Mitsuya Cider

Lore & Background

Mitsuya Cider was created in 1884 and later acquired by Asahi Soft Drinks in 1972. While branded as a 'cider', the East Asian use of the term refers to a drink very different from that typically referred to in English; the basic flavor can be described as a cross between a lemon-lime drink and ginger ale. Asahi has formulated and introduced additional flavors, including grape, lemon, mikan and white peach. Occasionally, Mitsuya Cider releases its 'White Cider' version with its own variations, which include 'White Cider with Melon'. In 2020, Asahi re-released a Shōwa-era flavor, 'Lemola', for a limited time (still available in mid-2022); Lemola is a lemon-lime flavor.

Mitsuya Cider used to be sold exclusively in ornately decorated metal bottles and cans, as well as in glass bottles, but is now sold primarily in plastic bottles. The old-style metal bottles are still available in many vending machines and convenience stores for customers who prefer the nostalgic packaging. Also on the market are small hard candies marked with the same logo as the cider bottles, and a carbonation effect. The candy is made by mixing its ingredients and heating them until they melt, then exposing the mixture to pressurized carbon dioxide gas (about 4,137 kPa or 600 psi) and allowing it to cool. The process causes tiny high-pressure bubbles to be trapped inside the candy. When placed in the mouth, upon coming into contact with saliva, the candy breaks and dissolves, releasing the carbon dioxide, resulting in a popping and sizzling sound and leaving a slight tingling sensation. The bubbles in the candy pieces can be viewed when aided by a microscope. This process is similar to Pop Rocks, but the resulting candy is spherical and of average size, about 2 cm in diameter.

Reader's Guide

Mitsuya Cider's significance lies in its long history as a Japanese soft drink dating to 1884, and its distinctive place in East Asian beverage culture where 'cider' denotes a lemon-lime ginger ale hybrid rather than an apple-based drink. The brand's acquisition by Asahi Soft Drinks in 1972 ensured its continued production and expansion into multiple flavors such as grape, lemon, mikan, white peach, and the limited-time Shōwa-era Lemola re-release in 2020. Its packaging evolution from ornate metal bottles and glass bottles to primarily plastic bottles, while retaining nostalgic metal containers in vending machines, reflects changing consumer preferences. The brand's legacy also includes a unique carbonated candy product that uses pressurized carbon dioxide to create popping sensations, similar to Pop Rocks but spherical and about 2 cm in diameter. Mitsuya Cider gained unexpected Western exposure through the Rickrolling internet meme in 2008, as Rick Astley had been the face of the brand in Japanese television commercials during the late 1980s and early 1990s. This cross-cultural connection between a Japanese soft drink and a global internet phenomenon underscores the brand's reach beyond its primary market.