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JAPANITIES · DRINKS & CULTURE

Explore the differences between drinks.

Sake, wine, shochu, whisky and umeshu: compare their ingredients and production methods, then explore each world.

Compare the drinks ↓
Anime-style illustration of drinks from Japan and France

Compare drink families

DrinkMain ingredientsProcess
SakeRice, rice koji, waterSaccharification and fermentation
WineGrapesFermentation
ShochuSweet potato, barley, rice and more; koji, waterFermentation → distillation
WhiskyGrains, including malted barley; waterSaccharification → fermentation → distillation → cask maturation
UmeshuUme fruit, sugar, alcoholMaceration (traditional method)

Three ways of making drinks

01

Fermentation

Yeast converts sugars into alcohol. Sake and wine are fermented drinks.

02

Distillation

A fermented liquid is heated and the vapour is cooled and collected. This process is used to make shochu and whisky.

03

Maceration

Fruit is steeped in alcohol to extract its flavours. Traditional umeshu combines ume fruit, sugar and alcohol.

A beginner’s guide to each family

01
NIHONSHU

Sake

A fermented rice drink

Start with rice, koji and water.

In sake brewing, koji enzymes turn rice starch into sugars, which yeast ferments. Sake is not a distilled spirit like shochu.

Junmai is made with white rice, rice koji and water. Terms such as junmai and ginjo are useful starting points for reading a label.

Explore sake in detail →

Source : Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association ↗

03
SHŌCHŪ

Shochu

A spirit made from sweet potatoes, barley, rice and more

Discover how it differs from sake.

Honkaku shochu is made by fermentation followed by distillation. Ingredients include sweet potatoes, barley and rice.

Rice shochu and sake are different drinks: the former is distilled, while sake is a fermented drink without that distillation step.

Source : Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association ↗

04
WHISKY

Whisky

A grain spirit matured in wooden casks

From grain to fermentation and maturation.

Whisky production begins with grains and proceeds through saccharification, fermentation and distillation, followed by maturation in wooden casks.

Whisky and shochu can share ingredients but use different production methods. Distillation and maturation help explain the differences.

Source : Suntory — Hakushu ↗

05
UMESHU

Umeshu

A liqueur made with ume fruit

Fruit, sugar and time to steep.

Traditional umeshu is made by steeping ume fruit with sugar in alcohol. Its production differs from fermenting grapes to make wine.

Honkaku umeshu is made only with ume fruit, sugar and alcohol, without added acidifiers, flavourings or colouring.

Source : CHOYA — Honkaku umeshu ↗

Checked on 1 November 2026 · JAPANITIES

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Frequently asked questions

What is sake made from?

Sake is made from polished rice, rice koji and water; some types also add brewer’s alcohol. Unlike wine, the rice starch must first be converted to sugar by koji, and saccharification and fermentation run in parallel in the same tank.

What is the difference between junmai and ginjo?

Junmai means no brewer’s alcohol was added; ginjo relates to polishing (60% or less) and a specific brewing method. They are separate axes, which is why “junmai ginjo” exists.

Does a 60% polishing ratio mean 60% was removed?

No. It means 60% of the grain’s weight remains and 40% was milled away. A lower number means more polishing, but the number alone does not decide the taste.

Is sake served cold or warm?

Both. The JSS suggests chilled 8–15°C, room temperature 15–25°C and warmed 40–50°C. The best temperature depends on the bottle, so follow the brewery’s guidance.

What is the main difference between sake and wine?

Ingredients (rice and koji versus grapes), the source of sugar and the fermentation process. Sake uses multiple parallel fermentation. On labels, sake shows grade and polishing; wine shows appellation, grape and classification.