Ryuji Ikoma presenting the new "Raika" and flagship "Hyakko" at a media briefing on August 31, 2026.
【Feature Series】A Connoisseur’s Perspective | Ryuji Ikoma of SAKE HUNDRED Reimagines Dry Sake for the Global Stage
A Connoisseur’s Perspective | Ryuji Ikoma of SAKE HUNDRED
Ryuji Ikoma, CEO of Clear, leads the luxury Japanese sake brand SAKE HUNDRED. Without owning any breweries, he identifies the sake the world is currently seeking and dynamically crafts it with the most suitable breweries. His latest creation, "Raika," released in September 2026, is a dry sake that stands alongside the flagship "Hyakko." This is a look into the work of a connoisseur, one who navigates seamlessly between a discerning eye for sake and a global perspective on it.
Text by TAKASHI TSUCHIDA
Sweet, Umami, Sour, Yet Dry
"There are almost no dry premium sakes. In Japan, 'dry' sake is considered everyday sake."
Raika, the new sake Ikoma has just released, challenges that notion. It's the first regular product from SAKE HUNDRED in two years.
SAKE HUNDRED's sakes, led by Hyakko, are generally sweet. Even when feedback from home and abroad suggested they were "a bit too sweet," Ikoma didn't change them. After all, with parallel fermentation where saccharification and fermentation occur simultaneously, sweetness is a natural characteristic of rice sake.
This doesn't mean he looked down on dry sake. He lists his favorite dry brands: "Kikusui," "Senchu Hassaku," and "Kikumasamune." "I'm a sake otaku at heart," he laughs, but he hadn't made dry sake because traditional dry sake exists by virtue of *not* being sweet. As the sake meter value indicates, dryness in sake simply means the absence of sweetness.
"No sweetness, no umami, no acidity. That 'nothing but nothing' approach results in a crisp, dry sake. With such subtractive brewing, it's hard to express individuality."
The turning point was a reversal of concept. If the final impression is dry, there's no need to strip away elements. Could a sake be designed that, while possessing sweetness, umami, and acidity, finishes with a sharp crispness? A question he had pondered for about three years suddenly took shape in the past year.
It's Still a Blue Ocean
So, why dry sake now? The answer lies beyond Japan.
In Asian markets like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand, where SAKE HUNDRED operates, Junmai Daiginjo is experiencing a major boom. Brands such as "Juyondai," "Dassai," and "Nakamasa" are leading this trend. Juicy, fruity, and aromatic – these are the sakes driving premium Japanese sake exports.
To Ikoma, who has meticulously tasted and differentiated Japanese sakes, these three brands are entirely distinct. Yet, looking at tables around the world, these distinctions are barely recognized.
"The world's resolution is much coarser. They all fall into one category: 'sweet and refined sake.'"
His sharp eye for detail reveals a disconnect between how he perceives sake and how the world sees it. This perspective highlighted the reality that premium sakes on restaurant menus worldwide were fulfilling largely the same role.
Sweet, aromatic sakes pair well with appetizers, vegetables, and delicate seafood dishes. However, they lack the body to stand up to sushi, French main courses, or rich meat and fish dishes. Even "Hyakko" is often served in the earlier courses. Conversely, the latter half of a meal remains largely uncharted territory for sake.
The need for dry sake isn't just about filling a gap. Dryness itself is a value refined in the world of gastronomy. In the realms of wine and whiskey, a dry taste is a crucial axis for evaluation, a language already spoken by sommeliers and drinkers alike. Dry sake can seamlessly integrate into this common lexicon.
Moreover, a sake that finishes with a clean cut is versatile. It pairs not only with rich fish or main meat courses but also with spicy dishes, resetting the palate for the next bite.
"Currently, sake only covers a fraction of the possibilities, but I believe sake has the potential to encompass a much, much wider range."
Turning back to the domestic market, Ikoma observes that the trend for fruity, easy-drinking sakes has run its course, and the pendulum is beginning to swing back towards dry. However, simply being dry is not enough for a premium sake. Ikoma points to two reasons why the crisp, dry sakes of Niigata, which were popular in the 1980s, never joined the ranks of global premium beverages: first, their price point was too accessible, and second, they lacked the "complexity" found in premium wines and whiskies.
"While they were crisp, there was no dramatic push and pull in their flavor profile."
Dry yet complex. Fulfilling this condition, common to premium sakes worldwide, would open up a market yet unexplored. In Ikoma's words, it remains "still a blue ocean."
This insight is already being validated in practice. "Raika" has seen a surge in placements in restaurants, particularly Japanese establishments, even during its pre-sales phase. "Sakamata Wakan," listed in the Michelin Guide TOKYO, has also decided to add "Raika" to its menu.
The First Half Can Be Full of Flavor
Ikoma's blueprint isn't a set of specific brewing instructions, but rather detailed requests from the perspective of a drinker. The goal is to share a complete "temporal experience" with the brewery, from the moment it enters the mouth until the aftertaste fades. "The first half can offer a variety of flavors, but please design it so it can sharply focus towards the end." This approach is underpinned by a meticulous understanding of the order of taste perception.
The first sensation perceived upon tasting is sweetness. This is followed by umami, which swells with a sense of volume, and acidity, which traces its contours. Conversely, bitterness tends to linger, and sharp acidity can leave a prolonged aftertaste. Therefore, the first half can generously release sweetness and umami, while the latter half emphasizes bitterness and acidity. This way, all diverse elements converge towards the final crispness.
It has sweetness, umami, and strong acidity, yet the final impression is dry. Dryness is constructed three-dimensionally over time, rather than through subtraction. This is an approach that re-examines the structure of dry sake.
Ikoma's process for selecting a brewer is also distinctive. He and Yosuke Kawase, head of product development, blind-tasted dozens of dry sakes, and both awarded top marks to Tenryohai Brewery on Sado Island, Niigata. Koji Kato, the master brewer, responded to the collaboration proposal by saying, "I knew it had to be dry."
The blueprint of the temporal axis was given form by the ingredients from Sado. The volume in the first half is supported by the soft water from Mount Kinpoku, Sado's highest peak. This water, rich in calcium, enhances the umami. For the *kake-mai* (secondary rice), they chose "Koshibuki," a rice variety from Sado. Gohyakumangoku, often used for dry sake, tends to exhaust its nutrients during fermentation, potentially leaving residual sweetness or unwanted bitterness that doesn't fit the desired profile. Koshibuki, on the other hand, is said to have just the right character to carry the sake through to the crisp finish. For the *koji-mai* (rice for koji mold), they used stable Yamada Nishiki from Okayama Prefecture. The polishing ratio is 28%—a balance found between being too polished, which would make it too light, and not polished enough, which would make it too heavy. This ratio achieves both transparency and structure.
The request, calculated from the perspective of the global palate, is entrusted to the rice, water, and brewer of Sado. With a discerning eye for sake, Ikoma captures global needs and produces a sake that fills the void. This fluid movement between specialized domains is what pioneers the next phase for Japanese sake.
Expressive Character, Delectable Dryness
Poured into a glass, "Raika" displays a pale yellow hue with a radiant sheen. A delicate aroma reminiscent of white flowers rises, layered with the fresh notes of young pear and peach skin.
On the palate, the attack is clean and vibrant. The rice's umami, evoking *shiratamako* (a type of glutinous rice flour) or *mochi*, is met with a sharp, direct acidity. Herbal freshness, reminiscent of young sansho leaves or chervil, prevents any perception of excess sweetness. Towards the finish, a subtle bitterness emerges, like *fukinoto* (butterbur sprouts) or grapefruit peel, while minerality akin to kombu dashi provides a cool clarity, leading into a pristine aftertaste. The temporal axis depicted in the blueprint is directly translated into the flow of flavor.
The expression changes depending on the sake vessel. In a small white wine glass, the aroma opens up more fragrantly, allowing the sweetness, umami, and acidity to be perceived three-dimensionally. Conversely, in a *hirazako* (a flat sake cup) with a thin rim, the aroma is more subdued, and the sake's dry structure is emphasized. The former enhances the complexity of the sake's character, while the latter highlights its sharpness.
For the bottle, they unusually chose clear glass for SAKE HUNDRED. This is because a dark bottle might evoke the impression of traditional, old-fashioned dry sake. The transparent bottle signals, even before purchase, that this is a new kind of dry sake.
Ikoma recalls the day he first tasted the finished sake:
"Tears welled up. What I had envisioned in my mind was right there before me."
Ryuji Ikoma
Representative Director & CEO, Clear Inc. / Owner, SAKE HUNDRED brand. Born in Tokyo in 1986. After working in IT and other fields, he founded Clear Inc. in 2013. In 2014, he launched the sake media platform SAKETIMES, and in 2018, he founded the sake brand SAKE HUNDRED. Served as a committee member for the "Deliberation Meeting on Brand Strategy for Japanese Alcoholic Beverages" hosted by the National Tax Agency (2019-2023). In 2024, he received the Brewing Culture Award from the Young Members' Association of the Brewing Society of Japan.
Raika｜RAIKA
Brewery｜Tenryohai Brewery (Niigata)
Rice Varieties｜Koshibuki (Sado), Yamada Nishiki (Okayama Prefecture)
Polishing Ratio｜28%
Alcohol Content｜13.6%
Volume｜720ml
Price｜¥22,000 (incl. tax)
Product Details｜https://jp.sake100.com/products/raika