At the start of each season in Japan, the major domestic (Japanese) beer brewers offer special beers related to the season.
I just bought Suntory’s new 発泡酒 (malt liquor beer) for this spring, called 「春咲く薫り」(“Spring Blossom Fragrance”).
春咲く薫り(はるさくかおり)
I like it. Tastes good!
First of all, today (2013 March 26) is the fifth anniversary of my blog.
I wrote the first post on 2008 March 26.
As of today, my blog has gotten about 1,600,000 hits … that averages to about 895 hits per day over the five years – – but that’s not really accurate because my blog averages 1000 hits a day now, but less than 50 a day when I first started it in 2008.
Thanks to all my site’s visitors … especially you! Please leave a comment!
Anyways, I found out about a new movie about post-WW2 Japan titled “Emperor” starring Tommy Lee Jones as U.S. Army General Douglas McArthur.
Do you know who Gen. McArthur was?
He is very well-known in Japan.
General McArthur was in charge of the U.S. military during the war against Japan … and also during the occupation of Japan after the war ended.
Japanese people respect McArthur because he respected the Japanese people.
Tommy Lee Jones is also respected in Japan.
He is known to everyone here as the “face” of Suntory’s Boss Coffee.
In the Boss Coffee TV commerials, Tommy Lee Jones acts and sounds like a Japanese man.
He’s an excellent actor.
Have you seen the movie “Emperor” ?
The 2012 Tokyo Marathon was held today.
Twenty-nine year old Michael Kipyego of Kenya, Africa came in first place with a time of 2 hrs 07.37 seconds.
藤原新 (Arata Fujiwara) came in second just a few hundredths of a seconds later.
Arata Fujiwara of Japan and Michael Kipyego of Kenya show their silver and gold medals, respectively.
I don’t enjoy running…or even jogging, for that matter. So I can’t imagine running a 42 kilometer (26.22 miles) marathon!
Do you like to run or jog? Have you ever run a marathon? The Tokyo Marathon?
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Now that it’s getting closer to the end of winter and 花見 (“Cherry Blossom Viewing”) season will be here before long, many Japanese brewers have begun selling beers in cans decorated with 桜 (Cherry Blossoms).
The American Jack Daniels brand whiskey is partnered with the Japanese brand Suntory and is available for purchase in almost any supermarket, convenience store or liquor store in Japan.
And now Jack Daniels Whiskey has begun selling canned High-ball cocktails.
If you buy a canned Jack Daniels High-ball by 2011 November 30, it will come with two 6-digit codes that can be used to enter a drawing for prizes via the “Jack Daniels Japan” website.
You can enter the drawing by 5:00PM (Japan time) on 2011 November 30.
300 people will win a set of two “Jack Daniels High-ball drinking glasses” and another 300 people will win a set of two “Jack Daniels mugs”.
Personally, I’d choose the mugs. I like Jack Daniels and I like “High-balls”…so, I may just buy a few cans of this drink and enter the drawing.
The sets of Jack Daniels glasses and mugs.
The weather is still hot and humid in Tokyo now, but some signs of Autumn (秋 (Aki) in Japanese) can be seen now that it’s September.
The leaves haven’t begun to change color yet. That’s called 紅葉 (Kouyou) in Japanese and it does happen in late October or so and it’s very beautiful…especially to someone like me who came to Japan from Florida where the leaves on trees are green all year round.
The signs of Autumn that can be see every year in Japan at this time of year are some foods and drinks that can be purchased now.
All of the major domestic beer brewers in Japan offer special seasonal brews at the turn of each of the seasons. Right now, they’re all offering their various Autumn beers.
I currently have in my house a case of Suntory 「秋楽」 (“Aki-raku“) beer.
Suntory "Aki-raku" autumn brew with 6% alcohol!
This beer’s name translates to “Comfortable Autumn”.
Kirin Beer offers a beer in a similar can called 「秋味」 (“Aki-aji“), which means “The Flavor of Autumn”.
Another sign that autumn is near is when McDonalds in Japan offers their special, popular 「月見バーガー」 (“Tsukimi Burger“).
This burger is only available for a limited-time each year in autumn. And it’s currently on the menu again.
The "Tsukimi Burger" is currently available at McDonalds Japan
The Tsukimi Burger has an egg on it because the egg looks like a full-moon in the sky.
You may wonder what an egg resembling the moon has to do with anything…
But you’d need to understand that for centuries, 月見 (tsukimi)…which means “moon watching”…has been a popular autumn past time in Japan.
月見, autumn moon-gazing parties, are popular and McDonalds capitalized on that and offered a temporary burger for the occasion every year.
Another recent sign that autumn is approaching in Japan is the increasing number of stores that put up Halloween decorations.
When I came to Japan in 1990, Halloween was unheard of here…but, recently, it’s become much more well-known. But it’s still not really celebrated. Going “Trick ‘R Treating” around the neighborhood isn’t done here, and private homes aren’t decorated. But many stores capitalize on the western holiday and put up Halloween decorations in an attempt to draw customers.
Are there unique customs in your country in the transition between seasons?
Suntory Beer has a new beer in Japan.
It’s called 「絹の贅沢」 (literally: “Luxurious Silk“).
Embarrassing name for a beer and a generic-looking can design…but it was on sale so I bought half-a-case.
It’s tastes good.
But don’t confuse it with Suntory‘s other new offering in a similar can…
I'd never buy this!
This is Suntory “All Free”. Non-alcoholic beer.
Non-alcoholic beer—none for me, thanks.
Do you like beer? What do you think of “non-alcoholic” beer?
In Japan most of the major beer brewers offer “seasonal” beers ever year. Special beers in specially designed cans of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
It’s just a gimmick to help sell beer, of course. But I don’t mind, I usually like to try them when they come out with a new one every year.
On August 25th, Kirin Beer began selling 「秋味」 ビール (“Autumn Flavor” beer).
As I mentioned in a post last year, Suntory Beer sold their autumn beer (called 「秋生」 (“Autumn Draft”)) on that same date last year (2009 August 25).
The design of the Kirin and Suntory beer cans look quite similar.
Do beer brewers in your country offer seasonal beers like this? Are they popular?
Suntory, the Japanese beverage company, has announced that they have developed the world’s first 青いバラ (blue roses).
These flowers will begin going on sale in parts of Japan on November 3 for about ¥3000 (US $32.50) per flower.
I’m not really so interested in a special flower…even a “world’s first”.
What does sound appealing to me is Suntory‘s new beer.
The 「ショッキ生エイト」 (“Jyokki-nama Eight“) with 8% alcohol!
I don’t claim to be a beer ソムリエ (sommelier), but I know what I like.
I’m gonna try and make a list here of as many of the different beers I’ve tried that I can remember. And I’m gonna try to rate them (with a rating scale of 1-3 stars (★ ～ ★★★). One star (★) being the lowest, and three (★★★) is the highest).
I also wrote the beer’s country of origin.
The star ratings are simply my personal opinion. Kirin Beer is my favorite. And I think any cold lager is good.
Just so you know where I’m coming from.
"Coedo Beer" from Kawagoe (Koedo), Saitama, Japan
I may have tried others that I’ve forgotten. This is all that I can remember off the top of my head.
As you can probably tell by my ratings, I love beer…and I’m not real picky. But I’ve tried Guinness Beer and I didn’t think much of it. やっぱり、I like lager beer.
What do you think of my list? Have you tried any of these beers? Are your impressions different from mine? What’s your favorite beer? How often do you have a beer? I have a couple with dinner everyday.
7-11 Japan and the department store chain that owns it, 「イトーヨーカドー」 (Ito-Yokado) are selling Suntory 「ゴールド・ブルー」 (“Gold Brew“) 発泡酒 (low-malt beer) for only ¥100 (about US$1.00) per 350ml can.
So I bought a case of them from 「イトーヨーカドー」 (Ito-Yokado). ¥100 / can X 24 cans = ¥2,400 (about US$24). A pretty good price, and the beer tastes good too!
350ml cans are a bit small though…I usually buy a case of the 500ml “tall boys”.
I know Suntory is a beverage company that makes beer, whiskey and some soft drinks…but did you know that they own Pepsi Japan and Gatorade Japan too?
Gatorade Sports Drink is originally a Florida* company? (*I grew up in Florida, USA).
Gatorade was created by the University Of Florida. Initially it was created for the University of Florida‘s football team…the “Gators“. Hence the name, “Gatorade“.
The only reason I know this is because my sister graduated from the University of Florida.
I wonder if other U.S. college football teams drink Gatorade and if they know it’s a “Florida Gators” drink?
In Japan, beer brewers release seasonal beers…ie: brews for the Summer, Spring, Autumn, and Winter.
On August 25, Suntory will begin selling their 2009 Autumn beer, called 「秋生」 (“Autumn Draft“).
It contains 6.5% alcohol.
Tokyo Five 
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