Ramune flavours: Which flavour is best?

Ramune is Japan’s #1 soft drink and an integral part of Japanese culture — if you haven’t tried it yet, you must! With so many delicious flavours, there is a favourite for everyone. 

The original flavour is iconic and other fruity flavours such as yuzu and lychee ramune are also very popular. But with so many flavours to choose from, how do you narrow it down? Which ramune flavour is best? Here we run through some of the exciting flavours that will throw your taste buds a party. Which one tempts you?

What does ramune taste like? 

The taste of the original ramune is hard to explain to someone who hasn’t tried it before. The flavour is quite sweet and tastes like lemon and lime soda (like Sprite or 7up in the UK) mixed with a bubblegum flavour. Although there are various ways of trying to describe the taste of ramune soda, all agree that the citrusy flavour is refreshing and will help to cool and revitalise you on a summer’s day. 

Original ramune is the most popular, but there are many different ramune flavours to choose from. There’s such a mix, including yuzu, lychee, watermelon, vanilla, peach, ginseng, coconut, kimchi, chocolate, pomelo, mango and green apple. You’ll also often see a blue-coloured ramune called ‘Blue Hawaii’ — a favourite fruity flavour in Japan. This ‘blue’ flavour is sweet, with notes of apple and citrus fruit. And for further taste sensations, you can also use ramune as a mixer in a cocktail or in a non-alcoholic punch.

Which ramune flavour is the best? 

Original

The most popular ramune flavour in Japan is the original. It’s similar to lemonade, but not like any lemonade you’ve tried before! A popular description is: ‘lemon/lime bubblegum flavour’. The taste has also been described as comparable to an original flavour Swizzels Refreshers chew bar! Clearly the flavour is notoriously difficult to pinpoint, but one thing everyone agrees on is that it’s delicious and extremely thirst-quenching on a summer’s day. 

Sakura

Sakura, or cherry blossom, is Japan’s national flower and it’s added to many sweet treats, cakes and mochi. The taste of sakura ramune has no cherry flavour in it: it’s all about the flowers. The taste is sweet, subtle and floral, with a pleasant fragrance. In the spring, cherry blossoms cover the Japanese landscape with a delicate pink hue. Sakura ramune’s taste and aroma is designed to transport the drinker to a pretty spring day. 

Green apple

Apples are one of the most popular fruits in Japan, a staple in daily life. The green apple flavour ramune packs a punch. It’s tangy, sweet and slightly tart. The tartness makes it moreish: this is a ramune flavour that many people crave!

Melon

Melon flavour is big in Japan! You’ll find melon flavour KitKats, melon chocolate, melon biscuits — you name it, you can get it in melon flavour. This type of ramune is bright green and has a light, sweet melon flavour. And it tastes great in an ice cream float. And even if you don’t like eating melon, you may well love a melon flavour ramune because it tastes quite different to fresh melon. 

Lychee

Lychee-flavoured ramune is sweet and floral. Some people describe the taste as similar to rose or elderflower, while others describe it as having notes of pear, grape or strawberry. Lychee ramune is an ideal drink to sip when socialising, perfect when poured over ice or straight from an ice bucket. 

Chilli oil

So far the ramune flavours on our list have been typically fruity. Now for something a little different — chilli oil flavour ramune, for that umami flavour! It’s like adding a dash of chilli to your 7Up or Sprite, with a hint of bitterness. We know this sounds weird, but you just have to try it — it works!

Matcha

Matcha-flavoured ramune has the original lemon-lime ramune base with a strong kick of matcha. The matcha has an earthy nuttiness to it and a bitter aftertaste. The savoury flavour of the matcha works well with the sweet lemon-lime soda. Trust us, it’s a great combination…

The novelty marble inside ramune soda and the exotic flavours make ramune one of a kind. If you haven’t tried ramune before, start with the original flavour and then try some of the many different variations. If you’re a seasoned ramune fan, we hope we’ve inspired you to experiment with some new flavours. 

Ramune is the ideal drink for socialising with friends and family. It also makes a fun, quirky gift for someone who hasn’t tried it before!