Would you down a glass of balsamic vinegar? Are you taking apple cider vinegar with every meal?
Probably not. But in Japanese culinary culture, there's a tradition that goes well beyond using vinegar in cooking.
Japanese drinking vinegars have a rich history. They bring sharp, layered and sometimes surprising flavours, and they've been valued in Japanese wellness traditions for centuries.
At The Wasabi Company, we take pride in offering authentic Japanese ingredients, including a selection of premium drinking vinegars that reflect this centuries-old tradition.
The Origins of Japanese Drinking Vinegar
Japanese drinking vinegar, known as 'su' in Japanese, dates back centuries. Initially crafted as a method of preserving fruits and vegetables, vinegar gradually found its way into beverages, evolving into a beloved tradition enjoyed throughout Japan.
Traditionally, drinking vinegar is made by infusing high-quality rice vinegar with fruits, herbs and spices, resulting in a drink that balances sweetness, acidity and subtle herbal notes.
The production itself follows a double fermentation. Rice or fruit sugars are first fermented into alcohol, then slowly converted into acetic acid by natural bacteria. In the case of aged black rice vinegar, the liquid is matured in earthenware jars (sometimes for years), darkening in colour and developing a depth of flavour that raw vinegar simply doesn't have. It's a process that rewards patience, and Japanese producers have been refining it since at least the 8th century.
Why people drink vinegar in Japan
Japanese drinking vinegar has long been associated with everyday wellness. Rich in acetic acid and amino acids that develop during slow fermentation, vinegar drinks have been part of daily routines in regions like Kagoshima for generations. People there have traditionally valued aged black rice vinegar for its gut-friendly properties and its role in digestion after meals.
That habit fits into a broader Japanese tradition of consuming fermented foods daily, along with miso, soy sauce and pickled vegetables. Vinegar sits alongside other staples that have been part of the Japanese diet for centuries.
Drinking vinegar is typically served diluted with water, either before or after a meal, as a light, refreshing tonic. The presence of fruit extracts in many blends adds vitamins and minerals, making Japanese drinking vinegar a genuinely refreshing alternative to sugary soft drinks.
Ume plum vinegar carries its own health benefits too. In Japanese folk tradition, umeboshi and its brine have long been valued as a digestive aid and a remedy for fatigue. The sharp salinity is thought to help restore balance after heavy or rich meals.
From bright yuzu to aged black rice vinegar
Vinegar drinks don’t all taste the same and the wide range of different flavours and styles makes them worth exploring.
The Japanese black vinegar, known as kurozu, is made from unpolished rice and aged in clay pots, sometimes for three, five or even ten years. The colour deepens to a rich amber-brown, and the sharpness softens into something closer to balsamic. It’s mellow, with notes of toasted grain, caramel and a gentle umami underneath. A sip of 5 Year Aged Takara black rice vinegar is warm and rounded, with a finish that lingers rather than bites.
Then there's ume plum vinegar. Ume su (not to be confused with umeshu) is the ruby-toned liquid drawn out when Japanese ume fruit are cured with sea salt to make umeboshi pickled plums. The flavour is striking: sharp and saline with a deep fruity tang that sits somewhere between a pickling brine and a concentrated plum cordial.
At the brighter end, yuzu drinking vinegar has a clean citrus perfume. It’s aromatic and floral, with a fine acidity that lifts rather than puckers. Yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit prized for its fragrance) gives the vinegar an almost perfumed quality that works as well in a glass as it does in a dressing. Beyond its flavour, yuzu vinegar has its own traditional wellness appeal. The citrus is rich in vitamin C, and the acidity is gentler than heavier vinegar styles, making it a popular choice for lighter, everyday drinking.
The Wasabi Company's Drinking Vinegar Collection
At The Wasabi Company, we offer a curated selection of Japanese drinking vinegars that cover the full spectrum of flavour.
Our Yuzu Drinking Vinegar is light, aromatic and citrus-forward. It makes for a good starting point if you're new to vinegar drinks. For something with more depth, the Dark Ume Plum Vinegar delivers a concentrated, salty-sour richness that's hard to find outside Japan.
Our aged black rice vinegars include the 3 Year Aged Black Rice Vinegar and the 10 Year Aged Black Rice Vinegar. Both show how time transforms sharp acidity into smooth, savoury complexity. The difference between a three-year and a ten-year aged vinegar is worth tasting side by side. While the younger vinegar still has a slight edge to its acidity, the older one is noticeably rounder and more mellow.
If you'd rather start with a taster, the Ume Vinegar with Raw Sugar and Fig Vinegar with Raw Sugar come in smaller formats. They are sweet, fruity and easy to sip straight or splash into sparkling water. The fig has a jammy warmth that makes it surprisingly good drizzled over yoghurt or vanilla ice cream.
Want to try several styles at once? The 5 Fruit Vinegar Set includes yuzu, Meyer lemon, blueberry, ume and ginger, giving you five distinct flavours in one box. Each bottle is sourced directly from Japanese producers who follow traditional brewing and ageing methods.
How to drink vinegar and cook with it
The simplest way to enjoy Japanese drinking vinegar is diluted. Work with roughly one part vinegar to four or five parts still or sparkling water, served cold over ice. It's genuinely refreshing, and a good place to start if you're not sure how to drink vinegar for the first time. You can adjust the ratio to taste. Some people prefer a stronger hit of acidity, others like it barely there, almost like a flavoured water.
While Japanese drinking vinegar is a delightful beverage on its own, it also serves as a versatile ingredient in many Japanese dishes.
Use it as a refreshing base for cocktails and mocktails, or incorporate it into salad dressings, marinades, sushi rice and sauces to add a bright acidity and depth of flavour to your authentic Japanese cooking.
Our Yuzu Drinking Vinegar pairs wonderfully with fish and fresh fruit, and our Fig Vinegar with Raw Sugar is amazing with dessert. Try pouring it over ice cream or cheesecake for a sweet, sharp twist.
Combine our Ume Plum Vinegar with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and honey for a delicious dipping sauce. A splash of our 5 Year Aged Takara black Japanese rice vinegar is equally incredible in miso soup, or with udon noodles and edible seaweed.
Aged black rice vinegar also works well in warmer dishes. Try a dash in a slow braise or stir it through a sesame oil and rice vinegar dressing. It adds a rounded, savoury acidity that balances rich or oily flavours without overpowering them.
Whether you're experimenting in the kitchen or simply looking for a refreshing alternative to sugary drinks on a warm day, Japanese drinking vinegar is well worth exploring. Browse our drinking vinegar collection to find a bottle to start with, or pick up the 5 Fruit Vinegar Set to taste five styles side by side. Once you've tried one, you'll understand why this has been a daily habit in Japan for centuries.