BLOG

In this article, we will take a look at an alcoholic beverage called "Chu-Hi".  Chu-Hi is short for "Shochu Highball".  Shochu is a distilled liquor (basically Japan's version of vodka) and has been around since the 14th century (see link at bottom for more details).  Chu-Hi's are mainly sold in cans which contain a mixture of shochu, carbonated water, and various (mainly fruit) flavorings.  Note: Some Chu-Hi's use vodka or gin instead of shochu.  Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores will have a few shelves, usually right next to the cold beers, which are filled with a large colorful selection of Chi-Hi's.  The most popular canned Chu-Hi flavors are lemon, grapefruit, lime, cola, tea, and yogurt.  However, during different times of the year, and based on the season, other flavors such as apple, peach, plum, and grape, etc., can be enjoyed.  Chu-Hi's are produced with different alcohol levels, ranging from 3% up to 9% -- these are marked on the can.  There are also "diet" Chu-Hi's which contain no sugar or purines.  Chu-Hi's can also be ordered in Japanese restaurants, bars and/or "Izakaya" pubs, as they are simple-to-make cocktails and are great for drinking while eating salty or spicy foods.  Finally, besides being delicious, one of the main reasons that Chu-Hi's have become so popular in Japan in recent years is because they are cheap -- so, they can be enjoyed without having to spend much money ... easy on your wallet, so to speak.  Some related articles are provided below, for your information.  We hope you will enjoy living in Japan!  

Written by Goodfield

- - - - -

LINKS:

Shochu: 

https://us.iino.cc/blog/blog.html?eid=00081

Highball Cocktail:

https://us.iino.cc/blog/blog.html?eid=00097

Hoppy (Boilermaker):

https://us.iino.cc/blog/blog.html?eid=00064

Izakaya Pub:

https://us.iino.cc/blog/blog.html?eid=00047