Ramune: Japan's Fizzy Icon of Summer Nostalgia

At Izakaya Juraku, we love more than just the taste of great food and drink. We love the stories behind them. This time it's Ramune, the iconic Japanese soda known for its distinctive glass bottle sealed with a marble.

Where It Came From

Ramune got its start in Yokohama in 1876, when British pharmacist Alexander Cameron Sim introduced it as a carbonated lemonade. The name comes from the English word "lemonade." It was originally marketed as a health tonic to aid digestion and prevent cholera before it became the beloved summer refreshment it is today.

What Makes It Ramune

• The Codd-neck bottle uses a marble as a seal, held in place by carbonation until you push it down with a plunger
• Flavors go well beyond lemon-lime, into strawberry, melon, lychee, grape, and yuzu
• It's a fixture of Japanese summer festivals and matsuri

At Izakaya Juraku

We keep rotating seasonal Ramune flavors on hand, for kids and adults alike. It's great with fried or spicy food, and every so often we'll put it into a cocktail with shochu or yuzu vodka.

Come try a piece of Japanese history on your next visit.