It’s cold. Every day, it just gets colder. For someone like me who dislikes the cold, this is a difficult time of year.

It is truly wonderful that Japan has four distinct seasons, each with its own unique scents, sky colors, and flora, constantly cycling through. The exceptionally clear air on a winter night and the sight of one’s breath in white puffs offer a small pleasure, and snow, for someone not raised in a snowy region, is also something special. When snowflakes begin to fall, my heart leaps, and I feel like a child again. Yet, even so, I struggle to maintain my health during this season. No matter how much I bundle up from the outside, it’s never enough, so I focus on warming my body from the inside during winter.

When it comes to ingredients that warm the body from within, ginger is, without a doubt, the most representative.


Ginger has long been said to have various benefits, such as preventing colds and warming the body, and it seems to have been used in cooking and as a preserved food. Its warming effect also boosts metabolism, which can aid in dieting. Beyond its warming properties, ginger is also said to have antiseptic and appetite-stimulating effects.
However, it’s not an ingredient that one should consume in large quantities, so it’s quite difficult to eat a lot of ginger itself. At most, I only knew of its use as a condiment, like a garnish, and was content with simply drinking ginger tea.

That’s why I’ve recently become fond of “Veda. Vie Ginger Syrup,” which is concentrated with ginger essence and easy to consume.
This syrup is safe, made in Japan with no added fragrances, colorings, or chemical seasonings. The recommended daily intake of ginger is 8-10g. One tablespoon of this “Ginger Syrup” provides 10g of ginger.

The zesty “Ginger Syrup” is incredibly versatile. It can be mixed with hot or cold water, milk, or black tea, or used directly over yogurt, ice cream, or toast as a dessert. It also works as a seasoning for dishes like pork sauté or stir-fried vegetables. With a little creativity, it seems it can be used in many other ways.
My personal favorite way to enjoy it is simply drizzled over yogurt. The slight sweetness within its zestiness is just right, and I love it.

Before bed, I mix the syrup with hot water. It slowly and gently warms my body from the inside, warming my spirit and enveloping me in a sense of peace and comfort. This is another favorite way to drink it.

This is how I get through the cold season, always looking forward to the arrival of spring soon after.

Veda.Vie’s Ginger Syrup. A concentrated syrup rich in ginger flavor. Lightly sweet.

Composed by Kiyohara no Fukayabu when snow was falling:

Though it is winter, flowers fall from the sky— / Could it be that beyond the clouds, spring has arrived?

(Translation: Though it is winter, flowers fall from the sky— / Could it be that beyond the clouds, spring has arrived?)
(Quoted from Kadokawa Sophia Bunko, New Edition: Kokin Wakashu)

Then as now, winter landscapes evoke a longing for the season when buds unfurl into blossoms.