Japanese Slipper Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/29/24
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Japanese slipper cocktail in martini glass with a sliced melon garnish

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The Japanese slipper is a fabulous cocktail that's light on the alcohol and packed with fruity flavor. If you're looking for a fun green drink with a wonderful taste that mixes up in just a few minutes, it's an ideal recipe.

This is one of the most popular signature cocktails for Midori, that magical, electric green liqueur that offers the sweet taste of melons. It's paired with Cointreau for a hint of orange, and the sweetness of the two is offset with the tart taste of fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

Since all three ingredients are poured equally, you will have no problem remembering how to mix up a Japanese slipper. And, you will want to do just that! It's a captivating drink that is perfect for so many occasions, including spring and summer, or anytime you simply want a short, fruity drink.

What You'll Need to Make This Japanese Slipper Recipe
A Handy Dandy Citrus Juicer
A Great Cocktail Jigger
A Sleek Cocktail Shaker

"The Japanese Slipper strikes me as coming from the same time as the Charlie Chaplin cocktail. Full-bodied, fun, fruity and low ABV, it has a hint of temperance about it. I am thankful to have found this cocktail because it is delightful. It is round, balanced, invigorating, and crushable. It would be an excellent party punch in large format." —Sean Johnson

Japanese Slipper tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce melon liqueur

  • 1 ounce premium triple sec

  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Honeydew melon slice or ball, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Japanese slipper cocktail ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the melon and orange liqueurs and lemon juice.

    Japanese slipper cocktail ingredients in a shaker with ice

    The Spruce Eats/ Julia Hartbeck

  3. Shake well.

    Cocktail ingredients in a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

    Japanese slipper cocktail in martini glass

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Garnish with a honeydew melon slice or ball. Serve and enjoy.

    Japanese slipper cocktail in a martini glass with honeydew melon garnish

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • Fresh lemon juice is highly recommended. The average lemon yields about 1 3/4 ounces of juice, so one fruit is more than enough for a single drink.
  • The garnish can vary. Honeydew melon plays up Midori's flavoring (it's made with Yubari king melon and musk melon), and Midori's official recipe recommends a maraschino cherry. A slice of lemon or lime is a nice option as well.

Recipe Variations

  • Make this drink as tall as you like. For instance, you can double the recipe and serve it in a larger cocktail glass or on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass. Top that with a lightly flavored soda in a highball glass for a refreshing, sparkling drink.
  • Lime juice is sometimes used as a substitute for the lemon juice.
  • Some drinkers prefer to replace the Cointreau with vodka. To retain a hint of extra flavor, pour a citrus vodka.
  • Tequila is another option and that variation is typically paired with lime juice (if you add sour mix, you'll have a melon margarita).

Why Is It Called a Japanese Slipper?

Midori is a Japanese liqueur, produced by Suntory and flavored with the country's famous melons. The brand name also means "green" in Japanese. Since it is the key ingredient to the cocktail and a comforting, lovely mix, the name Japanese slipper is rather fitting. It's said that the recipe was created by Jean-Paul Bourguignon at Mietta's Restaurant in Melbourne, Australia. That was in 1984, just a few years after Midori was first released. It's hard to argue that this cocktail, which is seen as a modern classic, helped propel the liqueur to the fame it enjoys today.

How Strong Is a Japanese Slipper?

Liqueurs tend to be lighter than liquors like vodka and whiskey, but that's not the case with Cointreau (or its orange-flavored counterpart, Grand Marnier). It's bottled at 80 proof, so the Japanese slipper is not as light as you might expect—it's not bad, though. This drink will mix up to 17 percent ABV (34 proof) or so, making it one of the lighter martini-style cocktails around.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
73 Calories
0g Fat
9g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 73
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 4mg 22%
Calcium 3mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 34mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)