Archive for 2007
2007 Golden Masu Awards
The Blogosphere has been abuzz lately wondering about the winners of the 2007 UrbanSake.com Golden Masu Awards. I know people were concerned that 2007 would draw to a close without the sake blogging world’s highest honors being bestowed this year. Fear Not! Just in the nick of time, the 2007 Golden Masu Awards […]
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Sakaya is Now Open!
If New York City had a Town Crier, I know exactly what he’d be shouting right about now: “Hear ye, Hear ye Sake fans! New York’s first dedicated sake shop is now open: Sakaya!!!”
In Japanese “sakaya” means sake shop, so this seems the perfect name for a stateside temple to Nihon-shu. This beautiful store is […]
New York’s Own Tokyo Bar
Ever wonder what it might be like to jump inside a comic book like that 80’s A-ha Video? Well, me neither - but you can experience it nonetheless with a trip to Tribeca’s Tokyo Bar (277 Church Street New York, NY 10013). The soaring walls and ceiling in this place are covered with comic book […]
Sake Diplomacy
Attending a sake tasting at the Japanese Consul General’s private residence was a unique experience.
Upon arriving, we went through security and found ourselves in the grand foyer of a town house that looked like it belonged to a robber baron of the Golden Age… with a touch of Liaisons Dangereuses decor thrown in. Think […]
Hibino Star Sighting!
My trip to Japan was exhilarating, but exhausting. After days of struggling to find my way around around Kyoto and embarrassing myself trying to use broken Japanese, I was glad to be back in my crowded, loud, but favorite city: New York, baby! Still, I didn’t want to leave Kyoto totally behind. […]
Shopping for Sake: Isetan, the Musical
After my adventures in Yamaguchi, it was back to Kyoto for a final few days in Japan. After a week of thrilling ‘firsts’ (first shinto ceremony, first bullet train, first brewery visit…) it was time for another very important “first”… my first visit to a Japanese Sake Shop! Attached to the huge […]
Fugu Fear Factor
After my fantastic introduction to the production process at Dassai, Mr. Sakurai Sr. and Mr. Sakurai Jr took me out for a fantastic all-blowfish dinner. Known as “Fugu” in Japanese, yes… it is that deadly, poisonous fish. Yeah, that’s the fish you need to have two years of training and a special license […]
Visit to Dassai Brewery
I was honored to receive an invitation to visit Asahi Brewery, makers of the delicious Dassai Brand Sake located in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The beautiful Sakurai Family generously opened their home and their business to this curious American/fledgling Samurai, and I was rewarded with a real insider’s view of life at the brewery. This […]
“We Love Sake” Takenotsuyu Tasting
After my morning and afternoon of sipping and spitting sake at the Kyoto Sake Samurai sake tasting, I dashed off to Chion-in Temple by Taxi and tried to find my way to the sake tasting dinner. My hosts were gallantly looking for me on the vast temple grounds and luckily I was found and […]
Kyoto Sake Samurai Sake Tasting
Day 2 of the Sake Samurai events had me up early to head off to a very large sake tasting connected to the Sake Samurai Association. I felt pretty good after last night but was in for a long day of tasting… and we were starting early - 10AM! When I arrived at […]