Osaka has a soul drink?!?
Sweet, refreshing, Hiyashi-ame

The sweet gingery drink known as hiyashi-ame dates back to at least the Meiji era (1868–1912). A favorite summer-time drink in the Kansai region, it even predates Osaka’s legendary mixed juice.

Have you ever seen a beverage dispenser full of an amber-colored drink inside a little mom-and-pop shop in the shopping arcade? That, my friend, is hiyashi-ame.
Apparently, this beverage was once sold in the Kanto region (Tokyo area). But after WWII when many small shops were destroyed, hyashi-ame also disappeared from the Tokyo landscape. But in Kansai, the drink is very much still here!

■Kansai’s summer drink—Hiyashi-ame

So what exactly is hiyashi-ame? The name could be translated to chilled sweet, but this is a bit deceptive. It is not a cold piece of candy, despite the name. To understand hiyashi-ame, you have to take a look back at its precursor, a drink called ame-yu. Popular in the late Edo period (1603–1867), this sweet drink was served warm. Once refrigeration technology was developed, a cold version of the drink came about and was aptly named hiyashi-ame. And this cold version is perfect for summer!

The beverage gets its sweetness from mizuame (a syrup traditionally made from rice, and now often made from potato starch). The syrup is diluted in water and flavored with ginger. Then it’s served ice-cold.

■Where can you find this traditional Japanese summer drink?

Now that you have an idea of what hiyashi-ame tastes like—sweet and cold with a gingery punch—the next obvious step is that irresistible urge to try some.
As summer approaches, traditional sweets shops, like those you would find in a shopping arcade, start to sell it. If you look carefully, you can even find it in vending machines and supermarkets too!

I actually found 3 different kinds. These can be served straight, but fyi, there are some types that need to be diluted.

The one on the right, in the yellow can, is actually reversible. The back of the can reads “ame-yu,” not “hiyashi-ame.” When it’s sold warm, the vendor simply turns the can around so customers see the “ame-yu” label. That’s so clever!

▲Hiyashi-ame in summer

▲Ame-yu in winter

■Mix it any way you like. Add carbonation, milk, lemon, or beer!

I tasted each of these 3 varieties and they were all slightly different. Subtleties like added honey or the amount of ginger really changed the flavor profile of each drink. In and of themselves, they were all delicious! And I decided to see what would happen if I mixed the drinks with various bases—lemon and milk, plus a lemon version for good measure.

The soda water mix really brought out the ginger flavor making a drink reminiscent of ginger ale. It was so refreshing and went down smooth.

Next for the milk. I dreamed up a recipe for something like a hiyashi-ame latte and heated the milk version. It was creamy and delicious. This is the perfect drink to curl up with on a winter night.

Finally, I added a splash of lemon to my hiyashi-ame to see how the flavors would change. It was a match made in heaven! For anyone who doesn’t like their drinks too sweet, I’d recommend this mix. It adds the perfect layer of tartness to balance out the flavors.

For a slushy-like drink, freeze hiyashi-ame and let it thaw halfway, then add soda water. If you are someone who likes a more flavorful drink, add more room-temperature hiyashi-ame instead of the soda water. When your drink is really cold, it doesn’t taste as sweet, so the half-frozen hiyashi-ame would be a good match for people who like a dry drink.

Mix it with beer! The hiyashi-ame takes away some of the bitterness of beer and adds a refreshingly light flavor, almost like a good craft beer.
In the manga March Comes In like a Lion, there is a drink called ame-skey, which is hiyashi-ame and whiskey. That’s the next mix I need to try. I bet it will be really good!
Apparently hiyashi-ame goes really well on shaved ice or as a topping for yogurt too!

■Specialty cafe

When I found out there’s a company in Kyoto that is trying to spread the love for hiyashi-ame, I headed to Kyoto. They have a handful of cafes in Kyoto and Uji. This time, I started with Tonimaru Bunpaku cafe, located inside the Museum of Kyoto.

The menu is full of so many creative ways to enjoy hiyashi-ame, like gelato, jello, parfaits, and more. And of course they have the traditional hiyashi-ame and ame-yu drinks as well! Order a set and get some fresh ginger too!

▲Top left: Hiyashi-ame gelato and jello set, which comes with fresh ginger

Of course these sweets are sweet, but the sweetness isn’t overpowering. They leave your mouth feeling clean and refreshed.
In winter, ginger will warm you up, and it helps your body fend off summer fatigue and improves your appetite. It can also help your body fight off infections from bacteria and viruses.
There are a lot of foods that are trendy, and most of them will come and go. But hiyashi-ame is here for the long haul. It has a simple delicious flavor and it may not look like anything special, but it will always have a place in the heart and soul of Kansai.

If you find any hiyashi-ame when you’re in Osaka, definitely give it a try. And definitely come to Osaka to try our hiyashi-ame!