Why Juice? isn’t only a question the health-conscious may ask themselves or others, but also the name of a small juice outlet located near the Log Road complex on the edge of Tokyo’s Daikanyama neighborhood.
The small shop offers a decent mix of both fruit and vegetable-based drinks. The "Sweet Repear" features pear, pineapple and ginger, while the "Flex" includes mikan, grapefruit, lime and, interestingly enough, flaxseed oil. The maroon-colored "R Detox" sounded uniquely appealing, with ingredients such as rosemary, coriander, beets, carrot and apple. "All You Want" mixed beets with kale and celery, sweetening the drink with a touch of apple and carrot. My eventual choice, the "Doctor Green", featured more green veggies than fruits and the taste definitely reflected that. Unlike some of the juices I have both bought in Tokyo and made myself, this one carries very little sweetness. If you’re used to apple or some sort of citrus in your juice, this choice may come as a slight shock.
The store offers two main sizes of juice, though it can be a bit confusing at first glance. Both small bottles and large bottles are available in most flavors but if you plan on drinking the juice immediately, opt for the plastic cup option. While the same amount as the small bottle (they often just open the bottle and pour the juice into the cup in front of you), it’s slightly cheaper and allows you to more easily consume it on the go. The bottles are perfect for bringing back home and storing in the fridge until later that day. Small sizes ranges in price from ¥600-¥1200, while large sizes begin at ¥1100 and top out at ¥2100.
Why Juice? isn’t the kind of shop that allows lingering. The stand contains little more than the front area for ordering and the spotless kitchen in the rear where the vegetables are pressed and bottled for later consumption. A small porch offers a pair of canvas seats for immediate sipping, but the view of the road just a few feet in front of you is rather uninspiring. For groups or friends who want to drink and chat, a better option is to carry the juice up to the open courtyard near the Spring Valley Brewery in the neighboring Log Road complex.
