May you all live long and prosper -- kanpai!
Happy Holidays to all Japan Times readers. The joys of sake can be boundless indeed, but, naturally, moderation is the key. Sake can be fascinating for those who are interested in delving deep, and just plain fun for those who like to enjoy it on ...
As the mercury drops, new sake rises to the top
'Tis the season when almost everything around us is slowing down, gravitating toward hibernation. The sake world, however, is just gathering steam with the birth of the brewing season's first batch of sake. With actual brewing of initial batches beginning in November, right about now ...
The man who never forgets a sake
Haruo Matsuzaki raises the small glass to his nose, sniffs for but a couple of seconds, and takes in a small sip. Slurping in a bit of air, he scribbles for a few seconds into his ever-present tiny notebook, finally expelling the sake into ...
More the merrier at Shinjuku's Zonbun
Shinjuku can be daunting, to say the least. Especially when you are in a group, looking for a place to hang and eat and drink. Where to begin looking can be as problematic as finding a place the whole group can fit. Add the ...
'Tis fall, and the brewers gather around their vats
In sync with the new colors and cooler weather of fall, the brewing season begins. Except for a few dozen brewing factories operated by the largest sake-brewing companies, sake is brewed in the colder months, generally from the end of October to the beginning ...
A long, reflective sip of sake's craft and science
Sake's history goes back centuries and centuries, but just how many is a matter of debate. Regardless of the answer, over the last century or so gains in sake-brewing methods and technology have been exponential. Oct. 1 was Nihonshu no Hi (Sake Day) as ...
Keeping it plain and simple for the serious sake drinker
Some of the best sake can be tasted these days at modern, shiny, artsy-craftsy sake pubs. These present some of the most lively and interesting environments in which to hang out with nihonshu. But sometimes, what we seek in a sake pub is more ...
Hatsu-nomikiri still a summer ritual for brewers
Sake breweries are usually fairly quiet in the summer. Except for the few large breweries where brewing continues all year, most places are dark and quiet and empty, as the brewers themselves have gone home for the summer. Traditionally, the kurabito (brewers) traveled great ...
When you least expect distinction in Shimbashi . . .
It's always refreshing to come across a new sake pub, in particular one that breaks the mold of tradition and convention. It's even more refreshing to come upon one that defies all efforts at categorization, yet still satisfies in every way. Meet Kyuzuki, which is ...
For new sake sensations, seek out the 'brat pack'
After tasting sake for some time, we begin to search for sake we have not yet tried. Of course, we have our favorites, sake we can fall back on and drink any day of the week. And we already know about good, well-publicized sake, ...
Compulsories of sake keeps brewers in top form
Last month, I gave an overview of the Shinshu Kanpyokai, the national new-sake tasting competition held each spring, and its logistics. Here is a look at what kind of sake wins, and what the big deal is about anyway. Sake submitted to this yearly contest ...
The 88th New-Sake Tasting Competitions were held in Hiroshima May 16. This government-run yearly tasting, the only one of its kind in the entire world, is an important part of sake history and culture, and extremely interesting in many ways. Over the past 90 years, it ...
