japan

All good things must come to an end, and Day 16 marks the end of this memorable, caffeinated voyage to Japan.

My canned coffee drink was sadly dumped at Haneda Airport when we had to go through security for a second time. Having gone through security at Hiroshima, I figured it was safe to buy bottled drinks. But when changing to international travel at Haneda, there was another screening with typical restrictions. So there it went. Instead, I conclude this series with a playful artistic cup of my Starbucks Chocolate Cake Frappuccino with Matcha Shot.

What coffee does a day in Hiroshima bring? A Beans & Roasters Caffe Latte for the Nozomi ride.

Driving from Kyoto to Osaka led to a rest stop where a Wonda Black kept me company.

Again, I didn’t want a drink that could go bad during the day so bitter black it was.

With a new sticker affixed and majority of the labeling in Japanese, I tried this drink and thought the Wonda did live up to its slogan of “Wonderful Coffee.” This drink has the right balance of coffee and sweetness. Enough coffee flavor with some expected bitterness but with just the right amount of sweetness. The appearance is dark so I’m assuming very little to no cream. Probably my top pick overall.

A hot day in Kyoto warranted two drinks in order to keep cool. After walking from the Saga Arashiyama station to the Togetsukyo Bridge, I got an European black coffee via the Georgia brand. Nothing special, but because the day was just beginning, I didn’t want anything with cream that might spoil in the heat of the day.

After more exploring followed by the jaunt back to the train station, I got an energy boost from this Wonda drink that I couldn’t interpret.

Good enough on a sunny day!

Seems like my coffee picks are suiting my tastes more and more. Today’s pick is Suntory Premium Boss “The Mild.” And yes, I guess I like my coffee mild since I like this drink. It’s not too sweet, mildly bitter, but more importantly, it tastes like coffee. I easily finished this drink in no time.

Sometime during the day, I also picked up this sweet Georgia drink.

As the picture indicates, this light brown drink is creamed, and it’s good. But because of the diary, the drink is thicker. Oh, and yes, the bottle is smaller for the typical 140-yen rate.

Today featured a double hit. Sure, I was fatigued by the constant on-the-go. But really, the opportunity and experience of trying a new drink couldn’t go unpassed.

The first drink was more for thirst purposes, but I think I found my favorite canned drink in this maroon can. The Georgia European is slightly sweetened and has cream making this drink easier to drink.

My second hit of the day was opportunistic and commemorative. While waiting for my first Shinkansen ride, there was a Doutor coffee shop in the train station. Handed an English menu since pointing at drinks on display wasn’t working, I got an iced Honey Au Lait which was ready immediately after payment. Very nice! But it kept me awake during the long ride to Kyoto.