Yuzu Drinks From Kochi: Umaji Village and Japan's Favorite Sour Citrus

Umaji, a mountain village in Kochi Prefecture, is one of Japan's most significant yuzu-producing areas, thanks to terrain and a climate well suited to the fruit, which tolerates cold better than most citrus. Yuzu itself is an intensely aromatic, very sour citrus, used almost entirely for its zest and juice rather than eaten fresh — you season with it, you don't peel and eat it like an orange. The local economy in Umaji is built substantially around yuzu farming and processing, which is unusual for a single crop in a small village.

Kochi sells yuzu in several drinkable forms: yuzu-shu, a sweetened citrus liqueur usually served on the rocks or with soda, plus bottled yuzu juice and ponzu for cooking, and various carbonated yuzu soft drinks. These all travel well as souvenirs since they're shelf-stable and sealed. If you're flying internationally afterward, check your airline's and destination's rules on carrying liquids or agricultural products, since specific restrictions vary by country and aren't something to assume are the same everywhere.