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History
of Ramune
 Ramune
is a type of soft drink that was developed in Japan. However, it is not
clear just when and where Ramune was born. The original drink that
eventually became known as Ramune was introduced to Japan from abroad,
just like kasutera (a sponge cake named after Castilla in Spain)
and kompeito (came from “confeito,” a Portugal word for sugar
candy). However, there are many theories as to when and where the soda
first arrived in Japan. One of the two leading theories holds that
Admiral Perry was responsible for bringing the soft drink to Japan when
he entered Uraga in 1853, at the end of the Edo period. The other theory
argues that it was brought to Nagasaki in 1860 by a British merchant
ship.
In its
early days, Ramune was sold in a bottle with a cork cap wound tight with
wire to keep the cork from popping out (like we see on champagnes and
some sparkling wines). The current marble cap was invented by an
Englishman named Hiram Codd,
who
found that a glass bead provided an easier way to cap the bottle than a
cork. In 1888, when Codd’s patent rights expired, Tamakichi Tokunaga, of
Osaka, began developing a bottle using a marble cap. Sold in the new
bottle, Ramune saw explosive growth throughout Japan.
Overseas, the use of marble-capped bottles gradually diminished after
the invention of a crown cap by William Painter, an American, in 1892.
However, the “Ramune bottle” has survived in Japan, partly because the
small businesses making Ramune couldn’t afford to buy the new bottling
machines that used crown caps, and partly because the cool, soothing
sound of the marble rolling around inside the bottle—likened to the
sound of a wind chime—was loved by Japanese consumers.
Born in
the west, Ramune found a new home in Japan and has remained one of the
country’s traditional favorites. Remember the long history and cultural
background of Ramune whenever you enjoy a bottle of this timeless drink. |
