Sushi

The Japanese drink whatever they wish with their meal, and good sushi restaurants and bars offer a wide range of beverages. The most traditional drinks to enjoy are probably hot green tea or sake (Japanese rice wine), but Japanese beer is also a good option. Sushi has become such an international food that both red and white wine are also popular choices.

Green tea

A cup of hot green tea, known as agari, is not only refreshing but cleanses the palate during a sushi meal. It is a gentle digestive aid and contains vitamins A, B, and C.

Beer

Beer has a crisp, refreshing quality that goes well with sushi and sashimi. Japanese beers, or bīru, tend to be closer in flavor to American and European lagers and are always served cold. There are many different Japanese beers available, but non-Japanese beers are also perfectly suitable for your meal.

COLD, CRISP JAPANESE BEER

Sake

An alcoholic drink made from fermented rice, sake has a smooth, subtle flavor that perfectly complements Japanese food. It is quite potent, with an alcohol content of 15–20 percent. There is a huge range on offer but, in general, sake types are named to describe how they were made. Sake is made from “polished,” or milled, rice; the more the rice is polished, the purer its starch content becomes, and the more refined the flavor of the finished sake will be. Sometimes a tiny amount of distilled alcohol is added to make the sake; this is different to sake made from fermented rice only, which is called junmai (literally “pure rice”).

• Junmaishu is sake made from rice with at least 30 percent of the kernel removed and no added distilled alcohol. It is generally slightly heavier and fuller-flavored than other types of sake, and is more acidic. It goes well with a wide range of food.

• Honjōzōshu is sake made from rice with at least 30 percent of the kernel removed and a little added distilled alcohol. It is usually lighter than junmaishu and can be drunk at room temperature or warmed.

• Ginjōshu is sake made from rice with at least 40 percent of the kernel removed and a little added distilled alcohol. This sake has a layered, complex flavor that is light and fragrant.

• Daiginjōshu is the most expensive sake. It is made from rice with at least 50 percent of the kernel removed and a little added distilled alcohol. It is highly fragrant and even lighter than ginjōshu.

Wine

While I generally recommend that you choose whatever wine you like drinking, bear in mind that your choice of wine should not be so dry that it clashes with the fish, and nor should it be so sweet that it swamps the delicate flavors. Riesling is a good pairing for sushi, as is champagne. Full-bodied red wine can complement classic toro, or fatty tuna, and other oily fish very well, as the tannins in the wine can make oily fish taste even more buttery.

MEDIUM-DRY WHITE WINE