Japanese Coke

I think when you live in another country for a year you take a lot of it with you when you go home. Because I lived in Tokyo for a year I find myself obsessed with recycling, always the right recyclable in the right box. This happened because I was afraid of messing up when I put my garbage out on Tuesday and Thursday, the Japanese have basically been regimented into proper trash removal and will actually wade through their neighbors garbage if they are improperly disposing of their materials. Naturally, if your neighbor has to do this they hold a grudge, that fear has made me responsible and green here.

             Bubble Man II: In the distant cold future of 20XX Mega Man must fight Carbonated beverages to gain new powers

The other thing that happens is you get nostalgia for strange things, small everyday things that kind of defined your routine and life there. For me it was my love of soda in Japan. Strangely, when I'm in America I never drink soda unless it’s part of a package deal. I think its because I know that its just empty calories, something that catches up with you when your trying to be active. I think it was the novelty that drove me to being a carbonation connoisseur; Bubble Man soda is probably the best example. Its trippy, colorful LSD fever dream inspired labels drove me to try each one of its general and seasonal soda line-up. The soda had far too much carbonation for my taste and was just a hyped up sprite in taste, but just the sheer excess in design and craziness made me excite to try Bubble Man: Space or Bubble Man: Lava.

                                                 
                                   This Bubble Man, unfortunately, is not associated with the Soda

The Soda I drank the most while I was there was just plain regular Coke-Cola. I think this was a function of Coke-Cola of Japan having the soda machine rights of perhaps 60% of the machines in Japan and there was one literally attached to my small three story apartment building. The other was taste, I like American Coke, but it’s too thick for me. I just can't constantly drink a soda that makes me feel like I'm dissolving my teeth. Japanese Coke had the same genuinely good taste but was watered down to perfection, it gave me the satisfaction of having my Coke and eating it too, well, maybe that’s an odd turn of the phrase but I think you catch my point. Also, as a poor hungry college student with no money, living in a country where food can be expensive and the portions small, I wasn't watching my caloric intake. If anything the vast quantities of Coke I drink kept me alive as I lost a good 15lbs living in Japan, something a 6 ft. tall 155lb base human twig doesn't take so well.

Mellon Soda and CC Lemon were also some of my favorites, though Curry flavored ramune was not the trip to delicious town that I had wished it had been. Anyone else have any favorite sodas or beverages with a international flair? Mexican Coke is the pinnacle of delicious for me, but Japan did give me a lot of interesting flavorful experiences.
 

I think when you live in another country for a year you take a lot of it with you when you go home. Because I lived in Tokyo for a year I find myself obsessed with recycling, always the right recyclable in the right box. This happened because I was afraid of messing up when I put my garbage out on Tuesday and Thursday, the Japanese have basically been regimented into proper trash removal and will actually wade through their neighbors garbage if they are improperly disposing of their materials. Naturally, if your neighbor has to do this they hold a grudge, that fear has made me responsible and green here.

             Bubble Man II: In the distant cold future of 20XX Mega Man must fight Carbonated beverages to gain new powers

The other thing that happens is you get nostalgia for strange things, small everyday things that kind of defined your routine and life there. For me it was my love of soda in Japan. Strangely, when I'm in America I never drink soda unless it’s part of a package deal. I think its because I know that its just empty calories, something that catches up with you when your trying to be active. I think it was the novelty that drove me to being a carbonation connoisseur; Bubble Man soda is probably the best example. Its trippy, colorful LSD fever dream inspired labels drove me to try each one of its general and seasonal soda line-up. The soda had far too much carbonation for my taste and was just a hyped up sprite in taste, but just the sheer excess in design and craziness made me excite to try Bubble Man: Space or Bubble Man: Lava.

                                                 
                                   This Bubble Man, unfortunately, is not associated with the Soda

The Soda I drank the most while I was there was just plain regular Coke-Cola. I think this was a function of Coke-Cola of Japan having the soda machine rights of perhaps 60% of the machines in Japan and there was one literally attached to my small three story apartment building. The other was taste, I like American Coke, but it’s too thick for me. I just can't constantly drink a soda that makes me feel like I'm dissolving my teeth. Japanese Coke had the same genuinely good taste but was watered down to perfection, it gave me the satisfaction of having my Coke and eating it too, well, maybe that’s an odd turn of the phrase but I think you catch my point. Also, as a poor hungry college student with no money, living in a country where food can be expensive and the portions small, I wasn't watching my caloric intake. If anything the vast quantities of Coke I drink kept me alive as I lost a good 15lbs living in Japan, something a 6 ft. tall 155lb base human twig doesn't take so well.

Mellon Soda and CC Lemon were also some of my favorites, though Curry flavored ramune was not the trip to delicious town that I had wished it had been. Anyone else have any favorite sodas or beverages with a international flair? Mexican Coke is the pinnacle of delicious for me, but Japan did give me a lot of interesting flavorful experiences.
 

Personally, I'm kind of fond of Columbian Coke.

Lmao Sparky you just maybe spill my drink. Unfortunately it wasn't a Coca-Cola

Yeah, after living in Korea for 4 years, there's plenty of stuff from over there that I miss.

One of them is the Coke. Those skinny cans...and the sweetness of it. I know what you mean.

I have a buddy that works for Coke so I drink the stuff regularly. I'll agree, Mexican Coke is the best.

Personally, I'm not a huge soda snob so I haven't ventured off and tried lots of different foreign sodas, however I am very fond of Bubble Yum soda and Peach Schnappes to which I coined the drink: "Old Skool Ben's Bubblegum Shooters".

no no no, russian coke is the way to go. 1/9 part coke 8/9 part vodka

"Personally, I'm kind of fond of Columbian Coke."

I love trying weird soft drinks...

Man, Japanese stuff is awesome..

Japanese humor... XD

Lol. Bubble Man. Most Coke I have had out the U.S. doesn't taste as well. I don't know why. maybe it because I'm home.

"Sparky_Buzzsaw said:

"Personally, I'm kind of fond of Columbian Coke."

Yea, they use the real thing -- high quality sugar cane."

Nothing makes Coke better then a pure infusion of Sugar Cane! I also recommend if your interested in odd Japanese drinks to stay away from Final Fantasy potions, apparently the way to heal your HP is to drink nasty carbonated root water.

Mexican coke is AMAZING

"Personally, I'm kind of fond of Columbian Coke."

Watered down? The burn is my favorite part of Coke. I'll drink it plain and hot and I'll enjoy it! :P

"Watered down? The burn is my favorite part of Coke. I'll drink it plain and hot and I'll enjoy it! :P"

"Sparky_Buzzsaw said: You're also fond of misspelling Colombia. As are so many people!"

Vanilla Coke is also amazing!

Has anyone ever gone to an old fashioned Soda Fountain? I really wish there was a place around here that put flavors like vanilla or chocolate in your coke, Soda Jerks need to make a comeback, seriously.

"Has anyone ever gone to an old fashioned Soda Fountain? I really wish there was a place around here that put flavors like vanilla or chocolate in your coke, Soda Jerks need to make a comeback, seriously."

I love the vending machine drinks in Japan.  Especially the flat out insane varieties of coffee you can get in hot or cold.  Beer vending machines were also a common destination for me :) there was one on my hostel's street.