There is no set size for choko, and there are many variations.
What's more, it's a very useful container that
can be used for things other than drinking alcohol.
In this article, we will explain in detail how to choose and use choko, as well as recommended products.
I don't
drink sake, so I don't have a choko bottle...I'm sure you'll want one too!
Why not use this article as an
opportunity to learn about the charm of choko?
I want to see what products are available first! If so, please take a look here.
What is choko?
Choko is a sake cup for enjoying sake, and is often used together with sake carafe,Tokkuri.
Originally, it
was used to serve foods such as aemono and vinegared dishes.
From the mid-Edo period onwards, it began to be
used for things like sake vessels and noodle soup.
Origin of choko
Choko was originally called "choku", and there are various theories about its origin, as listed below.
Also, the
notation "Choko" seems to be a guess.
《Origin of choko》
・Because sake cups were called “chong” in China
・It was taken from
the vessel called choko that was used in the “honzen cuisine” eaten by samurai families
・It comes from
“chottoshitamono” which means a small amount
・It is related to “choku” which expresses lack of decoration and
simplicity
How to choose a choko mouth
Select by material
Ceramics
The most commonly seen items are those made of ceramics.
Pottery goes well with deep sake, and can be used for
both cold and hot sake.
It also has a good texture and is easy to hold, and its thickness makes it pleasant to
the mouth.
Thick sake makes it gentler to drink when used for hot sake.
In addition, porcelain is thinner than earthenware, is light, easy to lift, and has a cool feel.
You can enjoy a
wide range of flavors, from rich to sharp and dry.
Glass
Glass sake cups are suitable for people who want to enjoy the flavor of sake as is.
We also recommend using
different types of sake depending on their thickness, such as a diluted version for a refreshing sake like Daiginjo,
and a thick version for a rich nigori sake.
Thin ones allow you to enjoy the sake more directly.
It is also perfect for cold drinks due to its cool appearance.
In addition, there are many items with elaborate
designs such as Kiriko and Tsugaru Vidro.
Thursday
A wooden choko made of materials such as cypress, zelkova, and bamboo.
Compared to other materials such as
ceramics and glass, it is lightweight and hard to break.
If it is unpainted, you can enjoy the aroma of the wood while enjoying the alcoholic beverage.
If it is coated
with resin such as urethane, it is durable and you can enjoy the beauty of the wood grain forever.
Also, lacquerware choko cups are ideal for serving sake as they don't get too hot and don't cool easily even when you
pour hot sake into them.
Tin
Tin is a material that has often been used for sake and tea utensils because it eliminates unpleasant tastes and gives a mellow taste.
Also, it has high thermal conductivity.
Putting a tin choko in the refrigerator for a minute or two will cool
the entire container and make cold sake taste even better.
Furthermore, it is said to bring good luck as it does not rust easily, making it perfect as a gift.
You can also
find some with elaborate designs, such as those with gold leaf pasted on them or those with beautiful "tsuchime" marks
from being hit with something like a hammer.
Titanium
Titanium is difficult to conduct heat, so the temperature of the sake poured into it is difficult to change.
Recommended for those who want to enjoy sake at a low temperature.
By the way, outdoor brands also sell sake cups made of titanium.
It is suitable for outdoor use as it maintains
the right temperature, is durable and easy to carry.
It looks like it would be good for cherry blossom viewing
on the terrace.
Select by size/capacity
The capacity of choko cups ranges from a typical 30 to 60 cc to 120 to 150 cc.
Choose the one that best suits
your favorite alcohol and drinking style.
If you want to drink a large amount in one sip or like cold sake, you should choose a smaller one, and if you want to enjoy the change in taste as the temperature changes, you should choose a larger one.
Select by shape
The taste of sake differs depending on the shape of the choko.
What I would especially like to pay attention to
is the width of the drinking mouth.
When the mouth is wide, the surface area of the sake is
also large, so the aroma becomes more intense.
On the other hand, if the mouth is narrow, the taste will be
refreshing.
Introducing the characteristics of each shape!
Find a shape that matches the type of alcohol you often drink.
Bowl-shaped
The drinking mouth is wide, allowing you to fully experience the flavor and aroma of the alcohol.
It goes well
with any kind of alcohol, but it is good for light and dry sake such as honjozo and raw sake.
Bud type
A rounded shape with a narrow mouth and a wider bottom.
It's easy to lock in the aroma, so when you pour pure
rice sake into it, you can directly feel the original taste of the sake.
Straight type
It is vertically long and slopes slightly downward, allowing you to enjoy the aroma and texture of the alcohol.
Suitable for sake with unique characteristics such as old sake and long-term aged sake.
Trumpet type
The trumpet-shaped choko, which has an inverted triangular shape and a wide mouth, has a stronger aroma than the
bowl-shaped drink.
Good if you want to enjoy the gorgeous aromas of Daiginjo and Ginjo sake.
Recommended choko
We will mainly introduce the most popular choko in UTSUWABI!
Sake Cup Choko Blue Arabesque | Hasami Ware
A dyed choko with blue on a white background.
The combination of blue and white is a common color scheme for
pottery, so it goes well with other pottery.
The arabesque pattern drawn on the surface is an auspicious pattern that means prosperity of descendants and
longevity.
Therefore, it is also perfect for celebrations such as New Year's Day and birthdays.
The shape is simple and can be used for various types of sake.
It's convenient to have one choko that can be
used for multiple purposes, from everyday use to entertaining.
Sake Cup Choko Beige | Mino Ware
A light beige choko with a clean appearance.
It has a rough texture that fits comfortably in your hand and is
easy to hold, giving you the warmth that only ceramics can provide.
Also, the wide mouth allows you to enjoy the color and aroma of the sake.
It's a good size to hold snacks and
other small side dishes, so it's a good idea to have more than one.
You can also make it as a gift for alcohol lovers by pairing it with a sake bottle from the same series.
Iwakuni lotus root glass Guinomi flat cup glass glass workshop maru
This is a glass sake cup with a slightly unusual pale green color.
The striped relief on the surface is
beautiful and drape-like.
A sake cup, which is slightly smaller than a choko mouth, is perfect for when you want
to drink cold sake in one sip.
High-quality handmade glassware can also be used to serve small side dishes or cut fruits.
It's an attractive tableware that you'll want to collect because it can also be used as an accent on your table.
Cold Sake Ware Set Black | Mino Ware
This product is a set of 3 items: a plate, a katakuchi, and a sake cup.
Just a chic black sake cup will give
your usual evening drink a slightly different atmosphere.
This set is very convenient as each piece can be used separately.
Plates can be used as serving plates or
dessert plates, one side can be used as a container for sauces and other condiments or a flower vase, and a sake cup
can be used as a mini cup to serve snacks or cut cakes, etc. Depending on your ideas, you can use it in a variety of
ways.
As shown in the photo, it is also great to use as a standard dinnerware set for evening drinks.
Sake Cup Guinomi Turquoise Blue | Shigaraki Ware
A beautiful container with a bright blue gradation.
The brown edges are a great accent.
You can
enjoy crisp cold sake that matches the refreshing color, and since it has depth, you can also use it for hot sake,
where you can enjoy the change in taste depending on the temperature.
It can also be used as a tea set or small bowl, so it's very convenient to have on your everyday dining table!
It is also good to use stick vegetables.
It's easy to stack, so it's useful to have multiple pieces.
Sake Cup Sakazuki Purple Cloisonne | Hasami Ware
An elegant tableware with a brown cloisonne pattern on a white background.
Cloisonne is an auspicious pattern
that symbolizes endless connections between people and the prosperity of descendants because of the way the circles
connect infinitely.
It has a modern design that looks like a geometric pattern, but it is perfect for special occasions such as New Year's
Day!
Can be used for a wide range of purposes, from everyday use to special occasions.
White porcelain sake vessels have a shallow and wide diameter, allowing you to enjoy the aroma and color of the
alcohol.
Also, since it is made of porcelain, the drinking spout is thin, allowing you to feel the taste of the
alcohol directly.
Due to its wide mouth, you can simply add salmon roe, pickles, etc. to it.
It's also good to have several and
use one as a snack.
Flat Sake Cup Sakazuki Red Butterfly | Hasami Ware
A pottery characterized by gorgeous painting on the inside.
It's so cool to be able to enjoy the beautiful
designs through alcohol.
It's a little thick, so it has a nice texture.
It's trumpet-shaped with an angle and a wide mouth, so it looks
good for drinking dry alcohol.
You can also use it to serve things like ohitashi,
The pattern is beautiful, so it would be nice to just display
it on a shelf.
Sake Cup Guinomi Brown and Red Lines | Shigaraki Ware
A pottery that allows you to feel the warmth of the earth, which is unique to ceramics.
The tasteful
hand-painted patterns are also attractive, as no two pieces are the same.
A simple form that goes well with various types of alcohol.
The high base is solid, so it feels stable when
lifted.
Perfect for small side dishes such as simmered dishes and Koya-tofu.
The design is not too overstated, so
it won't look out of place when used with Western tableware.
Having a pottery that accents your dining table
will make every evening drink more enjoyable.
A little trivia! What does the "Janome pattern" on the choko's mouth mean?
Have you ever seen a double blue circle at the bottom of a choko?
This pattern can be seen on the choko, which is called a "kikichoku" or "kikichoko," and is used for tasting sake at sake breweries and fairs.
The reason for using a choko with a Janome(snake's eye) pattern is that it is easier to judge the color.
Sake has a faint yellow color.
To confirm this correctly, blue, which is the opposite color of yellow, makes it
easier to see yellow clearly in white areas, so this color scheme is used.
In other words, the white base
determines the color of the alcohol, and the blue pattern determines the transparency.
How to use choko
Choko is a small but deep container with a large capacity.
If you have a choko cup that you are not using, why
not try the following method?
Use as a small bowl
The choko mouth is deep, so it is suitable for storing small side dishes such as ohitashi, pickles, and marinade.
Just by arranging a few on a platter, you can serve as a one-plate appetizer for hospitality.
Used as a tea cup
Most of the choko cups are around 5cm in diameter.
It is also suitable for enjoying Chinese tea, etc., which has
a strong taste and aroma.
Use as a dessert cup
Choko is a good size for serving bite-sized sweets such as ice cream and fruit.
It's also great to use as
containers for mini sweets at buffet-style home parties.
Use as accessory case
The choko is also convenient for storing small items such as accessories and sweets.
I once put it in a drawer
to store buttons.
Use as a vase
You can fill the choko with water, so you can use it as a vase by placing one or two flowers in it.
How about
arranging flowers from your garden as an accent to your dining table?
In addition to this, some people enjoy making mini bonsai by putting small moss balls in the pot, and others use them as containers for pincushions.
Recommended even if you can't drink alcohol! Let's enjoy life with choko
When you think of a choko, you have the impression that it is only used for sake, but
It is actually a very
attractive container that can be used in a variety of ways.
Also, there are many materials available and stylish designs.
It is small and does not take up much space, so it
is suitable for collection.
In addition to being used as sake vessels and small bowls, the choko can also be used as a practical item to hold small items, and it is also great for interior decoration as a flower vase!
Why not find your favorite choko and incorporate it into your daily life?
Just having a choko spout will add an
accent to your dining table or room, so I highly recommend using it.
You can view the choko we introduced this time from this page.
If you want to know more about sake vessels, please read this article.
・A Guide to Sake Ware: Choosing Sake carafe, Choko and Recommended Items
・The Difference Between Guinomi, Choko, and Sakazuki: A Guide to Choosing Sake Cups
・How to Choose a Sake Carafe Tokkuri : Etiquette and Recommended Items for Enjoying Sake
Thank you for reading until the end.
I hope you all have a wonderful time with your favorite utensils.
Here is the link to the UTSUWABI website