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About

HelloSake was founded in California with the mission of transforming global access to sake. We believe sake's true potential has yet to be fully shared with the world. With its refined sweetness, crafted meticulously by skilled artisans, sake unlocks the hidden potential of food and brings people closer together. Our passion is to share this incredible drink and the rich culture behind it with the world. Through the world’s largest sake marketplace, HelloSake delivers authentic stories from breweries, grows a vibrant sake community, and creates exceptional buying experiences. We envision a future where sake unites people around the world!

Team

Kenta Hara

Co-Founder & CEO

A certified international sake kikisake-shi from a family that has been running a sake brewery for over 200 years. Passionate about sharing the joy of sake with the world, he founded HelloSake to bring people closer to this incredible drink. He loves exploring sake’s diversity and has a special appreciation for rich, full-bodied flavors.

Ryosuke Kuga

Co-Founder & CSO

After graduating from university, I became captivated by the profound world of sake. Back then, I was living in a tiny 4.5-tatami mat apartment, but still managed to squeeze in three fridges just for sake. At one point, I had over 150 unopened bottles at home. I used to buy multiple bottles of the same sake and age them under different conditions just to see how the flavor would change over time. These days, I’ve stepped back a bit from the hardcore collector mindset. Now I’m more focused on thinking about what I want to do with sake, rather than just collecting and studying it. In my late twenties, I spent around five years living in Silicon Valley, where I met Kenta—another sake lover like me.

Dai Aoki

Co-Founder & CTO

Born and raised in Hokkaido, Japan. After graduating from Hokkaido University, he moved to Spain on his own. Recognizing the growing importance of technology, he transitioned into a career as a software engineer.At Trenders Inc., he led the technical development of Anny, an online shop specializing in gifts. Later, after a period as a freelancer, he took on the role of CTO at a startup. He enjoys drinking Japanese sake, as well as walking his dog. This marks his third company working alongside Kenta (CEO of HelloSake).

Our Location

California, USA - Based in California, USA, we are expanding globally. We are also preparing to establish a branch in Japan!

HelloSake Marketplace

Discoverability

Quickly find the right sake for any occasion, guided by tools that mimic the expertise of a sommelier.

Community

Easily connect with sake enthusiasts from around the world and access their reviews.

Learn

Explore the stories of each sake and brewery.

Future Roadmap

Currently, purchases are limited to the United States, but we are working on partnerships with Japanese breweries and retailers. If you have a Shopify site, you can easily join HelloSake. We also offer support for building Shopify-based sites, so feel free to reach out!

HelloSake