Japanese Beverages

Just a quick guide to some drinks that are found in Japan that you might like to try.

Alcoholic

Shōchū

#3390 navel shōchū (へそ焼酎) (Photo credit: Nemo's great uncle)

25% alcohol (that's weaker than whiskey but stronger than wine).

Can be made with:

Barley (mugi),

Sweet Potatoes (imo),

Buckwheat (soba),

Rice (kome),

Brown Sugar, 

Chestnut,

Sesame seeds,

or Carrots

In many cases, Japanese people put Shochu into an earthenware teapot and drink it diluted with hot water.

It is known to have a strange smell that sometimes puts foreigners off trying it.

Sake

Undiluted sake contains 18%–20% alcohol but is often diluted.

Is made from fermented rice and is often referred to as 'rice wine'. Probably one of the most famous Japanese alcoholic drink thanks to anime and manga references.

Teas

Soba-cha Tea

Made of roasted buckwheat berries and said to have numerous health benefits this really is an enjoyable tea. Has a tasty nutty flavor and doesn't contain any caffeine. You can drink it both hot and cold and goes nicely with noodles.

 Mugicha tea

Is a caffeine free, roasted barley tea that is simply divine. It is a popular cooling drink in the summer but is served hot all year around. Some say it deters tooth decay but the jury is still out on that one.

Canned Drinks

C.C Lemon

Lemon flavoured and quite tasty. They had an advertising campaign that had the Simpsons in it before. They say every can has the amount of vitamin C contained in 70 lemons. It's carbonated and tastes a bit like club lemon only not as sweet.

Can Coffee

Available both hot and cold and in hundred of different varieties from sweet to bitter. Honestly one of my favorite things about Japan

Misc

Hoppy

This is a tasty beer flavoured non-alcoholic drink. It is very popular and is mixed with shochu. Be careful when ordering since they might give you hoppy and shochu mixed together.

Soy Milk

I don't believe this needs explaining.