In our interview for this issue, Mark Zheng-Garratt of Gekkeikan USA casually mentioned, “The sake industry has gotten good value from the JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) Programme.” It seems clear that the sake industry and, on a much larger level, Japan will benefit even more deeply in the next few years from a…
We’ve noticed a subtle but intriguing shift in perceptions of sake over the ten years we’ve been publishing Sake Today. It’s a shift among non-Japanese primarily living overseas and a harbinger for further appreciation of sake worldwide. It portends promise for the growing number of sake breweries outside of Japan as well as Japanese producers…
When Hot Springs, Arkansas native Ben Bell, hoping to launch a sake brewery in his state, told Matt Bell that the area should be the Napa Valley of sake, that vision became a “north star” for the latter native son as well. This was 2016. Had these two very different individuals, who share a last…
The Japanese government, with little fanfare from its side, recently reopened the doors to tourism without the onerous restrictions we mentioned in our introduction last issue. Perhaps they simply wanted as little attention as possible drawn to the decision domestically. It’s still a controversial topic. Many want to revive inbound tourism and return to, or…
My neighbor emerged from her house recently dressed stylishly in bright spring colors. She was wearing her usual artistic jewelry and it was clear she was on her way somewhere. “Going to the beauty parlor?”, I asked. “I doubt there’s anything they can do for me,” she replied. It was funny because her reply was…
Uncertainty is difficult to live with. Think about these last two years if you need any reminders. The pandemic has created a feeling of pervasive uncertainty. When COVID first emerged, we had so many questions. How does it spread? How contagious is it? How deadly is it? Uncertainty causes fear, which causes poor decision making…
Sake is an industry focused on consistency to a considerable degree. By comparison, craft beer is increasingly characterized by one-offs, iterations, and seasonals. Flagship brands struggle for sustained attention. It’s not that craft beer brewers don’t want consistency; they simply have other prerogatives and variables at play. Part of the intrigue of wine, meanwhile, is…
What brings you sake enjoyment? Is it simply drinking it? Is it about where, how, and with whom you drink sake? Most people probably prefer imbibing at a Japanese restaurant. The common conviction that it’s an integral part of the Japanese dining experience is strong (and not misguided). We at Sake Today certainly enjoy it…
Japan operates on its own timeline. Literally. It counts years according to the reigns of emperors, not the Gregorian calendar. As you read this, it’s year three of the Reiwa era. Even Japanese have trouble converting between the two calendars. It will be easy for those of us who have lived through the pandemic to…
Sake is the liquid soul of Japan. It’s as much a part of the country’s civilization and culture as its folk customs or indigenous religion, Shintô. In fact, we’ve written before in these pages on multiple occasions about its close ties to Shintô, as well as certain Buddhist temples. Some cultural commentators have colorfully argued…