14 Delicious Japanese Drinks to Try (as Recommended by a Local)
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Loading... - Alex Pinyin
- 07 Feb 2022
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Be it at a quirky cafe, a huge event, or a luxurious restaurant, these iconic beverages are sure to dazzle, soothe, and awe with their ingredients and flavors. Here are 14 of the country’s most popular drinks you should definitely try, as recommended by a local.
Japanese Drinks
Japanese Teas
1 – Green Tea (緑茶)
Green tea (緑茶) is such an intrinsic part of Japanese culture, the country even dedicates an entire day to celebrating and honoring it. People in Japan consume the fragrant beverage everywhere – at home, at restaurants, at work, and even during company meetings.
Green tea, and all other teas, comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. However, for green tea, the leaves are steamed and heat-treated to stop the fermentation process and enzymatic reactions.
Green teas come in many different varieties, including sencha(煎茶), fukamushicha(深蒸ã—茶), kamanobicha(窯伸ã³èŒ¶), bancha(番茶) and gyokuro(玉露).
Sencha is the most popular, accounting for about 80% of all green teas produced in Japan. Sencha tea uses the youngest, highest quality leaves that are steamed before twisted and dried.
Green tea is beloved by the Japanese and it is believed to have many health properties.
2 – Matcha（抹茶）
The Japanese have consumed matcha（抹茶）for centuries before it reached its current cult status in Western countries. Matcha tea is made from a finely ground deep green powder, known for its robust and mildly bitter flavor.
In fact, the Japanese love matcha tea so much that they use it to flavor mochi, ice cream, desserts, chocolate, lattes, and cookies — the slightly bitter drink pairs well with the sweet confections.
Traditionally, teas are made by steeping the leaves in hot water. However, matcha tea is different because the powder is instead combined with water, then consumed.
The Japanese use a delicate bamboo whisk, or chasen, to froth up and blend the green powder with hot water. The chasen is preferred to a metal whisk or spoon as it protects the matcha mixing bowls, some of which are incredibly delicate due to their age.
Also, matcha tea is cultivated differently from other teas. The leaves, called Tencha, grow in the shade as farmers cover the growing tea plants in the field. The lack of sunlight increases the amount of chlorophyll and nutrients in the leaves.
Matcha originated from China and was adopted by Japanese culture in the early 9th century. It was not widely available for many years, and the Japanese created many rules and formalities around its consumption. However, it is now Japan’s most popular flavor export and hailed by the health industry as a nourishing and healthy drink.
3 – Barley Tea （麦茶）
Toasty but slightly bitter, barley tea （麦茶）is an infusion made from roasted barley. Also known as mugi-cha, the tea is made by boiling roasted unhulled barley in water or brewing ground kernels.
People in Japan love barley tea and often drink it instead of water. And, in fact, barley tea is consumed throughout the year – chilled in summer and hot in winter. Its fragrant and refreshing aroma cleanses the palate without leaving a heavy aftertaste.
You can find barley tea at supermarkets and in almost all Japanese households. Traditionally, children always have a bottle of cold barley tea waiting at home when they return from school.
Unlike green tea, barley tea is caffeine-free. It is extremely popular in Japan, China, and Korea, and consumed not just for enjoyment, but also for its various health benefits.
4 – Oolong Tea（çƒé¾èŒ¶ï¼‰
The Japanese often turn to Oolong tea（çƒé¾èŒ¶ï¼‰as a digestif, especially after consuming alcohol and salty snacks at an Izakaya bar or rich, barbecued meat at a Yakiniku restaurant.
Oolong tea leaves are the result of a highly specialized labor-intensive process. Before harvesting, the entire tea plant withers in the sun. The twigs, stems, and leaves are then left to ferment, then twisted piece-by-piece, giving the oolong tea leaves their distinctive, spiral shape.
Rich in polyphenols, people not only enjoy Oolong tea for its health benefits, but many also drink it as a beauty tea.
Japanese Soft Drinks
5 – Calpis (カルピス)
Calpis (カルピス) must be the absolute favorite drink of most Japanese children, and it is hard to find a Japanese adult or child who doesn’t like the drink. The company plays on this devotion and refers to Calpis as a “taste of first love” in its slogan.
This white milky uncarbonated soft drink has a sweet but slightly acidic flavor and is a staple in all Japanese supermarkets. Its eye-catching packaging makes it hard to miss with its pattern of light and dark blue circles on a transparent plastic bottle.
Calpis was created in 1919 as Japan’s first lactic acid bacteria drink and has been a front runner of Japanese soft drinks ever since. The lactic acid bacteria and yeast are fermented with raw milk to create a beverage with a truly unique flavor.
Calpis expanded its brand to include Calpis Soda and Calpis Water. An alcoholic version, Calpis Chuhai, is also a popular mixer for cocktails.
6 – Yakult (ヤクルト)
Yakult (ヤクルト) is a Japanese sweetened probiotic milk beverage loved by Japanese of all ages. This beverage is popular in Japan and widely available in many Western countries.
Yakult comes in an eye-catching container – a small cylindrical-shaped 65ml bottle that easily fits in a child’s hand.
The beverage is made from a Shirota strain of lactic acid bacteria. Supermarkets and convenience stores sell this sweet probiotic, but it is also sold door-to-door by the Yakult Ladies. Read More…
