August 25, 2025

Mirin Reimagined: From Edo-Era Sweet Sake to Today’s Cocktail Trend

From Edo Luxury to Modern Cocktails

For many people, mirin is simply known as a cooking ingredient that adds sweetness and shine to Japanese dishes. Yet its original form was quite different: a sweet, premium sake that was especially popular among women in the Edo period. Today, this tradition is being revived, and “drinking mirin” is finding new life in bars, restaurants, and even cultural tourism.

At The SG Tavern in Tokyo’s Marunouchi district, one of the most popular cocktails is the “Nigori Colada,” a blend of sake, shochu, mirin, pineapple, and coconut yogurt. The manager notes that mirin’s natural rice-derived sweetness pairs beautifully with tropical fruit, leaving a smooth and lasting finish.

This modern renaissance has been fueled by brewers like Kanda Toshimaya, a centuries-old sake shop in Tokyo, which recreated an Edo-style mirin for drinking. Marketed under the brand Me, it has become a hit among bars since 2021. The idea was inspired when the company’s president saw the popularity of sweet alcoholic drinks in France and realized mirin could serve as a naturally sweet, body-friendly alternative.

Culinary creator Yuki Uchiyama has also joined this movement, launching her own “iRo MIRIN.” She blends mirin of different aging periods to create unique flavors, serving it as a spiced soda reminiscent of craft cola, or as a refreshing salad dressing. She emphasizes that mirin matches not only Japanese cuisine but also Western dishes, and when heated to remove alcohol, it can be enjoyed even by those who do not drink.

Brewing Traditions and a Global Future

Mirin’s history in Japan dates back to the 16th century. Initially consumed as a luxurious sweet sake, it later became prized in Edo cuisine for seasoning eel sauces and soba broths when sugar was scarce. After World War II, rice shortages and high liquor taxes transformed mirin into a “cooking condiment,” and the drinking culture faded.

Yet in Mikawa (present-day Aichi Prefecture), traditional breweries continue to preserve authentic methods. Companies like Sumiya Bunjiro Shoten and Kokonoe Mirin still craft mirin using only glutinous rice, rice malt, and shochu, fermenting and aging it for over a year. Their mirin is described as “delicious to drink, and therefore excellent for cooking.” Kokonoe even operates a café, K-An, where mirin-based puddings and desserts draw long lines, turning mirin into a local tourism attraction.

Meanwhile, in Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture, the newly opened White Mirin Museum highlights another historical variant, Shiro Mirin. Developed in the Edo era as a lighter, clearer alternative to Mikawa mirin, it gained popularity in Edo society. Today, the museum offers cooking workshops and cultural tours, aiming to revive interest in mirin while supporting regional tourism.

Experts note that authentic mirin, with its complex sweetness and mellow alcohol, can be compared to fine dessert wines. Historically, it was enjoyed chilled in summer as Yanagikage, a blend of mirin and shochu. When served to foreign guests, reactions often echo the same surprise: “We never knew Japan had such a wonderful dessert wine.”

As interest in natural and traditional foods grows worldwide, mirin’s renaissance as both a drink and a versatile ingredient is expanding. What was once considered merely a seasoning is re-emerging as a proud cultural product, deeply rooted in Japanese history yet open to creative new uses in cocktails, cuisine, and tourism.

The revival of “drinking mirin” is not only rediscovering Edo’s forgotten flavors but also opening new possibilities for Japan’s culinary culture on the global stage.