Gyunyu, Coffee Gyunyu, or Ichigo Milk? in Sento
Today on the way home from work, I stopped by a public bathhouse or “Sento (銭湯)” and enjoyed bathing.
After getting out of the bathroom and putting on my clothes, I wanted to drink something cold.
Traditionally, in Sento bathhouses, chilled glass bottles of “Gyunyu (牛乳)” or milk and “Coffee Gyunyu (コーヒー牛乳)” or coffee with milk are sold in a showcase cooler.
And many people like to drink them after getting out of the bath.
In modern times, in addition to them, vending machines are also installed near the resting place selling various kinds of canned drinks and tea PET bottles.
Suntory Ichigo Milk Canned Drink
In Sento, I prefer a glass bottle of Coffee Gyunyu or coffee with milk to Gyunyu or milk and sometimes choose it.
But I like the classic “Ichigo Milk (いちごミルク: strawberry milk)” can (190 g) from Suntory the best if it is sold.
Not every Sento doesn’t carry it, but the canned strawberry milk was available for 130 yen (about 1.2 USD) in a vending machine in the bathhouse where I went today.
The Ichigo Milk beverage has a rich taste of milk and contains as much as 94 mg of calcium per 100 grams.
Its strawberry flavor is not overpowering but mild, well-balanced with the milk.
The taste brings back memories of the Ichigo Milk I used to make for myself as a kid by mixing milk, strawberries, and sugar in a blender.
But the Suntory Ichigo Milk drink only consists of liquid and is smooth.
If you have a chance to visit a Sento bathhouse someday in Japan, I first want you to try the Coffee Gyunyu after getting out of the bath.
But if the Sento also sells the Suntory Ichigo Milk can, I’ll recommend sampling it first and foremost.
Ingredients and Nutrition Facts
Lastly, here are the ingredients list and nutrition facts label of the Suntory Ichigo Milk drink. According to that,
the beverage consists of milk, dairy product, sugar, strawberry juice (1%), flavoring, baking soda, cochineal pigment, emulsifier, calcium lactate, and vitamin D.
The calories per 100 grams are 63 kcal.
