While it’s great to practise meditation and mindfulness, there are times when nothing beats a cold one to unwind from a hectic Monday. There is a wide variety of drinks available all around Japan due to the country’s, well, enthusiastic drinking culture. If you’re looking for some easy mixed drinks to whip up this weekend, here are five Japanese options.
Whisky Highball
Whisky highballs, the progenitor of all Japanese mixed drinks, may be found at any bar or izakaya in the country. Whisky and soda is a popular drink in Japan because of how similar it is to beer and how easy it is to drink.
The highball glasses used to serve them gave rise to the moniker, but these days you’re more likely to find them in a glass mug with a handle. And it doesn’t matter what you’re drinking it out of (hey, we don’t judge), because it’s ridiculously simple to whip up.
Lemon Chu-Hai
The second beverage we have has more than a passing resemblance to the first. Drinks called chu-hai (also spelt chu-hi or chuhai) are shortened versions of shochu highballs, which combine fruit juice, soda water, and a Japanese liquor made from rice, barley, or sweet potatoes.
In Japan, chu-hai is sold in cans and is as easy to create as the whiskey highball. Check the label thoroughly because they may seem identical to fruit sodas.
Sake-tini
A traditional American cocktail with a Japanese twist. Never claim that these cocktails aren’t adaptable because you can make them with either gin or vodka, as well as any type of sake. If you would rather flip the primary and supporting flavours, another option is to invert the proportions of the gin/vodka and sake ingredients.
Red Eye
It is essential to distinguish the beverage with the same name that is prepared with coffee from the red eye, which is a cocktail prepared with beer and is surprisingly popular in Japanese izakaya and pubs. The red eye is created with beer.
It is a revitalising drink that is ideal for the bright midday meal that you have planned. You can always add a shot of vodka to it if you want something that packs a little bit more of a punch if that’s what you’re going for.
Umeshu Mojito
This mojito, which comes highly recommended by Choya, a major umeshu (plum wine) maker, offers a fresh take on the traditional summertime beverage. Because plum wine is considerably sweeter than rum, you should cut back on the amount of sugar you add.
Kaku Highball
Using Kakubin whisky and soda water, a Kaku highball is a take on the traditional Japanese highball. Any Japanese whisky will do in a Japanese highball, but Kakubin is the most popular choice, so unless otherwise specified, that’s what you’ll get at most bars.
Kaku is traditionally made and served in tall glass. To make this refreshing beverage, fill a cup with ice, squeeze a lemon wedge over the top, and add whisky and soda water. It’s meant to be a simple cocktail to sip and mix with meals, so it’s light and refreshing.
Kamikaze
Although its origins in the 1970s as a legendary disco drink have been claimed, the sophisticated Kamikaze cocktail was likely created in Tokyo following World War II, during the American occupation of Japan. The Japanese word for “divine wind,” “Kamikaze,” refers to a cocktail mixed with vodka, triple sec (orange liqueur), and lime or lemon juice.
As an aperitif, it’s often poured over ice in a cocktail glass and garnished with a twist of citrus. It is suggested that you serve Kamikaze with pasta or hot wings.
Tamagozake
Tamagozake is a popular Japanese mixed drink made from warmed sake, raw egg yolks, and sugar. Egg Sake is another name for this very rich drink. Prepared by adding raw egg yolks that have been whisked with sugar and hot sake.
Tamagozake has long been used as a traditional medicine in Japan for the treatment of the common cold, and while there is no scientific evidence to support its effectiveness, at least it provides welcome nighttime warmth.
There you have it! These Japanese drinks will surely give you a relaxing time after a hectic Monday. Try all these drinks out and tell us which drink you liked the most. We are sure that once you try them, you will not be able to stop easily.