White powder package in Japanese tea.

Is there a part of the package with the address or company name on it?

Thank you for post> The package reads "kombucha" in hiragana

Now it starts to make sense. It looks like this is the "mushroom tea" - a fungus that grows on tea/sugar water and ferments it into a healthy drink. And this is the start-up package with tea and fungus starter with all the ingredients. But lets wait for our Japanese residents to spell out their verdict.

Sasha.

Nope, its something else - here is a page of different Kopucha's.

Sasha.

Only in Japan :)

Here in the states I'm happy to get a free plastic wristwatch in my cereal, or maybe a baseball card in my Cracker Jack, or a licensed toy in my happy meal... but in Japan you get a bonus pack of "Grow-your-own mushroom tea" that you get to bring to life and ferment and then drink! yay. I guess it's kinda like a packet of Seamonkies that you get to eat. :)

Gotta love the Japanese. When the #1 arcade game in your country is a big blue rubber bottom that you "poke" with a hand aparatus to "annoy" the person on screen, or dog walking simulators, and you can get underwear at the pop machine... you got something good going for ya!

- Dominic

The white powder could be Sugar, Salt, and MSG. Showed the pictures to a Japanese friend, and she believes it is KombuCha, a "tea" made with Kombu seaweed, and seasoned with sugar, salt, & MSG. People make soup stock with Kombu seaweed, simmering the seaweed in water, and adding salt, sugar, MSG, etc. The seaweed is thought to be good for health, and some people like the taste. The "tea" can be thought of as instant broth. Also called KonbuCha, KobuCha or Tangle (Seaweed) Tea. See:

This "tea" is different from the fermented KombuCha tea. See:

Yes, now I think we finally got it! Thank you. Elona and thank your Japanese friends. Domo arigatoo godzaimashita!

And thank you everybody who posted here for your time and effort.

Sasha.