If you’re someone who attaches more importance to what fills the glass than the glass itself, or if you don’t really understand sake in the first place, may we suggest choosing a favorite glass with which to begin your relationship with sake? Select a form, silhouette or unique shine that appeals to you and make that your “personal glass.” Pour the sake of your taste, and soon you’ll be able to appreciate its unique character and its affinity for certain foods and flavors. The distance between you and sake will close before you know it.

Traditionally, Japanese food culture places importance on selecting just the right tableware according to the food and drink being served, and the environment and context of the meal, in order to enhance enjoyment, taste, presentation, scent and texture at the same time. Japanese believe the color, form, size and feel of the tableware truly enhance the enjoyment of a meal. Tableware is an unparalleled partner that brings out the charm of the dish. Changing the tableware in accordance with the meal or the drink and enjoying their synergistic effect is foundational to Japanese food culture and its underlying values.

There are many types of sake: Junmai-shu (sake made only from rice and rice koji), daiginjo-shu (super premium ginjo made from highly-polished rice), honjozo-shu (sake made from quality rice with addition of brewer’s alcohol), koshu (aged sake). Indeed, the characteristics of sake are infinite. One might select a glass that suits the various characteristics of the sake, in much the same manner as one selects a wine glass in accordance with the region or the variety of a particular wine. You may also select a glass based upon the situation as well, such as when drinking alone, or drinking with a casual friend, or enjoying sake as a couple, or when having a good time as a group. Choose different glasses according to the scene or your mood. Daily life will become a little richer, higher quality and more enjoyable.

The world of wines has a concept called “pairing,” which means the “selecting the appropriate wine to partner with the flavors of the food to be served.” Pairing makes both the wine and the food more enjoyable. However, with sake, we think about pairing a little differently. The glass and sake, the glass and the dish, the glass and the space: thinking about pairing in this manner brings out the best of sake. It enhances the total experience of time and space while entertaining with sake ― it is the pairing of the glass and “something extra”.

Selecting a glass is not difficult. We simply want you to feel more comfortable with sake, to drink sake casually and to select a glass in accordance with your lifestyle. To that end, we have come up with five keywords. 1. Even the appearance of drinking is beautiful. 2. Presentation of cool and fresh sake. 3. Sense the tradition of sake. 4. Bring happiness to daily life. 5. Taste sake modestly and slowly. Which keyword touches your heartstrings?

Choosing your own sake glass will make your daily life merrier. There are no taboos or restrictions in selecting a glass ― mood, sense, intuition, atmosphere ― any motive goes. The glass you choose is your destiny. KIMOTO GLASS TOKYO’s “Sake Glass Selection” greatly increases the taste of sake, enhances the time for drinking sake and produces the scene of drinking sake in the most attractive way ― your way.