Japanese Drinks 101: Sake, Awamori, Shochu & Beyond
When traveling through Japan, it’s easy to be swept away by temples, neon skylines, and cherry blossoms. But there’s another layer to experiencing Japan: what’s poured into your glass. From Kyoto’s elegant sake to Okinawa’s bold awamori and Kyushu’s earthy shochu, Japan’s drinks tell the story of geography, trade, and tradition. Here’s your crash course into Japan’s most iconic sips, so you can order with confidence, taste with curiosity, and toast like a local.
Sake: Japan’s Timeless Rice Wine
- What it is: Brewed, not distilled. Often called “rice wine” but closer to beer in process.
- Where: Kyoto’s Fushimi district and Niigata are top regions.
- Tasting Notes: From crisp and fruity Ginjo to creamy, sweet Nigori. Typically 12–16% ABV.
- Best For: Pairing with sushi, tempura, or a quiet Kyoto evening.
Read more about Sake and our tasting notes with pairings, here
Awamori: Okinawa’s Island Spirit
- What it is: Japan’s oldest distilled drink, made with long-grain Thai rice and black koji mold growing in clay pots.
- Where: Only in Okinawa.
- Tasting Notes: Bold, earthy, higher alcohol (30–40%). Can be aged into kusu, as prized as fine whiskey.
- Best For: Pairing with Okinawan pork dishes, sipping while listening to sanshin music under palm trees.
Check out our Japanese Drink Guide – sharing history and more on Awamori, here
Shochu: Kyushu’s Everyday Favorite
- What it is: A distilled spirit that evolved from awamori. Made with barley, sweet potato, rice, buckwheat, and more.
- Where: Kyushu and southern Japan.
- Tasting Notes: Usually lighter than awamori (25–30% ABV). Imo shochu (sweet potato) is smoky and rich, while mugi shochu (barley) is smooth and toasty.
- Best For: Everyday drinking — on the rocks, with hot water, or even mixed with soda.
Modern Japanese Drinks: Whisky & Gin
- Whisky: Japanese whisky (think Yamazaki, Nikka) has become world-famous. Inspired by Scotch, but with a softer, cleaner finish. Best neat or in a highball (whisky + soda).
- Gin: Japanese craft gin is on the rise, infused with botanicals like yuzu, green tea, and sansho pepper. Refreshing in a gin & tonic with a Japanese twist.
How to Drink Like a Local
- Kanpai! Always cheers before drinking.
- Pour for Others: Etiquette says you fill your friend’s glass, they fill yours.
- Temperature & Glassware – Sake can be warm or chilled; shochu with hot water or ice; awamori often neat.
Maple Rae’s Reflection
“Each drink feels like a different landscape. Sake is the purity of Kyoto’s springs, awamori the resilience of Okinawa’s islands, shochu the smoky warmth of Kyushu soil. Together, they are Japan in liquid form; tradition, adaptation, and nature captured in a glass.”
Closing
Whether you’re sipping a sparkling sake under cherry blossoms, savoring aged awamori in Okinawa, or clinking shochu highballs with new friends in Tokyo, Japan’s drinks aren’t just beverages; they become memories.
So next time you’re in Japan, don’t just eat like a local. Drink like one, too. Kanpai!
Want More? We have you –
- Japan Kami Diety Culture
- Origami, Cranes of Peace – Folding Peace
- Japanese History, Walking in History – Japanese Heroines
- Interested in our 5 Day Adventure in Tokyo, read more here
- 12 Day Japan & Korea Cruise
- A Quick History of Sake
- Our Japanese Drink Guide, 101 with history, tasting notes, & cards
Happy Exploring,
Violet, Kristin, Maple, Lola, & Noah
✨ Wander Into Our Shop ✨
Looking for a little something extra to pack in your pocket (or your carry-on)? Our shop is filled with small but mighty travel treasures:
- Pocket-size travel bundles that make you feel like a local, not a tourist
- Printable packing checklists (because forgetting socks is never chic)
- Recipe cards + global snack inspo for picnics and road trips
- Custom walking maps with hidden cafés, street eats, and photo spots
- Seasonal guides: from cozy Christmas markets to seaside summer escapes
- Souvenir-style watercolor sketches + quote cards to pin, print, or frame
- Cultural cheat sheets (like how to eat sundubu or order street food with confidence)
Take a peek, wander through, and see what catches your eye. Your next adventure might just start in our shop.
