Drink-a-palooza

I've wanted to update my blog for a while now, but I have been swamped with work. This has been the first week of real teaching for me, even though most of it has just been self-introductions. More on that soon. First, I have to post some more drink reviews, before I forget.

Fanta! This is Japanese Fanta, which comes in these cool, curvy bottles. The one I see on the selves most often is grape, but this momo-flavored drink (see: peach) is brand new and delicious. Peaches are one of the most popular fruits in Japan, along with strawberries, and there are even folktales written about peaches (see: Legend of Momotaro). I recently got a big bag of peaches for no reason, and I can attest that, at least in Fukushima, they are delicious! Don't try to Google Momo Fanta, though; there is a guy on Facebook named Momo Fanta, and he's the first result you'll get.

Pocari Sweat is an energy drink along the likes of Gatorade or Powerade, minus the fruit flavor. It is similar to Aquarius, a drink I've mentioned before. I know you may be hesitant about drinking something named "Sweat," but I assure you the taste more than makes up for it. I like to buy a bottle of this whenever I go to the gym, and enjoy all those tasty Japanese electrolytes.

Pepsi Nex Zero, the zero-calorie Pepsi, is the most popular type of Pepsi in my region. You see the normal cans of Pepsi in some vending machines around the village, but the only kind of Pepsi you'll see sold in stores is Nex Zero. I guess it must be the appeal of zero calories that makes it so popular. I'm drinking it right now, and it's not too shabby.

Calpis! This white, milky-colored beverage is a staple of Japanese beverage culture. In my old age, I can no longer appreciate the super-sugary drinks that make children stay up until forever o' clock, so I like to enjoy a cold, uncarbonated can or bottle of Calpis. It tastes a little like vanilla yogurt. The picture above is actually a picture of Calpis Sour, an alcoholic version of the drink. "Sour" in Japan tends to mean "has alcoholic content." As you can see, this one is 3% alchohol. I'll save it for the weekend, when I don't have classes the next day.

Sometimes, the convenience stores will have promotions where you buy drinks coupled with prizes. I don't think it's meant for children, because Japanese parents tend to avoid letting their children drink soda. You buy two bottles, one popular drink and one less popular one, at a discounted price in an attempt to get you hooked on the less popular one. They also include a little toy, like this weird monkey with brocolli on his head. I'm going to call him "Brocolli-Boss."