Sake (pronounced to sound similar to “way” instead of rhyming with “fee”) has some traditions you should educate yourself on when you should want to show knowledge of Japanese customs when ordering sake at a Japanese restaurant.

First, you need to recognize the parts of a Japanese sake set. Sake is served out of a bottle termed a tokkuri, which is tall with a narrow neck, and it also can be served out of a katakuchi, which is similar to a tea kettle. The katakuchi sake set is what you would see in the San San Ku Do Shinto sake ceremony at weddings. There are two cups you will see in a sake set for drinking from: the ochoko (a little cup) or a masu (a square wooden box cup).

Sake is warmed to room temperature by filling the tokkuri with sake and then sitting the bottle in warm water. If the type of sake calls for it, you can enjoy the sake cold.

When serving to guests, it is rude to pour your own glass. Pour for your guests, and the guests will pour for you. In Japanese restaurants, it is polite to pour using just one hand if the person you are pouring for is of higher station than you; otherwise, you may use both hands.
Only in a restaurant setting, you can toast by saying “Kanpai”.

Enjoy!

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