Sakura Sake Shop

31/12/2024

Thank you for your continued support this year!
Since our company has operated remotely since its founding, we wrapped up 2024 with our annual online year-end gathering.

We owe it to all of you who have supported us that we can close out another year safely.

This year was particularly special as we completed rebuilding our headquarters, which had been damaged by fire, and welcomed both domestic and international customers to our new office. We are deeply grateful for your support.

In the coming year, we’ll continue to share the wonders of Japanese sake with the world. We look forward to your continued support, and we wish you a wonderful New Year!

(P.S. The second photo is everyone caught off guard, lol.)

24/12/2024

We took our importer from Luxembourg to visit Niizawa Sake Brewery, the brewer of Hakurakusei!
What incredible hospitality—they even welcomed us with the Luxembourg flag!

Once again, we gained a lot of valuable insights.
We’ll share them with our team to build a strong connection between the brewery and the importer!

20/12/2024

Enjoyed only things that are good for the body, kind to the earth, and made with the heartfelt passion of their creators!😊

05/12/2024

Congratulations! "Traditional Sake Brewing" Set to Join UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

When you hear "traditional," you might imagine sake brewing that has remained unchanged for centuries. However, in this context, "traditional" refers to the brewing techniques developed by toji (master brewers) and kurabito (brewery workers) using koji mold, honed over many years of experience.
In recent years, many sake breweries have built upon these time-tested techniques by incorporating new technologies and ideas, adapting to modern consumer preferences, and continually striving to create better, more enjoyable sake.
In that sense, even sake brewed with the latest equipment and methods is a product of traditional brewing, proving that innovation is what continually shapes tradition.
We will continue working closely with sake breweries to share the wonders of Japan's rich traditions with the world!

Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from grains and water that is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Craftspeople use koji mould to convert the starch in the ingredients into sugar. They oversee the process to make sure the mould grows in optimal conditions, adjusting the temperature and humidity as....

27/11/2024

Two years have passed since that fire.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who has always supported us!
Thank you so much!

27/11/2024

The results of the "World Sakagura Ranking 2024," which recognizes the most highly acclaimed sake breweries in contests held domestically and internationally, have been announced.

NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY, a crown jewel of our portfolio, has achieved the remarkable feat of ranking first for the third consecutive year, standing at the pinnacle among 676 breweries nationwide and 2,393 sake products.

You can view the award-winning sake from NIIZAWA SAKE BREWERY and detailed points here.
http://www.sakaguraranking.jp/detail_e_868.html

For more detailed award results, please visit the official page.
http://www.sakaguraranking.jp/index_e.html

Congratulations to all the breweries that made the rankings!

31/10/2024

■Welcoming Our Valued Customer from Thailand to Our Headquarters

Recently, we had the pleasure of welcoming one of our customers from Thailand, who specializes in selling Japanese sake, to our headquarters in Ogaki.

Their company is exceptional, providing thorough training for restaurants in Thailand and ensuring sake is carefully stored at -5°C. We’re excited to support their next big venture—the opening of a Japanese sake bar, a dream seven years in the making!

We were grateful to receive such positive feedback: "Previously, we managed all communication directly with breweries, which was quite challenging. Being able to rely on your support down to the details has been truly helpful."

We look forward to continuing our work, helping bring Japanese sake to customers around the world!

25/10/2024

❓Can Sake Made from Brown Rice Be Called Seishu?

Recently, we received an interesting question from one of our customers:

"I recently tried sake made from brown rice. I’ve heard a rule that says sake made from unpolished rice (genmai) cannot be called seishu (Japanese sake). Which is correct?"

Let’s clarify the answer!

According to the National Tax Agency’s definition of seishu, there is no specific mention of rice polishing in the regulations. Even for tokutei meisho-shu (special designation sake), the “junmai-shu” category does not have a regulation for polishing ratio. Therefore, if koji rice makes up at least 15% of the total rice used, sake made from 100% brown rice can still be classified as seishu (Japanese sake, if made from domestically sourced ingredients and produced domestically).

To ensure accuracy, we reached out to the sake department of the National Tax Agency, and they confirmed: “If brown rice is used and the ratio of koji rice is 15% or more, it can be called seishu.”

We hope this information is useful for anyone interested in the nuances of sake classification!

23/10/2024

🍣Sushi and Sake🍶: The Perfect Pairing

Last week, we hosted a classic sushi and sake pairing event, and we were honored to welcome renowned Japanese ceramics artist Shinichiro Yamada as a guest. His white flat sake cups and katakuchi (pouring spout bowls) are beloved works, cherished by many fans.

We were also delighted to have Reiko Hirai, owner of a sake shop in Washington D.C. (https://www.instagram.com/dcsake/?hl=ja), join us for the evening. She kindly shared these wonderful words:

"It was an evening full of new and delicious sake, paired with seasonal dishes, and amazing encounters with lovely people. Everything was truly inspiring."

Once again, the combination of sushi and sake proves to be an unbeatable match!

21/10/2024

Hello! This is Kondo, CEO of Sakura Sake Shop.

Recently, we hosted our very first private cormorant fishing boat sake pairing event as part of the activities for "Japanese Sake Prince." Cormorant fishing boats are traditional vessels used for night fishing with trained cormorants to catch fish, a unique cultural experience in Japan.

The highlight of the evening was pairing limited-distribution sake with salt-grilled wild sweetfish (ayu). Our guests enjoyed a selection of six different types of sake, and to top it all off, we were treated to a stunning fireworks display from the boat. It was truly an unforgettable event!

18/10/2024

■What Snacks Pair Well with Kijoshu?

We recently received a great question from one of our customers:

"I bought kijoshu, but I’m not sure what snacks or foods would pair well with it. Could you give me some recommendations?"

We’re happy to share our recommendations!

When thinking about snacks to pair with kijoshu, there are two main approaches:

1️⃣ Sweet Match: Choose snacks that have a similar sweetness to kijoshu. Desserts like shortcake with whipped cream or daifuku (a type of mochi filled with sweet red bean paste) make great companions.

2️⃣ Spicy Contrast: Pair the sweetness of kijoshu with something spicy. Dishes with a bit of heat, like spiced curry or mapo tofu, are a perfect match.

Additionally, blue cheeses like Roquefort or Gorgonzola offer a surprising yet fantastic pairing with kijoshu. For meal pairings, toasted butter, roasted meats, and charcoal-grilled vegetables also complement the flavor profile wonderfully.

We hope these recommendations help you enjoy your kijoshu to the fullest!

11/10/2024

■Sake Pairing Event at Okinawa
Hello! This is Kondo, CEO of Sakura Sake Shop.

Last week, we hosted our second sake and food pairing event of the year in Okinawa. Since it was such a special occasion, I wanted to take this opportunity to share some photos of the sake lineup we presented this time.

We paired 10 types of sake with 10 different dishes, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. One guest mentioned:
"I've tried many different kinds of sake before, but today was full of surprises. I'm really glad I came!"
We even received high praise from a guest who runs a restaurant, which truly felt like the greatest compliment we could have hoped for. I'm also happy to report that nearly all of our guests have already reserved seats for the next event in May, and we're almost fully booked!

For the next pairing event, we aim to exceed expectations once again and surprise our guests in the best way possible.

04/10/2024

■Our Representatives Are Raving About It! FUKUUMI Now Available!
Our CEO, Komazawa, fell in love with its flavor when he tried it at a sake bar in Tokyo and immediately scheduled a visit to the brewery the very next day.

Fukuda Brewery, located in Hirado City, Nagasaki Prefecture, was founded in 1688 and is Japan's westernmost sake brewery.

Brewing sake near one of Japan's most famous fishing ports, the brewery embraces the theme of "a sake brewery that venerates the sea" and brews sake that reflects the ocean of Hirado.

With delicate bubbles that spread like ocean waves and a crisp flavor that complements seafood, this sake is truly one-of-a-kind, evoking the sea of Hirado.

✅Delicate Yet Dynamic Flavor
What creates the refined, gentle effervescence of FUKUUMI is the fast and precise bottle pasteurization. Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment called "Heat Lead," which eliminates temperature inconsistency in the bottle, they can quickly pasteurize and cool the unfiltered raw sake.

A few years ago, they began cultivating rice themselves and have established contracts with local farmers for pesticide-free farming.

If you’re interested in products from Fukuda Brewery, feel free to DM us for more information or to place an order.

03/10/2024

■ Moved by President Asano's Determination for Fukushima's Recovery
Hello, everyone! This is Kondo, CEO of Sakura Sake Shop.

Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Mr. Masami Asano, the president of ASANO NENSHI Co., LTD., and I was deeply inspired by his story. ASANO NENSHI was founded in 1967, and Mr. Asano is now the second-generation president.

One of Mr. Asano's incredible challenges is to help revitalize the town of Futaba, located in Fukushima Prefecture, which currently has no residents after the Fukushima disaster. To do so, he established a facility called Futaba Super Zero Mill, which includes a factory, shop, and café. Futaba Super Zero Mill opened last year, in 2023.
Before the disaster, Futaba Town was home to around 7,000 people. Mr. Asano's vision is to create new jobs and breathe life back into the town, and I was truly moved by his determination. He even offered me words of encouragement: "You're doing great work; let's energize Japan together."

At Sakura Sake Shop, our vision also includes creating a future full of dreams and hope for the children of the next 100 years. Mr. Asano's words reignited my passion, and reminded me to continue carrying out our mission with care and determination.

02/10/2024

Happy Sake Day! 🎉

Yesterday, October 1st, was Sake Day, and we celebrated with a special YouTube live stream! Our CEO, Kondo, along with our staff, participated in the Nihonshu Go Around (NGA), which is a sake bar-hopping event held in cities across Japan to celebrate Japanese sake. We brought the energy and excitement of the event to our viewers.

We were also joined by Mr. Ikeshima from Happy Taro Brewery, who produces the incredibly popular doburoku (unfiltered sake). This doburoku is so delicious that it has become a top seller on domestic online shops!

Did everyone enjoy Sake Day? We’d love to hear about how you spent the day—please feel free to share your experiences with us!

01/10/2024

📝Summary of Our Initiatives for FY12 First Half🌸

With September now behind us, the first half of FY12 has come to an end, and our second half kicks off from October 1st. Looking back, we've summarized the key initiatives for our export business in the first half of FY12:

✅Started handling 10 new sake brands (including "Kamokinshu," "Fukuumi," and "Tosa Shiragiku")
✅Conducted brewery tours with customers at 10 different breweries (such as Sumikawa brewery, Kankobai brewery,, and Shimizu Seizaburo Shoten)
✅Expanded our export destinations to 20 countries (including two new countries: Monaco and Macau)
✅Developed our export management app, with a beta release scheduled for October 2024
✅Introduced the Temperature Logger Tag, which monitors temperature changes of sake during transportation

The highlight of our first half was undoubtedly the development of our export management app. This app will allow our customers to seamlessly manage everything—from sake requests to finalized transactions—all in one place. On our customers' side, they can also track all products and transaction history through the app, significantly reducing workload. We believe this will be a big step forward in delivering sake to our customers around the world more efficiently.

We will share more details once the app is officially launched—please stay tuned!

27/09/2024

🌎Sustainability and the Future of Japanese Sake🍶

As awareness around sustainability continues to grow, especially in Europe, we at Sakura Sake Shop feel it's time for our industry to step up and take the lead. Recently, we held a discussion on what actions we can take to promote sustainability in the near future.

In Japan, sustainability isn’t a common topic yet, especially within the sake industry. But one of our core beliefs at Sakura Sake Shop is:

“ Protect：Protect agriculture & nature that nurtures sake, and create a sustainable long-lasting society.”

With this vision in mind, we’re exploring what we can do right now to make a positive impact on the environment and the industry.

We’re excited to implement sustainable initiatives across our company, so people around the world can enjoy sake while knowing it's made with care for the future of our planet.

24/09/2024

"KAMOKINSHU" Now Available!
We are thrilled to announce that we now carry KAMOKINSHU from KANEMITSU SHUZO, a brewery renowned for its commitment to craftsmanship and innovation.

🍶The Legacy of KANEMITSU SHUZO
Founded in 1880 in Higashi Hiroshima, KANEMITSU SHUZO operates under the slogan, "In pursuit of unforgettable deliciousness." Under the leadership of 5th generation brewer Hideaki Kanemitsu, they introduced the trendy KAMOKINSHU, a pasteurized sake with a fresh, effervescent feel.

A few years after launching this unique sake, they won the Gold Medal at the National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair—their first since founding. With continued success, they quickly gained nationwide attention.

"What Makes KAMOKINSHU Special"
✨Freshness through Water: KAMOKINSHU uses moderately hard water, rich in minerals, which enhances fermentation and gives the sake its signature effervescence.

✨Craftsmanship: They use 80% locally grown Hiroshima rice, supplemented with premium rice from Okayama and Hyogo.

✨Innovation: The brewery adopts advanced techniques like refrigerated pressing and automated temperature control for optimal bottle pasteurization.

🌾 We invite you to enjoy KAMOKINSHU, where tradition meets innovation! 🌾