SAKE HUNDRED: Luxury Brand Seeks to Boost Entire Supply Chain

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Clear, a sake company based in Shibuya, Tokyo, is gaining attention for its luxury sake brand SAKE HUNDRED, crafted with international enthusiasts in mind. As consumer interest in sake continues to decline in Japan, the company is working to reignite its appeal, focusing on digital storytelling and global outreach.

SAKE HUNDRED offers premium sake ranging from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand yen per bottle. The brand places a strong emphasis on craftsmanship and visual presentation. Some bottles, such as a 720ml edition priced over ¥30,000 JPY (around $210 USD), are sold by lottery due to high demand.

Luxury Sake with Global Appeal

The brand's popularity is growing rapidly. Select bottles are even being served to VIPs at the international pavilions of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. With its departure from traditional sake branding, SAKE HUNDRED has attracted strong investor interest, securing a total of ¥2.44 billion (around $16.9 million) in funding.

Founder and CEO Ryuji Ikoma, who launched Clear in 2013, defines the brand's mission as "filling hearts and coloring lives." As global interest in health-conscious dining increases, Japanese cuisine — and the sake that complements it — is gaining traction overseas. Ikoma says, "We want our brand to become the go-to luxury sake on restaurant menus around the world."

*Ryuji Ikoma, who has visited breweries nationwide, interviewed the honorary master brewer at Kiku-Masamune.*

Early Inspiration

Ikoma entered the sake industry in 2011, at around 25 years old. He was captivated by the flavor of Koro, a sake produced by the Kumamoto Prefecture Sake Institute.

Curious, he researched its background and discovered that the institute's first director, active from the Meiji era through the mid-Showa period, had been a pioneer in scientific, data-driven brewing. This modern approach helped transform sake production and advance brewing technology in Japan.

Koro's ginjo sake, in particular, stood out for its refined rice-polishing method that reduced impurities and enhanced aroma. It is often regarded as a benchmark for ginjo sake. Inspired by the innovation behind it, Ikoma set out to pursue change in the sake industry himself.

A Platform for Sake

He went on to launch SAKETIMES, a dedicated web media platform focused on sake and breweries. Committed to first-hand reporting, he personally visited breweries across the country.

"There was a time when I spent half of each month in rural areas," he recalls. At the time, curated media that aggregated online information was trending. However, Ikoma believed in the value of uncovering insights that couldn't be found through search alone.

"That kind of original reporting becomes our unique asset," he says. With this belief, he continued building a foundation of trusted, in-depth content.

*Ikoma says he was greatly influenced by Jiro Nagumo (left), president of Hakkaisan. (Courtesy of Clear)*

Turning Point in Hong Kong

During a reporting trip to Hong Kong, Ikoma was shocked to see bottles of sake selling for around ¥400,000 ($2,800). "It was a major revelation to learn that people around the world are willing to spend tens of thousands of yen on great sake," he recalls. It made him realize how deeply sake is appreciated by affluent consumers abroad.

At the same time, domestic sake shipments had fallen to less than a quarter of their 1973 peak of 1.77 million kiloliters. This contrast sparked a new ambition. "We wanted to create a globally oriented brand and explore a sustainable future for sake," Ikoma explains. That vision led to the creation of SAKE HUNDRED.

Elevating the Supply Chain

Today, SAKE HUNDRED partners with eight sake breweries to produce its lineup. Ikoma draws on his experience running a sake-focused media platform and the strong relationships he has built with brewery owners nationwide.

Their flagship product, Byakko, priced at ¥38,500 (around $270), is currently accepting entries for its summer lottery sale. In 2024, it became a major hit, receiving 70,000 applications for just 10,000 bottles.

Ikoma is determined to revitalize Japan's stagnant sake market through SAKE HUNDRED. "We want the benefits to extend across the entire supply chain, from breweries to sake rice farmers," he says with passion. "There's clear demand overseas. If we can follow in the footsteps of wine and champagne, the potential for growth is enormous."

Author: Naomi Yasuda, The Sankei Shimbun

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