There are many different kinds of alcohol in Japan. There are many Japanese alcoholic beverages such as sawa, highball, and chuhai, and various alcoholic beverages are sold even at convenience stores. Among them, Horoyoi has become popular in Korea. Today, I would like to recommend some special convenience store alcoholic beverages and drinks that you can enjoy in Japan.

First, do you know the meaning of chuhai (チューハイ)?
Chuhai is simply a diluted shochu. Chuhai refers to shochu mixed with carbonated water like highball. It is said that chuhai came from mixing the chu sound of shochu (焼酎, しょうちゅう) and the hai of highball (ハイボール).

In the early days, people used to drink carbonated highball by mixing a small amount of Japanese sake with carbonated water. It is said that this is where it originated. Chuhai is lighter than other drinks and comes in many different flavors, making it popular with many people. It is particularly popular with people who are not good at drinking or women because it has a low alcohol content and a sweet taste with fruit flavors.

Since chuhai comes in many sour flavors like lemon, lime, and grapefruit, it is also called sawa. It is a word derived from the English word "sour". Sawa can be seen as a cocktail made with citrus fruits and shochu or other alcoholic beverages. Sawa can be considered a concept derived from chuhai.

To distinguish between the two, chuhai is a mixture of shochu and carbonated water, while sawa is a concept of shochu mixed with fruit juice and carbonated water.

As you all know, highball is a mixture of whisky and carbonated water. Japanese highball is famous even in Korea, where it is sold in many pubs like izakaya. While Japanese highball has little sugar in the carbonated water, so you can taste the original flavor of the whisky, Korean highball has a stronger sweet taste. Therefore, many Korean tourists are surprised when they order highball in Japan. In that case, it is recommended to order ginger highball or a sweeter drink.

How many beer brands do you know that are sold in Japan?
The most famous one is Asahi (アサヒビール). It has a refreshing and bubbly taste.

There are many famous beer brands that we don't know besides Asahi. A typical example is Sapporo Beer (サッポロビール). It is one of the oldest breweries in Japan, characterized by its smooth and bitter malt flavor. It is also said to have a unique taste due to the use of Hokkaido water.

The next famous beer is Kirin Ichiban (麒麟麦酒, キリンビール). It is the oldest brewery company in Tokyo, started in 1870. It is characterized by its rich body and well-balanced malt flavor. Kirin here is not the animal we know, but an imaginary animal.

Ebisu Beer (ヱビスビール) is also a company under Sapporo. It is famous after Asahi, Sapporo, and Kirin Ichiban. It was founded in Tokyo in 1887. It is said to have used European brewing techniques for its smooth flavor.

Finally, there is Orion Beer (オリオンビール).

Orion, which has been recognized as Okinawa's representative local beer since 1957, is said to have a clean, light, and slightly sweet taste. It is a popular beer internationally as well as in Okinawa, using local ingredients.

This is enough introduction to the famous Japanese alcoholic beverages and companies that foreign travelers should know.
Now, I will introduce some convenience store drinks & alcoholic beverages that you can only drink in Japan!

Asahi Super Dry Beer (about 210 yen)

This beer revived Asahi, which had faced bankruptcy in the mid-1980s, and is incredibly popular in Korea as well. Asahi Super Dry Beer creates a rich foam the moment you open the can, allowing you to enjoy a refreshing taste. It has 136kcal. In Japan, it is available at half the price of overseas sales, so those who like Asahi beer can enjoy it to their heart's content during their trip to Japan.


Jack Coke Highball (about 231 yen)

Do you know Jack Coke? It is one of the alcoholic beverages that is always on the cocktail menu. In fact, about 40% of Jack Daniel's consumption is in the form of mixing with cola drinks like Coca-Cola. Jack Coke Highball is popular because it allows you to enjoy the taste of Jack Daniel's and cola in a light can drink. It has 86kcal per 100ml. Coca-Cola Jack Coke is currently only available in Japan out of all the Asian countries, making it a rare recommended convenience store drink only available in Japan.

Sapporo Rich Lemon Sawa (about 105 yen)

Sapporo Breweries has a wide variety of sawa brands. Among them, I recommend the rich lemon sawa (濃いめのレモンサワー) of the rich lemon sawa. It is a rich lemon flavor with a refreshing and unsweet lemon sour taste. The alcohol content is about 7%, not extremely low but moderate. It has 44kcal per 100ml. In addition to this product, there are also Young Rich Lemon Sawa with an alcohol content of about 4% and Aged Lemon Sawa. They also sell concentrated juice, so you can mix it with your favorite drink.


Suntory Torys Highball アン クルトリス サントリー (price about 160 yen)

Torys played a role in creating Japan's whisky culture by making Torys' highball "Tori High" popular after the popularity of "Torys Bar" in the 1950s and 1960s, making the unfamiliar whisky a familiar drink. It is a highball with high awareness in Japan, with a hint of lemon and a whisky taste. The alcohol content is about 7%, and it has 168kcal. It has a clean taste, so it's a good match with fried foods. It is only sold in Japan, so if you are a highball beginner, try it out!

R-1 Yogurt (about 144 yen)

Japan is famous for its dairy products. While prune juice is drunk in Korea for a good bowel movement, R-1 yogurt is well known in Japan. If you have bowel problems during your trip, you can buy it at a Japanese convenience store and consume it for a refreshing effect. It is also said to help boost your immunity, so try it out at a convenience store!

Yuzu Cider ゆずれもんサイダー ５００ｍｌ 100 yen (including tax 108 yen)

Finally, there's yuzu cider. It is a cider made with yuzu juice and lemon juice from Japan. It is not too sweet and has moderate carbonation, but the yuzu and lemon flavors create a unique taste. It is also only 36kcal, so you can enjoy it without any worries! It is a popular drink in Japanese convenience stores among Koreans. It is a refreshing and delicious cider with a clean aftertaste.

This concludes our introduction to the top 6 drinks & alcoholic beverages you must try at Japanese convenience stores!