Japanese Mocktails: Drinking Well Without Alcohol at Aji
Japanese cuisine offers a rich palette for non-alcoholic drinks: yuzu, matcha, shiso, hojicha, and umeshu-inspired preparations all pair naturally with sushi and counter-style dining.
The Journal · Pillar
Sake guide, Japanese mocktails, and drink pairings to complement your meal.
Japanese cuisine offers a rich palette for non-alcoholic drinks: yuzu, matcha, shiso, hojicha, and umeshu-inspired preparations all pair naturally with sushi and counter-style dining.
Japanese sake is classified by how much the rice is polished and whether distilled alcohol is added. Knowing six regulated categories, from junmai to daiginjo, gives you a reliable map of what is in the glass.
Delicate sake, such as ginjo and daiginjo, is best served cold. Simpler sake, including many junmai and honjozo, can be warmed without losing character. Temperature is a tool, not a rule.
Sake is a unique fermented rice beverage, not rice wine. Made with koji, polished rice, and water, it reaches about 15% alcohol and ranges from dry and earthy to fruity and floral.