All About Ramune Candy and Why They’re Everywhere in Japan

If you haven’t heard of or tried ramune candy before, you’re missing out on a whole category of Japanese candy that’s a favorite for many.

This popular Japanese candy can be found pretty much everywhere they sell food items in the country, you can usually find them in the aisle that has all the Japanese snacks. In this article, we’ll talk about different types of ramune flavored candy and what ramune even is for those who might not be too familiar with them. 

What is ramune?

The term ‘ramune’ (written as ラムネ in Japanese) is a household name in Japan, and almost any Japanese person living there will instantly recognize the word. Although it’s technically considered a different type of drink, one fun fact about ramune is that this name comes from a shortened form of the Japanese word for ‘lemonade’.

With all of the different candy forms or Japanese sweets being labeled with the word ramune, the impression this gives off at first is that it might seem like ramune is a certain brand or a kind of flavor, but it’s not really any of those things.

Ramune is basically the term for the Japanese version of a carbonated soft drink. Ramune soda is manufactured by several beverage companies in Japan, and it has a wide assortment of available flavors, with the original flavor being a refreshing Japanese sparkling lemon-lime flavor.

Even if it’s made by different manufacturers, the distinctive trait that ramune soda has across all of them is that it’s always in a Codd-neck bottle. This bottle has an unusually shaped neck and also has a small marble inside that helps keep the drink carbonated from when it’s first sealed in all the way to the moment when someone takes their first sips. 

This drink is especially popular during the summertime in Japan. They offer a simple and delicious way to stay hydrated despite the heat of the sun, and they’re also the common drink of choice for those attending a Japanese summer festival. Since they’re easy to carry around, you can spot people walking around the temple or shrine where the festival is being held while carrying a ramune bottle with them, and many of the food stalls that are participating in these festivals will be selling them during this time.

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What is ramune candy?

Because of their popularity as a drink, ramune saw a transition into becoming soda-flavored candy products. These fizzy candies have been popular over generations of people in Japan; even in modern times, they’re a favorite for adults and youth alike. In fact, if you’ve ever seen a stream or a live chat of someone talking about Japanese candy, they’re such a staple in Japan that you will likely spot a ramune flavored candy in there.

Ramune flavored candy, like the drink itself, is also manufactured by different candy and snack manufacturers in Japan. It’s also marketed and sold in different ways, so here, we’ll talk about some of our favorite kinds and also some of our favorite ramune candy flavors.

What kind of ramune candies are out there?

The type of ramune candy that’s the most commonly seen is the one that comes in a small plastic bottle that replicates the distinctive look the real ramune bottles are known for. This is the classic soda-flavored candy in Japan. They imitate the original lemon-lime flavor of the ramune drinks and these candies also have the same fizzy quality to them when you pop them in your mouth. The most popular version of this is the one pictured above, which is manufactured by the Japanese confectionery giant, Morinaga.

It might be a little surprising to know that Morinaga has also combined their ramune candy with another product in their confectionery lineup. Chocoballs are a popular Japanese brand of chocolate candies. They are ball-shaped candies that are coated with chocolate and have different flavor fillings inside. 

This candy brand always features a cute little bird on the packaging whose looks and colors change depending on the flavor. One of their more unusual flavors is the ramune flavored Chocoballs, where the bird is seen in an outfit in the same color as Morinaga’s ramune candy packaging while also wearing the cap on top of its head.

Another example of one of our favorites is the fruit-flavored ramune candies that come individually wrapped inside a larger package. This type of candy has a sort of powdery texture to it, but it also fizzles inside your mouth and gives off a sweet but subtle flavor. 

When it comes to candy packs like this, the flavors that we particularly enjoy are the orange and strawberry flavored candy; their slightly sour taste is the perfect complement to the fizziness of the candy itself. The plus side to this type of flavored candy is that even though they normally come in bigger packs, they often aren’t very expensive, and in addition, you also get different varieties of flavor in just one purchase.

We hope that seeing different types of ramune candy and finding out about this all-time Japanese favorite makes you want to try them by yourself. It’s a simple Japanese candy in essence, but it still offers quite the fun snacking experience!