Okinawa vs. Hokkaido Milk Tea
Hojicha milk tea latte
Tea is integral to Japanese culture and the nation’s most popular drink. The Japanese respect it so highly that they even have a conventional tea ceremony for it! They believe the rite creates a bond in between the host and the guest welcomed for tea. At the same time, the tea ceremony brings internal tranquility to both host as well as guest.
Besides its famous matcha tea, Japan is likewise popular for its variety of milk tea – two of them being the Okinawa and also Hokkaido milk tea. The main difference between them is their ingredients. Okinawa milk tea uses a certain brown sugar from that city, while Hokkaido milk tea makes use of abundant, creamy milk from within its region.
This post will certainly clarify more on distinguishing between these 2 types of milk tea.
What is Okinawa Milk Tea?
Okinawa Brown Sugar Milk Tea
Okinawa Brown Sugar Milk Tea with Pearls
The Okinawa Milk Tea is a creamy drink that has a great deal of variations across the world. Remarkably, also the strange bubble tea is an example! Generally, the Okinawa Milk Tea has a wonderful and milklike flavor owing to its base tea, which is royal milk tea (a mix that adds more milk than the standard formula).
Its special active ingredient is the kokuto, a brown sugar native to the southern region of Japan. Kokuto is ready definitely compared to normal white sugar. It is made by cooking sugarcane juice, a very healthy sweetener with a high material of minerals and vitamins, without shedding flavor.
Some individuals even state that kokuto is the healthiest kind of sugar in the world. Black tea of the highest quality (like Assam or Ceylon) is utilized to prepare this beverage. Okinawa Milk Tea can be enjoyed in any manner – warm, cool, or served with tapioca pearls in the form of boba tea.
What is Hokkaido Milk Tea?
Bubble milk tea in a plastic cup
Hokkaido Milk Tea is another unique Japanese tea called after the area of its beginning. Hokkaido is the second largest island in Japan as well as a famous visitor area. The Hokkaido Milk Tea, widely called Nidanshi Milk, is a timeless beverage popular amongst visitors and also residents alike.
This tea frequently obtains perplexed with boba or the Okinawa Milk Tea. Nevertheless, what is special about the drink is its method of prep work. Black tea of high quality (Assam tear or Earl Grey) is utilized with sugar as well as the special Hokkaido milk, which gives it its luscious taste.
Milk from Hokkaido is special from various other milk as the island is on the northern most factor of Japan. Additionally, it has the biggest meadows as well as the most effective weather condition, making it a natural and also healthy and balanced area with the cleanest air– best for raising livestock. For this reason, the milk from Hokkaido is thicker as well as creamier than routine milk.
Although these two are various type of tea, Hokkaido as well as Okinawa Milk Tea typically get confused with each other. Nevertheless, if you are a lover who would certainly wish to attempt both these variants specifically, there are methods which you can tell these drinks apart.
1. Methods of Preparation
Both the sorts of tea are ready in a similar way, however 2 specific points established them apart. First, Hokkaido Milk Tea is prepared with special Hokkaido milk in the same way you prepare tea. Nonetheless, with Okinawa milk tea, you prepare the kokuto until it becomes much less thick as a sweetener prior to adding it to the drink.
2. Preference
Both beverages have unforgettable, wonderful tastes when it comes to taste. They can additionally be made to taste like each other.
Hokkaido Milk Tea has an abundant, velvety structure as well as is extremely thick as a result of the high quality of the milk. Since the black tea made use of for preparing it is additionally the finest, the fallen leaves include a solid, roasted taste to the beverage. On the whole, you could discover the Hokkaido Milk Tea to taste like caramel with a small tinge of vanilla.
On the other hand, Okinawa tea is likewise usually pleasant, yet its taste is controlled by black tea. Although the appearance may likewise be thick, it will certainly not be as luscious as Hokkaido Milk Tea, as the molasses are developed by kokuto. You might locate the flavor to be somewhat toasted overall.
3. Beginning
As suggested by their names, both the beverages are belonging to Japan. Hokkaido Milk Tea is belonging to Hokkaido – the 2nd biggest Island in Japan, which is famous for its premium quality as well as freshness of the fish and shellfish. Okinawa Milk Tea comes from Okinawa – a visitor place popular for its distinct food and beaches.
4. Rate
Both the drinks may have comparable active ingredients, however the rarity of the ingredients that make them the beverages they are impacts the cost of the tea. Hokkaido milk and its powder are expensive contrasted to kokuto, which can be changed by routine brown sugar.
The cost per 8oz mug of Okinawa Milk Tea is around $1.12, while the cost of Hokkaido Milk Tea for the exact same is $1.88. Therefore, as can be drawn from this details, Hokkaido Milk Tea is on the more costly side.
Putting Milk Into Glass
4. Nourishment
Although both types of tea are comparable, they make use of different components native to a specific place, making their nutritional accounts different. To aid you recognize the nutritional value of both these drinks, we have prepared the following table.
NutrientOkinawa Milk TeaHokkaido Milk Tea
Calories294100
Fat 10 g1g
Calcium400 mg313 mg
Carbohydrates110 g33 g.
Cholesterol6 mg0 mg.
From the table, we can acquire that although Hokkaido Milk Tea is sweet. Nonetheless, it is much healthier because of just how natural and also fresh Hokkaido milk is. For that reason, it is definitely a healthier selection between the two.
Last Ideas.
There is a lot to find in Japan – especially when it comes to remarkable food. Both the Hokkaido and Okinawa milk teas are a must-try if you visit the nation. You can even try making the dish at home. These rejuvenating Japanese teas will stimulate and also de-stress you and also make up for a fast, filling up treat.