Starbucks Japan brings back three regional-exclusive Jimoto Frappuccinos for a limited time

Only three prefectures have been deemed worthy of a re-release. 

The most talked-about release at Starbucks Japan last year was the 47 Jimoto Frappuccino, which saw each of the country’s 47 prefectures selling its very own region-exclusive Frappuccino, limited for sale only within its borders.

The one downside to the unprecedented release was the fact that it was a near-impossible task for a regular Starbucks customer to travel around Japan trying all the different Frappuccinos. Despite our best efforts, even we were only able to try a few of them, which is something our resident Starbucks expert, K. Masami, still regrets to this day.

So when Starbucks announced it would be bringing back three of the Jimoto Frappuccinos from last year, this time with no restrictions on sales locations, K. Masami gave out a squeal and did a little happy dance in her apartment. And when the 3 August release date rolled around, she was one of the first in line to order all three Frappuccinos.

▼ The Frappuccinos being released are the ones from Ishikawa, Yamanashi, and Okinawa prefectures, and they’re priced at 680 yen (US$5.08) each.

Masami lives in Nara Prefecture, so this would be her first time tasting these Frappuccinos. Each one looked absolutely beautiful, and promised to capture the flavour of their individual prefectures, so she decided to start with the one that interested her the most, as it contained her favourite fruit, grape.

▼ Yamanashi’s Grape and White Chocolate Cream Frappuccino

The first thing that draws your attention here is the gorgeous purple hues and pool of grape syrup at the bottom of the beverage. Upon tasting it, Masami immediately fell head over heels for this Frappuccino, as the balance between the creamy sweet white chocolate and the fruity refreshing grapes was just right, creating a sublime flavour.

▼  Next, we have Ishikawa’s Stemmed Hojicha Tea.

This was a bit of a contentious drink for Masami, as hojicha was also the star ingredient in last year’s Nara-exclusive Frappuccino. Nara is famous for hojicha so Masami has a sense of hometown pride over it, but it’s not the only area known for hojicha production, so she was curious to try the Ishikawa Frappuccino, which uses hojicha in a slightly different way.

The base is pre-blended with milk and Kagabo Hojicha, a roasted first flush stem green tea, and finished with a sprinkling of Kagabo Hojicha powder on top of the whipped cream. At first glance, it looks like a refreshing tea-flavoured Frappuccino, but when you drink it, it has a surprising complexity, with a refined richness and mellowness.

▼ Delicious!

▼ Lastly, Okinawa’s Karii Chinsuko Cookie with Vanilla and Caramel

This was the most out-there flavour of the three, as it contains chinsuko, a famous Okinawan biscuit similar to shortbread. It also has the unusual word “Karii” in its name, which Masami initially thought might have something to do with curry (“karee” in Japanese), but after looking it up, she discovered it’s the Okinawan way to say “Cheers” when raising a glass for a toast.

This was a very tasty Frappuccino, featuring a milky base blended with vanilla syrup, caramel sauce and chinsuko for sweet, biscuity flavour. The crushed chinsuko pieces on top aded a crunchy textural contrast, and when Masami closed her eyes, she could almost feel as if she were by the beach in Okinawa. This Frappuccino was tasty and filling — the perfect drink to end on.

▼ “Karii!”

The hojicha Frappuccino from Ishikawa was the most mellow out of the three, while the Okinawan Frappuccino was the most innovative and dessert-like. However, for Masami, the Yamanashi grape Frappuccino was her clear favourite.

Masami was overjoyed at being able to try three more of the 47 Jimoto Frappuccino series that eluded her last year. They’re only available for a limited time, though, until 31 August, or until stocks last, so you’ll want to get in quick to try them!

Hopefully soon Starbucks will release more of the collection in stores around Japan in future, because all 47 Frappuccinos have a unique appeal, just like the prefectures they hail from.

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