Strawberry Chu Hai Season

I Love strawberries and it's unusual that strawberries are most popular in winter in Japan. I'm so used to them being ripe in early summer back home, but by then, they seem to be gone.

Here we associate strawberries with the Christmas Strawberry Shortcakes and their festive color.

It's not even technically winter here yet, but I got a pack of Fukuoka's Amaou strawberries the other day, yum! Also picked out a seasonal strawberry can chu hai by Suntory Horoyoi - ripened strawberry. (Look out for the seasonal strawberry chocolate by Look, strawberry snacks, and seasonal strawberry ice creams too!)

There were a few options available in the strawberry chu hai category. I've tried the Calpis sours and they're so yummy - around 140 yen a can. For about 110 yen, the Horoyoi and Asahi versions looked nice. The one by Asahi might only be available in the Fukuoka area because it's Amaou strawberry flavor.

The Horoyoi was a bit more artificially sweet and pink than I expected, but still yummy. I'll probably try the others later this winter.