KIKINO | The Perfect Match for Each Sake! Glass Sake Vessels by Type

For a full-bodied red, a Bordeaux glass; for Pinot Noir, a Burgundy glass... It's common knowledge that you should change glasses depending on the type of wine.

Sake, which allows you to enjoy the deep flavor and aroma of rice, deserves such a vessel too!

The concept is "Taste. Feel. And Savor Japan." KIKINO is a series of glasses designed to highlight the deliciousness of sake, matching its individual characteristics.

Collaboration between a Sake Director and Master Craftsmen

KIKINO was developed jointly by Sghr Sugahara, a long-established glass manufacturer founded in 1932, and sake director Junko Tanaka.

Ms. Tanaka won 3rd place in the 2012 World Sake Sommelier Competition. Her theme, "Bring more sake to the dinner table," guides her food styling centered around sake.

Ms. Tanaka thoroughly categorized the aromas and flavors of sake, seeking the best match for each taste. This led her to "eight glass shapes."

Eight Exquisite Types. A Guide to Choosing Yours

Sake flavors are categorized by a combination of two axes: high or low aroma, and rich or light taste (rich/mellow vs. light/crisp). Start by experiencing the unique character of sake with these four types of glasses.

"Kou" (Fragrance) for enjoying Daiginjo

The expanded bowl and narrow mouth at a high position condense the elegant aroma. When tilted, a small amount of sake glides over the tongue, allowing you to experience a lustrous sweetness and finish with a clean, refreshing sensation.

"Sou" (Refreshing) for enjoying Honjozo

The moderately sized bowl directs the refreshing aroma of sake straight to the nose. Its light feel and sleek lines enhance the smooth texture, youthful aroma, and mineral notes.

"Mai" (Rice) for enjoying Junmai-shu

To enjoy the mellow aroma of rice, this low, teacup-shaped glass is stripped of unnecessary elements. The flat rim allows the sake to slowly touch the entire tongue, letting you savor a flavor that permeates gently.

"Shin" (Deep) for enjoying Yamahai and Kimoto

The gently swelling silhouette allows the sake to gently come into contact with air simply by pouring, bringing out the layered, contained aromas. Its design also makes it easy to swirl[*], allowing rich umami and deep acidity to harmoniously mingle in the mouth.

[*] Swirling the glass. This allows the sake to come into contact with air and release its aroma.

"Awa" (Bubble) for enjoying secondary fermentation in the bottle

To enjoy the effervescence to the very end, the contact surface with air is minimized. The rim is narrowed to allow the aroma to rise elegantly. The bulge allows for the lingering aftertaste of clear sweetness to be savored. The thick glass at the bottom prevents heat from transferring to the liquid. These careful considerations result in a beautifully crafted glass.

"Jyuku" (Matured) for enjoying aged sake

The expanding bowl concentrates the mellow raw aroma and soft aged aroma, while the slightly flared rim disperses overly complex aromas, leading to a positive balance. The sake enters the mouth widely from both sides, allowing the entire tongue to savor the refined sweetness, creating a long-lasting finish.

"Wari" (Diluted) for enjoying sake highballs

With its straight shape, the liquid lands in the middle of the tongue and flows directly to the back of the throat, providing a smooth drinking experience. Its compact size also minimizes temperature changes. Chill the glass and enjoy without ice.

"Waza" (Technique) for enjoying unique sake types

The rim of the glass is almost parallel to the tongue, allowing sake to enter the mouth slowly. Sweetness and acidity are easily perceived as the sake flows to both sides, making it ideal for kijo-shu and sake with low sake meter values. It also allows for savoring new trends with high acidity, such as white koji brewing, malic acid-producing yeast, and MLF (malolactic fermentation), as well as highly distinctive and flavorful types. 

Three Commitments Unique to Sghr

These glass sake vessels, which beautifully enhance the time spent savoring sake's individuality, are also recommended as gifts.

Let us introduce the dedication embedded in the craftsmen's handiwork.

① Commitment to beauty

Each glass is sized to be most beautiful when 60cc of sake is poured.　

We focused on a stemless shape characteristic of sake. By making the base thick, the proper height on the table is maintained, and the temperature from the hand is less likely to transfer to the sake, thereby keeping the temperature constant.

② Commitment to technique

By curving the inside of the base, sake flows smoothly into the glass without hitting it. This is a commitment to minimize air contact and prevent loss of aroma and flavor.

The millimeter-precise silhouette maximizes the aroma and flavor of each sake. This fine-tuning is only possible through the handiwork of craftsmen who dedicate themselves to glass every day.

③ Commitment to fitting into daily life

The wish of glass product manufacturer Sghr is for their products to "decorate and accompany people's lives."

They want their products to blend into daily life rather than just being displayed as art. Therefore, despite all being handmade by craftsmen, they are also committed to offering them at an affordable price.

Even greater delight with the best-matching sake vessels

The ultimate partnership between a sake director, who knows sake inside out, and Sghr's craftsmen, who are masters of glass, through their handiwork.

Add a touch of elegance with delicate glass to the time you savor the unique characteristics of sake, while envisioning the rice, water, and beautiful Japanese scenery.

Please enjoy the time spent expanding and deepening your pleasure in sake in your daily life.

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