Reading a sake label: bottle size, alcohol and rice polishing
A sake bottle can carry several numbers that answer different questions. Before choosing a glass at an izakaya, read the words beside each number. Here is a fictional example for practice, not a product recommendation or a claim about a bar's stock.
Three numbers, three meanings
Imagine a label showing 内容量 720ml / アルコール分 15% / 精米歩合 60%.
- 内容量 720ml describes the liquid volume in the bottle. It does not tell you how much the bar pours into one glass.
- アルコール分 15% is alcohol by volume, often abbreviated ABV. Read this field when comparing alcohol concentration.
- 精米歩合 60% is the proportion of the rice's original weight remaining after polishing: in this example, 40% was removed. It is not a 60% alcohol drink.
These distinctions follow the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association's label guide. The National Research Institute of Brewing glossary is a further reference for unfamiliar label terms.
Turn the label into an order
Point to the menu item and ask この一杯は何mlですか？ — How many millilitres are in this serving? Then confirm its price. A bottle specification and a menu serving are separate pieces of information; do not calculate the bill from the bottle size alone.
If comparing two drinks, write down the serving volume and price for each, keeping the ABV in a separate column. If staff cannot confirm a quantity, leave it unknown rather than treating a photograph of the glass as a measurement.
What the numbers leave unanswered
Do not use the polishing figure alone as a score for which sake you will enjoy. Tell staff what you are looking for and ask about the specific bottle. For broader terminology, see Japanese alcohol types; for ordering phrases, see ordering at an izakaya.
Does 720ml mean I must order a whole bottle? The label does not establish the bar's sales format. Ask whether that menu item is sold by the glass or bottle.
Sources checked October 20, 2026. No venue's stock, prices or serving sizes were verified.