With highballs becoming more and more popular these days! The essential ingredient is “carbonated water.”
And when you think of classic carbonated water, this “WILKINSON”!
Apparently, the carbonated spring was discovered in Takarazuka, and the factory built to distribute it was constructed in Namaze, Nishinomiya!
I heard there was something called the “Wilkinson Memorial Hall” in Namaze, so I quickly went to check it out by bicycle!
Photo source: Wilkinson Tansan Mineral Spring Takarazuka Factory Survey Report, edited by Yuji Adachi, Nishinomiya City Board of Education (1996)
This is a photo of the factory. It was apparently located in Namaze until it was demolished in 1994.
It is said that the founder, Mr. Wilkinson, a British man, discovered the carbonated spring while hunting in Takarazuka around 1889.
Photo source: Wilkinson Tansan Mineral Spring Takarazuka Factory Survey Report, edited by Yuji Adachi, Nishinomiya City Board of Education (1996)
It stood along the Mukogawa River.
A long, narrow, and large factory!
Today, the site is an apartment building.
After crossing the Nigawa River and going a little farther, you enter Takarazuka.
Just west of Takarazuka Station, at the foot of Horai Bridge over the Mukogawa River, there is a triangular stone monument that says, “Natural carbonated water lies beneath here.”
Before WILKINSON was released, it seems it was called “soda.”
To make it more familiar to Japanese people and convey that fizzy sensation, it was apparently named “tansan”, meaning carbonated!
The famous “tansan senbei” crackers in Takarazuka and Arima, which were kneaded with carbonated water, also seem to come from this! (These days, baking soda is often used instead of carbonated water, though.)
Found it right near the stone monument!
A WILKINSON-only vending machine!
With this much, you could drink all the highballs you want! ( ´艸｀)
Click.
Hehe. Got one.
It’ll be my companion for the roughly 10 km trip one way♪
It originated in Takarazuka.
As exports of Tansan increased, a large factory was apparently built in Namaze, Nishinomiya, to boost production capacity.
Leaving Takarazuka, I entered Nishinomiya City again. I arrived in Namaze.
Found the “Wilkinson Memorial Hall”!
Nooooo. It was closed. Well, of course it was.
I later learned that there are currently no exhibits, and the building is apparently used like a community center.
So from here on, it’s the WILKINSON “Something-kinson” Corner
This is a “photo collection” featuring WILKINSON as the model. Please take a look only if you’re interested♪↓
Sakura-kinson
Hana-kinson
Muko-kinson
Almost Falling-kinson
Shacho-kinson（in rivalry with Shacho）
The Wilkinson Memorial Hall is actually next to the unusual Nishinomiya sight we featured the other day, “the bridge where you absolutely have to communicate with the person walking from the opposite side”. （3 seconds on foot）
Apparently, this bridge is only about 55 centimeters wide!! ( ゜□゜)
The Wilkinson Memorial Hall is here↓
The address is 24, Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Finally
Asahi Breweries acquired the trademark rights to WILKINSON in 1983, and today it is apparently produced at Asahi Soft Drinks’ Akashi factory. I had always assumed it was an overseas product, but surprisingly it’s MADE IN JAPAN. And what a pleasant surprise to learn that it is a product with such deep ties to Nishinomiya♪ Next time you drink it, why not enjoy it while thinking about the history of WILKINSON?
