{"id":1811,"date":"2026-08-09T21:04:49","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T12:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/"},"modified":"2026-08-09T21:04:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T12:04:50","slug":"sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<style>\n.tsa{--ink:#1c1a17;--muted:#6f685c;--gold:#c4a44c;--gold-deep:#59502a;--cream:#faf8f3;--sand:#f3eee3;--line:#e7e0d1;\n--serif:var(--swl-font_family,\"Noto Serif JP\",Georgia,serif);--sans:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,\"Helvetica Neue\",\"Hiragino Kaku Gothic ProN\",Meiryo,sans-serif;\nfont-family:var(--serif);color:var(--ink);line-height:1.95;font-size:16.5px}\n.tsa *{box-sizing:border-box}\n#main_content .p-toc,#main_content .swell-toc-placeholder{display:none!important}\n.tsa img{max-width:100%;height:auto}\n.tsa p{margin:0 0 1.4em}\n.tsa a{color:var(--gold-deep)}\n.tsa h2{font-family:var(--serif);font-weight:600;font-size:clamp(23px,3.2vw,30px);line-height:1.35;margin:2.6em 0 .9em;padding-bottom:.45em;border-bottom:2px solid var(--gold)}\n.tsa h3{font-family:var(--serif);font-weight:600;font-size:clamp(18px,2.4vw,21px);margin:2em 0 .7em}\n.tsa .lead{font-size:clamp(17px,2.2vw,19px);color:#2b2822}\n.tsa-meta{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:6px 24px;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:12.5px;color:var(--muted);letter-spacing:.03em;margin:0 0 22px;padding:12px 0;border-top:1px solid var(--line);border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa-meta b{color:var(--ink);font-weight:600}\n.tsa-hero{margin:0 0 26px}\n.tsa-hero img{width:100%;aspect-ratio:16\/9;object-fit:cover;border-radius:4px}\n\n.tsa-learn{background:var(--cream);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:6px;padding:22px 26px;margin:28px 0}\n.tsa-learn .t{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.18em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--gold-deep);margin:0 0 12px}\n.tsa-learn ul{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}\n.tsa-learn li{position:relative;padding:6px 0 6px 30px;font-size:15.5px}\n.tsa-learn li::before{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:2px;top:14px;width:14px;height:8px;border-left:2px solid var(--gold);border-bottom:2px solid var(--gold);transform:rotate(-45deg)}\n\n.tsa-toc{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;background:#fff;margin:30px 0 38px;overflow:hidden}\n.tsa-toc summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;padding:18px 24px;font-family:var(--sans);font-weight:700;font-size:13px;letter-spacing:.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ink);background:var(--cream)}\n.tsa-toc summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}\n.tsa-toc summary::after{content:\"+\";font-size:20px;font-weight:300;color:var(--gold-deep);transition:transform .25s}\n.tsa-toc details[open] summary::after,.tsa-toc[open] summary::after{transform:rotate(45deg)}\n.tsa-toc ol{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:10px 24px 18px;counter-reset:toc}\n.tsa-toc li{counter-increment:toc;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa-toc li:last-child{border-bottom:0}\n.tsa-toc a{display:flex;gap:16px;align-items:baseline;padding:11px 2px;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:14.5px;color:var(--ink);text-decoration:none;transition:color .2s}\n.tsa-toc a:hover{color:var(--gold-deep)}\n.tsa-toc a::before{content:counter(toc,decimal-leading-zero);font-family:var(--serif);font-size:13px;color:var(--gold);font-weight:600;min-width:22px}\n\n.tsa table{width:100%;min-width:30em;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:14.5px;margin:14px 0 22px;font-family:var(--sans)}\n.tsa th,.tsa td{text-align:left;padding:12px 14px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa th{font-size:12px;font-weight:700;color:var(--muted);background:var(--cream);letter-spacing:.04em;white-space:nowrap}\n.tsa td.n,.tsa th.n{text-align:right;font-variant-numeric:tabular-nums;white-space:nowrap}\n.tsa .tblwrap{overflow-x:auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch}\n\n.tsa-flow{list-style:none;margin:18px 0 26px;padding:0;font-family:var(--sans)}\n.tsa-flow li{position:relative;padding:0 0 22px 34px;font-size:15px}\n.tsa-flow li::before{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:8px;top:8px;width:8px;height:8px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--gold)}\n.tsa-flow li::after{content:\"\";position:absolute;left:11px;top:20px;bottom:-2px;width:2px;background:var(--line)}\n.tsa-flow li:last-child::after{display:none}\n.tsa-flow b{display:block;font-family:var(--serif);font-size:16.5px;margin-bottom:2px}\n.tsa-flow span{color:var(--muted);font-size:14px}\n\n.tsa-dd{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:16px;margin:18px 0 26px}\n.tsa-dd .col{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:6px;padding:18px 20px;background:#fff}\n.tsa-dd .col h4{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase;margin:0 0 12px;font-weight:700}\n.tsa-dd .ok h4{color:#3f7d52}\n.tsa-dd .ng h4{color:#8a3b3b}\n.tsa-dd ul{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}\n.tsa-dd li{padding:6px 0;font-size:14.5px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa-dd li:last-child{border-bottom:0}\n\n.tsa-answer{background:var(--sand);border-radius:8px;padding:18px 22px;margin:22px 0}\n.tsa-answer .k{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:11px;letter-spacing:.18em;color:var(--gold-deep);font-weight:700;margin:0 0 8px}\n.tsa-answer p:last-child{margin:0;font-size:16px;line-height:1.9}\n.tsa-point{border-left:3px solid var(--gold);background:var(--cream);padding:16px 20px;border-radius:0 6px 6px 0;margin:20px 0;font-size:15px}\n.tsa-point b{color:var(--gold-deep)}\n\n.tsa-faq{margin:16px 0 8px}\n.tsa-faq details{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa-faq summary{list-style:none;cursor:pointer;padding:18px 40px 18px 0;position:relative;font-family:var(--serif);font-size:17px;font-weight:600;line-height:1.5}\n.tsa-faq summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}\n.tsa-faq summary::after{content:\"+\";position:absolute;right:4px;top:16px;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:22px;font-weight:300;color:var(--gold-deep);transition:transform .25s}\n.tsa-faq details[open] summary::after{transform:rotate(45deg)}\n.tsa-faq .a{padding:0 0 20px;color:#3a352d}\n\n.tsa-chef{display:flex;gap:20px;align-items:center;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:20px 22px;background:var(--cream);margin:36px 0}\n.tsa-chef img{width:84px;height:84px;border-radius:50%;object-fit:cover;flex:none}\n.tsa-chef .k{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:11px;letter-spacing:.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--gold-deep);font-weight:700;margin-bottom:4px}\n.tsa-chef b{font-family:var(--serif);font-size:17px;display:block;margin-bottom:4px}\n.tsa-chef p{margin:0;font-size:13.5px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.7}\n\n.tsa-cta{background:#1c1a17;border-radius:8px;padding:34px 30px;text-align:center;color:#fff;margin:40px 0}\n.tsa-cta .k{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:11px;letter-spacing:.2em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#e5cf94;margin-bottom:10px}\n.tsa-cta h3{color:#fff;font-size:clamp(20px,3vw,26px);margin:0 0 10px}\n.tsa-cta p{color:#d9d2c4;font-size:15px;margin:0 0 22px}\n.tsa-cta a.btn{display:inline-block;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:14px;padding:14px 30px;border-radius:2px;background:var(--gold);color:#1c1a17;text-decoration:none;border:1px solid var(--gold);transition:background .25s}\n.tsa-cta a.btn:hover{background:#b0902f}\n.tsa-cta a.sub{display:inline-block;margin-left:14px;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:14px;padding:14px 26px;border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.6);border-radius:2px;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}\n\n.tsa-rel{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:20px 24px;margin:30px 0;background:#fff}\n.tsa-rel .t{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.16em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--gold-deep);margin-bottom:10px}\n.tsa-rel ul{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}\n.tsa-rel li{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa-rel li:last-child{border-bottom:0}\n.tsa-rel a{display:block;padding:11px 0;font-size:15px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--ink)}\n.tsa-rel a:hover{color:var(--gold-deep)}\n\n@media(max-width:600px){\n .tsa-dd{grid-template-columns:1fr}\n .tsa-cta a.sub{margin-left:0;margin-top:10px}\n}\n\nhtml{scroll-behavior:smooth}\n.tsa-layout{display:block}\n.tsa h2,.tsa h3{scroll-margin-top:90px}\n.tsa-toc-cb{position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px;opacity:0;pointer-events:none}\n.tsa-toc-box{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;background:#fff;padding:20px 22px;margin:26px 0}\n.tsa-toc-ttl{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.18em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--gold-deep);margin:0 0 12px;display:flex;align-items:center;gap:9px}\n.tsa-toc-ttl::before{content:\"\";width:16px;height:2px;background:var(--gold);display:inline-block}\n.tsa-toc-box ol{list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0;counter-reset:toc}\n.tsa-toc-box li{counter-increment:toc;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}\n.tsa-toc-box li:last-child{border-bottom:0}\n.tsa-toc-box a{display:flex;gap:12px;align-items:baseline;padding:10px 2px;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:13.5px;line-height:1.5;color:var(--ink);text-decoration:none;transition:color .2s}\n.tsa-toc-box a:hover{color:var(--gold-deep)}\n.tsa-toc-box a::before{content:counter(toc,decimal-leading-zero);font-family:var(--serif);font-size:12px;color:var(--gold);font-weight:600;min-width:20px}\n.tsa-toc-fab,.tsa-toc-backdrop,.tsa-toc-close{display:none}\n@media (min-width:1000px){\n  .tsa-layout{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) 250px;gap:52px;align-items:start}\n  .tsa-side{align-self:stretch}\n  .tsa-toc-box{position:sticky;top:96px;margin:0;max-height:calc(100vh - 130px);overflow-y:auto}\n}\n@media (max-width:999px){\n  .tsa-toc-box{position:fixed;left:0;right:0;bottom:0;z-index:70;margin:0;border-radius:16px 16px 0 0;max-height:70vh;overflow-y:auto;transform:translateY(101%);transition:transform .28s ease;box-shadow:0 -14px 40px -18px rgba(0,0,0,.4);padding:20px 22px 92px}\n  .tsa-toc-cb:checked ~ .tsa-side .tsa-toc-box{transform:translateY(0)}\n  .tsa-toc-backdrop{display:block;position:fixed;inset:0;background:rgba(20,16,12,.42);z-index:69;opacity:0;pointer-events:none;transition:opacity .28s ease}\n  .tsa-toc-cb:checked ~ .tsa-toc-backdrop{opacity:1;pointer-events:auto}\n  .tsa-toc-fab{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;position:fixed;right:14px;bottom:88px;z-index:68;background:#59502a;color:#fff;font-family:var(--sans);font-size:13px;letter-spacing:.06em;padding:12px 18px;border-radius:40px;box-shadow:0 10px 26px -8px rgba(40,32,10,.55);cursor:pointer}\n  .tsa-toc-fab::before{content:\"\";width:15px;height:10px;display:inline-block;background:linear-gradient(#e5cf94 0 2px,transparent 2px 4px,#e5cf94 4px 6px,transparent 6px 8px,#e5cf94 8px 10px)}\n  .tsa-toc-cb:checked ~ .tsa-side .tsa-toc-fab{display:none}\n  .tsa-toc-close{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;position:sticky;top:0;background:#fff;padding-bottom:8px;margin-bottom:4px}\n  .tsa-toc-close .x{font-family:var(--sans);font-size:24px;font-weight:300;color:var(--muted);cursor:pointer;line-height:1;padding:0 4px}\n}\n\n\n@media (max-width:999px){\nhtml body #body_wrap{overflow-x:hidden}\nhtml body #main_content article,html body #main_content>div>div>div{margin-left:0!important;padding-left:0!important}\nhtml body #main_content,html body .l-mainContent__inner,html body .post_content{max-width:100%!important;overflow-x:hidden}\n.tsa,.tsa-main,.tsa-layout{max-width:100%;min-width:0;overflow-wrap:break-word}\n.tsa{padding-bottom:72px}\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"tsa\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Article\">\n<meta itemprop=\"inLanguage\" content=\"en\">\n<meta itemprop=\"headline\" content=\"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea\">\n<meta itemprop=\"datePublished\" content=\"2026-08-09\">\n<meta itemprop=\"dateModified\" content=\"2026-08-09\">\n<span itemprop=\"author publisher\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Organization\" style=\"display:none\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"The Tokyo Sushi Guide by Sushi Tanji\"><\/span>\n<div class=\"tsa-layout\">\n<main class=\"tsa-main\">\n\n<div class=\"tsa-meta\">\n  <span>Part of <a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/tokyo-sushi-guide\/\"><b>The Tokyo Sushi Guide<\/b><\/a><\/span>\n  <span>Reviewed by <b>Tatsuo Takada<\/b><\/span>\n  <span>Updated <b><time datetime=\"2026-08-09\">August 9, 2026<\/time><\/b><\/span>\n  <span>Reading time <b>about 6 minutes<\/b><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n<p class=\"lead\" itemprop=\"description\">Sushi pairing is no longer a matter of sake alone. At omakase counters across Tokyo, Champagne, beer and coolly brewed sencha (green leaf tea) now sit alongside it as ways of meeting the flavour of each piece. What follows is a look at which fish each drink answers, along with where things <b>tend to slip<\/b>, temperature and ordering included.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-answer\"><p class=\"k\">In short<\/p><p>Sake is not the only thing that suits sushi. Dry Champagne sits well with white fish plus shellfish, beer with richer cuts or a first glass on a hot day, cool-brewed sencha when you would like umami to carry the pairing. Choosing by what resets the palate, whether bubbles, bitterness or astringency, makes it hard to go wrong.<\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-learn\">\n  <p class=\"t\">What you will learn<\/p>\n  <ul><li>Why dry Champagne suits white fish plus shellfish, with the sweetness and oak to leave aside<\/li><li>When red wine can raise a fishy note, plus the bridges offered by zuke and simmered conger<\/li><li>Why beer works for the first glass in August, then how to wind it up before the nigiri begins<\/li><li>Cool-brewed sencha, gyokuro and hojicha: choosing between them, plus how they differ from the closing agari<\/li><li>Where to change drinks. From small dishes to nigiri, from pale white fish to richer cuts<\/li><li>How to put it at the counter. Offering a direction of flavour rather than naming a label<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2 id=\"hirogari\">Why sake is no longer the only answer<\/h2>\n<p>Sushi and sake have long been spoken of together because both begin with rice, with umami and acidity of a similar cast. A modern omakase runs from small dishes through to nigiri, somewhere between a dozen and twenty pieces over close to two hours. As the centre of gravity shifts from pale white fish to silver-skinned fish, then to red flesh and simmered pieces, keeping pace with a single drink is harder than it sounds. Bubbles, bitterness and astringency each lend a hand, so changing drinks partway through has become a common shape for the meal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tsa-point\"><b>The heart of it:<\/b> Changing drinks is less about adding flavour than about letting the next piece arrive as freshly as the first.<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"champagne\">Dry Champagne for white fish and shellfish<\/h2>\n<p>The lift of bubbles rinses away the sweetness of shari (seasoned rice) that lingers along with the fat of the fish. The yeasty aroma that comes of a second fermentation in the bottle runs close to the mellow scent of red-vinegar shari, so the two rarely collide. Set against pale white fish such as kisu (sand whiting) and madai (sea bream), as well as shellfish like abalone and akagai (ark shell), the salinity of the fish stands at the same height as the acidity in the glass.<\/p>\n<p>Sweetness and oak are worth a thought. Bottles that lean sweet or carry a pronounced barrel note can make rice cut with vinegar and salt feel heavy. Eight to ten degrees is a comfortable range. Chilled much further, the aroma closes in on itself with only the prickle of the bubbles left behind.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"wine\">Wine begins in white. Red looks for a bridge<\/h2>\n<p>Unoaked whites are the easiest to place, with Chablis, Koshu and dry Riesling often named. They answer especially well to work that carries transferred umami, such as white fish cured in kombu (kelp). Reds high in iron are said to react with the fat of fish to raise a fishy note, so some prefer to leave them aside. If you would like one, a light red brought down to around fourteen degrees suits pieces dressed in soy or in nikitsume (the sweet reduction brushed over simmered fish), such as zuke (soy-marinated tuna) and simmered conger. The bridge is not the fish itself but the Edomae work, the Tokyo-style preparation, applied to it.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"beer\">Beer belongs to the first glass<\/h2>\n<p>In Tokyo in August, the heat often has not left you by the time you reach the counter. Carbonation with a gentle bitterness brings a dulled palate back, making the first small dishes easier to receive. A quiet outline of bitterness sits more kindly with the fish than a strongly aromatic local brew. Cold also lowers the temperature of the mouth, which can blur the edges of shari served close to body warmth. Most people finish the glass by the time nigiri begins, then move on to the next pour.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tea\">The quiet rise of tea pairings<\/h2>\n<p>For those who do not drink alcohol, a growing number of places pour a different tea alongside each piece. Temperature is the key. Sencha brewed slowly at a low temperature releases little astringency, letting umami with sweetness come forward, which meets the depth of aged white fish and shellfish. Gyokuro (shaded green tea) is denser still in umami, holding its own against pieces of real concentration such as uni (sea urchin) or chutoro (medium fatty tuna). The toastiness of hojicha (roasted green tea) sits beside the sweeter dishes of the closing stretch, simmered conger and tamago (sweet omelette) among them.<\/p>\n<p>The powdered agari (the tea served at the end of a meal) is brewed hot and strong to rinse the palate. Tea for pairing has a different purpose, shifting temperature with strength piece by piece so that it can receive the flavour. At <a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/concept\/\">Sushi Tanji<\/a>, the meal closes with matcha and a seasonal sweet in a proper tea room, a reminder that tea can also carry the lingering echo of sushi.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"erabikata\">What to pour, where to place it<\/h2>\n<div class=\"tblwrap\"><table><thead><tr><th>Drink<\/th><th>Pieces it sits well with<\/th><th>Worth keeping in mind<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Dry Champagne<\/td><td>White fish such as kisu and madai, abalone, akagai<\/td><td>Sweet styles with strong oak are best left aside<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Unoaked white wine<\/td><td>Kombu-cured fish, squid, scabbard fish<\/td><td>Over-chilling closes the aroma<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Light red wine<\/td><td>Zuke, simmered conger<\/td><td>Iron-rich bottles can raise a fishy note<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Beer<\/td><td>Early small dishes, fried pieces<\/td><td>Wind it up before the nigiri<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cool-brewed sencha or gyokuro<\/td><td>Aged white fish, uni<\/td><td>Brewed strong, astringency comes forward<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>\n<ol class=\"tsa-flow\"><li><b>During the small dishes<\/b><span>Beer or bubbles to settle the palate, letting the heat go.<\/span><\/li><li><b>Early in the nigiri<\/b><span>Dry bubbles or an unoaked white for white fish with shellfish.<\/span><\/li><li><b>From red flesh to simmered pieces<\/b><span>Move to a sake thick with umami or to a light red.<\/span><\/li><li><b>The closing cup<\/b><span>Agari or matcha, letting the echo settle.<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\n<p>At the counter, offering a direction of flavour tends to land better than naming a label. Something light while the white fish continues. Something with more body now that red flesh is coming. At <a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/menu\/\">Tanji<\/a>, the owner visits breweries around the country, choosing bottles with the maker&#8217;s thinking and the character of the place in mind, then suggesting what suits each piece. Saying at the outset that you do not know much is perfectly fine. There is nothing to live up to here.<\/p>\n\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"tsa-faq\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\"><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">May I bring my own wine to a sushi restaurant?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>It varies from place to place. Even where it is welcomed a corkage charge may apply, while restaurants that keep a considered drinks list sometimes prefer not to. A quick word when you book settles it.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">Is it rude to order beer at the counter?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Not at all. As a glass to have alongside the small dishes it is an ordinary choice. Most people finish it as the nigiri begins, moving on to something else from there.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">I do not drink alcohol. Can I ask for a tea pairing?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Some places offer one, others do not. Mentioning it when you book often means cool-brewed sencha, sparkling water or fruit drinks are ready for you, which spares any scramble on the day.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">What sort of Champagne should I look for?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>Dry, without a strong oak character, is generally the easiest to place. Bottles that keep some sweetness can layer with the acidity of the shari to feel heavy. Eight to ten degrees is a useful guide.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><details itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\"><summary itemprop=\"name\">Should I drink sake or wine first?<\/summary><div class=\"a\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\"><div itemprop=\"text\"><p>There is no rule about order, though starting with something sparkling or light before moving to fuller umami is easy to build. It follows the way the fish grows heavier from white to red flesh, then to simmered pieces.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-cta\">\n  <p class=\"k\">From the guide to the counter<\/p>\n  <h3>Taste it at our eight-seat counter in Oku-Akasaka.<\/h3>\n  <p>Classic Edomae craft with careful modern aging &#8211; served piece by piece, with English guidance for overseas guests.<\/p>\n  <a class=\"btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tablecheck.com\/en\/shops\/sushi-tanji\/reserve\" rel=\"noopener\">Reserve at Sushi Tanji<\/a>\n  <a class=\"sub\" href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/tokyo-sushi-guide\/\">Explore The Tokyo Sushi Guide<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-chef\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\">\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/IMG_4764.jpg\" alt=\"Tatsuo Takada, head chef and owner of Sushi Tanji, at the counter\" loading=\"lazy\" itemprop=\"image\">\n  <div>\n    <p class=\"k\">Reviewed by<\/p>\n    <b><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/introduction-of-chef\/\" itemprop=\"url\"><span itemprop=\"name\">Tatsuo Takada<\/span><\/a><\/b>\n    <meta itemprop=\"jobTitle\" content=\"Head Chef &amp; Owner, Sushi Tanji\">\n    <span itemprop=\"worksFor\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Restaurant\" style=\"display:none\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Oku-Akasaka Sushi Tanji\"><\/span>\n    <p itemprop=\"description\">Head chef and owner of Sushi Tanji. Trained in the Edomae tradition and rooted in Kyushu, he leads the eight-seat omakase counter in Oku-Akasaka, Tokyo, and reviews The Tokyo Sushi Guide.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"tsa-rel\">\n  <p class=\"t\">Continue the guide<\/p>\n  <ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/toyosu-market-seri-nakaoroshi-chain\/\">From Toyosu Market to the Sushi Counter: Who Chooses the Fish<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/anago-unagi-nizume-tsume\/\">Anago and Unagi: Two Eels, Two Different Crafts<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/edomae-shigoto-shime-zuke-ni-jukusei\/\">Four Edomae Techniques: Curing, Marinating, Simmering, Ageing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/category\/sake-pairing\/\">More in sake pairing<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/main>\n<input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"tsatoc\" class=\"tsa-toc-cb\">\n<aside class=\"tsa-side\">\n<label class=\"tsa-toc-fab\" for=\"tsatoc\" aria-label=\"Open contents\"><span>Contents<\/span><\/label>\n<nav class=\"tsa-toc-box\" aria-label=\"Contents\">\n<div class=\"tsa-toc-close\"><span class=\"tsa-toc-ttl\">Contents<\/span><label class=\"x\" for=\"tsatoc\" aria-label=\"Close\">\u00d7<\/label><\/div>\n<ol><li><a href=\"#hirogari\">Why sake is no longer the only answer<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#champagne\">Dry Champagne for white fish and shellfish<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#wine\">Wine begins in white. Red looks for a bridge<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#beer\">Beer belongs to the first glass<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#tea\">The quiet rise of tea pairings<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#erabikata\">What to pour, where to place it<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n<\/nav><\/aside>\n<label class=\"tsa-toc-backdrop\" for=\"tsatoc\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/label>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1713,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"swell_btn_cv_data":"","_bmp_alt_url":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sake-pairing"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.0.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"sushitanji\"\/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO (AIOSEO) 5.0.0.1\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"ja_JP\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"\u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji - Conveying Japanese Style and Creating Harmony Through Sushi\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea - \u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-09T12:04:49+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-09T12:04:50+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea - \u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask.\" \/>\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO -->\n\n","aioseo_head_json":{"title":"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea - \u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji","description":"Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask.","canonical_url":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/","robots":"max-image-preview:large","keywords":"","webmasterTools":{"miscellaneous":""},"schema":null,"og:locale":"ja_JP","og:site_name":"\u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji - Conveying Japanese Style and Creating Harmony Through Sushi","og:type":"article","og:title":"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea - \u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji","og:description":"Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask.","og:url":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/","article:published_time":"2026-08-09T12:04:49+00:00","article:modified_time":"2026-08-09T12:04:50+00:00","twitter:card":"summary_large_image","twitter:title":"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea - \u3010Official\u3011Okuakasaka Sushi Tanji","twitter:description":"Sake is not the only pour at a sushi counter. How dry Champagne, beer and cool-brewed sencha meet each piece, with notes on temperature. Plus how to ask."},"aioseo_meta_data":[],"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\" title=\"\u5bb6\">\u5bb6<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/category\/sake-pairing\/\" title=\"Sake Pairing\">Sake Pairing<\/a>\n\t\t<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t\t\tBeyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea\n\t\t<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"\u5bb6","link":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en"},{"label":"Sake Pairing","link":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/category\/sake-pairing\/"},{"label":"Beyond Sake: Pairing Sushi with Champagne, Beer and Tea","link":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/sushi-pairing-beyond-sake-tea-beer-wine\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1811"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1812,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811\/revisions\/1812"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sushi-tanji.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}