By Ryuji TakahashiLast year, many could not travel to their hometown due to the impact from the coronavirus, thus celebrated the year-end/New Year at home. For this reason, Japanese sake sold in high volumes compared to the end of the previous year. High-end sake over 10,000 JPY also sold in high qu...

By Ryuji Takahashi“All Nippon Product Fair,” titled traveling through Japan in three days, was organized by the Central Federation of Societies of Commerce and Industry, and held over three days in the Ikebukuro district of Tokyo in the Sunshine City building complex from November 19-21. This produc...

By Yuji MaatsumotoI was blessed with an opportunity to attend a lecture targeting salesmen for a wholesaler of Japanese food products in the U.S. The attendees handle various Japanese food products including sake. The theme of the lecture was not so much about the consumer’s question of “Which sake ...

By Ryuji TakahashiThe state of emergency is now lifted nationwide, with sake and food events held in various regions. Meanwhile, “Omi City’s Delicious Specialties and Quality Consumer Goods Fair” was held at the shopping center Viva City Heiwado in Hikone city, Shiga prefecture for twenty-five days ...

By Yuji MatsumotoTo be able to taste sake, the most importing to do is to identify and set your own tasting criteria. The criteria are not based on one’s preferences, so one must find the foundation that become the basis for judging various sake. One must have that foundation in place to be able to ...

By Ryuji TakahashiThe Kura Master 2021 contest for Japanese sake, Shochu and Awamori was held at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris on September 20.Japan w...

By Yuji MatsumotoI often see breweries and wholesale dealers recommending their sake to local American diners at sampling events, saying, “This sake goes with any food,” “We use 100% Yamadanishiki rice,” “This is Junmai Daiginjo,” and “This is a traditional kimoto sake,” etc. However, most people (i...

By Ryuji TakahashiAt the time this article was being written, over half of the Japanese population had received the second COVID-19 shot. As the number of cases started to decline, the state of emergency declaration was soon to be lifted in various areas. Restaurants and liquor shops were looking fo...

By Ryuji TakahashiRecently, the Japanese sake contest “Kura Master” held annually in France for French competitors announced the 2021 winners of the “5th Kura Master.” The sake contest held annually in France since 2017 is judged by judges based in Europe consisting of members holding the prestigiou...