A limited-edition brew celebrating two milestones in Japanese craft sake is now on sale. The WAKAZE×LINNÉ Anniversary Sake — a collaboration between WAKAZE (headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo) and LINNÉ (headquartered in Kyoto) — became available to general customers from April 16, 2026.
The product traces its roots to 2017, when WAKAZE developed what is regarded as the first craft sake in its FONIA series. The recipe was revived by LINNÉ in 2026, nearly a decade after its original creation. Imai Shoya, who co-founded WAKAZE and later established LINNÉ, was involved in both the original brewing and this revival, making the bottle a direct link between the two companies' histories.
Craft sake, as defined by the Craft Sake Brewery Association, refers to a category of alcoholic beverages that use rice as the primary ingredient and incorporate brewing techniques based on sake (nihonshu), while also including processes not legally permissible under Japan's traditional sake classification.
Product Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Product Name | WAKAZE×LINNÉ Anniversary Sake |
| Category | Miscellaneous alcoholic beverage (Zasshu) |
| Ingredients | Rice (Hyogo Prefecture), other brewed alcohol (FONIA tea ORIENTAL Sparkling), rice koji (Hyogo Prefecture rice), jasmine tea, red rose, orange peel, hibiscus, coriander seed |
| Volume | 500ml |
| Alcohol Content | 13% |
| Suggested Retail Price | from ¥5,500 (tax included) |
| Brewery | Choryu Shuzo Co., Ltd. — Yao Kura (Yao City, Osaka Prefecture)* |
| Manufacturer / Seller | Linné Co., Ltd. (Kyoto City, Kyoto) |
| Rice Variety & Origin | Kinuhikari (Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture — Magasin Shinpaku Division) |
| Planning Cooperation | WAKAZE Co., Ltd. (Shibuya, Tokyo) |
*Produced using equipment leased from Choryu Shuzo Yao Kura.
Tasting Notes
The sake opens with a vibrant floral aroma reminiscent of receiving a fresh bouquet. On the palate, a gentle sweetness derived from the kijoshu (sake-on-sake) method forms the base, layered with fresh acidity, a pleasant herbal bitterness, and complex spice notes. The multifaceted character shifts with each sip, reflecting the essence of the botanical recipe. It finishes clean and refreshing, naturally inviting the next sip.
Recommended pairings: prosciutto and fig salad, blue cheese and honey canapés, scallop butter sauté, and strawberry panna cotta.
The Story Behind the Recipe
2017, Yamagata. WAKAZE debuted "FONIA SORRA" and "FONIA TERRA" — a sky-and-earth pairing brewed on commission in Yamagata, incorporating multiple botanical ingredients. These were the first craft sake products in history, opening up the possibilities of the "miscellaneous alcoholic beverage" licensing category and marking the beginning of the craft sake movement.
2018, Sangenjaya Brewery opens. At WAKAZE's first in-house brewery in Sangenjaya, Tokyo, the team developed "FONIA TEA prototype Oriental recipe no.004" — the first in-house botanical recipe, combining five plant-based ingredients: jasmine tea, rose, hibiscus, orange peel, and coriander. This prototype was refined and released as "FONIA tea ORIENTAL", with a sparkling version following the next year.
2021, limited brew for WAKAZE TOKYO's renovation. To commemorate the reopening of the WAKAZE TOKYO restaurant, a limited crowdfunding-exclusive sake was brewed. The sparkling version of "FONIA tea ORIENTAL" was used as the brewing water in a kijoshu (sake-on-sake) method, with the same five botanicals added to the moromi (fermenting mash). The Sangenjaya brewery closed in August 2022.
2026, revived by LINNÉ. The sparkling version of "FONIA tea ORIENTAL" was sourced from Yamagata and used alongside the same five botanicals to brew a new batch at Choryu Shuzo's Yao Kura in Osaka. The rice used is Kinuhikari from LINNÉ's contract farm "Shinpaku" (Magasin Shinpaku Division). This single bottle carries both WAKAZE's founding ambition and LINNÉ's present.
From the Founders
WAKAZE CEO Takuma Inagawa
"This recipe was born from a cocktail I encountered in Shibuya during the Sangenjaya brewery era — it holds a special personal significance for me. I'm delighted that this flavor could be revived at the milestone of our 10th anniversary. There's something serendipitous about now operating the SummerFall tap cocktail bar in the same Shibuya neighborhood. I hope many people get to enjoy this revival."
LINNÉ Founder & Brewer Shoya Imai
"WAKAZE has supported my journey from the very beginning, and I'm deeply grateful to have reached this anniversary milestone together. During a turbulent era for sake — from our founding in Yamagata through the early days of craft sake in Japan and France — we ran alongside each other. I hope this sake becomes a baton passed from hand to hand, enjoyed by as many people as possible. Striving to create the world's freest brewed beverage, I will continue walking the path of SAKE."
Where to Buy
The WAKAZE×LINNÉ Anniversary Sake is available through the LINNÉ online shop. A fresh (namazake) version is also available in limited quantities through the online shop.
