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Bottled hot water selling like bottled hot cakes in Japan

Master Blaster Nov 24, 2022
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Hot water is the hottest water around.

Bottled waters have long been the rage in Japan, with store shelves lined with all kinds of flavors and levels of carbonation to appeal to increasingly health-conscious consumers. And on 1 November, Asahi Soft Drinks released yet another new take on an old classic with the only bottled hot water on the market.

▼ It’s called Oishii Mizu Tennensui Sayu.

This isn’t just any hot water though. It’s what is known as “sayu” in Japanese as opposed to “oyu” which is the normal term for hot water. Oyu is water that has been heated to a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) or so, whereas sayu is considered water that has been brought to a boil and then cooled to around 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

As you can probably imagine, the boiling process helps to remove impurities and thus makes sayu a healthier alternative to oyu, especially if you’re getting it from a tap. Sayu is said to be great for improving blood circulation and promoting healthy digestion.

In the case of Asahi’s Oishii Mizu Tennensui Sayu, natural spring water is directly bottled and then warmed to temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees Celsius (122 and 140 degrees Fahernheit)…which, come to think of it, doesn’t make this sayu. It really is just any hot water after all.

In fairness to Asahi, there isn’t a strict definition of what exactly “sayu” is and since the source is natural spring water served at the same temperature as sayu, there’s still a fair chance that the health benefits of this Oishii Mizu Tennensui Sayu hold true. Either way, customers in Japan have really been willing to take the plunge as sales have exceeded expectations and the social media response has been 10 times that of other Asahi products.

▼ As you can see by the thrilled look on his face, our writer Ahiruneko loves it too

This is in contrast to 2014, when Asahi previously tried to market bottled hot water. At that time it was released with the more straightforward name “Hot Tennensui” and sales were too lackluster to continue. However, with people looking increasingly for healthier beverages and the more intriguing name of “Sayu”, Asahi seems to have found the recipe for success.

Reaction in online comments was generally positive too, but not everyone was totally convinced to go out and buy some hot water.

“So if you cool it down, it just becomes water.”
“They should make flavored versions. That could be good.”
“Please sell more ramen broth instead.”
“Great timing. People are tired of stuff with additives and there’s no competition yet.”
“That’s useful when you want to make soup quickly.”
“It’s good because it isn’t sweet and more refreshing than tea.”
“Sounds pretty good for winter.”
“I saw it today and bought one. It was good and soothed my throat.”
“I have a weak stomach so that sounds perfect.”
“I’m not paying money for hot water!”
“I can just drink the water coming out of my shower in the morning.”

While one theoretically could drink the water that comes out of the shower, there are obvious logistical problems to consuming hot water that way alone. At the very least, Oishii Mizu Tennensui Sayu provides the convenience of getting heated water on the go, so maybe it is worth checking out for 113 yen (US$0.80) per 340-milliliter (11-ounce) bottle.

Source: Oricon News, Asahi Soft Drinks, My Game News Flash, Mizu Select
Photos ©SoraNews24
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