I do a lot of work with a very large Japanese company so have been subjected to a lot of sake. My random knowledge on the subject is:
The stuff I've tasted in Japan and japanese restaurants in Vietnam is much better than the bottle we celebrated winning the Varsity Judo match back in 1990 which was from oddbins and rough as, although I'm not sure we chilled it which could have been a mistake. Luke warm Sake is not recommended.
Contrary to jefmcg i have been served both warm and cold sake in Japan, the stuff meant to be served warm is brewed slightly sweeter but isn'tt inferior, although I personally prefer the cold stuff.
I too have had the stuff with gold leaf in it, wonderfully decadent.
You can also get white Sake, which is unfiltered so has all the rice mulch in it , hence the White colour. Again a bit sweeter, and not as good to my palate as the cold dryer stuff.
Agree with jefmcg, the pouting it into and overflowing a wooden box is quite a cute ritual.
I have a sodding great bottle of it at home 1.8 litres I think which I'm waiting for the right occasion and company to crack open.