Sake News from Japan

Nara sake brewed from Hinohikari table rice

Nara sake brewed from Hinohikari table rice

The Mainchi news site reports on a new sake launched in Nara Prefecture made from table rice. Running with a suggestion from Kōryō city, the Chōryō brewery based at its southern edge turned Hinohikari table rice grown to order in the area into a sake...

Champagne producer comes to Toyama to brew sake

Champagne producer comes to Toyama to brew sake

The Webun Toyama news site has an article on a French champagne brewer who is coming to the prefecture to start brewing sake. Richard Geoffroy has been responsible for production at some of the world's most famous champagne labels, but is now looking to the small town...

Training new sake experts

Training new sake experts

The Zakzak site has an article from freelance TV presenter Junko Kondō about the Japan Sake Association (JSA) and their "Sake Academy".Kondō qualified as a "Sake Expert" with the JSA in 2017. The newly-founded group is dedicated to turning sake from a Japan-only...

Sake to toast the end of civil war

Sake to toast the end of civil war

The Minyu Net site has a report on a small celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Boshin Civil War, namely a special edition 300 ml bottle of sake on sale from JR East in Tohoku. The conflict was part of the Meiji Restoration, where social changes and pressure...

Grow your own rice, get your own sake

Grow your own rice, get your own sake

The Wine-What!? site has a report by Kaori Isono on a crowdfunding project supported by maverick Japanese businessman Takafumi Horie, where backers get to participate in the creation of a junmai daiginjō sake right from the start - and by "start" they mean...

2018 already looking good for sake exports

2018 already looking good for sake exports

The Japan Agricultural News site has some good news - although we're not long past the middle of the year, things are already looking positive for exports and that includes sake.Trade statistics from the Japanese Ministry of Finance show that exports of agricultural...

Sake overseas: Dassai in NY, Kokuryū in HK and more

Sake overseas: Dassai in NY, Kokuryū in HK and more

The Nikkan Gendai Digital site has an article on sake branching out overseas, following Dassai to New York and Kokuryū to Hong Kong. It starts by taking the positive outlook on where sake is going. Japan Customs (part of the Japanese Ministry of Finance) put the...

Fukui Prefecture’s challenger to Yamada Nishiki

Fukui Prefecture’s challenger to Yamada Nishiki

The Chunichi Shinbun Web site reports on a new variety of sake rice that is setting its sights on the current king, Yamada Nishiki. The as yet unnamed variety was developed by the Fukui Prefecture Agricultural Experimental Station, who hope that its hidden potential...

Sake ice cream from Saga

Sake ice cream from Saga

You may be used to describing sake as having a mellow, rich aroma (芳醇, hōjun), but what about having that aroma tickle your nose as you lick an ice cream? The Oita Press site reports on a jizake (local sake) ice cream made by the Sachihime brewery in the sake town of...

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