Now, I know you Japan pavilion shopping veterans have seen this and been just as curious as I was about it. On the same day I tried my luck with the giant gummy bear, I just had to sample the drink with the marble — Japan’s “Ramune.”
Ramune in Japan's Mitsukoshi Department Store
This bubbly, carbonated soda comes in several flavors (including octopus), but the best (and admittedly most confusing) part of it is that awesome marble. The instructions are clear enough, but I just knew I was going to lose a finger in the whole thing.
Japan's Ramune Soda
Instructions
I finally got my husband to come over and pop the marble into the soda. Kind of anti-climactic, but at least I could get the full experience! Once you push the marble into the bottle, it’s caught in the oddly shaped neck of the bottle and rattles around while you drink. Fun? Maybe. But at least it’s interesting. I mean — it’s interactive! You can’t say that about your pepsi, now can you?
Marble
Marble in the Neck of the Bottle
Anyway — the real story is the taste. I wasn’t expecting to like this drink at all (I’m not a fan of melon, but I bought that flavor thinking it would show the marble the best), but it was delicious!! Seriously — I loved it! In fact, I ended up carting home a bottle from our December trip just so I could enjoy it later. While I haven’t tried any of the other flavors, I can highly recommend this one. By the way — the “original” flavor is lemon-lime.
Has anyone else tried Ramune? Tell us what you thought in the comments section below! 🙂
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I am lucky that we have World Markets around and we can them there. We still buy one everytime we visit Japan though! My favorites are the Lychee (may not be for everyone, but I love, love, love the fruit), strawberry, and cherry. Raspberry, blueberry and pineapple are also good. Bubble gum is just plain odd.
My kids love this drink and it’s fun! We get them at BevMo stores.
I had no idea they made different flavors of this stuff. Must check out next time I’m at an Asian market!! Cool’
Marble soda is THE thing for kids to order at the omnipresent hibachi dinner birthday parties in our area. I may be imagining things, but I think my kids have had this at Teppan Edo as well.
I’ve been drinking this for years (well before the redesign and it was still a challenge!). Original is my favorite, although I’ve tried several of the other flavors as well. As Corrie said, the Lychee might not be for everyone. I like it, but others I’ve had try it are not fans. For the $3 or so a bottle costs, it’s worth a try!
Oooh that looks good! Although I am intimidated by a beverage that has 6 steps before I can drink it hahaha. I definitely want to try this (with someone else around to help lol)!
I also had gotten the strawberry and lychee flavors at World Market. I liked both a lot, and now I’m anxious to try the melon, as I’m a huge watermelon (or really any kind of melon) fan.
I think the scariest part was the warning on the bottle about not pushing down too hard on the marble which could break it.. and then you’d drink a piece of glass! Eek! Honestly I had a hard time getting the marble to go down, so I think you’d have to push REALLY hard to get that to happen.
I’ve seen these and wanted to try them. I think my son would like the marble aspect, but if you can’t get it out afterwards, he might get annoyed, lol.
Yep, same as with Erin, we get them when we do the hibachi dinners at the local Japanese place.
My kids particularly love the Lychee flavor!
We’ve had these in our local Hibachi resturant— and oddly enough, our 5 Below (a chain “dollar store” that sells things for under $5) also sells them.
I have a kiln, and love to melt glass in it, so i bought one thinking that a melted bottle of this shape would be interesting—loved the drink—haven’t melted the bottle yet. Maybe I should get on that!
I can not tell you how much my boys love this soda. They have loved almost everything we’ve ever gotten while in “Japan” with the exception of the little crab snacks! Now as a treat I pick them up once in a while at a store I found in a mall about an hour from our house.
The teen loves to sneak them into the high school to amaze his friends!
Melon is yummy, lychee is great and I like the original and pineapple best but we’ve yet to have one we just hated.
Give it a try!
Saw that in World Market a few weeks ago. I was a bit perplexed as to what the whole deal with the marble was, but I think I must buy one next time…
These are very trendy among teens in my neck of the woods. I have never tried one though. I’m adding it to the list for this weekend visit to WDW!
I teach in an area where there are many, many Japanese students here with their family and they bring all the goodies from their homeland that I love. This was one of them. I think the “normal” flavors are very good. I love the pineapple, but then again I love anything pineapple.
Being the adventurous type I had to try Octopus and Kimchi. The kimchi was… well it tasted right. The Octopus was a little off. It’s biggest issue with both was the texture. Texture is one of the ways we experience food. Octopus had a very distinct one, and it’s part of the reason I eat it even though I’m not a huge fan of the flavor. Semi-sweet and fizzy just isn’t right. Kind of the same reason buttered popcorn jellybeans don’t work.
How fun! I’ve never tried this (never even noticed it when we’ve been in Japan lol). I will have to see if I can track it down here in Taiwan or next time I visit WDW. Japanese are known for some interesting drinks so can’t wait to try it!
I found a bottle of melon flavored ramune in my fridge this morning, along with some Mitsuya Cider shoved in the back! 🙂
I have always wanted to try Ramune, and it is completely impossible to find!
I’m glad you reviewed it because there really isn’t much information on it besides the wiki page and a video of some guy trying to get the marble out (and subsequently breaking the bottle in the end).
I wouldn’t mind trying the octopus flavour, but I’m curious as to what Lychee is!
Wait… what exactly is the marble for?
I was obsessed with these years ago in high school. I found that the harder you push on the cap to release the marble, the less likely it will explode on you. Took a few tries to figure that one out lol.
My daughter discovered this drink a couple of years ago at Austin’s Uchi restaurant. She loves it. Santa Claus bought her some of the pineapple flavor for Christmas. World Market sells it.
The only problem is she insists on saving the bottles. They’re piling up.
I had the lychee flavor, and it was so awesome! I was at the world showcase by myself (19) this december, and spotted them! Had to try it! I didnt buy one to take home, however! I did bring the bottle home to show mom! Such a cool idea!
Anyone know if this soda is gluten free?
I stumbled upon this post yesterday and was totally intrigued – so I went to our local World Market store to look for some Ramune. Lo and behold, they had it, and they said they sell it like crazy! First time to try, and I was imagining I was in the Japan pavillion the whole time. Very delicious – the original flavor reminded me of Vernor’s ginger ale. Pineapple was great too. Thanks for reviewing these!
I just noticed this post article. I can’t wait to get back to the Japan pavilion and try this in orange. I love the Japan pavilion anyway as there are so many fun and interesting things there. The big store, Candy Lady and Koi pond are all favorites of mine.
omg i just discovered this a few weeks ago and i had to get a bottle! can anyone tell me what the melon ramune tastes like? i got like 3 bottles and i have never tasted it.
omfg i cant frieking wait to taste my first ramune!!!!
I love these! My favorites are original and watermelon. I buy them at F.Y.E. at my local mall.