Glossary · あがり · agari
Agari
Agari is sushi-bar slang for green tea — the hot tea served throughout the meal and especially at the end.
Agari is insider jargon for ocha (green tea) used by the trade; as a customer you can simply ask for tea. It’s served hot and strong, and that’s deliberate — it cuts richness and cleans the palate between fatty pieces.
The word carries a sense of “the last cup,” which is why it’s associated with the close of the meal, though it flows throughout.