Those of us who grew up with creamy yellow jugs of eggnog around the holidays find ourselves out of luck in Tokyo this time of year.

As with many cocktails, the true origin of this drink is cloudy, but generally the name and image comes from colonial America. In 17th-century Europe, “milk punch” drinks showcasing mixtures of beer, milk, sugar and fortified wine were popular enough to travel across the Atlantic with settlers. Along the way, rum (commonly called “grog”) took the place of sherry and Madeira wine, and egg worked its way in as well. Add ingredients considered indulgent at the time — spices, fresh dairy and various liquors — and eggnog was born.

While you might not be able to stroll into any convenience store here and grab a quart, making your own eggnog is no impossible task. Japan is blessed with quality cream from the northern island of Hokkaido as well as high-quality eggs. Both are easy to get at most supermarkets, and the squat carton of fresh Hokkaido cream indicating 48% milk fat is the one that Santa would approve of. In keeping with the American tradition, this recipe calls for equal parts rum and whiskey — aged and dark for both spirits is best. For taste and cost performance, I recommend the Plantation Rum’s aged Jamaican original as well as Four Roses Bourbon for its notes of vanilla. Freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon is ideal if you can get it, and simple syrup is very easy to make yourself with hot water and sugar.