Sake makers tout locally sourced rice to entice terroir-obsessed wine enthusiasts
Brewery executive Kosuke Kuji brought his best sake to a New York booze showcase 16 years ago hoping to promote high-end sake to a new generation of sophisticated foreign drinkers. They were a little disappointed. It wasn't that sake from his Nanbu-Bijin brewery failed to ...
Sakekasu Soft Ice Cream: A divine combination for the summer
Along with the resurgence of sake, it's no surprise that there has also been steady interest in amazake, the sweetened alcoholic beverage made from sakekasu, the lees of sake production, which is known for being nutritious as it contains vitamins, protein, organic acids, fiber ...
Niigata teams with university, brewers to promote local sake at home, abroad
Major sake producing region Niigata is stepping up efforts to promote its sake brands locally and abroad with plans to establish a new sake course at the local university. In a joint effort between the Niigata Prefectural Government, Niigata University and Niigata Sake Brewers Association, ...
Japanese sake startup finds way to float in sinking industry
Entrepreneur Nao Kohara sits at a table in his favorite neighborhood bar, checking emails on his laptop computer and sipping a glass of sake. Some of his brightest business ideas have been hatched over a few drinks — including the concept behind his latest venture, ...
Craft Sake Week set to bloom in Tokyo's Roppongi Hills
Sake and sakura. Cherry blossom and Japan's traditional tipple make for a heady combination, wherever you put them together. One of the best parties this year is likely to be in the heart of Tokyo's Roppongi district, at the upcoming Craft Sake Week. Over 10 days ...
Hidehiko Ishizuka takes his love of sake on tour in streaming TV series
Gourmandizing television personality Hidehiko Ishizuka has a famously large appetite. Apparently, the portly comedian also has a taste for Japanese sake. On a clear February afternoon in the sake-producing region of Fushimi, just south of Kyoto, a camera crew forms a tight circle around ...
Asano: Sake tasting as an antidote for the shopping blues
This one is for the shoppers, or for those who have to go shopping but would rather be drinking sake. On the ground floor of Kyoto Aeon Mall, directly behind Kyoto Station, and just beyond the cash registers at Kohyo supermarket, you'll find Asano, ...
Sake brewer Philip Harper: 'You need to learn humility in the face of nature'
British native on the need for patience during the brewing process.
Sake sommelier unlocks the fun of 'nihonshu' for visitors from abroad
Every week, sake sommelier Satoko Utsugi leads groups of overseas visitors past the Fukagawa Fudosan Temple and along a shopping street in Tokyo's downtown neighborhood of Monzen-Nakacho. Their destination is Orihara Shoten, a sake shop with a tasting bar, and Utsugi's mission is to provide ...
Hotaru: Tokyo's first and only sake brew-pub
Uchi-Kanda has always been one of Tokyo's most colorful carousing districts. Just to the north of buttoned-up Otemachi and Marunouchi, its narrow streets are lined with low-budget eateries and boisterous izakaya taverns. Hotaru fits in perfectly but with one key distinction: It is Tokyo's ...
Richie Hawtin: Pairing Japan's best sake with techno
Richie Hawtin needs no introduction to anyone familiar with electronic music. For 25 years, this Berlin-based, English-Canadian DJ has been at the forefront of techno and he continues to play at major music and art events around the planet. Less well known is his passion ...
Getting out to ring in the new year
New Year's is one of the best times of the year when one can relax with family and friends. But for those who prefer to go out and enjoy the festive season, there are numerous exciting events going on. Here are some ways to ...
