10 Best Canned Lemon Sours in Japan

Different kinds of canned lemon sour

As a non-Japanese living in Japan, one of the best experiences is to taste their delicious food as well as their drinks, especially their alcohol. They have different flavors of drinks but the one I like the most and I always order when we are in the restaurant is the lemon sour drink.

There are various lemon sour drinks that are canned. You can buy them at any supermarket or convenience store in Japan. You do not need to go to a restaurant or bar to get this drink.

If you are also a lover of lemon sour drinks this article is for you. I would like to share with you our picks for the 10 best canned lemon sours in Japan. I will also share with you where you can purchase them aside from supermarkets and convenience stores.

*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.


What is Lemon sour drink in Japan?

In Japan, lemon sour is made from shochu, soda water, and lemon juice. This is also known in most izakaya as “chu-hai” but you need to be more specific because chu-hai has different flavors. “Lemon sour” and “Lemon chu-hai” in Japanese are the same thing.

You can check out more about Japanese Sours from the following link.

▶10 Best Sours to Drink in Japan

Here are the 10 best canned lemon sours in Japan.

1. Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon Sour

Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon Sour

A refreshing taste made primarily using lemon harvested in Sicilia. It has a right amount of 3% – 5% of alcohol content. Good for any occasion and most of all perfect for your meals.

It has raw materials ingredients of  Lemon juice, Japanese Vodka, sugar/carbonate, acidulant, and fragrance. You can purchase it directly on amazon by just clicking the link below.

▶Click here for amazon: Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon Sour

2. Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon Sour (Sugar-Free)

Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon Sour (Sugar-Free)

This next product on our list is the same as the previous one, but the difference is that it is sugar-free. It has the ingredients of  Lemon juice, Japanese vodka/carbonate, acidulant, and flavoring. Very refreshing and delicious with the crisp taste of lemon, not sweet, and very light in your mouth so it is perfect for accompanying your meal.

This drink has a 9% of alcohol and as I mentioned, sugar-free lemon. Check out the details at the following link.

▶Click here for amazon: Kirin Hyoketsu Lemon Sour (Sugar-Free)

3. Suntory -196°C Strong Zero

Suntory -196°C Strong Zero

Suntorys -196°C Strong Zero is made from lemon, vodka, acidulant, flavoring, vitamin C, sweeteners, and carbon dioxide. It has a 9% of alcohol content with the delicious taste of lemon fruits made using a special method called the “-196 ° C manufacturing method” so you can feel the fruits in every sip you take.

Perfect for your meals as well, you can purchase directly to amazon just click the link below.

▶Click here for amazon: Suntory -196°C Strong Zero

4. Suntory Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour

Suntory Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour

This is another lemon sour product from the company Suntory. A variety of ingredients to enjoy the taste of lemon are made from lemon, Japanese spirits, shochu/acidulant, carbonate, flavoring, and sweetener. The flavor of lemon and the flavor of alcohol blend to create a refreshing sour drink that goes well with many kinds of foods.

With 7.0% of alcohol content. You can now easily enjoy the taste of the lemon sour at home. See from the following link more details about this product.

▶Click here for amazon: Suntory Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour

5. Lemondo Classic Lemon Sour

Lemondo Classic Lemon Sour

Lemondo (檸檬堂) is another popular lemon sour product. A fun fact about this product is that this is the first alcoholic beverage sold in Japan by the Coca-Cola company. It has a 5% alcohol content and you can now buy this refreshing product from the link below. Obviously, buy this only if you’re over the permitted age for drinking.

▶Click here for amazon: Lemondo Classic Lemon Sour

6. Kirin Special Lemon Sour

Kirin Special Lemon Sour

Next on our list is another product from Kirin. This is made with the ingredients of Japanese vodka, lemon juice, citrus extract/carbonic acid, acidulant, flavoring, and sweetener. The alcohol content is 9% but with high quality of taste.

Perfect for any meal with its ′s original taste and flavor. If you’re interested, you can buy it from the link below.

▶Click here for amazon: Kirin Special Lemon Sour

7. Kirin Fermented Lemon Sour

Kirin Fermented Lemon Sour

Fermented lemon sour is yet another product from Kirin. The fermentation makes lemon thicker and more delicious strengthening the aroma and the flavor. Made from the ingredients of lemon, spirits, lemon soaking, fermented lemon juice, citrus extract, rice fermentation extract, and sugar/carbonate.

It has an alcohol content of 7% by volume. You can now buy this from Amazon by clicking the link below.

▶Click here for amazon: Kirin Fermented Lemon Sour

8. Sapporo Lemon the Rich

Sapporo Lemon the Rich

Next on the list is a Sapporo product. This is a lemon sour that enjoys the concentration of lemon juice. Made from the ingredients of lemon juice, vodka, sugar/acidulant, carbonate, flavoring, and vitamin C. Perfectly balanced for your meals. The lemon juice was carefully sort out lemon oil, fruit crust, and pulp.

It has an alcohol content of 5% by volume. Get more info about how to buy this lemon sour from the following link.

▶Click here for amazon: Sapporo Lemon the Rich

9. Kirin Honshibori Chuhai Lemon

Kirin Honshibori Chuhai Lemon

This next lemon chu-hai is made with only lemon juice and vodka with no additional flavors, acidulants, or sugar additives. it gives you the refreshing acidity of lemon. So if you are someone who has high awareness about what goes into your body, then this may be the perfect lemon sour for you.

It has an alcohol content of 6% by volume.

▶Click here for amazon: Kirin Honshibori Chuhai Lemon

10. Suntory Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour (Non-Alcoholic)

Suntory Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour (Non-Alcoholic)

Lastly on this list, I want to add a “non-alcohol” lemon sour product. Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour is a lemon sour brand by the company Suntory, and one of the products they offer is this non-alcoholic lemon sour. You will still feel the bubbly and refreshing texture as well as the strong lemony taste.

You can enjoy drinking non-alcoholic lemon sour in your home, purchase it directly on amazon, just click the link below.

▶Click here for amazon: Suntory Kodawarisakaba no Lemon Sour (Non-Alcoholic)

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Thank you for reading. I hope this article helps you find the right lemon sour that suits your taste. For more related articles please see the link below.

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Written by

Greetings to all mommies I am a supermom from Philippines. Previously, I worked and lived in Dubai for seven years, until 2015 the year I  moved in Japan. Currently, I am happily settled here with my Japanese husband and our 7 months old baby. I could only describe my almost 6 years of living here as a roller coaster ride more so, after I gave birth to my son. Japan had changed me in ways unimaginable. It has influence my lifestyle, my perceptions and beliefs. I was able to witness firsthand the pros and cons of living in the country. From their  language, culture and ethnicity, the people, place and in work. Those years were enough to give me quite personal and memorable experiences which I would be more than delighted to share with you.