Steve is a writer and resident of Japan for longer than he can remember. But even after so long he still enjoys finding and learning new things about life and culture here, and the wide world of sake has been a perfect topic for that. He hopes you enjoy learning more about the combination of history, art, and science that goes into sake brewing as much as he does.
Jun. 13. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: Rising costs around the world take their toll on two of sake’s biggest names. Then, this year marks the debut of the promising new Hyogo Sake Expo. Last, sake and music powerhouses join forces to celebrate their home of Kochi Prefecture.
May. 23. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: The results are in for the Medal round of the International Wine Challenge 2022 Sake Division. Then, when a historic brewery burns down, people from around Japan come to its aid. Last, Remote Sake Brewing brings the joy of growing sake rice to your front door.
May. 9. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: The American Craft Sake Festival is back and ready to showcase the efforts of breweries across North America. Then, a craft brewery in Japan raises funds with the tempting taste of mayo made with sake lees. Last, the Monaco Sake Award 2022 searches for the very best sake to pair with caviar.
Apr. 25. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: Dassai signs a two-year deal with the New York Yankees as an official sponsor. Then, four floors of sake fun open at the eclectic Ponsh Bldg. bar and event space in Tokyo. Last, Tippsy takes its US sake subscription service to the next level with a major boost in funding.
Apr. 11. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: The winners of The Fine Sake Awards 2022 are announced, honoring the brands of sake that taste best in a wine glass. Then, Nishibori Sake Brewery finds new flavors by experimenting with light. Last, Nihonsakari finds a way to keep sake tasting fresh and clear even at high temperatures.
Mar. 28. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: Sake and soap make for an unlikely but compelling combination with the Mizubasho Artist Series. Then, make sake not war with “No War Ukraine Totomoni” by Daiichi Sake Brewery. Last, a new delivery service is helping small breweries in Japan reach a global market.
Mar. 14. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: Aged sake gets the art museum treatment at a new online gallery. Then, the magic of sake rice is captured in a tea that’s said to go well with Japanese cuisine. Last, the techniques behind brewing sake may get “Intangible Cultural Heritage” designation from the UN.
Feb. 28. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: Gaming sake is set to hit the scene in cans decorated by gaming artists from past and present. Then, a new sake set is created to show off the beauty of aruten sake firsthand. Last, for those who can’t decide which brewery in Nada-Gogo to visit, Nadagogo Sakedokoro serves sake from all 26 of them in one place.
Feb. 14. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: A startup sake brewery in Niigata is doing things a little differently and turning heads in the process. Then, Choryo Shuzo in Nara is set to become the next prime cherry blossom viewing spot with sake and beer on tap. Last, a sake brewery in Hyogo makes an unexpected leap into the pharmaceutical market.
Jan. 31. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: The winner of Asahi Shuzo’s annual rice contest sells their harvest for a small fortune. Then, Taiwanese student artists pay homage to Kyoto sake with stylish cup sets. Last, add a dash of sake to any meal with an upcoming line of sake-infused salts.
Jan. 17. 2022 writer:
In the news this week: A sake-flavored milkshake returns to Japan’s Mos Burger fast food chain. Then, a free online service finds anyone’s perfect sake match without ever tasting a drop. Last, a former Japanese idol leaves show business and enters the sake business with her own startup.
Dec. 27. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: Katsuyama Sake Brewery releases a chic and sophisticated luxury sake sampler. Then, an exquisite sake aged in Cognac barrels from Wakaze is selling out fast. Last, Nanbu Bijin brewery continues to innovate with a new image processing system to ensure accurate deliveries.
Dec. 13. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: A new English-language online sake retailer helps make choosing a favorite sake a whole lot easier. Then, Gekkeikan’s bold idea to sell experimental sake has fans clamoring for more. Last, the worlds of homebrewing and professional brewing collide with a new “Pro” version of the popular MiCURA at-home sake brewing kits.
Nov. 22. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: A decommissioned Japanese train station becomes an exciting new sake brewery. Then, two breweries in Miyagi Prefecture join forces by blending their products. Finally, voting in Japanese elections just got sweeter with an offer of free sake for voters.
Nov. 8. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: Making shirts look their whitest is yet another newly discovered use for sake lees. Then, Chiyomusubi Sake Brewery has big plans to break into the whiskey market. Finally, a Kochi City brewery wants to turn people everywhere on to the joy of drinking from a hollowed out yuzu fruit.
Oct. 25. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: A very special flavor of potato chip with the sole purpose of pairing with Yamashiroya sake. Then, for those having trouble navigating the complex world of sake flavor, a new AI system is here to help. Finally, a former Hermès VP lends his talents to the luxury sake brand SAKE HUNDRED.
Oct. 11. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: Haccoba and Heralbony are bringing together sake and art in support of artists with disabilities. Then, a prestigious head brewer without a brewery now travels Japan in pursuit of new and exciting sake. Finally, a rare chance for anyone in the world to get a free education in sake is set to kick off at the end of October.
Sep. 27. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: Hakutsuru is going even greener with an array of solar panels on their largest brewery. Then, people can’t seem to get enough of Gekkeikan’s non-alcoholic sake drinks, so they’ve created a new, dry version to keep up. Finally, World Sake Day is taking off in the US with attendance for two major events selling out.
Sep. 13. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: The smash hit anime Attack on Titan comes to the rescue of Kikunosato brewery with a special line of themed sake -- and now it’s heading for Europe. Then, an open call for chefs around the world to find the best oyster dish that pairs with sake. Finally, Shirotengu, a gin crafted from sake, is the latest innovation out of Kumazawa Brewing Company.
Aug. 23. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: An attempt gets underway to revive a sake rice lost since 1986. Then, oak barrels aren’t just for whiskey anymore as Midorikawa Sake Company demonstrates with their popular aged sake. Finally, for those who want to try sake for the first time but don’t know where to start -- now there’s an app for that.
Aug. 9. 2021 writer:
In the news this week: France’s premier sake contest, Kura Master, is back and bigger than ever. Then, Japan loosens regulations on who can brew sake and shochu maker Nekka is racing to take advantage of it. Finally, a new project by a Hokkaido brewery is rewarding customers who help them reuse bottles.
Mar. 13. 2020 writer:
Saying Beau Timken’s sake boutique in San Francisco got in on the ground floor of globalized sake is an understatement. Since 2003, True Sake has been on the frontlines of sake’s expansion in the USA and, through hard work and ingenuity, the shop has helped sway public opinion in sake’s favor one customer at a time.
Feb. 21. 2020 writer:
In the sake world, it’s often the toji - or "brewmaster" - who gets the lion’s share of the praise. But while toji may play a very important role, sake brewing requires a lot of hands on deck - some of whom, increasingly, contribute skills that have little to do with the actual brewing process. Breweries like Tatenokawa, Inc. are starting to take seriously the parts of the business that don’t get fermented and bottled, often to great effect.
Feb. 13. 2020 writer:
In most businesses, the idea of a company lying dormant for a century and returning as a successful operation is unheard of. But in the sake world anything is possible and the only kura currently brewing in the heart of Tokyo is a perfect example. It’s also a great sake destination in its own right for anyone visiting the Tokyo area.
Jan. 29. 2020 writer:
For decades in Japan, the idea of a start-up sake brewery, or “kura,” was virtually unheard of due to strict government regulation. But, this year sees a significant loosening of these restrictions, making the idea of opening a new brewery much more feasible. It’s an ongoing process of deregulation in its early stages, but here’s what we know so far:
Jan. 23. 2020 writer:
Kurabito Stay, a new start-up in Nagano Prefecture, offers guests three-day, two-night stays in an actual sake brewery. It’s such a perfect travel experience for fans of sake or Japanese culture in general that it’s a surprise no one’s thought of it sooner. But, Kurabito Stay wasn’t easy to get off the ground, and took some ingenuity and a little luck for mother-turned-entrepreneur Mariko Tazawa to pull off.
Jan. 9. 2020 writer:
The sake industry is currently in a new state of change. Domestic demand is continually slipping and yet global sales have never been better and continue to grow. This leaves the producers at an interesting crossroads the likes of which they have never seen before. For one group of 12 breweries, the key to drinkers’ hearts worldwide and to the future of sake lies in sustainably and locally produced organic rice made in-house.
Dec. 3. 2019 writer:
Stories abound of age-old sake breweries in Japan passing leadership to younger generations. Obama Brewery in Fukui Prefecture, though, went the extra mile and applied for a new license under the relentlessly rigid National Tax Agency. Here’s how they did what most in the industry call “impossible.”
Oct. 31. 2019 writer:
For many, manga has been a great gateway into Japanese culture. Manga - the Japanese comic book medium that inspires a lot of more widely-known anime - has its share of western fans. For some it’s a quirky pop cultural fix, while others still may use it to study Japanese or gain a glimpse into Japanese culture from afar.
Unlike mainstream American comics, manga aren’t focused solely on action-packed, world-shattering battles between good and evil and, in fact, often opt to depict the mundane in fantastical ways. There are manga about aspiring rock bands, chefs and bakers, tennis players and, yes, even sake and sake brewers. Here are four such manga sake fans may enjoy:
Sep. 26. 2019 writer:
One of the interesting things about the world of sake is that every one of the thousands of brands has a story behind it. Take Shinho, a junmai sake that was released as a part of the Sake 100 line of luxury brands. This story begins in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture. Once a jewel of the farming industry in Japan, the area suddenly found itself on the brink of collapse.
Sep. 19. 2019 writer:
It’s one small step for Heiwa Brewery, but one giant leap for sake as the daring producer attempts to turn its popular KID brand of junmai daiginjo into literal rocket fuel to power one of Interstellar Technologies Momo commercial rockets. The move has gotten Heiwa a lot of buzz in the media, but it’s other sake breweries that president Norimasa Yamamoto hopes take notice.
Sep. 5. 2019 writer:
Yoshihiro Sako bootstrapped his way to creating Den Sake, one of California’s premier small-batch sake breweries
Aug. 9. 2019 writer:
In the long history of sake, packaging in metal bottles is a relatively new technique. Still, doing so seems to have combined the benefits of every other material to date, including glass, plastic, and paper boxes. Improving the flow of sake for both brewery and drinker, it’s a wonder that this wasn’t done sooner.
Jun. 27. 2019 writer:
The dates printed on the labels of sake bottles are admittedly not the most straightforward things in the world. However, once you understand the basic logic behind them they can be an excellent tool to ensure you get the most out of your favorite sake brands.
Jun. 20. 2019 writer:
Sake is sometimes seen as a classy drink which belies the hours of backbreaking labor that goes into making it. So let’s take a look behind the scenes at some of the things brewery staff have to haul around on a daily basis and weigh them all for good measure.
Jun. 13. 2019 writer:
For a surefire way to impress at any sake-themed gathering, be sure to read these quick and easy methods for opening sake bottles like a pro. It’s more than just screwing off the cap, but still easy enough that anyone can do it right away.
May. 23. 2019 writer:
It’s a taste we’ve all known since before we were born, but most of us still can’t put a finger on what exactly “umami” is. Luckily, sake can be a great tool to help develop a sense for this widely underestimated and misunderstood flavor element.
May. 16. 2019 writer:
Standing up or lying down? Refrigerated or not? Know the right way to hang on to your sake.
Apr. 18. 2019 writer:
As sake continues to gain momentum in the global market there are many reasons why it might be wise to introduce its proper name of "nihonshu" (a.k.a. Japanese sake) on a global level. Your drinking satisfaction may depend on it.
Mar. 22. 2019 writer:
Although cherry blossoms and sake are both iconic symbols of Japan, the two are actually more intricately linked than meets the eye. From the annual outdoor drinking parties of "hanami" to sake made from actual sakura, they’ve both worked together to mold modern Japanese culture in many ways.
SAKETIMES is Japan’s most viewed, shared, trusted, and relied upon online source covering all-things-sake.
