What do they drink alcohol in Japan. Alcoholic drinks: Sake and Shochu. Japan. Differences from sake

Today I drank such a yummy that I can’t help but write) Let this be a post about what drinks you should try in Japan, maybe someone will need info.

Herb no Megumi is a tincture of 13 herbs and fruits. It is considered a beauty drink and is even rated on cosme.net, although it is sold not in cosmetics, but in alcohol stores. The tincture has a strength of 13%, it is recommended to drink it diluted with ice or hot water, add it to ice cream and desserts. Indicated for those who are cold, suffer from poor circulation, digestion and melancholy :))) Unusual sweet and sour taste, gives a little ginseng, but just a little. It is sold in supermarkets, often in drug stores, as well as in the grocery departments of large shopping centers.

Choya Ume Liquor - a large group of plum tinctures belongs to the oldest and largest manufacturer. In Russia, these drinks seem to be known as plum wine. In Japan, unripe ume plums are taken, put in special large jars, covered with sugar and poured with cheap strong alcohol (about 25-35 degrees, sold especially for this purpose almost in canisters). This is a homemade drink that many families prepare according to their own recipes with their own tricks. Umeshu is very sweet, with a rich plum taste. I don't know how to drink it just like that - everything will stick together! Traditionally, umeshu is drunk with hot water or over ice, or used in cocktails. I love all Japanese sweet tinctures "oyuwari" - with boiling water, 1 to 1. In winter, when the wet cold penetrates to the bones, it tastes better than mulled wine! There are a lot of umeshu manufacturers, but Choya is considered one of the most decent, so it can be safely recommended. Choya drinks are sold in different bottles and even checks with plums floating inside. All will be written in Latin letters Choya. Cheap liqueurs in tetra packs are quite normal, but in this case, of course, the more expensive, the tastier. A very common alcohol, for sure there is at airports.

Apricot - the same tincture about as plum, only from apricots. Very pretty bottle, perfect for a gift. Delicious to disgrace :)) this manufacturer still has drinks from lychee, apple, blueberries, but somehow this is not the same, apricot the best. There is also kinkan - a relative of quince - this is also a very traditional raw material for tinctures, but I have not tried it. This brand also has glass bottles, a very souvenir look for a small present.

Also quite common drink, available in all supermarkets and many combi, costs about $ 10 per bottle.

Beer in a "children's" jar is such a local joke, some brands of beer are sold both in ordinary containers and in jars of 135 ml. I don't know what it's for - probably for those who just want to feel the taste of beer, but don't really want to drink. I suspect that abroad the most famous Japanese beer is Asahi... although in Japan it is not the most important and is also distributed by Kirin and Suntory. Kirin and Asahi have "children's" jars for sure, I haven't seen the others or I don't remember them. But they are not sold everywhere.

Sake is the hardest part. Of course, everyone wants it, but it’s difficult to choose without Japanese, and it’s not very easy with Japanese. The main thing is not to confuse sake and shocha (I write in a distorted way, but it will not turn out better in Latin, but I will write about hieroglyphs below), they look about the same, but the taste is completely different. In addition, some varieties of sake are better to drink hot, some - cold, the same sake can be tasteless cold and amazing - heated. The strength of sake is only 14%, so you don’t need to listen to stories about how terrible Japanese vodka is :) Japanese microwave ovens have a mode for heating sake, for lack of it, you can heat it in the mode for milk, after pouring it into a ceramic jug. What will happen if you pour sake into a ladle and heat it up on the stove - to be honest, I don’t know :) But it’s probably better not to, so that the alcohol does not evaporate ahead of time. Drinking sake is medium between warm and hot (40-50%), it has a slightly sweet tart taste. To be honest, I didn't drink cold sake. To determine the best way to drink this or that sake, you need to know the type of raw material - rice, from which it is made. It is unlikely that this knowledge will be revealed to an ordinary person, even if he posts a label with hieroglyphs to the ru_japan community, so you can suggest trying it this way and that - the aroma of cold and heated sake is different, as it tastes better - it will do! In general, sake can be drunk chilled like beer, at room temperature, warm, or over ice.
Sake is written like this, and this word should be looked for not on the front, but on the back of the bottle. Or pester the seller with the word - nihonshu! Normal sake can be bought for about $15 for 0.7-1L, and there is no upper price limit. Sake is a very regional drink, there are a million producers, and the choice in different cities can vary greatly.

It is advisable to drink sake from small cups, serve in a jug so that the alcohol does not evaporate.

Shochu - alcohol of a lower rank than sake, is not driven from rice, but from improvised materials such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, buckwheat, etc. tops. It has a sharp fusel smell, although it can be expensive, and lovers say that good shochu is not inferior in taste to sake. I have not tried it, so I just want to warn you, because if you accidentally buy it under the guise of sake, then you can get disappointed. Shochu is widely used in Japanese cocktails, it is enough to mix it with ice, soda and traditional Japanese liquor or syrup - and you are ready for an authentic taste. Spelled like this, bottles are easy to confuse with sake. Like sake, it can be sold in tetra packs, dress boxes, or bottles wrapped in thin white paper.

Japan is an amazing and mysterious country. But why does it seem so inexplicable to us? Apparently, the fact is that the Japanese have always sought to find harmony and enlightenment. After all, what is Japan to us? First of all, this is hospitality, respect for elders, harmony, exoticism and generosity. And for many years, the national alcoholic drink called "sake" helped them in this, which, by the way, is not only a means of comprehending spiritual enlightenment, but also a legacy of centuries-old traditions and rituals of the Land of the Rising Sun. But the Japanese also have many other traditions and non-alcoholic customs such as the tea ceremony, sumo, kimono, kabuki, karate, and geisha. To understand the Japanese mentality, you need to dwell on history and familiarize yourself with their customs and rituals.

Japanese culture

The Japanese are a very hardworking people. And like all normal people, after a working day they need to somehow relax. In this they are helped by their national tea, over a cup of which they relax and have heart-to-heart conversations. Geisha often help in conducting the tea ceremony. In Europe, there was a certain stereotype that geisha are Japanese courtesans. But this is far from the case, because geishas sell only pleasures for the soul, not the body. From the Japanese "geisha" means "artist". From an early age, they are taught singing, playing musical instruments, painting, calligraphy and a host of other useful things. Adult geisha are comprehensively developed people and can support any male conversation. Thus, a geisha is a female holiday, a combination of beauty and intelligence, attractiveness and femininity, including sexuality. The Japanese also enjoy composing haiku and viewing cherry blossoms. Without the latter, one cannot imagine Japan at all.

Japanese customs

The number of traditions and customs in Japan is very large. In this country, almost all spheres of life are permeated with numerous ceremonies and traditions. So, for example, handshakes are not accepted in Japan, bows are used instead, which must be done with a certain frequency and respect. By the way, the lower the bow, the higher the respect for the opponent. Politeness is in the blood of the Japanese. They can’t even directly refuse something, so as not to offend a person. Whoever was in Japan, he must have noticed first of all that all the inhabitants, especially women, are very friendly and smiling. This circumstance confuses many tourists, because the Japanese manage to smile even in unpleasant moments. But the close distance between the interlocutors or "familiar" hugs in Japan is unacceptable, this causes a negative attitude among the inhabitants. It is still not recommended to look the Japanese in the eyes and actively gesticulate, because such behavior is perceived as aggression.

The face of the nation, or who is a real Japanese

The Japanese are the most paradoxical and incomprehensible people. These are very subtle and sensitive natures and at the same time very deep, conscientious and reasonable. On the one hand, they manifest themselves in the art and composition of haiku, and on the other hand, they have long been known for their cruelty towards enemies and towards themselves. Remember this word - "hara-kiri". I am sure that almost everyone has heard about this terrible rite. But the Japanese themselves do not consider it terrible, but on the contrary, they consider it an honor and the prerogative of the strong in spirit to die from their own katana. Those who committed seppuku were considered heroes after death, since ripping open the stomach was a very painful death. Such suicide was committed mainly on the battlefield in order not to be captured, or it was applied to criminals or of one's own free will, thereby demonstrating the purity of one's thoughts before the gods and people. But now in Japan no one commits seppuku, because cruel times have long gone, and there are no real samurai left. Another important detail characteristic of Japan is their religion - Buddhism. There is an opinion that hara-kiri was committed precisely because of the concept of the frailty of being, which this religion propagated. Buddhism for many years shaped the character and worldview of the Japanese. He made a huge contribution to the traditions and identity of the people of Japan. It was Buddhism that once helped the Japanese build a centralized state and unite the enemy Japanese tribes under the auspices of a universal world religion. Buddhism also significantly influenced Japanese education and culture. He had a huge impact on the development of drama, philosophy, poetry and other things. What do we know about Japanese alcoholic beverages other than rice vodka? But still, the most interesting customs are associated with the culture of drinking alcoholic beverages.
In ancient Japan, rice vodka was a purely imperial privilege. It was even considered the drink of the gods. Scientists say that this alcoholic drink is more than two thousand years old. In ancient times, it was used for funeral ceremonies, and in Japanese mythology there was a deity called "Rice Warrior". As you can see, this drink has been famous throughout Japanese history. But only in the 17th century it became available to everyone. This alcoholic drink is, in fact, rice vodka with a strength of 14-20 degrees, similar in consistency to thick wine or liquor. The main advantage of this drink is its low calorie content, as well as the fact that it is made from natural products. The finished product is evaluated according to four criteria: “light / strong” and “sweet / spicy”. It is believed that the drier the drink, the lighter it is. Simply put, the stronger the Japanese liquor, the drier and rougher its taste. And the degree of spiciness is determined by the number - the higher it is, the spicier the drink. There are a lot of varieties of this alcohol, and they all have differences in aroma and taste. But if we talk about it in general, then we can say that the “fire water” from the bowels of Japan is very specific and resembles low-quality moonshine or whiskey. Cheap varieties are bitter, and expensive varieties are similar to sherry.
But in Japan there are other national spirits. True, they are not so popular, but still worth mentioning. In addition to rice vodka, there are other drinks in Japan - these are: nihonshu, shochu, happoshu, hatimitsu. The first is made from water, rice and sourdough, the second is a clear vodka-like liquor made from potatoes, the third resembles weak wine, and the last is Japanese mead. Let's mention Japanese beer separately. This rather young drink is in great demand in the Land of the Rising Sun. It began to be made only in 1873, and already at the end of the 20th century, the first Japanese beer establishments appeared. Few people know that in Japan, not only people, but also animals like to drink beer! In this bizarre country, in order to get the most delicious “marble” beef in the city of Matsuzdaki, cows are specially drunk with beer, and they also get a massage in the morning. By the way, Japanese gourmets are ready to pay 5-8 times more for such meat.

The influence of alcohol on culture

By the way, many of you probably know about such a style of martial arts as "drunk style". At one time, this style was demonstrated by the popular Hong Kong and part-time American actor Jackie Chan in the famous comedy Drunken Master. This film immediately gained immense popularity, and then its sequel was filmed. This film showed well the "drunken style" technique of kung fu martial art, which also exists in reality.
By the way, some believe that two sources of inspiration contributed to the appearance of the “drunken style”. According to the first version - Buddhist, one master of kung fu once accidentally killed a man, after which he went to a monastery in order to atone for his sins. But, unable to withstand the temptation, he got drunk and in a drunken state killed several dozen monks. Sobering up in the morning, he realized that his drunken slackness helped to defeat a whole crowd of monks. After this incident, the development of a drunken fighting style begins. The second (Taoist) version, or rather a legend, says that once there were "eight drunken immortals." In Taoism, immortality was an incomprehensible and ultimate goal. So, eight Taoists were able to reach this state and, to celebrate, celebrated this deed with a grandiose binge. Then a fight broke out among them, during which it turned out that the fighting technique in a drunken state is much better than usual. So the Taoists decided to practice the "drunken style".

As you can see, alcoholic drinks have long contributed to the promotion of Japanese culture and even their national martial arts. If not for alcohol, the world would never have heard of such interesting legends and would not have seen the legendary films.

Alcoholic drinks in Japan are as popular as we are in Russia. Japan without its rice vodka is what our country is without vodka. As with them, so with us - the whole society is permeated with thin threads of alcohol addiction. I even dare to say that it is with alcohol that states begin to be built. Indeed, without it, it would simply not be interesting to live, and what kind of life would it be without fun and joy that these unpretentious strong drinks bring, but within reason, of course. Alcohol is the engine of progress and a vector that directs the culture of countries in their own direction. It is he who makes a great contribution to the formation of traditions and the emergence of culture. One need only look at how the Japanese honor the culture of drinking alcohol to be convinced of this.

Drinking culture

The Japanese drink their national alcohol, adhering to special rules. The drink is drunk from small cups "choco", designed for just a few small sips. According to Japanese customs, you should fill your cup before each toast. However, doing it yourself is considered bad form. Rice vodka can be drunk both warmed up and chilled, and this is another feature of this amazing drink. The Japanese most often prefer to drink it chilled, believing that this is the only way its true taste is revealed. Specialists count about 90 flavors of this drink, and all of them have a variety of rich fruity notes. By the way, the Japanese celebrate Sake Day every year on October 1st. This holiday was established in 1978 by the Central Assembly of the Union of Winemakers of Japan. However, the hardworking Japanese people do not rest on October 1, because this day is not considered a day off, and is also not a national holiday. The fact is that rice ripens by October 1, and then the new year of winemaking begins. October 1 is the best reason for the Japanese to pour a glass or two of their national strong drink and once again exclaim - “compai”! On such a significant day, many lovers go to bars and cafes in order to celebrate this great (from their point of view) day.

Rice vodka is a universal alcoholic drink of the people of Japan. It can be combined not only with national dishes of Japanese cuisine, but also with light snacks such as cheese, chips, nuts and others. The Japanese say that friendship is born when drinking this drink. And indeed it is! After all, the culture of drinking this alcoholic drink is conducive to friendship and warm feelings. In this ceremony, Japanese politeness is downright embodied. Drinking their favorite national drink, the Japanese talk about anything, but as soon as the cup is empty or someone gets tired of the proposed topic, the interlocutor will helpfully pour a strong drink to his friend to take over. Thus, he completes the speech of the interlocutor, so that he rests and begins to listen to his comrades. If you ever happen to participate in this ceremony, then do not forget to say “kompai” after each poured cup of rice vodka, which means “drink to the bottom.” Japan is an interesting and multifaceted country with a great history and original traditions that are not found in any in one country in the world. So if you have never been there, then I advise you to visit this amazing country, get acquainted with their customs and traditions, and also try their national spirits. After all, to feel the spirit of Japan, you need to see this country with your own eyes. As the saying goes: “It is better to see once than hear a hundred times” or read the same number of times. You are welcome to visit this amazing country and taste the spirits of the people of Japan.

Sake- Japanese alcoholic drink based on rice. This can be called similar alcoholic drinks, but first of all it concerns rice wine or nihonshu, as it is also called. Sake is poured into a small porcelain decanter called tokkuri and placed on the table, after which it is poured into special glasses or cups (o-choko), the size of a thimble. Drink nihonshu cool or warmer, depending on the preference of the person. What is served with sake? Rice wine pairs well with Japanese o-tsumami. This appetizer is prepared from sea and meat products on a spit. This Japanese dish also includes other ingredients such as salty-sweet dried cuttlefish and sashimi.

Strong Japanese drinks. In Japan, sho-chu (shiochu) is made from sweet potatoes or rice. This drink belongs to low-grade vodka, with a strength of 30-70%. Sho-chu is not as popular as sake among the guests of the country and the Japanese themselves. But some varieties of sho-chu are of excellent quality and resemble tequila, vodka and other similar drinks.

In Japan, some whiskeys are produced, for example, suntory, which is popular with the indigenous people.

Beer. Japan is catching up with other countries in beer production. The best and most sought-after varieties that are made here are Asahi, Kirin and Sapporo. Japanese beer tastes similar to famous English and German beers. The country's bars offer a choice of bottled or draft beer.

Wine. Japanese wine can be tasted not in all places, only in certain restaurants, large hotel and shopping complexes. And all because wine is not considered the national drink of the Japanese and it began to be produced in the country not so long ago. This applies to both red and white wines. But the selection of sweet white wines is even more meager. It should be noted that in Japan there are still tendencies not to be limited to strictly traditional drinks.

Tea. Green tea- is considered the main Japanese drink. It rarely contains any additives. Many restaurants serve it for free. In Japan, they don't just drink tea whenever they want. Among the indigenous people, there is a long-established tea ceremony. Usually, matcha tea, which was first used by Buddhist monks, is used in this ritual. Japanese tea is drunk to improve tone and uplift mood. During the tea ceremony, they do not fuss, slowly drink a sip of tea and enjoy the atmosphere. Those who observe national customs or want to join them do not miss the opportunity to participate in the tea ceremony. Visitors to the country, visiting museums, hotels and historical sites, can notice in such places specially equipped rooms for the tea ritual, where they are invited to participate in the ceremony for a modest fee.

What is Japan for you? The land of the sun, faith in many spirits, sushi, rolls and sake? Is it correct that many people believe that the Japanese only drink sake and tea? We will debunk this myth with the wonderful awamori drink from Okianawa.

Awamori is a drink with a strength of 30 to 60 degrees, made from Thai long-grain rice in the spicy Okianawa. It translates as "full of foam", although you are unlikely to find foam in a bottle of awamori.

Awamori has a very strong aroma and a memorable bright taste. With age, it can change its properties, for example, become more fragrant. Out of habit, it may even seem that it smells very strongly.

Awamori, of course, is an exotic drink, but it should not be considered a tourist drink, although those who know about it definitely buy it. At one time, awamori was the official drink of the royal court. In the 16th-19th centuries, it was part of the tribute to China and Japan (previously, Okianawa Island was not part of it).

So, when Okianawa became part of Japan, awamori remained, but could not push sake off the pedestal.

Awamori can rarely be bought outside of Okinawa, although it is found in the United States, as well as in some Asian countries, less often in Europe, but even then, rather, as an exception.

Awamori is made only from long-grain Thai rice, which is now imported from Thailand. Awamori is always aged, at least in ceramic vessels. The aging period ranges from 6 months to 30 years. Sometimes awamori is aged in oak barrels, but, in fact, this is already a deviation from tradition.

There are several types of awamori:

• Regular: aged up to three years
• Flavored: spices and fragrances are added to it. Produced in small quantities.
• Kusu: Aged for over three years. Often confused with aged sake due to differences in pronunciation in different local languages.
• Hanazake: This is a strong drink, 60 degrees, produced on the island of Yonaguni.
• Habushu: Souvenir variant with a snake in a bottle.

Differences from sake

The similarity of these drinks lies only in the fact that they are made from rice. But their essence is different: amateur technically belongs to the class of moonshine. Sake is not distilled, which is why it is called rice wine.

These drinks also differ in strength: sake is a maximum of 20 degrees, but awamori can reach 60.

In general, drinks, however, are different.

Consumer culture

Awamori is usually served before meals and is great for improving appetite. It is served in ceramic vessels or small glass bottles, according to tradition.

In Okianawa, for the birth of a child, they buy a bottle of awamori and stick a photo of the baby on it. They drink after 20 years. It is at this age that a person is considered an adult in Japan.

In Okianawa, awamori is a drink of friendship: people who once drank a jug together will never become enemies. The cost of awamori is directly proportional to the exposure. Here, however, as with other drinks.

Awamori cannot be bought in Russia, but here is another traditional Japanese drink - sake, you can always buy at the WineStreet store.

Shochu (shochu)- Japanese strong alcoholic drink obtained by distillation from specially prepared raw materials. Shochu is translated as burnt wine. Unlike sake (Japanese rice wine), shochu is very little known to Russian consumers, but, nevertheless, this drink is as much an integral part of Japan as rice wine. There are two types of shochu: "korui" and "otsurui"; the first fortress should be no more than 36% vol., the second - no more than 45% vol.

Shochu is much younger than sake, but its history goes back at least five to six centuries. The first annalistic mention of shochu dates back to the 16th century. It is believed that the tradition of its preparation and consumption came to Japan from China, and, having first appeared on the island of Okinawa, from there, over time, it spread throughout the country.

The very process of production of Japanese Shochu vodka at the initial stage practically does not differ from the traditional method of sake production. The peeled rice is steamed, then after the addition of koji malt (koji kin is a kind of mold), rice malt is obtained, and then alcohol yeast is made using water and a special Shochu sourdough. Water and a flavor-determining ingredient (sweet sweet potato - imo, rice, wheat, buckwheat, sugarcane, etc.) are already added to the obtained alcoholic yeast. Further, after the double fermentation process, an unrefined moromi mash is obtained with an alcohol content of about 17-18%, with the taste and name of the main ingredient (sweet potato, rice, wheat, etc.).

The next step in making Shochu is distillation. At this stage, the main difference between the two types of Shochu occurs. Korui shochu (often shortened to koshu) is produced by repeatedly distilling raw materials in continuous cycle apparatus or stills, like vodka or grain whiskey, so that after repeated distillation, a fairly light and neutral drink is obtained. In otsurui shochu, distillation is done once in a pot still, similar to malt whiskey or cognac. The drink is rich and very aromatic. The main difference between the two types of shochu is not the alcohol content at all, but the method of distillation.

Shochu is the cheapest type of hard liquor in Japan. About a quarter of the total volume of shochu produced is bottled in bags or four-liter plastic bottles. There are over 3,000 varieties of shochu in modern Japan, and about 600 distilleries specialize in shochu production alone. The main manufacturers are Takara, Asahi, Suntory, Marshen, Sanwa Shurui, Hakutsuru.

There are a lot of ways to use it, depending on the season and personal preferences: in its pure form, with boiling water, with ice, with water, with beer. It is believed that there is practically no hangover from a good shochu, since there are few impurities in the drink. However, this does not mean that it can be used without restrictions, like any alcohol in large quantities, shochu has a detrimental effect on the internal organs.