Sake Spring, Kyoto’s premier sake festival, is back for an autumn edition. No, the name hasn’t changed to “Sake Autumn”, but it will be held this coming September 29th and 30th, 11am to 6pm, at the Kyoto International Conference Center. The previous installments, in Kyoto and Shinagawa (Tokyo) this past spring, drew upwards of 30,000 visitors and we expect this next iteration to keep the momentum going with a wide array of sake from all over Japan.
Unsurprisingly, Kyoto breweries will have the largest presence at the event, with eleven breweries scheduled to host tasting tables. You can expect legendary brands like Tamagawa, Tsuki-no-katsura and Shotoku. Nearly 20 other breweries will hail from as far north as the Tohoku region, and as far south as Kyushu. Two that caught our eye include Nanbu Bijin (Iwate) and Heiwa Shuzo (Wakayama), makers of Kido. Guests will be able to experience sake’s surprising range of style and terroir in one expansive venue. There will also be over a dozen food vendors so that you can explore pairing options as well. Food offerings will range from washoku (traditional Japanese style) to Italian and Spanish.
There are several types of plans available. The “Mankitsu” (“full enjoyment”) plan costs ¥3500 in advance and comes with ¥3000-worth of sake tickets (15 tickets), ¥1000-worth of food tickets, and a commemorative ochoko to be used at the event. The “After 3” plan for ¥2000 (and entry after 3pm) comes with ¥2400-worth of tickets and the ochoko. VIP plans for ¥12,800 grant guests access to a special 2nd floor lounge with additional food, sake and maiko entertainers. The food consists of a special bento created specifically to pair with sake, and some of the breweries’ finest varieties of sake. There will be at-the-door tickets for ¥4000, too, and the first 300 people each day will receive the commemorative ochoko for free. After that, it’s available for ¥200 (or you can get a disposable plastic one for free).
For more information (in Japanese), please visit Sake Spring’s website: http://sakesp.com/kyoto/
