Tradition and community are great, but there’s one more thing this Nagano celebration gets a boost from.
alcohol (Page 18)
It used to be all about the classy characters with awesome designs, but now the drunk sister is stealing the show.
We feel the effects of 3.1% alcohol just by eating a pack of the new premium range of chocolate “twigs”.
Kahlúa, the sweet coffee-based liqueur, is getting a Japanese makeover from Suntory Spirits and will be available in matcha flavor!.
Now you can enjoy a break with a Kit Kat and a shot of Japanese rice wine all rolled into one.
Another day, another wild North Korean claim, but is it science fiction, or a genuine scientific miracle?
With this mechanical friend, you’ll never have to drink alone!
Because it’s not like it can choose itself, is it?
Can you tell what this eye-catching white bottle decorated with bright red patterns is supped to be? While the look isn’t exactly conventional, this is actually a sake product called NISHIKIGOI, and the bottle is artfully designed to look like a beautiful colored carp.
If you’re someone who loves the sunshine and hates the cold, you’re probably feeling a little down that we’ve now undeniably entered autumn. Maybe you’re doing your best to look on the bright side by enjoying some tasty seasonal produce, like delicious Asian pears, or maybe you’re just trying to brace yourself against the advancing chill in the air with a stiff drink.
But why rely on just one of those coping strategies when you can employ both by whipping up an easy and delicious batch of Japanese-style sangria with fruit and sake?
Okinawa, the tropical island at the southern end of Japan, is known for its unique culture and tasty foods like soki soba (Okinawa noodles) and rafuti (sweet stewed pork). Another local specialty Okinawa is famous for is the alcoholic drink awamori, a distilled drink made from long-grain rice.
While the beverage has its fans across Japan, it also has enough of a distinct flavor that some people consider it a bit of an acquired taste. So you can imagine it came as somewhat of a surprise when we found out that they sell an alcoholic coffee drink in Okinawa that is infused with awamori, and at a convenience store chain, no less. We definitely had to try this!

















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Tourists brave Typhoon Jangmi to queue at two famous sites in Tokyo
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Starbucks Japan has a mesh bag so cute it’s a sell-out hit
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Art exhibition coming to Tokyo this month brings the cute, scary, and weird to ukiyo-e
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