A classic caffeine-free "tea"

Sokenbicha

Brand: Coca-Cola

Price: 100 yen

Place of purchase: Seki drug store

Rating:

One of the first tastes of Japan I experienced when I arrived in the early 2000s was bottled tea. This wasn't yet a thing abroad. My first sip was Sokenbicha with the attractive bottle design and evocative kanji on the label. Sokenbi is an abbreviation of the motto - sowayaka ni, sukoyaka ni, utsukushiku - which means refreshing, healthy, and beautiful. The tea is a blend of pearl barley, brown rice , dokudami , habucha, chicory, evening primrose, millet, barley grass, ashitaba, duchu leaf, and mugwort.

This is a lovely, zero-calorie, and caffeine-free drink packing a lot of flavor. It's slightly astringent and the ingredients lend it a light savory and sweet flavor. If you're expecting a green tea, this isn't it. The tea doesn't depend on typical Japanese green tea. It's got a few flavorings, but all-natural. The product website indicates that pepper and mandarin orange peel give it a little boost. It's a good substitute for green tea which does have caffeine, and the tea has a light bitterness thanks to the chicory. If you're going off coffee, this might satisfy you.