Japanese Sake Cost Brewery

What Japanese Sake Cost Brewery does

Japanese Sake Cost Brewery (日本酒原価酒蔵) is a specialized sake izakaya (Japanese pub) chain that sells premium Japanese sake at near-wholesale ("cost") prices. The company is operated by Creative Place Co., Ltd. (株式会社クリエイティブプレイス), a privately held Japanese corporation led by President and CEO Nakamura Yuto (中村 雄斗), headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The brand concept — "Spreading the joy of Sake to the world" — is operationalized through direct brewery relationships, including with notable producers such as Mikohotsuru (IWC Champion Sake), Okazaki/Kamoshika, Kawatsuru, Aramasa, Juyondai, and Jikon, and through exclusive limited-distribution products unavailable elsewhere.

The chain operates 19+ directly-owned restaurant locations across two of Japan's largest metropolitan areas: Kanto (Tokyo neighborhoods including Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Kanda, Jimbocho, Ueno-Okachimachi, Shinbashi, Kinshicho, and Machida, plus Kawasaki, Yokohama, and Omiya) and Kansai (Osaka Umeda, Honmachi, Tanimachi-yonchome, and Tenma). The core product is an unlimited-time all-you-can-drink plan priced at ¥990-¥2,590 per person covering 30+ varieties in the standard tier and 35+ sake varieties in the premium tier. This is supplemented by tiered food courses (杉玉 ¥4,000-¥4,500; 酒蔵 ¥5,000-¥5,500; 杜氏 ¥6,500-¥7,000) and a recurring slate of limited premium tasting events featuring rare brands like Juyondai and Aramasa Colors at prices up to ¥15,400 per person. Sister brands (個室居酒屋 天日, 炉端とおでん 天ノ恵) extend the format.

The business model is direct-to-consumer restaurant operations with event-driven demand generation. Customer acquisition channels include a proprietary mobile app (iOS/Android) with member-exclusive coupons, LINE Open Chat groups per store for real-time event notifications, social media presence (Instagram, X, TikTok), a content-marketing blog series (蔵見学録) profiling partner breweries, and Google Business Profile review management (stores maintain 4.2-4.8 star ratings). Reservations are processed through the company's own web platform powered by Truret, supplemented by phone reservations and walk-ins. Customer segments include sake enthusiasts seeking rare brands, casual diners and social drinkers attracted by value-priced all-you-can-drink, group events/private dining parties, and young adults targeted via social media and experience-based recruitment events.

Name

Japanese Sake Cost Brewery

Legal name

株式会社クリエイティブプレイス

Website

https://sake-genkabar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Japanese Sake Cost Brewery (日本酒原価酒蔵) is a privately held specialty sake izakaya chain operating 19+ directly-owned locations across Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Osaka, serving sake enthusiasts and casual diners with 50+ premium sake varieties sold at near-wholesale prices via unlimited-time all-you-can-drink plans and limited premium tasting events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sake Izakaya / Japanese Pub Restaurant

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beverage-Led QSR (Bubble Tea, Smoothies, Specialty Drinks) (THAFAAAL)

Keywords

• Sake izakaya chain
• Japanese pub dining
• Premium sake retail
• All-you-can-drink plans
• Set course dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-shinagawa

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Food & Beverage Sales: Core revenue from food and sake sales at restaurant locations. Includes individual sake purchases (sold by the glass/bottle), food orders, and all-inclusive course menus.
2. All-You-Can-Drink Plans: Time-unlimited and 2-hour all-you-can-drink packages (通常飲み放題, プレミアム飲み放題) priced from ¥990–¥2,590 per person. Premium upgrade (+¥550) expands sake selection from 20 to 35+ varieties. Sold as add-on to food orders.
3. Course Dining Plans: Omakase-style course dining plans bundled with all-you-can-drink: 杉玉コース (¥4,000–¥4,500), 酒蔵コース (¥5,000–¥5,500), 杜氏コース (¥6,500–¥7,000). Premium tasting comparison plans priced at ¥5,000–¥15,400.
4. Limited-Event Premium Plans: Special limited-time tasting events (e.g., 十四代飲み比べ, 新政Colors全種飲み比べ, 痛風鍋) generating premium revenue with prices from ¥3,980–¥11,000 per person.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Japanese Sake Cost Brewery operates a chain of sake-specialist izakaya restaurants serving 50+ varieties of premium Japanese sake at near-wholesale (cost) prices, paired with tiered set-course dining plans. Core offerings include unlimited-time all-you-can-drink plans (standard 30+ drinks / premium 35+ sake varieties), set courses (杉玉コース, 酒蔵コース, 杜氏コース), seasonal hot-pot events (痛風鍋), and limited tasting-comparison events featuring rare brands such as 十四代, 而今, 新政. Customer access occurs via in-store dining across 19+ directly operated locations in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Osaka, supplemented by a proprietary mobile app and web reservation system.

Product overview

Japanese Sake Cost Brewery operates a chain of sake specialty izakaya (Japanese pub-style restaurants) offering over 50 varieties of premium sake at wholesale (cost) prices. The core product is the unlimited-time all-you-can-drink drinking plan in standard (30+ varieties) and premium (35+ varieties including sake) tiers, available at venues across Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, and Osaka. These base drinking plans are supplemented by food courses (杉玉, 酒蔵, 杜氏 courses at escalating price points with increasing dish counts) and seasonal event plans. The company also runs time-limited specialty tasting experiences featuring rare and premium sake brands such as Juyondai, Jikon, Hanayoi, Hiryugyoku, Aratama, and others at specific store locations, often bundled with food courses and premium drinking plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Standard Unlimited-Time All-You-Can-Drink Plan (通常時間無制限飲み放題) Unlimited-time drinking plan at all chain locations offering 30+ drink varieties including draft beer, highballs, sours, and 20 sake varieties; ¥990/person weekday and ¥1,540/person weekend or holiday eve (tax-inclusive). Valid up to 11 hours until store closing (23:30).
• Premium Unlimited-Time All-You-Can-Drink Plan (プレミアム時間無制限飲み放題) Premium unlimited-time drinking plan with 35+ sake varieties plus draft beer, highballs, and sours; ¥1,540/person weekday; ¥2,090–¥2,590/person weekend or holiday eve (tax-inclusive).
• 杉玉コース (Sugitama / Cedar Ball Course) Entry-level set course of 8 dishes (smoked duck, crispy peppers, ankimo ponzu, house-made potato salad, sansho-grilled chicken thigh, oden 3-kind assortment, salt-koji butter potatoes, oden champpon ramen) bundled with all-you-can-drink; ¥4,000 (regular drinking) / ¥4,500 (premium drinking) tax-inclusive per person.
• 酒蔵コース (Sakagura / Brewery Course) Mid-tier set course of 10 dishes including cream cheese with Saikyo miso, grilled mackerel shime, oden 3-kind assortment, and aozora/mentaiko butter rice cooked in donabe; bundled with all-you-can-drink at ¥5,000 (regular) / ¥5,500 (premium) tax-inclusive per person.
• 杜氏コース (Toji / Master Brewer Course) Premium set course of 11 dishes including mentaiko potato salad, edamame, four-kind cheese assortment, uni cream croquettes, and green onion beef tendon rice in donabe; bundled with all-you-can-drink at ¥6,500 (regular) / ¥7,000 (premium) tax-inclusive per person.
• Specialty Tasting Comparison Plans (特別飲み比べプラン) Specialty tasting plans offering side-by-side comparisons of rare and premium sake brands including Junmai Daiginjo and limited-edition/seasonal varieties, available at select chain locations with varying pricing and sake lineups.
• 十四代 Premium All-You-Can-Drink Plan (大阪梅田本店) Limited 120-minute premium all-you-can-drink at Osaka Umeda Honten featuring the sought-after 十四代 brand alongside 34 other premium sake varieties, with a 2-dish food minimum; ¥7,700 tax-inclusive per person.
• 新政 Colors 全種飲み比べ Plan (新宿総本店) Limited tasting plan at Shinjuku Soteihonten offering all 7 varieties of the 新政 (Aramasa) Colors series (Lapis Lazuli, Ecru, Cosmos, Virginian, Tangerine, Earth, Ash) in 50ml pours, plus 120-minute premium all-you-can-drink; ¥7,700 tax-inclusive per person, capped at 30 guests per event.
• 痛風鍋 食べ放題 (Gout Nabe All-You-Can-Eat) Seasonal all-you-can-eat hot-pot plan featuring oysters, shirako (cod milt), and ankimo (monkfish liver) with fresh vegetables at participating stores; plan alone ¥3,980 tax-inclusive, with regular all-you-can-drink ¥6,480 or premium all-you-can-drink ¥7,030. Over 25,000 cumulative participants across 9 stores.
• 十四代 ハイスペック5種飲み比べ Plan (神田店) High-spec tasting at Kanda store offering 5 premium 十四代 varieties (龍月, 雙眸, 七垂二十貫, JAL First Class Original, EXTRA 播州福来泉) plus 120-minute premium all-you-can-drink; ¥15,400 tax-inclusive per person, capped at 18 guests.
• 体験型会社説明会 (Experience-Based Company Information Session / Sake Event) Experience-based company information session for candidates aged 20–21, combining sake tasting of 5 varieties with food and brand briefing; ¥1,000 tax-inclusive per attendee at Shinjuku Soteihonten.

Quantifiable outcome

• All-you-can-drink at ¥990/person (weekday) provides 30+ drink options including 20 sake varieties
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 御湖鶴酒造場 (Mikohotsuru Shuzojo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2026Nagano Prefecture brewery that went bankrupt in 2017 and revived in 2018. Visited by 日本酒原価酒蔵 for the 蔵見学録 (Sake Brewery Report) series. Won IWC (International Wine Challenge) Champion Sake award in 2021. Features clean-room style koji room and 6-person multi-skilled team. Supplies exclusive sake products to 日本酒原価酒蔵.
• 岡崎城建 (Okazaki Sake Brewery / 信州亀齢)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded 1665 in Nagano Prefecture Ueda City.现代表 joined as son-in-law and revived the brewery from near-closure. Manages regional revitalization through rice terrace preservation, local sake production, and community events. Supplies exclusive products including 信州亀齢 brand to 日本酒原価酒蔵.
• 川鶴造假 (Kawatsuru Shuzo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner120+ year-old brewery in Kagawa Prefecture. Known for 讃岐くらうでぃ (Sanuki Kuraudi), a low-alcohol (6%) sake designed to pair with local gourmet '骨付鳥' (boned chicken). Uses local Kagawa rice and olive yeast. Supplies exclusive products to 日本酒原価酒蔵.
• トレタ (Truret) — Online Reservation SystemcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the online reservation and booking management platform (簡単ウェブ予約) used across all 日本酒原価酒蔵 locations. Also shares customer email addresses collected via the reservation system for marketing purposes per the privacy policy.
• 磐栄運送 (Ban-ei Transport / BHC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFukushima-based transport/logistics company that acquired御湖鶴's land and buildings in 2018 and enabled its revival. Parent company of 御湖鶴造假場. Not a direct partner of 日本酒原価酒蔵 but a key stakeholder in the partner brewery ecosystem.
• 新政 (Aramare Shuzo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighly sought-after Akita Prefecture brewery. Its 新政Colors series is featured in exclusive tasting events at 日本酒原価酒蔵. Multiple limited-edition 新政 varieties (ラピスラズリ, エクリュ, コスモス, ヴィリジアン, アース, アッシュ, タンジェリン) offered in special plans.
• 十四代 (Juyon-dai, Kaori Bunjakusei)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtremely rare and sought-after Yamagata Prefecture brewery. Featured prominently in monthly rare sake releases (月初ダヨ), tasting comparison events, and premium all-you-can-drink plans at 日本酒原価酒蔵 locations.
• 而今 (Jikon, Kino Maeda Shurui)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMie Prefecture brewery known for highly limited editions. Featured in monthly rare sake releases, tasting comparison plans, and premium events at multiple 日本酒原価酒蔵 locations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 鳥貴族 (Torikizoku): Listed Japanese yakitori-izakaya chain operating ~600+ stores nationwide on a low-price, high-volume model. Most directly comparable peer in chain scale and target demographic (casual drinkers, value seekers) — Japanese Sake Cost Brewery competes for the same evening-out occasions with a sake-led versus yakitori-led value proposition.
• 白木屋 (Shirokiya): Long-established Japanese izakaya chain under Watami Group with extensive sake menus and metropolitan locations. Comparable chain scale and traditional izakaya format.
• 土間土間 (Doma Doma): Mid-market Japanese izakaya chain with broad all-you-can-drink plans and urban locations. Closely comparable operating model and pricing tier to Japanese Sake Cost Brewery's weekday ¥990 entry plan.
• 北の味紀行と地酒 (Hokkaido-to-Jizake / Watami-affiliated): Sake-specialty izakaya brand within the Watami Group. Direct competitor to Japanese Sake Cost Brewery's 'cost-price premium sake' positioning, with similar regional-sake curation and izakaya format.
• 魚民 (Uotami): Large-scale Japanese izakaya chain operated by Emoten/Mt Group with hundreds of locations. Comparable chain economics, all-you-can-drink menu structure, and target customer base for casual group drinking occasions.
• 塚田農場 (Tsukada Nojo): Mid-priced izakaya chain focused on regional Japanese cuisine and jizake (local sake). Highly comparable as a sake-emphasizing chain operating across major Japanese metros with curated regional beverage programs.
• 金の蔵 (Kinnokura): Value-positioned izakaya chain within the Kisoji group with all-you-can-drink-led menus across Tokyo and major metros. Direct competitor for the same ¥1,000–¥2,000 all-you-can-drink price band.
• 甘太郎 (Amataro): Mid-range izakaya chain with strong Tokyo/Kanto presence and a sake-heavy beverage program. Comparable multi-store urban operator targeting similar casual dining demographics.
• 笑笑 (Warawara): Large Japanese izakaya chain operated by Watami Group. Comparable chain scale, urban location strategy, and emphasis on sake and shochu all-you-can-drink packages.

Emerging players

• 月の雫 (Tsuki no Shizuku) / Premium Sake Bars: Standalone premium sake bar operators in major Japanese cities. Comparable focus on curated premium sake programs and tasting events, though operating as single-location bars rather than chains.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NIHONSHU_GENKA
• Facebookfacebook.com/nihonshugenkasakagura0401
• Instagraminstagram.com/nihonshugenka
• TikToktiktok.com/@sakechanel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Japanese Sake Cost Brewery