#86 Cream Soda
A drink from Japan that has transcended the ages and continues to be loved by all generations.
Mochi dumplings, strawberry daifuku, the addictive sweet and sour collaboration of strawberries and red bean paste, elaborate latte art, and many Japanese sweets captivate visitors to Japan, but have you ever tried a drink called "Cream Soda"? The words "cream" and "soda" are not precisely what you would expect from this drink, which comes in various varieties. The drink was born in Japan, and although it has never had an explosive boom recently, it has a strong fan following. And it is no exaggeration to say that cream soda developed in Japan's unique coffee shop culture. For me, too, cream soda has been a treat ever since I can remember. This week, I will talk about cream soda in a slightly different way than in my usual post.
What is cream soda?
What is cream soda? It's not a big deal to define it, but it is a green soda drink, an imitation of melon topped with ice cream. In recent years, cream soda has come in various colors, including orange and purple. The original color is still green. If someone were to say "cream soda," I would also say green soda water and ice cream.
The history
When did cream soda first appear? It dates back to 1902, in the latter half of the Meiji Era, when the influx of Western culture accelerated. A translation of the website of Shiseido Parlor, which created the first cream soda, reads as follows:
Shiseido Parlor began in 1902 with a "soda fountain" corner in the Shiseido Pharmacy in Ginza, Tokyo. The original menu consisted of soda, water, and ice cream. The "ice cream soda," made by floating ice cream on soda water, was born from this development. The recipe has been carefully passed down to artisans, who continue to preserve the flavor of those days.
Today, in addition to the traditional flavors of "lemon" and "orange," seasonal fruits, "Shimbashi colors" named after the land, and low-sugar menu items are also available.
The "Ice Cream Soda," a Shiseido Parlor original, embodies the spirit of Shiseido Parlor's "tradition and innovation.
More than half a century later, cream soda gained a steadfast position in Japan in the 1960s, when the number of coffee shops in Japan increased rapidly. Japan had its unique coffee culture, centering on independent coffee shops long before Starbucks and other coffee giants arrived. The first half of the 1960s was a period of rapid growth in Japan, coinciding with the liberalization of coffee imports and the economic boom leading up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Coffee and coffee shops became popular because they created a space where Japanese people could spend time alone or with others.
Types of Cream Soda
Currently, the soda water used for cream soda is green melon soda. Sodas are without fruit juice and are colored green, and vanilla ice cream usually floats on top of the soda water. The color of the soda water changed to pink or purple, and there are many variations depending on the type and amount of ice cream. Some even use ice cream as soft-serve ice cream, and the operators are open to developing new products. On the other hand, cream soda has the potential to be widely accepted by customers.
As a child, I used to go into coffee shops and order a cream soda on special occasions when colas and other carbonated beverages were exploding in popularity.
You can enjoy it twice!
The combination of soda water and ice cream is exquisite. I enjoyed the green, clear soda water with my eyes, and after dipping the straw into the soda water and appreciating the taste, I ate about a third of the ice cream with a spoon. When the ice cream is soft, I stir it slowly to melt it and enjoy the collaboration with the melon-flavored soda water. Of course, my favorite part is after mixing the ice cream with the soda water. The sweetness of the ice cream matches the flavor of the soda water, and a little bit of the carbonation remains in the soda water. I love to enjoy the process.
Recently, green melon soda water has become available at convenience stores. I have not tried them all, but they vary slightly in melon flavor, sweetness, and carbonation strength. If you want to enjoy the taste of cream soda at home, buy some thick ice cream and put it on top of the soda water, and you are ready to go.
However, the fact remains that what people make tastes good, and it is blissful to order a cream soda at a coffee shop and drink it leisurely. Cream soda used to cost about 400 yen, but in these days of skyrocketing prices, a cream soda at a coffee shop usually costs 650 yen or even more.
Links about cream soda
Where can you find an Instagram-worthy cream soda among the many star-studded coffee shops? Here are some URLs for Tokyo that you may find helpful for you. Since it is challenging to view English sites, please translate the following sites.
Also, if you want to try it out quickly, try the Japanese hamburger chain Lotteria, which has it as a 320 yen menu item!
In any case, cream soda is a timeless drink that continues to be loved by all generations. It is a drink that makes you feel warm and nostalgic when you drink it. Please try it during your stay. You may become a cream soda addict like me.
I’ve seen these in plastic displays outside cafes for decades. Never tried one! :)
I loved cream soda when I was a kid. For some reason, I still remember that at the coffee shop in the town where I lived at the time, coffee was 250 yen and cream soda was 380 yen.
This was the first time I learned about the history of cream soda. I was surprised because I had no idea that it was born 122 years ago.