匠創生, a Pasona Group company based in Awaji, Hyogo, is bringing a new canned drink to its long-term aged sake premium brand Inishie no Bishu (古昔の美酒): the Inishie no Bishu Aged Sake Highball 1998, going on general sale from October 1 (Thursday), 2026 — Japanese Sake Day, marking the season when new rice is harvested and sake breweries across the country begin brewing.
The drink is a canned highball built around long-term aged sake brewed in 1998, pairing the deep, layered flavor that comes from extended maturation with the light refreshment of carbonation. It has been available for advance order since July through the crowdfunding platform Makuake, and now moves to general sale via the brand's online shop as well as four Lawson locations in Tokyo.
匠創生 operates the Inishie no Bishu long-term aged sake brand, working to carry forward koshu (aged sake) culture and create new value in the sake market. In 2023, it also opened Japan's first koshu-specialized sake brewery, working with breweries nationwide to spread the appeal of long-aged sake and grow the market for it.
Aged sake offers a rich aroma and complex flavor, but few everyday drinkers have had the chance to enjoy it regularly. Looking for a new way to introduce more people to koshu, 匠創生 focused on pairing aged sake with a highball and developed the Aged Sake Highball 1998. Its base is long-term aged sake brewed in 1998, balancing the deep flavor built up over the maturation period with the crisp lift of carbonation in a new style of aged sake highball.
The can's packaging design features the national treasure Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga (鳥獣戯画, "Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans"), held at Kozan-ji Temple in Kyoto and often called Japan's oldest manga, used with the temple's official permission. Under the concept of "the value that time nurtures," the design pairs a traditional culture handed down across centuries with a sake that took 28 years of aging to complete, visually expressing the weight of history — making it a fitting gift for someone special.
匠創生 plans to keep reaching a wider range of people, including those unfamiliar with aged sake, younger generations, and visitors to Japan, proposing new ways to enjoy long-term aged sake as it works to grow both sake culture and the koshu market further.
Product Overview
- Launch date: October 1, 2026 (Thursday)
- Product name: Inishie no Bishu Aged Sake Highball 1998
- Features: A canned highball developed from long-term aged sake brewed in 1998. Made with sake that won gold medals at the French sake competition Kura Master 2026 and at the International Wine Challenge (IWC), one of the world's largest and most authoritative spirits competitions. It combines the deep flavor that comes from maturation with the easy drinkability of carbonation, aiming for a taste that appeals even to people who have never tried aged sake before.
- Volume: 350ml
- Aged sake content: 7%
- Price: ¥880 per can (tax included); 3-can set ¥4,300 (tax, shipping, and gift box included)
- Where to buy:
- Convenience store Lawson, 4 locations in Tokyo (Ueno-Okachimachi, Haneda Airport Garden Souvenir, Haneda Airport Garden, Haneda Airport Terminal 3)
- EXIVIN Sogo Chiba
- Inishie no Bishu official online shop: https://oldvintage.jp/products/1998-high-ball
- Rakuten: https://www.rakuten.co.jp/oldvintage/
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0HJ4P3LVM
- Yahoo! Shopping: https://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/poppingstand/ps-liqu-0021.html
- Note: Sold by the single can at retailers and department stores; the online shop carries only the 3-can set (as of the October 1 launch)
