Cup Sake: Affordable and Fun Way to Enjoy Sake

What Is Cup Sake?

Sake is a complex world, which is easy to get absorbed in, and a person might spend hours and quite a fortune getting to know the ins and outs of sake. However, a sake drinker who is more careful with their spending and less fussy, will pass over the large, pricy bottles from Japan’s premium breweries and instead go for single-serve cup sake. While cup sake sometimes has the image of a low-cost booze consumed by older men, cup sake is actually a diverse category that includes everything from mass-market products to small-batch, premium grade varieties.

When served at restaurant in foreign countries, sake if often poured into small delicate cups, which can only hold a few sips at a time. However, in Japan these single serve sake cups are the equivalent of grabbing a can of beer, often favored by train commuters as a drink on the go.  Cup sake is commonly sold in wide-mouth, 180 milliliters glass containers sealed with aluminum pull top lids. Portable and delicious, cup sake is a great way to casually enjoy nihonshu.

Sake cups are available in various regional motifs and designs, with cute drawings and characters, so many people keep the cups after drinking sake, and reuse the cup as a normal glass for other drinks or just keep it as a part of their sake cup collection. How about starting your own little collection?



Miyozakura Junmai Panda Cup

Miyozakura Panda cup, one of Japan’s most charming, was originally created to celebrate the arrival of the first pandas at the Tokyo Ueno Zoo. This is delightful and delicious junmai that is light, dry and refreshing. And the cute panda design is just irresistible!

When warmed it reveals a more deep rice flavour, but you can enjoy it at almost every temperature, and it goes well with almost any meal. The cup itself is heat resistant, so you can enjoy it in various temperature ranges.

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