Apparently you can't get root beer in Japan.

Why is that? Why don't Japanese people like it?

They have stuff to drink called "Pocari Sweat" and tea with tapioca in it etc. etc. but no rootbeer?

What gives?

Maybe we can gain some insight with this hilarious video:
http://www.mikesblender.com/indexblog202.htm

I'm part Japanese & I love root beer. As for Japan, there may just not be a huge demand for it. Just like in the US & Canada, it's hard to find honey dew melon chewing gum, which the Japanese just love.

I don't even know what root beer is!!

Me either

What?! It's delicious is what it is.

A&W ring a bell? Yes, no?

So one can't find root beer in the UK either. So it's not just Japan. I wonder if root beer is confined only to North America or exported under a different name. How about "sasparilla"? They are somehow related. Now this would be something to research.

"Let's all go to A&W.... Food's more fun at A&W..."

Just follow the Root Bear!

Unbelievable! I can't even imagine.

Makes me shudder to think what we must be missing over here!

Nope

Mr Allen and Mr Wright must be rollin' in their graves....

WHAT? That's crazy! Didn't know Root Beer wasn't that known. For anyone visiting, you MUST try it. It has NOTHING to do with actual beer by the way lol.

"Root beer is a predominantly North American beverage, constituting about 3% of the American soft drink market." - interesting

Well I've obviously heard the term root beer thrown around on US tv but have no idea what is is or what it tastes like. Doesn't sound too appealing to be honest.

But.... what is it??! I still don't know. Is it like ginger beer, or is that different? To be frank, I don't really know what that is either.

You can get Dr. Pepper here though - is that like root beer? I don't think I've ever had it and I've never seen it in the UK either.

How do you describe a flavour?

It's soda pop, so you know it's sweet and yummy, beyond that, I guess try it if you get the chance. Don't have it much truth told. It's not the best mix.

Yes, it is like ginger beer. It was originally made from roots, bark, & berries of different wild herbs. During America's colonial period it was made with alcohol, which is why they call it "beer", but then it was carbonated without alcohol by the late 19th century. Today it's mostly made of artificial flavours & coloring. It tastes like Coca-Cola with a hint of licorice or anise.

Ooh aniseed... that sounds lovely. I love amaretto and coke, now that tastes like cherry coke.

I had a drink in Sweden that was 1/2 pint coke, 1/2 pint beer and a shot of amaretto. That was a bit weird and tasted like Dr Pepper/Cherry Coke!

Is Dr Pepper very popular? Everyone seems to know what that is.

It used to be... not any more though. I don't think I've actually ever had that either to be honest.

That's another question -- Where is Dr Pepper popular & where isn't it?

Where I live it is. Wherever softdrinks are sold, its supply is stocked equally with Coke & Pepsi.

I noticed in Central America that the soft drink market was almost totally controlled by Pepsi! In the UK I'd say about 75% of the soft drinks sold are Coke.

I'm not sure, but I think sasparilla is a little more spicier/flavourful than rootbeer.

I remember when I stayed in scotland for 3 months I had a hard time finding a lot of american things, like plain yellow mustard, (to be fair i was staying in a small town). But I did find root beer of some unknown brand and the cans had american flags all over it. I do think root beer is very american, but you would think it would be popular in japan amongst the american pop culture enthusiasts over there. haha.

Its really good. Its not ginger... Its like.... Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant, so it tastes like sassafras. Its ok. Not as good as Dr. Pepper, or Coca~Cola. Its nothing worth freaking out over. I could live without it...

Well my teachers for japanese in highschool went over to Japan and said the reason japanese hate rootbeer is because it tastes like their medicine. I think cough medicine. So whenever they taste it, it's gross, because it tastes like the medicine they have to drink when they're sick.
I wouldn't like rootbeer either if that's the experience i had with that flavor! lol