Does Starbucks in your country have 抹茶 (Japanese Green Tea) drinks on their menu?
I suspect that it’s another only-in-Japan thing.
Starbucks Japan‘s newest item on their menu is 「チョコレート・ブラウニー抹茶クリーム・フラペチーノ」 (“Chocolate Brownie / Green Tea Cream Frappuccino“).
Do you like Starbucks? Would you order this drink?
Do you like the Japanese anime titled 「ドラゴンボール」 (“Dragonball“)?
(I wrote a post in late 2008 about some Hollywood remakes of Japanese movies…including a remake of “Dragonball” (which I haven’t seen but it doesn’t look good)).
Well, if you’re a Dragonball fan, you may be interested to know that the Japanese canned coffee / soft drink company “Pokka” is currently selling their “Power Squash” soft drink in twelve different designed cans with various Dragonball characters on them.
From the Pokka company website, here are the twelve different cans…each with a different Dragonball character:
Available until 2011 September 30
And they’re also offering three types of canned coffee, each available designed with ten different Dragonball characters. So, if you really want to, between the “Squash” soft drink and the three different coffee blends, you can collect a total of 42 different Dragonball drink cans!
Three of the "Pokka" / "Dragonball" coffee cans
I like coffee and I buy canned coffee sometimes…so if I got one of these “Dragonball” cans, it would one of the coffees.
I think cola has a different image in America than it does here in Japan.
In America, I think, it’s more common for people of all ages from children to adults to drink cola. But in Japan, generally speaking, sweet drinks and foods are usually consumed by children and young women.
People my age, especially men, in Japan normally drink coffee, tea and alcohol. I also don’t have much of a “sweet tooth”. I don’t eat chocolates or candies very often and I seldom drink cola or other sweet drinks.
I like coffee (“normal” coffee…not the overly sweet type found at places like Starbucks) and, of course, beer.
So, in an attempt to lure more people like me into drinking their product, Pepsi-Cola in Japan is offering a new type of cola called “Pepsi Dry“.
The label says 「甘くないコーラ」 ("not sweet cola").
Supposedly this new cola is half as sweet as normal cola and has a “dry, crisp taste”.
I think I’d like this more than normal cola…but I probably won’t bother to try it. As I said, I’m not much of a cola drinker.
How about you? Do you have a sweet tooth? Would you try “Pepsi-Dry”?
From yesterday (2010 October 15) until next Thursday (2010 October 21), McDonalds in Japan are giving away free cups of coffee for one hour each day this week from 6:00PM – 7:00PM.
McDonalds Japan also has a number of “¥100 Menu” and “¥120 Menu” items that include such deals as a hamburger, small coffee and ice cream for ¥100 each and things like a cheeseburger for ¥120.
Well, starting last month, a new item has been added to the ¥100 Menu…a small size 「マックシェイク・バナナ」 (“Banana Milkshake”).
I remember the Banana Milkshake was on the menu at McDonalds Japan about six years ago…and now, starting last month, it’s back on the menu.
Does McDolads in your country offer Banana Milkshakes? Have you tried one? What did you think of it?
Also, McDonalds Japan is currently offering four new chicken sandwiches…one at a time.
These sandwiches are collectively called “iCon’ Chicken”.
The current one is 「チーズフォンデュ」 (“Cheese Fondue”).
In late October, the “iCon’ Chicken” will be changed to “German Sausage”, then in early November it’ll be “Diavolo”, then in late October they’ll sell the “Carbonara”.
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edit: Please click here to read a comment I added to this post about McDonalds coupons.
I like coffee a lot.
Every morning I drink a cup of coffee and every evening a can (or two) of beer.
But I don’t like Starbucks.
In my opinion, what Starbucks sells isn’t coffee but overpriced hot cocoa. It’s too sweet and too expensive.
But I understand that Starbucks is popular (although I don’t understand why that is), so maybe you’ll be interested to know that 「スターバックス」 (Starbucks) in Japan has just begun selling 「スターバックス ヴィア」 (“Starbucks Via“) coffee.
“Starbucks Via” is their new brand of instant coffee.
Packages of "Starbucks Via" in the U.S. have "X" marks on them.
I guess Starbucks in America has already been offering this new instant coffee, but in Japan Starbucks began selling it today.
There are a couple differences between the “Starbucks Via” offered in the U.S. and how it’s sold here in Japan.
First, in Japan, the packages are smaller because Japanese usually consume food and drinks in smaller portions than the average American.
And secondly, the packages that the coffee are sold in are different in Japan too.
In America (and maybe other countries as well), they have large “X” marks to indicate the type of coffee, but in Japan that symbol isn’t usually used in that way.
Usually Japanese people would put an “O” (circle) there…but Starbucks Japan elected to use a check mark…still better than an “X”.
Packages of 「スターバックス ヴィア」 ("Starbucks Via") coffee in Japan have check marks on them.
I guess I’m not the only one who thinks Starbucks coffee is too expensive. Maybe they’re losing business and decided to sell cheaper coffee to try to compete with places like McDonalds.
In Japan, “Starbucks Via” in sold in sets of either three packets for ¥300 (¥100 / packet (about US$1.08 / packet)) or twelve packets for ¥1,000 (¥83 / packet (about US$0.89 / packet)).
Do you like Starbucks coffee? Have you tried “Starbucks Via“? How much is it in your country?
Yesterday McDonalds Japan opened a number of “McCafé” shops around Japan.
They offer seven types of coffee that aren’t available at regular McDonalds restaurants, as well as the two that are (“Premium Roast Coffee” and “Premium Roast Ice Coffee”).
The hot coffees are shown in red. Ice coffees are in blue.
The “Premium Roast Coffee” and “Premium Roast Ice Coffee” are available for ¥120 and ¥220 (depending on size) just like they are at the regular McDonalds restaurants.
The other coffees are:
HOT
ICED
To promote the McCafé in Tokyo, they’re giving away free cups of hot カフェラテ (Cafe Latte) in specially designed paper cups for a few days.
It says in this ad above that from 3:00PM on 2009 November 3 (yesterday) until 2:59PM on November 6, the McCafé in 渋谷 (Shibuya, Tokyo) will be giving away the small hot カフェラテ (Cafe Latte)…and that the first 1000 customers will receive a special ceramic mug as well.
There will also be a McCafé truck giving the free latte coffees and it’s scheduled to be at Roppongi, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Yurakucho, and Akasaka at various dates and times this month. (If you want to know when and where it’ll be at, then visit the McDonalds Japan website. (if you can’t read it and would like to know the details, then tell me which area or date you’re wondering about in the comments section of this post and I’ll reply)).
I’m not much of a Starbucks Coffee drinker. Well, actually, that’s an understatement…I never patronize Starbucks.
I tried it once and I don’t see the appeal. It was like overpriced hot chocolate to me. Too sweet! And definitely too expensive!
Do you like Starbucks? The world’s busiest Starbucks is in 渋谷 (Shibuya, Tokyo). But, personally, I like 「ドトール・コーヒー」 (Doutor Coffee) or even McDonalds‘s coffee better. To me, that’s real coffee.
But I walked past a Starbucks yesterday and noticed that they’re having a 「SAKURA シリーズ」 (Sakura (Cherry Ｂlossom) Series).
Starbucks's 「SAKURA シリーズ 2009」
It’s Sakura flavored scones and desserts, and pink coffee cups and coffee pots.
It’s not for me. I’d never buy any of that stuff. But if you want more info about it, click here to visit Starbucks Japan‘s website (mostly in 日本語 (Japanese) only).
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