Japan’s reputation for excellent food is known throughout the world, but many visitors and new residents are surprised by just how vast the choices are for alcoholic drinks. With all-you-can-drink options in bars and restaurants, known as nomihodai (のみほうだい/飲み放題) and a tradition of after work drink parties, called nomikai (のみかい/飲み会), alcohol is a very important part of Japanese culture.
These days, however, people are becoming more health-conscious, and many people are trying to drink less and enjoy their lives more. While for some this can be embodied in “dry January,” to take a break after the excesses of the holidays, for many at this time of year, the time to let one’s liver have a break is “Sober October.” But what is Sober October? What is “Smart Drinking” in Japan, and what are “Smart Drinks”? Let’s explore what to drink during Sober October!
What is Sober October?
As the name suggests, Sober October is a one month challenge for people to go the entire month of October without drinking any alcohol. There are many reasons that people can decide to take up this challenge, including to improve their health, save money, or to raise money for charity. Either way, the method is the same: no alcohol from the 1st until the 31st, inclusive (a tall order for some Halloween fanatics).
While alcohol is the main focus, some also make efforts to cut other things from their lives for a month, if possible. These include cigarettes, caffeine, and marijuana.
Very often, people are so happy with the positive outcomes on their health (and their wallet) that rather than cracking open a cold one at midnight on November 1st, they will continue to stay sober.
When did Sober October start?
Sober October can trace its roots back to 2008, when “Ocsober” was created as a monthly challenge by Life Education Australia, a non-profit organization dedicated to alcohol and drug abuse awareness. In 2014, the British charity Macmillan Cancer Support used the term “Sober October” as the name for a similar fundraising challenge, and the name stuck for Anglophone countries outside of Australia.
In 2016, Sober October gained significant recognition after the podcaster Joe Rogan announced his intention to take the challenge, and asked his audience — which numbers in the millions — to do the same.
However, some people find switching from alcohol to water, cola, or juice to be a little difficult — and may even feel a bit silly ordering, say, a chilled tea after work when their friends and colleagues are drinking beer. Abstaining or limiting alcohol consumption in Japan is more socially acceptable than ever (rarely will you be teased for not drinking these days), but people still like the aesthetic: so Japanese beverage companies have created “Smart Drinking.”
What is Smart Drinking?
Quite separately from Sober October, Japan has seen younger people leading the way in becoming less interested in alcohol, much as is the case in the rest of the world. This is often attributed to young people being more health-conscious than previous generations, or wanting to try something new and different (as well as being a lot more affordable). This has become known in Japan as “Smart Drinking” (スマート・ドリンキング) or SumaDori (スマドリ).
As such, major breweries have begun to pivot towards creating and marking non-alcohol or low-alcohol beverages that resemble full-strength beers and cocktails. These are known as “smart drinks,” and have become increasingly popular, even among those who would normally drink, but wish to avoid hangovers.
They are regularly advertised on platforms such as YouTube, and there have even been pop-up bars in Japanese cities. So what are some examples of Smart Drinks in Japan that you can enjoy?
What are Some Smart Drinks in Japan?
This list is by no means exhaustive: there are variations across different companies, and custom mocktails are increasingly popular in bars and other places for social interaction. With that being said, here are some of the most popular and recognized Smart Drinks sold in convenience stores and supermarkets in Japan.
Asahi Dry Zero
Asahi Super Dry is Japan’s favorite beer. It is the best seller in terms of sales, number one for both canned and bottled beer, and is on draft in many Japanese bars, clubs, and izakaya. Additionally, it has become almost synonymous with “Japanese beer” overseas, and can be found in supermarkets in the Americas and across Europe.
It is no surprise, then, that Asahi Dry Zero is one of the most prominent non-alcoholic beers in Japan. While no non-alcoholic beer will ever taste exactly like the real thing, Asahi Dry Zero has a particularly nice flavor. Great after a long day, or following a hot bath.
Premium Prime Free
While there are many major beverage brands involved in Smart Drinks today, other, less well-known makers are also getting in on the act. This includes supermarket brands, and to illustrate this, we’re highlighting TopValu’s Premium Prime Free.
TopValu is Aeon supermarket’s discount brand of products, but this non-alcoholic beer is as easy on the palette as it is on the wallet. An easy recommendation for anyone looking out for their bank account as much as their liver this fall.
Yowanai Lemondo
Lemondo is a popular chuhai, or shochu-infused alcoholic drink, and caused a stir when it was first sold in Japan, as it became the first alcoholic drink ever sold by the Coca-Cola Corporation. As the name suggests, it is a lemon sour drink, popular among weary salarymen for its crisp taste, while being less bloating than beer. So it’s no surprise that Coca-Cola would choose this as their entry for Smart Drinks.
“Yowanai” (よわない/酔わない) essentially means “don’t get drunk,” so this is a Lemondo that… well, won’t get you drunk. It tastes as crisp as always, with that touch of bitterness that separates a lemon sour chuhai from a drop of lemonade. Perfect for an unseasonably warm October afternoon.
Style Balance Highball
The highball, in Japan, is whiskey cut with soda water. To many western tastes, it… leaves a little to be desired. However, as with natto and umeboshi, two other Japanese culinary curiosities that leave many expats scratching their heads (and girding their stomachs), those who take to it love it.
And so we have this Style Balance Highball, which balances the flavor of whiskey and sparkling water with the clear-headedness of sobriety. This also has an added effect: in addition to being a zero-calorie drink, it also suppresses the absorption of fat and sugar thanks to the additive dextrine, making it great to pair with even fattier foods if you’re looking to lose weight.
Cuvée Zero
Made from wine that was fermented in the usual way, and subsequently had the alcohol removed, the Cuvée Zero from Yamato Wine keeps all the sweetness and fruitiness of a classic red wine, tied together with the tight acidity that one would expect of a deep red. It also contains all the polyphenols found in wine, making it perfect for anyone who wants all the health benefits without a next-day headache.
Gekkeikan Special Free
When people think of “non alcoholic sake,” they might immediately think of amazake, a traditional alcohol-free sweet sake. While it is popular, it is most often considered a hangover cure, or as being good for curing colds. For anyone looking for a real sake taste, however, there is Gekkeikan Special Free.
Make to taste and smell like a high-grade daiginjo sake, this drink from one of Japan’s biggest sake brewers has been available for over a decade, and has won fans from those who want to enjoy the scent, taste, and feel of Japan’s signature alcohol, without risking waistlines or being unable to get behind the wheel later. A must-try this October.
Beery
For anyone who finds going 100% alcohol free just that little bit too difficult, there is also Asahi’s newer beer product, Beery. This is a beer with a much hoppier taste than most non-alcoholic beers, with the drawback that it does contain alcohol… 0.5%.
This means that to get the same amount of effect as one Asahi Super Dry, you’d need to drink a whopping ten of them within one hour — not a challenge many would want to take up. This is a legitimate beer, not a flavored drink, that nevertheless makes it near impossible to get even slightly tipsy.
There are as many reasons to lay off the sauce as there are for taking a swig. Maybe you’re raising money, saving money, enjoy the health benefits (including better sleep and clearer skin) or just like the idea of taking a month off the beer. Whatever your reason, there are plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives in Japan so that you can enjoy Smart Drinking this fall — or, indeed, whenever you want!
