Japan's Best Value Highball: Nikka Black Clear DIY (2026)

After exploring sake options at Japanese convenience stores, my next adventure was diving into the world of highballs!

As the unofficial home of the highball, Japanese convenience stores truly deliver with an incredible variety of canned options. You'll find everything from Suntory Kakubin and Toris to Nikka Black and even Wild Turkey.

These canned highballs are pretty affordable too, typically running around 250-300 yen (about ~$2) for a 16.9 fl oz (500ml) can. While grabbing a pre-mixed can is super convenient, on my recent trip to Tokyo in 2026, I decided to take things up a notch and make my own highballs from scratch!

1. Japanese Convenience Store Whiskey Selection & Prices

Japanese convenience stores are surprisingly well-stocked with a great selection of whiskeys at competitive prices. You'll find popular brands like Suntory and Nikka, alongside Dewar's White Label, Johnnie Walker Black Label, and Jack Daniel's.

Some stores even carry massive 1.8-liter bottles!

I initially considered buying the famous Suntory Kakubin for my highballs, but its price has been steadily climbing. Back in 2024, it was around 1,300 yen (~$9), but when I visited Tokyo recently in 2026, it had jumped to 1,800 yen (~$12)!

So, for my DIY highballs, I opted for “Nikka Black Clear.” It's the same volume as Kakubin but a much better value at just 930 yen (about ~$6). A clear winner for my budget!

2. Crafting Highballs in My Hotel Room

After a long day of exploring Tokyo, there’s nothing quite like unwinding with a simple, homemade highball in your hotel room.

All you need are three essentials: whiskey, sparkling water, and a cup of ice.

Initially, I bought ice cups from convenience stores, but since Japanese summers can be quite warm, I found that every hotel I stayed at had an ice dispenser. Score!

If your hotel has an ice dispenser, definitely take advantage of it! Otherwise, ice cups are readily available at convenience stores for about 120-150 yen (roughly ~$1).

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For sparkling water, I highly recommend Asahi Wilkinson.

You can pick up a bottle at any Japanese convenience store for about 150 yen (around ~$1). It has a nice, strong carbonation and is typically kept chilled, making it perfect for a refreshing highball.

Making it is incredibly simple: fill your ice cup with whiskey, then top it off with sparkling water. That's it! You can adjust the whiskey-to-soda ratio to your liking, and with plenty of ice, it's far more refreshing than a canned highball.

One bottle of Wilkinson sparkling water is usually enough to make 2-3 highballs, so you’ll have plenty to enjoy!

Even if you switch hotels, you only need to carry your whiskey bottle, and since whiskey doesn't require refrigeration, it wasn't a hassle to transport throughout my trip. That one bottle of Nikka Black Clear lasted me the entire Tokyo adventure, providing plenty of hotel room highballs!

If you're planning a trip to Japan, while convenience store beer and canned highballs are great, I highly recommend buying an affordable whiskey and making your own highballs. Skip the increasingly expensive Suntory Kakubin and go for Nikka Black Clear instead!

It's especially perfect for Japan's warm summers, providing a wonderfully chilled drink with plenty of ice.

↓↓ Check out my Japanese convenience store sake review

Japanese Convenience Store Sake Recommendation: Kikusui Funaguchi Namagenshu Reviewblog.naver.com