I always thought it would be a good idea to pull together a cheat sheet of core concepts to help everyone understand more about sake basics. Thus was born the 10 Commandments of Sake, my guide to get your bearings and to start enjoying the wonderful world of sake. Can I get an “Amen” in here?

Ⅰ. Sake is Japanese Culture in a Cup.
Right off the bat it’s important to understand that Sake is deeply connected to Japanese culture. I call it “Japanese Culture in a Cup.” Sake is known in Japan as the “drink of the gods” and it has deep ties to both religion, ceremony, traditions and everyday social interaction. Get to know sake, and you’ll get to know Japan. Like so much in Japanese culture, on the surface, sake may seem simple, restrained or perhaps even plain, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover a vast and colorful world of styles, tastes, methods and lore – and a devoted group of acolytes, committed to the quiet pursuit of perfection.

Ⅱ. Thou Shalt Pair Sake With More Than Just Sushi.
For better or for worse, America’s omnipresent sushi restaurants are the place where almost all of us get our first exposure to sake. This has lead some to conclude that sake should only be served with raw fish. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Sake pairs beautifully with a stunningly wide array of cuisines and dishes. Some of the top restaurants in the world have sake on their wine lists. Give premium sake a try with any of your favorite dishes – Roast Beef, Pizza or even Thanksgiving Dinner… There is a sake you can pair up with any of these. Experiment and enjoy!

Ⅲ. Thou Shalt Not Even Think About Calling Sake a ‘Rice Wine’.
Ok, I’ll admit it, this is not the biggest sin in the book, but it is a major pet peeve of mine, so I’m gonna get up on my soapbox. Sometimes people want to dumb down sake for the masses and rely on the crutch of calling sake a “rice wine”. Blasphemy I say. If you get out the dictionary and actually look up the definition of wine, it says a wine is alcoholic drink made from the fermented juice of a fruit, such as grapes. Rice is not a fruit nor is it a plant that can produce juice. So, rice cannot produce wine. The finished product may drink like a wine, or even be served in a wine glass, but I think sake is important enough to merit it’s own category in the beverage world.

Ⅳ. Thou Shalt Not Bomb nor Shoot.

Just Say No.

I feel that the Sake Bomb and Sake Shot are unfortunate vestiges of what I’ll call an unenlightened medieval period in the history of sake in the States. For the uninitiated, Sake Bombs involve dropping a small cup of cheap sake into a beer and drinking both quickly and Sake Shots involve slamming back an entire small cup of sake in one swift gulp. Both of these behaviors are now most likely seen during get-me-drunk-quick shenanigans during college, but in the wider world, we are happily moving well beyond the image of the sake bomb. More and more people recognize premium sakes as true artisinal works of art with craftspeople devoting their lives to its production and betterment. So leave the Sake Middle Ages behind and join us in the Sake Renaissance. Oh, and if someone asks you to do a sake bomb, do what Mr. T and Nancy Reagan recommend – “Just Say NO!”

Ⅴ. Thou Shalt Avoid Heat and Light When Storing Sake.
Heat and light are the enemies of sake. If you want extend the shelf life of your sake, keep it in a cool, dark place. If you have room in there, the refrigerator is the obvious choice! Pasteurized sake does not need to be refrigerated, but it is always a better option if you’re able. Please note that those yummy unpasteurized “nama” sakes must be refrigerated at all times. Oh, and don’t patronize that liquor shop that put all their sake on display in the front window. That’s literally not cool.

Ⅵ. Thou Must Pay a Premium for Premium.
It’s worthwhile knowing that cost and quality classifications are attached at the hip in the world of sake. If you want to enjoy an extra special sake with a Daiginjo or Junmai Daiginjo super premium classification, be prepared to pay more. There is not much bargain hunting for undiscovered gems as you may have in the wine world. Rice milling directly effects raw material costs for sakes. As sakes rate higher on the premium classification scale, the rice used to make those sakes is more finely milled and that means raw material costs are going up, too. To be clear, yummy and quality sakes can be had in all classification levels, but the more finely milled sakes most often cost more. Explore and see what style you (and your wallet) like best.

Ⅶ. Thou Shalt Not Pour For Thyself.
In Japan, the most basic etiquette rule of serving sake is known as o-shaku. The main tenant of o-shaku is that it is considered most polite to pour sake for others but never directly for yourself. This little ritual of pouring for others creates an atmosphere of social interaction and bonding and the small sake cups typically used in Japan allow for many opportunities for everyone at the table to pour and receive sake. I have often seen a friendly tug of war over a sake carafe as guests jockey to be the first to pour for the other. Be sure to note that when you are receiving sake, it’s viewed as most respectful to lift your cup up off the table, hold it with two hands and be sure to take a sip before setting it back down. Why worry about this here? Well, I think it’s a fun and endearing custom that gets everyone at the table interacting and gets the sake flowing – the perfect way to jump start any sake event!

Ⅷ. Thou Shalt Not Fear the Screw Cap.
Some wine people seem to have a true phobia when it comes to screw caps. They are reputedly the domain of inexpensive, low quality wines. Sake manufacturers, however, have taken a different tack and use screw caps almost exclusively for all bottles, from the bargain basement sakes to the most expensive Junmai Daiginjos. I couldn’t be more thrilled. Screw caps just make sense. They are easy to open, easy to re-seal and do the best job of keeping the sake protected from oxidation. Once you start drinking more sake, you’ll come to much prefer that ‘craaack’ sound of opening a sake screw cap to the crumbly pop of a wine cork, as I have. But please – don’t sniff the screw cap.

Ⅸ. Thou Shalt Experiment With Serving Temperature.
What is the correct serving temperature for sake? Hot? Cold? in between? In a nutshell, there is no strict right and wrong in serving temperature as both warm and chilled sake can be wonderful. It’s all about finding the right sake for the right temperature for your palate. In general, fragrant, floral and aromatic sakes are best for serving slightly chilled as that will enhance their aroma. And again, in general, full bodied, robust and dry sakes tend to be a great choice for warming as that brings forward the alcohol notes on the palate and will suppress aroma. But whatever temperature you pick, it’s good to note that sake is so flexible in this area. You can drink it warm when you come in from shoveling show, or drink it cold to escape the summer heat. Serving temperature is actually sake’s secret weapon in the battle of the alcoholic beverages. Sake 1, other booze 0.

Ⅹ. To Thy Own Palate Be True: Drink Whatever Sakes You Enjoy!
Last but not least is the true Golden Rule of the sake world, and the easiest sake commandment to follow. Never forget that at its core, sake is about enjoyment and having fun. Be sure to give yourself permission not to worry too much about pairing rules, milling rates or serving temperature. You can simply start out by finding a sake you like and really enjoying it – simple as that. If you want to dive deeper down the road, you can certainly geek out with me about all the classifications and regions and rice types of the sake world, but none of that really matters for sake’s most basic function: to bring people together for having fun. Trust your own likes and drink whichever sakes speak to you regardless of price, reviews or expert recommendations. Simply put: “To thy own palate be true.” Well, hallelujah, I’ll drink to that!

Mr. Blankestijn, Mr. Ohta from Daishichi and Chizuko Niikawa

Daishichi is a sake brand that is famous for two things – its exclusive use of the Kimoto brewing method, and it’s extreme elegance. That elegance was on full display at a recent sake dinner featuring Baccarat Crystal at the Hakubai Restaurant in the Kitano Hotel.

This was another amazing night at Hakubai. When I sat down, I couldn’t help but notice the table setting which was full of refined looking stemware from the the Château Baccarat line of Baccarat Crystal.

We also had some special guests – Mr. Hideharu Ohta, the 10th Generation Owner of Daishichi, and Mr. Ad Blankestijn, a sake sommelier from Daishichi. Ad-san introduced each sake as it was poured.

These are the sakes we enjoyed from Daishichi:
• Daishichi Yuki Shibori
• Daishichi Masakura
• Daishichi Minowamon
• Daishichi Yamadanishiki Junmai
• Daishichi Myoka Rangyoku

Daishichi Sakes

Ms. Kaoru Parker from Baccarat was on hand to introduce her glasses and she encouraged us to try Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo in both a standard wine glass and the Château Baccarat glass. It was amazing, but I must admit, the Baccarat glass somehow concentrated the flavor.

This event also gave me the rare opportunity to try the stunning Daishichi Myoka Rangyoku, which is without a doubt or any exaggeration one of best sakes on the planet. Supplies were understandably limited, and we got a small serving each and I really enjoyed that with a finish that doesn’t quit, you can really savor each delicious sip.

What a fun night! Stay tuned to the Urban Sake Event Listing to find out about upcoming sake tastings near you!

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Golden Masu Award!

2012 zipped by in a flash. Where has the time gone!? I can only stare into the bottom of my empty sake cup and wonder.

For me, this year was a whirlwind of great sakes, old and new. It’s also been a year of learning and teaching. I’m discovering that sharing my love and passion for sake is becoming one of the great joys in my career. If you’re interested in learning more about sake, I hope to see you in one of my seminars in 2013!

My yearly “Golden Masu Awards” roundup is my biased take on the best, boldest and most bodacious brews that caught my eye and tickled my taste buds in 2012. Without further ado, I give you the winners…

Okunomatsu

And the Masu goes to:
Okunomatsu Tokubestu Junmai

It seems our economy improved some in 2012, but that didn’t stop me from looking high and low for sake bargains. For a high quality 720 ml bottle of sake under $30, I found myself returning again and again to Okunomatsu Tokubestu Junmai. Retailing for a price between 25.00 and 27.99, this Fukushima sake has become a reliable standby for everyday enjoyment. Dry, smooth and delicious, this sake will pair well with many different kinds of food and I’ve enjoyed it with everything from roast chicken to pad thai. In New York City, the local grocery delivery service “Fresh Direct” even offers this sake for home delivery. What could be better than getting Okunomastu right along with your bananas, butter and brussel sprouts?! Without a doubt, this sake is an incredible value for the price – and a great way to support Tohoku! Kanpai!

“Best Junmai Ginjo Debut”

Fukuju

And the Masu goes to:
Fukuju Junmai Ginjo

These days, Junmai Ginjo is a crowded category in the sake market. Given this, it’s hard to make an impression, but one sake this year did just that. Fukuju Junmai Ginjo was a sake I tried for the first time in 2012 and boy oh boy, what a treat. Made in Japan’s Kobe region, this sake is smooth, delicious and an important achievement. The quality of sake coming over from Japan is always improving and Fukuju is a prime example of this. A smooth and delicious brew which is exceeding balanced and light on palate, this sake will seduce you. You can enjoy it with a wide range of foods – a true sign of a high quality sake. Try Fukuju and believe!

Tenryo

And the Masu goes to:
Tenryo Hidahomare
Junmai Ginjo

Some sakes try to distract from their lack of quality with a fancy bottle shape or a unique wrapping or bow. This kind of trickery only works once for most consumers. One brand that knows about handmade quality is Tenryo. They make the famous Tenryo Hidahomare Junmai Ginjo with its unique, hand-woven and locally-sourced bamboo basket packaging. This basket is not just a thing of beauty, but a reflection of the hand made quality of this most famous sake from Gifu prefecture. You can expect a versatile and delicious Junmai Ginjo with hints of its unique Hidahomare sake rice on the palate. This is one case where the packaging does match the beauty of the sake within.

shichihonyari

And the Masu goes to:
Shichihonyari Junmai Ginjo Nigori

It’s not everyday that a new nigori sake hits the market. Nigori, or cloudy sake, can be divisive among sake fans. Some love it, some… not so much. But I think the new Shichihonyari Junmai Ginjo Nigori maybe changing some hearts and minds this year. This nigori strikes the delicious balance between sweet and dry with a consistency that is a touch on the fuller side. It’s perfect for pairing with grilled or fried foods. The Brewer even encouraged me to try this nigori on the rocks. What the? Well, I did and it was great! This was just the reminder I needed that our tastes and preferences are an ever evolving thing. When it comes to sake, let a fun new nigori get you out of your sake rut.

Mangekyo

And the Masu goes to:
Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo

Some sakes in the upper echelon of quality can give you a serious case of sticker shock. However in some cases, the high price is worth it. Such is the case with Tedorigawa Mangekyo Daiginjo. The cost for a bottle of this elixir is upwards of $420 in a restaurant. Mangekyo has the transcendent taste of a perfect daiginjo. Smooth, soft and silky, this beautiful sake is aged at a low temperature for two years for added depth. Production of this sake is limited to only 400 bottles per year, adding rarity to it’s many allures. I had the good fortune to taste this sake this year as part of a tasting set at a Tedorigawa event at Sakagura. Rare, expensive and worth it.

Masumi

And the Masu goes to:
Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu

For the first time, my “Best in Show” sake is going to a junmai ginjo… and what a jumnai ginjo it is. The yearly release of the Masumi Brewery’s Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu is an event anxiously awaited by many a sake fan, myself included. The reason this sake was picked is its infallible drinkability. When in season and fresh, this nama is so good, I’d take it on an IV drip – you just can’t get enough. Bold, rich in fruit flavors on the palate and exceedingly smooth despite the 18% alcohol content, this dreamy unpasteurized brew is a consistent winner. So here’s a toast to what you can call “Springtime in a bottle” a.k.a Masumi Arabashiri. This could very well be the perfect Nama!

So there you have it! Congratulations and Kanpai to all the winners! I’m looking forward to a sake filled 2013 with lots of sake sipping, learning and loving. My special thanks to all sake producers and drinkers I met in 2012 – let’s make next near the year of sake in the USA! Kanpai and Happy New Year to everyone!

See Previous Golden Masu winners here: http://www.urbansake.com/category/golden-masu-awards/

The Takeyama Brothers make Nihon Izumi Sake in Gifu City

Moments after arriving in Gifu City’s Shinkansen Station, I was already walking into my first Gifu Sake Brewery. This is because Nihon Izumi Shuzo is just steps away from the station. It’s an extremely unique brewery run by the Takeyama brothers. What makes this small Brewery special is that all their production takes place in an office building basement! The production scale is small, but the sake they produce is top notch and really delicious. Given its compact size, touring the Brewery took just minutes, but I wanted to linger much longer over the tasting. This first stop in Gifu really surprised me. Sake can be made anywhere and Nihon Izumi proves it deliciously.
http://www.nihonizumi.co.jp/

Eiichi Brewery in Gifu

Our next stop was a short drive from Gifu City, taking us to the town of Kakamigahara. This is the home of Hayashi Honten, makers of Eiichi brand of sake. The Toji gave us a personal tour. The first thing that struck me was the size and vast scale of this Brewery. They are currently making a lot less then their capacity, but now their focus is on quality over quantity. Specialty items include a oak barrel aged sake and a fun pop art influenced “sakedelic” brew. They certainly get points for creativity! I really enjoyed visiting Eiichi.

http://www.eiichi.co.jp/

Fireworks signal the start of the Ukai Cormorant Fishing on the Nagaragawa River

Cormorant fishing, known as Ukai in Japanese, is synonymous with Gifu’s Nagaragawa River. It’s an ancient form of fishing practiced at night, under a bright burning wood fire, where captive cormorant birds are used to retrieve river fish using their natural hunting instincts. We met Cormorant Fishing Master Masahiko Sugiyama who gave us the low down on how this all works. The title of Cormorant Fishing Master, as designated by the Emperor, is strictly hereditary and handed down from father to son only. Ukai watching parties are popular and you can go out on a boat and watch the birds up close. it’s an amazing experience, and we got so close, that I could feel the heat from the fire on my face. Incredible to see up close. Our boat even had a Gifu Maiko who entertained us non stop until the birds were ready to do their thing. truly and unforgettable night!

http://www.gifu-sugiyama.com/ukai/secret/index.html

Mr. Ohashi instructs us on the ins and outs of making Masu

Sake culture extends beyond just what you can drink. A perfect example of this was our visit to the Ohashi Ryoki Masu Factory. Now a masu is a square wooden box traditionally used for drinking sake. Mr. Ohashi’s family has been making these masu for over 60 years.

In the sake business, you see these masu everywhere, but I had never stopped to think how they were made. A visit to Mr. Ohashi’s factory cleared up all that. I learned about the elegant Japanese Cypress, better known as “Hinoki” that is used to craft these beautiful boxes. Hinoki is the wood chosen to make the oldest wooden temples in Japan and is also often used to build Japanese baths as well.

The wonderful morning spent at Ohashi Ryoki Masu Factory really opened my eyes to the work that craftsmen like Mr. Ohashi are doing not only to preserve the ancient craft of making a Masu, but also to advance the art. A case in point is the fun new shapes that they are using – not just four corners any more! and also laser etching designs on the boxes allows for fun and exciting design! Kanpai for masu! the best is yet to come.
http://www.ohashiryoki.com/index.html

President Masafumi Takeuchi shows us his sake museum

Located in Ogaki city, Gifu, Takeuchi Shuzo is a brewery with a little something extra – namely, a wonderful tribute to the history of sake brewing. Up the stairs and to the left, behind the door is the old Koji room, which brewery president Mr. Takeuchi has converted into a makeshift museum. Here you can see many of the implements used to make sake in the past centuries – most interesting of which is the husk fill in the koji table itself… a 19th century solution on how to retain heat and keep the koji warm.

Mr. and Mrs. Takeuchi welcomed us with a wonderful tasting and a spirited discussion of all things sake… from bottle shape and size to taste and preferences of the foreign market. A beautiful time and a wonderful brewery.
http://www.takeuchi-shuzo.jp/

Some of the amazing sake selections at Tenryo!

Located in Gifu’s Gero City, Tenryo is arguably the most famous sake from Gifu.

Gero is famous around the world for it’s hot springs and osen culture. what better place to look than Gero city for some of the best water there is. Tenryo does not disappoint with a rich but clean taste. I learned from the Brewer’s family that their taste matches particularly well with the local cuisine and I had a great chance to try that out for myself.

One of the most famous treats was the local Aiyu (sweet fish) that was caught locally and is absolutely delicious. Since Tenryo is widely available in the U.S., I hope you get a chance to try this great sake soon! And there is no law against drinking this sake in the onsen, that’s for sure!
http://www.tenryou.com/en/

Streets of Hida Furukawa, Gifu

Next we visited two sake breweries in Hida Furukawa, Gifu. This charming town is laced with wide canals filled with bulky koi fish swimming against a strong current. First we visted Kaba sake Brewery with a tour guided by their toji. After the tour, the Managing Director Atsuko Kaba gave us a delicious tasting of their sakes.

Next we walked down the street to Watanabe Sake Brewery, makers of Horai brand Sake. Brewery President Mr. Watanabe toured us around his beautiful brewery and we also met Cody-san, their American Kurabito. We sat down for a wonderful tasting and discussion about promoting sake in both Japan and the States. Furukawa is a beautiful town with beautiful sakes!

At Hirase Sake Brewery

Last but not least was our wonderful visit to Takayama, Gifu. This town is very well known within Japan as a major tourist destination, and once I arrived there, I understood why. The old city of Takayama is beautifully preserved in the Edo style, and feels quite a bit like stepping back in time. Another beautiful thing is the number of sake breweries that are concentrated in this quaint little town. We visited at least five in one day. They are all visitor friendly and within easy walking distance of each other.

The breweries we visted included Hirase Shuzo, makers of Kusudama brand sake, Harada Sake Brewery, Makers of Sansha brand sake, Niki Shuzo, Funasaka Sake Brewery and Kawashiri sake brewery, Makers of Hidamasamune koshu sake. In short, Takayama was magical… for now it feels like my hidden little secret, but won’t be for long!

Ceramic artists Ren & Rie of Koyoido at the Sake “Toy Box” exhibit in Kyoto

When I was a small child, our dentist would (if we navigated the appointment without too many tears) let us pick out a toy from this giant toy chest in his office. I remembered those fun moments of rummaging through Dr Woods’ toy chest when I found out my recent trip to Kyoto in Japan was overlapping with the latest and greatest sake ceramics exhibit by the cutest sake couple in Kyoto, Ren and Rie Uehara of Koyoido Ceramics Atelier.

The exhibit was a blast with the theme being nothing less than: “The Joyful Toybox for childlike Drinkers“. Yes, we’re talking toy-inspired sake cups, carafes and all kinds of extremely fun sake stuff. The Ueharas recently welcomed a new addition to their family, their daughter Horo, and I can only surmise that tripping over a baby toy or two may have been the inspiration for the toy box sake exhibit.

I was completely charmed not only with the cute as a button Uehara family, but also with their smart and funny sake ceramics. Everything they created for the show demonstrated dedication, skill, and a keen wit keeping with their history of intelligent design.

vroom, vroom! sake cups on matchbox wheels.

Lots of Cups, Ochoko and Masu have funny winking smiling faces on them, which I think gets to the core of their exhibit – exploring the smiley, child-like state we can get into after a few rounds of excellent sake.

One of my favorite pieces included a working spinning-top sake cup with a bold red stripe design that would appeal to any child-like drunkard. How they got that balance to work so perfectly is beyond me, but it was a wonderful sake toy to be sure.

Another winning piece was what I call the “Matchbox ochoko”. a cute sake cup on a pair of matchbox wheels. If it wasn’t spilling my Daiginjo, I would be popping wheelies all the way down the kitchen table. These cups were serious FUN!

My special thanks to Ren, Rie and Horo for welcoming me to their wonderful exhibit. I haven’t had this much fun since my last filling!

Tomita-san sprinkling Koji spores on freshly steamed rice at Tomita Shuzo

Hanging right above the entrance to the brewery is a wooden plaque carved with the name “Shichihonyari”. This plaque is famous as it was carved by Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883 – 1959), who is widely acknowledged as a creative genius in Japan and is most well known for his works in ceramics and as a master of calligraphy. It also doesn’t hurt that Shichihonyari was Rosanjin’s favorite sake.

Famous “Shichihonyari” sign carved by the creative genius Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959)

On the day we were there, we saw rice steaming in action. This was a hot, fast-paced maneuver. Rice was steamed and hoisted over to the cooling conveyor belt on which the warm rice, that was heading for the koji room, also got a sprinkling of koji spores. As Tomita-san supervised and regularly checked the rice temperature, the kurabito shuffled the rice into bins that were then whisked to the koji room. Speed was of the essence and everybody brought it – working together, sweating and working hard. So much goes on behind the scenes that translates into that bottle of sake on your table. It was amazing to watch.

I think the magic of Shichihonyari is that it is an ancient brewery – one of the oldest in Japan, still working on an artisanal scale, but powered by young people wanting to make a difference. If that doesn’t qualify as “craft sake”, nothing would. In the U.S., Shichihonyari is now selling 3 sakes which will give you an excellent idea of the taste and vision of this brewery. I hope you get a chance to try Shichihonyari soon, and experience for yourself everything that made Rosanjin such a big fan.

Shata’s Toji gives us a taste of the Moromi!

One of the most well known sakes in Ishikawa Prefecture is Shata Shuzo’s Tengumai. I recently had the opportunity for return trip to Ishikawa and didn’t want to miss another chance to see the latest goings on at Tengumai. We were lucky enough to get a tour of the brewery by the Master Brewer (Toji) and I enjoyed sampling sake right from the moromi tank… this is a rare treat!

Koji ready for the next step!

We also spent a fair amount of time touring the Koji Muro or Koji making room. Outside the koji room itself were large trays of stacked koji, fished and waiting for it’s next step – addition to the main mash or yeast starter. Each batch of Koji was marked with unique markings that tell which step of the brewing process the koji is meant for. These markings are quite beautiful and fun to look at… and a piece of living sake history too

At the end of the tour, we got to sample some sakes which included Shata’s Go-Rin brand as well as Tengumai. The weather was beautiful this day and coming off such a beautiful brewery tour, it make the sake taste just that much more delicious.

Outside Masumi’s beautiful “Cella Masumi Sake Shop” with Mr. & Mrs. Miyasaka.

Miyasaka Shuzo’s Masumi is a well known and well loved brand of sake in the U.S. and one that was among the very first sakes I ever tried. It was therefore a long, long overdue visit, when the stars aligned and I got a chance to visit Nagano Prefecture for the first time and see the home of the beloved Masumi Arabashiri for myself!

Plaque at Masumi marking the location of the birthplace of “Nanano” or #7 yeast.

Mr. Miyasaka, President of Masumi, gave us a tour of the two Masumi Breweries, the original “Suwa Kura” and the larger “Fujimi Kura” which opened in 1982. The Suwa Kura is still in operation and has the distinction of being the birthplace of the famous “nanago” or Number 7 sake yeast, first identified in 1946, when Masumi swept the national Sake appraisal awards using this newly discovered yeast. A plaque marks the location of that first fermentation tank that used number 7 yeast… a yeast that is still used by 60% of breweries throughout Japan and a true point of pride for Masumi Brewery.

Inside the beautiful “Cella Masumi Shop”

The Brewery Tour concluded at the Cella Masumi Shop – a wonderful store managed and curated with great love and attention to detail by Mr. & Mrs. Miyasaka. The shop is one of the most beautiful stores of it’s type I’ve ever seen. Certainly, there is sake for sale in a beautiful refrigerated cabinet. But the shop also features a glorious selection of sake cups, carafes, trays, sets and the like, all of the highest quality. The shop also features food, gifts, and all manner of wonderful goodies for the sake inclined. If you’re anywhere near Nagano, it’s worth a trip to Suwa to drop in on Cella Masumi Shop, for sure.

My sincere thanks to the Miyasaka family for welcoming me so warmly to their home and brewery. I have a deeper appreciation for their wonderful sakes having seen where they are made up close and personal. Now I know next year’s Arabashiri will taste all the better for it.