Japanese Drinks Guide

Japan's drink culture goes far beyond green tea. From the endless variety at convenience stores to hot drinks from vending machines on cold mountain peaks, here's everything you need to know.

Convenience Store Drinks (Conbini)

Why Conbini Drinks Are Special

Japanese convenience stores (konbini) stock hundreds of beverages you won't find anywhere else. The quality, variety, and seasonal rotations make them a destination in themselves.

The Big Three:

• 7-Eleven - Largest selection, great coffee
• Lawson - Known for desserts and unique drinks
• FamilyMart - Strong private label offerings

Must-Try Conbini Drinks

Coffee:

• Georgia Coffee - Canned coffee king (hot or cold)
• BOSS Coffee - Tommy Lee Jones approved
• Mount Rainier - Premium cafe latte
• 7-Eleven Seven Cafe - Fresh brewed, excellent value

Tea:

• Oi Ocha - Classic green tea
• Ayataka - Premium green tea
• Gogo no Kocha - Afternoon tea (milk tea)
• Suntory Oolong Tea - Refreshing oolong

Fruit Drinks:

• C.C. Lemon - Citrus vitamin drink
• Calpis/Calpico - Milky yogurt-like drink
• Qoo - Orange/grape for kids (adults love it too)
• Natchan - Fresh orange juice

Unique Japanese:

• Pocari Sweat - Electrolyte drink (better than it sounds)
• Aquarius - Sports drink, Pocari competitor
• Ramune - Marble soda (codd-neck bottle)
• Mitsuya Cider - Not cider, it's lemon-lime soda

Seasonal Specials

Spring:

• Sakura-flavored everything
• Strawberry milk drinks
• Cherry blossom tea

Summer:

• Frozen drinks and slushies
• Watermelon sodas
• Ramune variations

Autumn:

• Sweet potato lattes
• Chestnut drinks
• Grape variations

Winter:

• Hot canned drinks
• Amazake (sweet rice drink)
• Yuzu citrus drinks

Price Guide

Type	Price Range
Canned coffee	¥100-150
PET bottle tea	¥130-180
Premium drinks	¥200-350
Fresh juice	¥200-400

Vending Machines (Jidohanbaiki)

The Vending Machine Experience

Japan has over 5 million vending machines - roughly one per 23 people. They're everywhere: train platforms, mountain trails, temple grounds, rural roads.

What Makes Them Special

• Hot AND cold - Red labels = hot, blue = cold
• 24/7 availability - Even in remote areas
• Always stocked - Quality control is serious
• Seasonal rotation - Products change with seasons

Common Vending Machine Drinks

Hot (Autumn/Winter):

• Canned coffee (multiple varieties)
• Hot corn soup (yes, soup!)
• Hot cocoa
• Warm milk tea

Cold (Year-round):

• Green tea
• Sports drinks
• Coffee (iced)
• Sodas

Unique Vending Machine Finds

• Soup vending machines - Corn soup, clam chowder
• Dashi vending machines - Instant miso soup
• Ramen vending machines - Fresh noodles
• Regional specialties - Local drinks only in certain areas

Price Range

• Standard drinks: ¥110-160
• Premium drinks: ¥150-250
• Specialty items: ¥200-500

Japanese Tea Culture

Green Tea (Ryokucha)

Types of Green Tea:

Type	Characteristics	When to Drink
Sencha	Standard green, grassy	Anytime
Gyokuro	Premium, sweet, umami	Special occasions
Hojicha	Roasted, brown, nutty	Evening (low caffeine)
Genmaicha	With roasted rice	With meals
Matcha	Powdered, ceremonial	Tea ceremony, lattes
Mugicha	Barley tea (no caffeine)	Summer, cold

Matcha

Matcha deserves special attention. It's everywhere in Japan:

Where to Experience Matcha:

• Uji, Kyoto - Matcha capital of Japan
• Tea houses - Traditional preparation
• Cafes - Modern matcha drinks
• Convenience stores - Matcha lattes, desserts

Matcha Forms:

• Traditional ceremony (koicha, usucha)
• Matcha latte (hot or iced)
• Matcha soft serve
• Matcha desserts

Where to Buy Quality Tea

• Ippodo (Kyoto/Tokyo) - Historic tea merchant since 1717
• Marukyu Koyamaen (Uji) - Premium matcha
• Lupicia - Modern tea boutique
• Department store basements - Wide selection

Regional Specialty Drinks

Hokkaido

• Yukijirushi Coffee Milk - Famous coffee milk
• Ribbon Napolin - Orange cream soda (Sapporo only)
• Guarana - South American-inspired soda
• Yubari melon juice - Premium melon drinks

Okinawa

• Sanpin-cha - Jasmine tea (Okinawan style)
• Shikuwasa juice - Citrus unique to Okinawa
• Sata andagi mix - Traditional donut drink pairing
• Awamori cocktails - Non-alcoholic bases

Shizuoka

• Premium green tea - Tea-growing region
• Wasabi drinks - Yes, really (mild)
• Orange juice - Mikan capital

Aomori

• Apple juice - Japan's apple capital
• Apple cider - Non-alcoholic sparkling
• Premium juice boxes - Gift-worthy

Ehime

• Ponkan juice - Local citrus
• Mikan juice - Fresh squeezed
• POM juice - Famous brand

Coffee Culture

Kissaten (Traditional Coffee Houses)

Japanese coffee culture predates Starbucks by decades. Kissaten are traditional coffee houses:

Characteristics:

• Dark wood interiors
• Jazz or classical music
• Hand-dripped coffee
• No laptops (often)
• Smoking sections (sometimes)

Famous Kissaten:

• Chatei Hatou (Tokyo) - Coffee institution
• Inoda Coffee (Kyoto) - Since 1940
• Maruyama Coffee (Nagano) - World-class beans

Canned Coffee

Japan invented canned coffee. The market is huge:

Top Brands:

• Georgia - Coca-Cola's coffee line
• BOSS - Suntory's flagship
• Wonda - Asahi's brand
• Fire - Kirin's entry

Styles:

• Black (no sugar, no milk)
• Cafe au lait
• Slightly sweet
• Extra milk

Third Wave Coffee

Japan has embraced specialty coffee:

Tokyo:

• Blue Bottle Coffee
• Onibus Coffee
• Fuglen
• Sarutahiko

Kyoto:

• % Arabica
• Weekenders Coffee
• Kurasu

Milk Drinks

Why Japanese Milk Is Different

Japanese milk tastes different - creamier, sweeter. It's worth trying:

Popular Products:

• Meiji Oishii Gyunyu - "Delicious milk"
• Coffee Milk - Sweet coffee-flavored milk
• Fruit Milk - Strawberry, banana, melon
• Milk Tea - Creamy and sweet

Yakult & Probiotics

Yakult was invented in Japan:

• Yakult - Original probiotic drink
• Yakult 1000 - Stronger version (sleep aid claims)
• Pilkul - Competitor brand
• Various yogurt drinks - Conbini shelves full of them

Where to Shop for Drinks

Best Conbini for Drinks

• 7-Eleven - Best overall selection
• Lawson - Unique collaborations
• FamilyMart - Good private label

Specialty Shops

• Don Quijote - Discount variety
• Kaldi Coffee Farm - International drinks
• Jupiter - Import specialty
• Department store basements - Premium options

Supermarkets

• Aeon - Good regional selection
• Life - Standard Japanese groceries
• OK Store - Discount prices

Drinking Etiquette

Public Drinking

Drinking (non-alcoholic) while walking is technically fine but uncommon. Japanese often:

• Drink at vending machines and discard the can
• Sit at benches or designated areas
• Finish drinks at conbini before leaving

At Restaurants

• Water and tea are usually free
• No refills typically (except at family restaurants)
• Order drinks at the beginning

Gift Giving

Premium juices and teas make excellent omiyage (souvenirs):

• Regional juices - Local pride
• Gift-boxed tea - Elegant presentation
• Premium coffee - Specialty roasters

Budget Tips

Cheapest Options

1. Store brand - Conbini private labels 2. Vending machine sales - Look for ¥100 machines 3. Supermarkets - Cheaper than conbini 4. Don Quijote - Discount drinks

Splurge-Worthy

1. Kissaten pour-over - Worth the experience 2. Premium matcha - Uji region specialty 3. Regional limited editions - Unique souvenirs 4. Fruit parlor juices - Fresh pressed

Seasonal Must-Tries

Spring

• Sakura latte (everywhere)
• Strawberry drinks
• Cherry blossom tea

Summer

• Ramune (marble soda)
• Kakigori syrup drinks
• Watermelon everything

Autumn

• Sweet potato latte
• Chestnut drinks
• Persimmon juice

Winter

• Hot canned coffee
• Yuzu drinks
• Amazake (sweet sake, non-alcoholic)

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Don't leave Japan without exploring the drink aisles. Every conbini visit is a chance to discover something new, and those vending machines on random mountain paths? They might have the best canned coffee you've ever tasted.