Photo/Illutration Sakura honey craft cola, right, next to cola syrup (Seiya Hara)

KOBE—A beekeeper here had been making honey with a touch of sakura, but the product never caught on mainly because only a small volume could be produced, given the fleeting nature of cherry blossoms.

So Minoru Tawara, 41, hit upon the idea of using his sakura honey in craft cola.

Tawara’s apiary in Kobe’s Higashi-Nada Ward was established in 1945.

He noticed that at this time of year, his bees flew to Somei-Yoshino cherry trees along the nearby Sumiyoshigawa river as well as to Yamazakura trees on Mount Rokkosan.

The faint aroma of sakura was evident in the honey made in the two weeks or so that his bees could gather nectar from the flowers on these trees.

However, Tawara faced problems not only with the small volume of sakura honey produced but also with its slightly sour taste, which could turn off people expecting only sweetness.

Eager to increase sales of honey collected from cherry trees in the area, he noted the increasing popularity of craft cola around Japan.

When he pitched the idea of using sakura honey in craft cola at a meeting in the Kinki region of company presidents and lawyers, Tawara received a favorable response.

One participant at that meeting, Takao Shiojiri, 47, operates Cafe Shokudo Lodge in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, and he joined Tawara in applying for a subsidy from a prefectural fund.

Their idea was accepted, and Tawara began making cola syrup.

The craft cola has a pinkish color with fewer calories than regular colas because only honey, not sugar, is used to increase the sweetness.

Tawara noted that domestic honey accounts for only about 6 percent of the honey consumed in Japan.

“Through the craft cola, I want local residents and tourists to know about honey collected from here in Kobe, which is surrounded by nature, such as Rokkosan,” Tawara said.

The sakura honey craft cola will go on sale from April at Tawara Apiaries, Cafe Shokudo Lodge and other cafes in Kobe.

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