This marks the second U.S.-made sake to enter the Japanese market.
Kato Sake Works products will be available at select locations in Tokyo and Nagoya starting May 30, 2025.
June 2, 2025 (Brooklyn, NY) — Just five years into its journey, Kato Sake Works is excited to announce the launch of its craft sake across Japan, becoming the second American-owned and operated brewery to venture into the Japanese sake market. This milestone signals the growing presence of American craft beverages on the global stage, with U.S. sake making its initial forays. The expansion was made possible through collaborations with Brooklyn-based Kings County Brewers Collective and Japanese distribution partner Five Good Inc.
Image courtesy of: Kato Sake Works
As American craft beverages grow in popularity among young Japanese adults, Japan—a key importer of American craft beers—is paying close attention to this trend. With an aging population and a 30% decline in domestic sake consumption over the past decade, Japan’s industry leaders are recognizing the growing interest in craft beverages and their innovative appeal. Following the recent international launch by Brooklyn Kura and now Kato Sake Works—making them the first two domestic U.S. sake breweries to expand into Japan—this year, we are witnessing a new strategy to attract younger Japanese consumers by introducing craft sake products aimed at engaging a new generation of sake fans.
“It still feels surreal to be able to toast with friends in Japan using sake I’ve made in Brooklyn,” says Shinobu Kato, founder of Kato Sake Works. “Honestly, the whole reason I started brewing was simply because I wanted to drink freely with friends here, just like I used to in Japan.”
Eight years after his last visit and two decades since migrating to New York, this return to Japan marks a milestone for Kato. “We’re still in the chaos of startup life, and I was hesitant to leave the shop,” Shinobu shares. “But my team said, ‘Don’t worry, we’ve got this. Go.’ So I took them up on it. If all goes well with these events, I hope I—or other Kato Sake team members—can return to Japan soon.”
Kato Sake Works presents a diverse lineup in Japan, featuring:
- Junmai – signature “pure rice” sake prepared with no additives to express the character of the rice, with notes of dry apple, wildflower honey, prickly pear, and bamboo shoots
- Nigori – crisp and cool with a silky pour, including notes of white chocolate, cane sugar, and matured apples
- Nama – unpasteurized “raw” sake with notes of lychee, white rose, gingerbread, and caramel apple
- Yuzu – infused with Japanese yuzu lemon, balancing natural sweetness with a vibrant burst of citrus followed by a smooth aftertaste
- Mirin – the “flowing nectar,” aged with koji and sweet rice, producing a mellow, complex sweetness reminiscent of caramel, vanilla, roasted almonds, cinnamon, and coconut
- Doburoku – unpressed sake with notes of yellow apple, raspberry kefir, and milk foam
- Shizuku – made from the purest drops of sake, featuring notes of white tea, honeydew, Persian cucumber, and water chestnuts
About Kato Sake Works
Founded in Brooklyn by Shinobu Kato, Kato Sake Works emerged from his passion for sake and the desire to offer a tasting experience akin to beer and wine in the U.S. Since opening its doors in 2020, the brewery has become a cultural hub hosting sake tastings, classes, and special events. Committed to quality and innovation, Kato Sake Works actively collaborates with local breweries and vendors—now extending its reach to Japan.
