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～Alcohol in Japan～

There is a wide range of alcoholic beverages that are popular in Japan. Beer, since it was imported in the early Meiji Period, has become the most popular alcoholic beverage.

The country's love for beer has led Japanese brewing companies to create happoshu (low-malt beer), a beer-like beverage with the same alcohol level but less than 67% malt content. The low malt content is what makes it different and lighter in flavor, or arguably less flavorsome, yet cheaper since it is not taxed as beer.

As for alcoholic beverages that are more traditionally Japanese, nihonshu (rice wine), also known as sake (which is a general Japanese term used to describe alcohol) is probably the first to come in mind. Nihonshu is alcohol made of rice and water that can be served hot or cold with alcohol content ranging from 10 to 20 percent. Shochu, which is also very popular, is a traditional Japanese distilled spirit with 25 to 43 percent alcohol often made from sweet potato, rice, soba (buckwheat), barely, or sugar cane.

It can be enjoyed hot or cold, straight, on the rocks, or diluted with water. Health conscious persons may prefer shochu drinks rather than nihonshu because it has fewer calories. Umeshu is another alcoholic beverage favored for its health benefits because it contains potassium and calcium. Umeshu, is a sweet alcoholic beverage made from ume fruits (Japanese plums), sugar, and shochu with alcohol content ranging from 10 to 15 percent. It is perhaps the most appealing alcoholic drink next to chuhai for those who normally dislike alcohol. Chuhai is a shochu based alcoholic beverage of low alcoholic content mixed with various fruits and or soda that can be drank hot or cold. Other alcoholic drinks, such as wine or whiskey, are also popular.