SakeHouse: Japanese Sake

Welcome to SakeHouse, our home for Japanese sake. Browse more than 400 sakes, from luxury Junmai Daiginjo to everyday table sake, cloudy Nigori, sparkling sake and cup sake. There's also shochu, awamori, umeshu (plum wine), Japanese beer and Korean soju. Our shelves carry celebrated breweries including Dassai (Asahi Shuzo), Daishichi, Kurosawa, Nabeshima, Shichiken, Hakutsuru, Hakushika and Ozeki.

Shop sake by style

• Junmai Daiginjo: ultra-premium, fragrant and elegant
• Daiginjo & Ginjo: aromatic, light and refined
• Junmai Ginjo: fruity aromatics with a pure-rice body
• Junmai: rich, savory and food-friendly
• Tokubetsu Junmai: "special" Junmai with extra polishing or a signature method
• Honjozo: light, smooth and great warm or chilled
• Nigori: cloudy, creamy and softly sweet
• Sparkling Sake: bubbly, low-alcohol and celebratory
• Cup, Can & Carton Sake: ready-to-drink singles
• Plum Wine & Flavored Sake: umeshu, yuzu, peach and more
• Shochu, Soju & Awamori: Japan's and Korea's distilled spirits
• Japanese & Asian Beer

Sake styles explained

Sake grades describe how much of each rice grain is polished away before brewing. The more the rice is polished, the cleaner and more aromatic the sake.

• Daiginjo: rice polished to 50% or less of its original size. Delicate, floral and fruity.
• Ginjo: rice polished to 60% or less. Light, fragrant and crisp.
• Junmai: "pure rice" sake, made only from rice, water, koji and yeast, with no added distilled alcohol. It pairs with Daiginjo and Ginjo (Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo).
• Honjozo: a small amount of distilled alcohol is added to lift aroma and lighten the body.
• Nigori: coarsely filtered, leaving rice sediment for a milky look and creamy texture. Shake gently before pouring.
• Kimoto & Yamahai: traditional slow-fermentation methods that add depth, acidity and umami.

How to read a sake label

Every SakeHouse product page lists the taste profile (dry or sweet, light or rich), the alcohol content and, where the brewery publishes them, the SMV (Sake Meter Value) and acidity. A positive SMV (+3 and up) usually drinks drier, and a negative SMV reads sweeter. Higher acidity gives a fuller, richer mouthfeel. Each page also names the prefecture and brewery, so you can explore Japan region by region.

Serving and storing sake

Most premium Ginjo and Daiginjo sakes shine chilled, around 45–55°F. Richer Junmai, Honjozo and Kimoto styles can also be enjoyed at room temperature or gently warmed. Store sake upright in a cool, dark place, refrigerate it after opening, and enjoy it while it's fresh.

Buying by the case

To keep everyday favorites affordable, bottles, cups and cans priced under $20 are sold by the full case. The case size is shown in the product title (for example, "Case of 12"), and each product page shows the per-bottle price.

Sake FAQ

What's the difference between Junmai and Daiginjo?

Junmai means the sake is brewed only from rice, water, koji and yeast. Daiginjo refers to how highly the rice is polished (to 50% or less). A sake can be both. Junmai Daiginjo is the top pure-rice grade.

Should sake be served hot or cold?

Both, depending on the style. Aromatic Ginjo and Daiginjo are best chilled. Many Junmai and Honjozo sakes are lovely warm. Each product page includes the brewery's serving suggestion.

Is sake a wine or a beer?

Neither. Sake is brewed from rice like a beer, but it's still, not carbonated, and usually 14–17% alcohol, closer to wine in strength.

Why are some items sold only by the case?

Our lower-priced bottles, cups and cans come packed by the case, so we sell them in full cases to keep the per-bottle price low.