What Does Kirin Ichiban mean?

What does Ichiban mean?

‘Ichiban’ translates as ‘number one’. It is often used in Japan to refer to your favourite something. For example, to say your favourite colour is blue, you may say:

Ichiban sukina iro wa ao desu

Due to the implication of top status and personal preference, ‘ichiban’ is used in many brand names for food, restaurants and products. You may remember Joey’s ‘Ichiban blue’ Japanese advert in Friends:

What does ‘Kirin’ mean?

‘Kirin’ is the Japanese translation for ‘qilin’, a four-legged creature originating in Chinese mythology. The Kirin is a strong and magnificent yokai* (Japanese spirit or monster). Similar to unicorns, the Kirin is often associated with peace and a symbol of prestigiousness. As you can see on the bottle label, the Kirin’s body is covered on ‘holy fire’. Which is pretty badass.

So is Kirin Ichiban really number one?

In terms of market share? No. Of the main beer manufacturers, Asahi is the beer ruler in Japan, but Kirin is a close second, with 34%. Interestingly, all the major Japanese beer brands suffering a loss in share recently, due to the increasing popularity of craft beers.

Source: thedrinksbusiness.com

Is Kirin Ichiban any good?

Yes. Its pale gold colour and refreshingly light larger style makes Kirin Ichiban well-liked by many, even if its not loved by all. To really get the best Kirin Ichiban experience, pop to your nearest Japanese restaurant or well-stocked tavern and request Kirin Ichiban Draught on tap. Its smooth flavour and fizzy tingling will be sure to please.

That was fun. Want to know more about Japanese drinks? Have a read through my reviews for Japanese whisky and more. Stay update and follow @hellokanpaidrinks on Instagram.

*If you are interested in learning more about Japanese yokai and mythical creatures, I highly recommend ‘The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore’ by Michael Dylan Foster