Exile’s Kenchi Tachibana Creates Own Sake with Kyoto’s Matsumoto Brewery

Although most people know Kenchi Tachibana as an actor and dancer with pop groups like Exile,, he’s also well known in sake circles for his efforts to learn about and promote the traditional art of brewing. In fact, in 2018 he was given the title of Sake Samurai for his work in the sake world.

Now, with the help of Matsumoto Sake Brewing in Fushimi, Kyoto, Tachibana has developed a brand of sake called Suhari Tachibana. This all-new brew is created under Matsumoto’s popular “Suhari” line of sake, which place emphasis on the unique character of rice that goes into making each batch.

Suhari Tachibana uses the legendary “king of sake rice” yamada nishiki.  This particular batch of yamada nishiki was given a unique ID number (597) by Matsumoto Sake Brewing to denote the specific environmental conditions and area that it was grown in.

Tachibana was also heavily involved in the production of Suhari Tachibana from the brewing to the pressing, and even the design of the label.

Suhari Tachibana will go on sale on September 8, at the grand opening of LDH Kitchen Izakaya Aobadai, run by Exile’s own management company LDH. The sake will be sold exclusively through this restaurant as well as a few select liquor stores such as Hasegawa Saketen in Tokyo and Sake no Yamamoto in Osaka.

Suhari Tachibana promises to be far more than just another celebrity collaboration sake. With Kenchi Tachibana’s acquired knowledge and passion for the drink, this brand is certainly worth checking out.

◎Product Information

• Name: Suhari Tachibana
• Price: 2,700 yen (plus tax)
• Release Date: Sept 8, 2019

◎Event Information

• Name: LDH Kitchen Izakaya Aobadai Grand Opening
• Date: Sunday, Sept 8
• Location: 2F Gran Bell Aodabai, 1-23-4 Aodabai, Meguro, Tokyo

LINK: PRTIMES | 2019/08/22 | EXILE 橘ケンチ、京都の酒蔵とコラボした日本酒が発売　橘プロデュースの居酒屋もオープン決定

New Book Released to Help Make Sake Drinking a Fun and Educational Game

The Goshukancho Management Association, a group of 20 Kanto region bars and eateries, will begin selling a new book called Goshukancho on September 20, in which sake drinkers can collect stamps from every bar they visit.

This is an evolution of the traditional “goshuincho” – a book that people take to temples and shrines, especially during a pilgrimage. When a place of worship is visited, the guest will get their goshuincho stamped and signed as proof that they were there and as a souvenir of their travels.

Goshukancho repurposes this concept to help sake enthusiasts broaden their horizons with more regional offerings.

This first print contains sections for stamps from the 20 members of the association located throughout Kanto, but it’s hoped that future versions will be larger and gradually include new regions.

In celebration of the book’s upcoming release, a special event called Kan to Hon will be held at Kamome Books in Tokyo on September 11. Advance copies of Goshukancho will be sold there and guests can also enjoy food and sake while browsing a collection of books on sake.

◎Event Information

• Name: Kan to Hon (Goshukancho Launch Celebration and Pre-sale Event)
• Date: Wednesday, Sept 11
• Time: 6:00 pm – 10:30 pm
• Location: Kamome Books Cafe Space, 1F Daiichi Yaraicho Bldg., 123 Yaraicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo
• Admission: Free

LINK: PRTIMES | 2019/08/21 | 関東の燗酒店を拝燗巡礼するお遊び帖「御酒燗帖」が登場！発売記念＆先行販売イベント「燗と本」を、9/11（水）にかもめブックス（東京・神楽坂）で開催！

“Lucky Bottles” of Mystery Sake Now on Sale to Support Quake-Affected Yamagata Breweries

As we previously reported, a 6.4 earthquake struck Yamagata Prefecture on June 18, causing significant damage and loss of product to several breweries in the Oyama area of Tsuruoka City. As part of the recovery efforts, two very special brands of sake went on sale from August 22.

First, two Oyama area breweries will be offering Lucky Bottles of Mokkedano Tsuruoka sake. These bottles have no original label, meaning what lies inside is unknown upon purchase. The possible contents might be a Watarai special junmai, daiginjo, or junmai daiginjo from Watanabe Honke, or one of Haneda Sake Brewery’s Junmai Ginjo Uzenshiraume Tawarayuki and Junmai Ginjo Uzenshirume Sarori brands, so it’ll surely be something good.

In addition, ryokan, hot springs, and other vendors in Tsuruoka City will be selling special bottles that have had their crowns (a cross between a cap and a cork that sake bottles often use) dented. While normally considered unsellable in this state, Tsuruoka is taking an optimistic approach and declaring them auspicious survivors of the earthquake, renaming them the Mokkedano Tsuruoka Crown line of sake.

The word “mokkedano” is a regional dialect and has a variety of meanings such as “thank you,” “lucky,” or even “excuse me”.

It’s an exciting range of sake for enthusiasts to get their hands on, but the only way to enjoy them is to visit Tsuruoka and purchase one from one of the local businesses that offer it.

◎Product Information

• Name: Lucky Bottle [Mokkedano Tsuruoka]
• Volume: 1,800mL
• Price: 3,000 yen
• Release Date: Aug 22, 2019
• Amount: 208 bottles

• Name: Damaged Crown Bottles [Mokkedano Tsuruoka Crown]
• Volume: Various
• Price: Normal retail price for each bottle
• Release Date: Aug 22, 2019
• Brands: Haneda Brewery, Watari Honten, and Kato Kahachiro Brewery

LINK: SAKETIMES | 2019/08/20 | 山形県沖地震で被災した酒蔵を応援！なにが当たるかわからない“ラッキーボトル”日本酒を販売する「＃もっけだの鶴岡」プロジェクトが8/22(木)より開始

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