
190ml 130 yen / Sold by: Karumai Town Industrial Development
This is a rare drink made from the kiwi fruit "Sarunashi". Sarunashi grows wild in the mountains and fields all over Japan, but is cultivated in the fields of Karumai Town, a town in the northernmost part of Iwate Prefecture, as a local specialty, and made into a unique drink. More than 30 years after its creation, the refreshingly sour Sarunashi drink has become firmly established as a Karumai specialty.
A word from JAL staff!
"Sarunashi looks like a small kiwi fruit, and the drink tastes similar to kiwi fruit, so it's refreshing and delicious." (Iwate Sales Office staff)
Available for purchase at supermarkets, retail stores, and specialty product sales facilities in Karumai Town, Iwate Prefecture.
Cider made from a natural monument | Ryusendo Cider
340ml 216 yen / Sold by: Iwaizumi Holdings
Ryusendo Cave is one of the three largest limestone caves in Japan and is also designated as a national natural monument. The pure water, which has passed through the limestone layers of the cave over many years and contains just the right amount of calcium, is said to be the most delicious in Japan. This cider is made with this premium water. Its popularity is due to its reduced sweetness and carbonation, which brings out the deliciousness of the water.
A word from JAL staff!
"This cider is made with the ultimate water that you can't get anywhere else, and it's delicious even at room temperature!" (Iwate Sales Office staff)
Available for purchase at supermarkets and roadside stations in Iwate Prefecture
<Miyagi Prefecture>
Zunda Cider: A perfect reproduction of Sendai's famous bean flavor
340ml 250 yen / Sold by: Trebon Foods
This cider uses edamame powder to perfectly recreate the taste and aroma of the edamame paste used in Sendai's specialty, Zunda Mochi. As soon as you twist the cap, the rich aroma of edamame tickles your nostrils, and with one sip, the flavor of the beans spreads in your mouth more than you would expect. This is a product that Trebon Foods, which has been making drinks in Sendai since 1950, is proud of, and is rooted in the local community.
A word from JAL staff!
"It's popular as a souvenir, but I also buy it for myself and enjoy drinking it. The unique edamame flavor is surprisingly addictive." (OnTrip JAL Editorial Department)
Available for purchase at Sendai Station, Sendai Airport, and souvenir shops in Sendai.
<Akita>
The recipe for making famous cider has been kept secret for 120 years | Niteko Cider
300ml 280 yen / Sold by: Akita Misatozukuri
This cider is made with water from Niteko Shimizu in the Rokugo Springs in Misato Town, Akita Prefecture, which was selected as one of Japan's 100 famous waters. Production began in 1902! In order to bring out the natural flavor of the water, they are particular about the soft sweetness and mellow carbonation, and the ingredients such as flavorings that determine the taste have been kept secret for over 120 years.
A word from JAL staff!
"It's the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of local drinks in Akita Prefecture. It doesn't leave a sticky feeling after drinking it, and has a refreshing sweetness and a nostalgic taste with a gentle carbonation." (Akita branch staff)
Available for purchase at liquor stores in Misato and supermarkets in Akita Prefecture.
Jersey live culture yogurt: a world-class taste made only with raw milk and live cultures
500ml 482 yen, 900ml 774 yen / Sold by: Tsuchida Farm
The yogurt drink from Tsuchida Farm is made using only raw milk from free-range Jersey cows that are self-sufficient on pasture in the Nikaho Plateau in Akita Prefecture, and two types of live lactic acid bacteria. It is extremely rich, with the flavor of the milk itself and a gentle sweetness that fills your mouth. It has a world-class taste that complies with the Codex (International Food Standards). It is sure to change your image of existing yogurt.
A word from JAL staff!
"It's a real yogurt drink made from Jersey cows, with a lot of lactic acid bacteria and a strong flavor. When I want to refresh myself, I go for a drive to the plateau and drink this." (Akita branch staff)
Available at supermarkets "Takayanagi" and "AEON Max Value" in Akita Prefecture
<Yamagata Prefecture>
Yamagata Pineapple Cider: A soul drink born from a yearning for the tropics
250ml 130 yen / Sold by Yamagata Foods
The fruity aroma and sweet-and-sour taste spreads in your mouth along with the strong carbonation. Pineapple cider is a "soul drink" that is familiar to everyone in Yamagata. It is said that it was created in the 1950s out of a longing for tropical fruits. This bottle conveys that sentiment to the present day, and the slight pineapple color given to it by Yamagata safflower gives it a local feel.
A word from JAL staff!
"Even now that pineapples are commonly eaten, they remain a popular local drink!" (Tohoku branch staff)
Available for purchase at JA direct sales outlets, roadside stations, supermarkets, etc. in Yamagata Prefecture
<Fukushima Prefecture>
Rich milk cafe au lait from the 70s | Rakuoh Cafe au Lait
200ml 130 yen, 300ml 168 yen, 500ml 230 yen, 1,000ml 404 yen / Sold by: Rakuo Kyodo Dairy
The soul drink of Fukushima residents is a cafe au lait made with more than 50% raw milk produced in the prefecture, with a rich flavor, coffee aroma, and just the right amount of sweetness. Since its release in 1976, it has been loved by a wide range of age groups and is now established as a local Fukushima brand. Many collaborative products, such as "Rakuoh Cafe au Lait Flavor" sables and ice cream, have also been released.
A word from JAL staff!
"It has a sweet and creamy taste. The aroma of the coffee is strong, and it contains plenty of raw milk, so you'll be hooked on its richness!" (OnTrip JAL editorial department)
Available for purchase at supermarkets, highway service areas, and parking areas in Fukushima Prefecture
We have introduced 10 drinks that are unique to Hokkaido and Tohoku, from nostalgic soul drinks that everyone grew up drinking, to popular souvenirs, and even drinks that have the potential to become new local specialties. If you have the opportunity to travel, be sure to seek out and try these local drinks.
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The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
