It’s Not “An Old Man’s Drink”

I fell for sake at a friend’s wedding after-party.

Someone brought sparkling sake, and I was stunned. It was fizzy like champagne, sweet, and fruity. “Wait, this is sake?” I actually asked out loud.

Until then, my image of sake was “that clear, bitter-looking liquid older guys drink at izakayas.” I never thought to try it myself.

But that one glass was my gateway. Now my weekend routine is thinking “what should I drink tonight?”

Your First Bottle

For women who have a mental block against sake, I want you to try sparkling sake first.

Mio is available at convenience stores. At 5% alcohol, it’s practically juice. Most people are surprised: “This is sake?” Around ¥500 for 300ml. Easy to try.

Suzune from Ichinokura brewery is another sparkling option. Finer bubbles than Mio, slightly more sophisticated. When I bring this to girls’ night, it always starts a conversation.

Once sparkling sake makes you think “maybe I can do sake,” you’re ready for the next step.

Moving to Fruity Sake

After getting comfortable with sparkling, try fruity ginjo sake.

Dassai is perfect for beginners. It has apple and pear aromas, none of that “sake smell.” Available at convenience stores and supermarkets.

Dewazakura Oka Ginjo from Yamagata. Gorgeous fragrance, reasonable price. When I asked for “something fruity” at a sake specialty shop, this was often recommended.

Hououbiden from Tochigi. It has an aroma like ripe mango. So many people drink this and think “sake can smell this good?”

What they all have in common: they shine when chilled and the aroma opens up. Chill thoroughly in the fridge and drink from a wine glass.

Sweet or Dry?

Lots of people order “dry please,” but actually sweet is easier for beginners.

“Dry” in sake is like dry wine. Less residual sugar, clean taste. Not “spicy,” but if you’re not used to it, it can feel thin.

Sweet means residual sugar and a rounder mouthfeel. Many have fruit-like sweetness. It leaves a good first impression of sake.

Saying “something sweet and easy to drink” and letting them choose is the trick to not going wrong.

The Beauty Connection

Apparently sake has some good stuff for your skin.

Amino acids—Sake contains about 20 types. Said to have moisturizing effects, which supposedly explains why brewery workers have beautiful hands.

Kojic acid—Comes from the koji. It suppresses melanin production, expected to have brightening effects.

There are actually lotions and face masks made with sake ingredients. Some breweries make their own cosmetics.

But drinking too much backfires. “For beauty” isn’t a license to overdo it. About one go (180ml) per day is appropriate.

About Calories

Honestly, sake has a fair amount of calories. One go (180ml) is about 190kcal. Slightly more than a medium beer (500ml).

But in reasonable amounts, you don’t need to stress.

If you’re drinking a go or so, two or three times a week, it’s not going to make you gain weight. The stress relief might actually be healthier overall.

If you really worry about it, distilled spirits like shochu or whiskey have zero carbs. But the gorgeous aroma and flavor of sake is unique to fermented beverages. It would be a shame to give that up.

If You Worry About Hangovers

Some people say sake gives them bad hangovers.

The cause is usually drinking too much, or low-quality sake.

Yawaragi-mizu prevents a lot of problems. One sip of sake, one sip of water. Repeat. Even pros do this.

Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Eat while you drink, take your time.

Avoid the cheapest stuff. Cheap sake tends to cause worse hangovers. Pick junmai or ginjo over ¥1,500 and you’ll feel better the next day.

Girls’ Night with Sake

I once did a girls’ night where we each brought a sake.

The rule was “something with a cute label.” That’s it.

We ended up with pop illustrated bottles, stylish designs, unusual shapes. We chose by looks alone, and they were all delicious.

Sake design has evolved. It’s not all “traditional and austere” anymore. Plenty of labels are Instagram-worthy.

If you don’t know how to choose, choosing by looks is one valid method.

Visiting a Brewery

If you want to go deeper, I recommend visiting a brewery.

Actually go to the brewery and watch sake being made. Peer into the tank and watch the fermentation bubble. Taste sake fresh from the press.

At one brewery I visited, the toji explained everything patiently. “This yeast creates that aroma”—hearing that changed how I taste sake.

It’s fun as tourism too. Walk around the town with the brewery, eat the local food, drink the local sake. Breweries make great destinations for girls’ trips.

Some People Even Get Certified

People who get really into sake sometimes get certified.

Nihonshu Kentei (Sake Certification) tests your knowledge. Levels 5 through 1, achievable with study.

Kikisake-shi (Sake Sommelier) tests your tasting ability. It’s professional level, but hobbyists get it too.

SAKE DIPLOMA is certified by the sommelier association. Internationally recognized.

You don’t have to aim for certification, but a little study doubles your enjoyment. “This is Niigata’s clean dry style,” or “This is yamahai so the umami is strong”—you start to get it.

What Changed After Falling for Sake

A few things changed after I started drinking sake.

When someone asks “what are you having?” at a party, I say “sake.” Then someone else says “me too.” Sake lovers are everywhere.

When traveling, I look for breweries. Drinking local sake makes the trip memorable.

I started thinking about food pairings. “This sashimi needs something clean.” “Cheese calls for a junmai with umami.” Thinking about this while eating is fun.

Sake is a hobby that makes life a little richer.

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For more about starting your sake journey, see How to Choose Your First Bottle.

For more about sake and beauty, see our detailed guide on Sake and Beauty.