Ramune: A Century of Bubbles in a Glass Bottle, and the "Pop" of a Taiwanese Childhood

30-Second Overview: Ramune (彈珠汽水) is a refreshing memory spanning a century in Taiwan. Its core charm lies in the glass marble pushed against the bottle's mouth by carbon dioxide pressure. This invention originated in 19th-century Britain, was introduced to Taiwan via Japan, and even helped launch the local soda industry following the discovery of the Suao Cold Spring. It witnessed the class labels of "third-rate soda" during the Japanese colonial period, endured the dark era of wartime rationing during WWII, and has ultimately transformed into a modern symbol of tourism and religious offerings—an indispensable nostalgic icon on Taiwan's streets.

A Century Symphony of Marbles and Bubbles

The history of Ramune does not begin in Asia, but rather in 18th-century British laboratories. In 1772, British chemist Joseph Priestley published research on injecting carbon dioxide into water; initially, this was viewed as a medicinal tonic for "stomach and intestinal health"¹. However, early carbonated beverages faced the challenge of sealing; traditional cork stoppers struggled to retain gas for long periods and were expensive¹.

It was not until 1872 that British engineer Hiram Codd invented the revolutionary "Codd-neck bottle." This bottle design utilizes the internal pressure of the gas to push a glass marble against a rubber ring at the neck to achieve a seal². Interestingly, the earliest sealing spheres were actually marbles, which were later replaced by glass beads for reasons of cost and aesthetics¹. This technology reached Japan in 1884 and, through a phonetic evolution of the English word "Lemonade," became "Ramune" (ラムネ), serving as a synonym for carbonated drinks in East Asia³.

The Sprouting of Taiwan's Soda Industry and Class Imprints

In 1895, with the onset of the Japanese colonial period, Ramune officially arrived on Taiwanese soil. The budding of Taiwan's local soda industry was inextricably linked to the discovery of the Suao Cold Spring in Yilan. Japanese soldier Takenaka Nobukage discovered that the cold springs in Suao contained high amounts of natural carbon dioxide, which was both non-toxic and therapeutic. Consequently, he established the "Seven Star Cold Spring Plant" (七星涼水廠) in 1909, using the spring to produce Taiwan's first bottle of Ramune⁴.

At that time, the soda market was strictly divided by class: imports from Japan were considered "first-rate soda," those operated by Japanese and Taiwanese residents were "second-rate," and those produced locally by Taiwanese were disparaged as "third-rate soda"¹. The "Jinxin Trading Company" (進馨商會), the predecessor of Heisong Soda, was established in 1925 and initially struggled to survive with its "Fuji Brand" and "Sanshou Brand" Ramune. During this era, Ramune was a luxury; at a price of twenty cents per bottle, average families could often only afford a taste during festivals or periods of illness¹.

📝 Curator's Note: In that era of scarcity, the marble retrieved by breaking the glass bottle after finishing the soda was often a child's only exquisite toy, symbolizing a hard-won sweetness.

Ramune and "A-po Shui": Twin Flowers of Folk Beverages

In the early years following Taiwan's retrocession, resources remained scarce. Aside from Ramune, another popular folk beverage was A-po Shui (grandma's water). A-po Shui is typically prepared by vendors pushing carts, where flavorless carbonated water is mixed with fruit jam or syrup and stirred manually on the spot. With its diverse flavors and affordable price, it was the preferred refreshing choice for many children after school¹.

While Ramune was largely factory-produced and bottled for sale, A-po Shui was characterized by its flexibility and customization; together, they constructed the landscape of early Taiwan's carbonated beverage scene. Despite their different forms, both carried the Taiwanese people's longing for refreshment and the memories of a simpler era. However, as times progressed, both traditional drinks faced massive challenges from the modern beverage market.

The Physics of Glass Bottles and Childhood Rituals

The process of drinking Ramune is itself a delicate physics experiment. Two symmetrical indentations at the neck (Codd's dimples) are key to the design: once the marble is pressed into the bottle, the body must be tilted at a specific angle so that the marble rests in the dimple, allowing the sparkling water to flow out smoothly without being blocked by the marble again⁵.

This unique "pop" sound and the sensation of resistance when pressing the marble created a collective sensory memory for generations of Taiwanese. In Taiwanese folklore, Ramune has even evolved an unexpected cultural role. Because the "Three Princes" (Nezha) are regarded as patron deities of children and are known to enjoy sweets and toys, Ramune—due to its combination of sweetness and the marble toy—has become a preferred offering for believers when worshiping the Three Princes².

Guarding the Last "Pop": The Transformation of Old Factories

Facing the impact of modern hand-shaken tea and plastic bottled drinks, Taiwan's Ramune industry has undergone a painful transformation. Located in Miaoli, the "Dabuinei Ramune Soda Tourism Factory" (大補內彈珠汽水觀光工廠) is one of the few factories in Taiwan currently insisting on producing glass-bottled Ramune⁶. They have not only preserved traditional processes but also developed customized bottle designs, allowing Ramune to appear on cultural products such as Pili glove puppetry and Kaohsiung Bear².

The "Rongquan Soda Factory" (榮泉汽水工廠) in Kaohsiung represents another path of transformation. This long-standing establishment, founded in 1959, was taken over by its second generation, who developed various new flavors including peach, pineapple, grape, and lime, and even launched a sugar-free "Ocean Sparkling Water" to cater to health trends. Rongquan has also actively collaborated with five-star hotels, repackaging "third-rate soda" as a designer nostalgic premium product².

Tourist Experiences and Information

To allow more people to experience the charm of Ramune firsthand, many existing long-standing factories in Taiwan have transformed into tourism factories, offering DIY experiences and guided tours.

📝 Curator's Note: The value of Ramune no longer lies in simple thirst quenching, but in the crisp sound of that transparent bead rolling within the bottle—it is the loudest sigh of Taiwan's transition from an agricultural society to an industrial one.

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