Although these restaurants don’t serve authentic cuisine from either Japanese or western culture, the melding of the two has developed into its own unique culinary experience that is worth a try on your trip to Tokyo!

If you’ve ever scanned the shelves of a convenience store in Tokyo, looking for a way to quench your thirst, you may have come across a symbol of what looks like a little guy jumping for joy. What has got him so excited you wonder? This is actually the “Tokuho” symbol; similar to the American “heart healthy” mark, it’s a label used on drinks and other items to indicate they’re considered “health items”.


“Tokuho” is short for, 特定保健用食品(tokutei hokenyou shokuhin) meaning “foods containing special health qualities.”

According to The Japan Times, the Tokuho label originated in 1991 and is used for “to promote [food and drinks’] healthy qualities, including ingredients that are high in fiber, good for digestion or help slow tooth decay.” The requirements for receiving the coveted “Tohoku” label are rather vigorous and are given by the Consumers Affairs Agency, which is part of Japan’s health ministry.

You may see this label on, “Xylitol gum… fiber-rich drinks advertised as digestive aids, and beverages containing sardine peptide, which supposedly helps to lower high blood pressure.” The products are meant to do either one of two things: promote health or aid in the prevention of disease.



 If products are awarded this label, there is possibility for a coincidence with an increase in sales. As the health market continues to rise in Japan, more and more companies are trying to find new ways to “healthify” their products. If companies can get this label behind their products, it’s an indication to consumers that the items are trustworthy for consumption.

As of right now it looks like the products are geared mostly towards drinks but likely to evolve to include a variety of different products. One item that is doing particularly well under the label is METs Cola by Kirin. It contains dextrin, which supposedly can limit the amount of fat one is able to absorb while consuming it.



This Cola and other drinks like it are part of the diet movement where by in which companies create similar items to their calorific counterparts in order to convince consumers’ stomachs they are getting the real deal while losing weight and getting healthier. A 480ml bottle will cost you around 150 yen.




 In the United States there were issues involving certain health labels being bought out by big consumer companies. For example in March of last year the company Kraft was “awarded” a Kid’s Eat Right label from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

However, Kraft was donating large amounts of money to this company in support of their Kids Eat Right program. This is not the case in Japan. Actually, new more relaxed regulations not supported by the government are being implemented as many companies feel that it is difficult to get past Tokuho’s strict regulations and testing.

So if you are in Tokyo and happen to see this little happy fellow, spend a few yen and give it a try! You’re getting the best that Japan’s health system has to offer.