In Japan, non-alcoholic drinks are highly visible in konbini, vending machines and supermarkets. Alongside the established classics, manufacturers readily turn fruit, plants and even certain culinary flavours into drinks sold in cans and small bottles.
Japanese sodas may therefore be citrusy, fruity, very sweet or decidedly unexpected, while lemonades, milk-based drinks and fruit juice drinks offer quite different textures and flavour profiles.
The Japanese word サイダー (saidâ), derived from the English word “cider”, does not usually refer to an alcoholic drink made from apples.
It is a clear, sparkling soft drink similar to lemonade, available either plain or flavoured with melon, peach, watermelon and many other fruits.
Japanese ramune belongs to the same family of carbonated drinks, but is traditionally distinguished by its bottle sealed with a glass marble.
