CHOOSING YOUR SAKE WARE
POURING VESSELS
TOKKURI
CHIRORI
KATAKUCHI
GLASS, CERAMIC, WOOD,
METAL, EARTHENWARE
COPPER, TIN
GLASS, CERAMIC, WOOD,
METAL, EARTHENWARE
Tokkuri have a narrow mouth. There
are various sizes and colours available.
Above: Bizen tokkuri.
Chirori are used to warm sake in hot
water. They have an open top or lid
and a heatproof handle. When it is
make of tin, it is said to make the taste
of the sake much milder and rounder.
Above: Chirori in tin.
Katakuchi have a wide, open mouth.There
are various sizes and colours available.
Above: Katakuchi in tin.
WARM SAKE
WHICH SHAPES?
TOKKURI, KATAKUCHI OR CHIRORI?
WHICH MATERIAL?
Ideal warm sake ware are tokkuri as they have a narrow
top to keep the sake warm for longer. Most tokkuri can
be placed in hot water to warm sake inside. Katakuchi are
not ideal as the sake cools very quickly with the open top.
Chirori made from tin are a popular choice for warming
sake in Japan - they are said to make the sake texture
milder due to their content of negative ions.
Sake can be enjoyed warm, especially those Futsu-shu,
Junmai and Honjozo. Sake can be warmed in a sake vessel
itself or in an alternative container in a hot water bath or
microwave. To enjoy warm sake, the ideal sake ware are
ones made from ceramic, earthenware and tin.
Sake ware made with glass is not ideal as the heat
transmission is too high, and the sake ware itself may
become too hot to handle. If metal ware is used either to
warm and/or serve sake, it should be ones with a heat-proof
handle to ensure that the vessel is not too hot for serving.
WHICH CUP FOR WARM SAKE?
Ochoko are probably the most ideal as you can finish a
portion before it cools down.
MUSEUM OF SAKE JOURNAL 11