Do they really drink sweat in Japan?

One of the first things you might do when entering a country after a long flight is to grab a quick drink from a vending machine or convenience store. Travelers entering Japan for the first time are often greeted by the confusing sight of a popular beverage named Pocari Sweat. I remember when I was first in Japan, the thought of drinking anything with ‘sweat’ in its name was repulsive to me.

I had been here a year before I allowed the stuff to touch my lips and even then it was out of necessity. It was half-time during a soccer match on a really hot, humid afternoon. The coach thrust an ice-cold bottle of Pocari Sweat into my hands and I had downed half the bottle before it even registered what I was drinking (I had mistaken it for a bottle of the similar-looking, yet much more aptly named Aquarius).

To my surprise, Pocari Sweat actually tasted pretty good. It’s an ion sports drink, but unlike the aforementioned Aquarius, it has a bitter kick to it. I much prefer a bitter drink to a sweet drink and became an instant convert.

Another soft drink in Japan with an amusing name is Calpis. I remember a bizarre exchange with a Japanese co-worker when I had only been here a day or 2. I thought she was winding me up when she asked me if had tried Cow Piss yet.