Until recently, the image of RTD sake, or “cup sake” as it is referred to in Japan, was stuck in the past—1964, to be precise. That’s when the OG of the genre, Ozeki One Cup, burst onto the sake scene along with the Tokyo Olympics and the Shinkansen bullet train—all three signals that Japan was dusting off the shame and poverty of the post–World War II era and innovating its way onto the world stage.
The game-changing sake—which brought a sleek, modern glass cup design and portability to a staid drink—celebrated its 60th anniversary this year. While it still rules among convenience store sakes in Japan, it’s old hat to younger Japanese drinkers. For a new generation of sake consumers, today’s growing wave of RTD sake options (both Japanese and domestic) manages to highlight the essence of what’s driving sake’s international popularity: flavor, fermentation, captivating design and cultural currency. These RTDs are also, crucially, part of the “premiumization” of the RTD category. “Nicer sakes are being offered in the one-cup format, and sake enthusiasts like that they can get cans from the smaller brands now, too,” says Yoko Kumano, co-founder of Umami Mart in Oakland, California, one of the country’s top sake retailers.
Cup sakes today range from metal cans to glass cups with peel-off aluminum or plastic lids. They span a kooky, category-busting sparkling sake-wine hybrid from Wakaze, the Paris-based maker; brash and fresh unpasteurized namas; everyday futsus; and top-grade junmai ginjos, for which the rice has been polished and the grains‘ outer layers removed by at least 40 percent, leading to lighter, fresher flavors. There are American-brewed or -bottled brands that have partnered with established (sometimes unnamed) Japanese brewers, including Wakaze, Sake High! and WeSake, along with a slew of newer premium cup sakes from top-tier Japanese breweries like flower yeast specialist Amabuki. Whether foreign or domestic, the emphasis is on demystifying sake for international audiences and underscoring sake’s versatility in pairing. Label art is key, too. You’ll find pop culture homages (Chiyomusubi’s manga-referencing Oyaji), kawaii (Japanese for “cute”) motifs and iconic labels like the shiny gold and red of Kikusui Funaguchi Gold, which is as immediately recognizable to Japanese as a bottle of Budweiser is to Americans.
The availability of RTD sake varies widely by region, making it difficult to create a universal “best of” list. So herewith is a snapshot of some of the best sakes available to purchase right now, which doubles as proof of just how varied this young category has become.