Sakura Sake Shop

30/03/2025

March is Sakura Sake Shop’s fiscal year-end month.
Once a year, our remote team members gather for the Management Policy Presentation Meeting.
We discuss both financial figures with a detailed five-year plan and our vision with a bold ten-year outlook.
It’s an important time for us to share the same goals and purpose as a team.

“When you think of sake, you think of Sakura Sake Shop.”
“Sakura Sake Shop is always doing something interesting!”
We strive to become a company that people talk about like this.

After the meeting, we held a massive tasting session, bringing along plenty of samples.
(Needless to say, we were pretty useless the next day…😅)

30/03/2025

We had the privilege of visiting Niida-Honke in Fukushima, the sake brewery behind "Niida Shizenshu", a pioneer of natural sake.

While they are now recognized as trailblazers in sustainable sake brewing, it’s astonishing to learn that they began their efforts over 50 years ago—long before sustainability became a buzzword.

They brew sake not by "making" it, but by "letting it come into being", using only organically grown rice (including naturally cultivated rice made with nothing but sunlight and water) and the wild lactic acid bacteria native to their brewery.

Their mission is clear:
"To be a brewery that protects Japan's rice fields."

We were deeply inspired by their philosophy and captivated by the flavors—and the exceptional skill in warming sake (kanzake). It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience.
It feels like the world is finally catching up with what Niida-Honke has been practicing all along!

29/03/2025

Luxembourg Sake Challenge 2025

We are pleased to announce that Sakura Sake Shop will be serving as the Japan-side contact and co-organizer of the "Luxembourg Sake Challenge 2025."

Official Website:
https://luxembourgsakechallenge.com/

Now in its fourth year, this contest features sommeliers and top chefs from across Europe as judges. The top sake will receive a special collaboration benefit with Gault & Millau, the renowned restaurant guide originating in France. This partnership, alongside the Michelin Guide, presents a significant opportunity to enhance sake recognition in Europe.

Luxembourg, known as a key hub for logistics, data economy, and finance, plays an important role in Europe. Its strategic location, surrounded by France, Germany, and Belgium, offers excellent potential for expanding into other European markets.

Additionally, the local organizer of the Luxembourg Sake Challenge is one of Luxembourg's leading sake importers. Achieving strong results in this contest directly increases the chances of securing export opportunities.

We believe that participating in this competition offers great value for sake breweries, and we encourage you to submit your entries through the website.
https://luxembourgsakechallenge.com/how-to-enter/

Schedules Sake Challenge Date 17th May 2025 Japan Life event Date 17th May 2025 Entry Deadline 7th April 2025 ＊For applicants from outside Japan. Delivery Deadline Must arrive by 11th April 2025 As soon as the time of the event is decided, we will inform you on the official website Japan Life page...

06/02/2025

Today's guest is from Israel!
We're truly grateful for his efforts to promote sake, even in these challenging times!

31/01/2025

We're excited to announce the second sake tasting event at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) on February 19!
Our last event was well received, and this time, we're switching things up with a brand-new lineup.
Expect freshly pressed seasonal sake, warm sake, doburoku, premium selections, and even gin crafted by sake breweries!🍶
Here’s the official event page👇
https://www.fccj.or.jp/event/sake-tasting-sales-try-and-buy

Since the registration link is only available to FCCJ members, please DM me if you're interested—I can arrange tickets for you.
The participation fee is ¥2,200.
Looking forward to seeing you there!😊

28/01/2025

福岡・長崎オフショット📷
Fukuoka & Nagasaki Snapshots📷

22/01/2025

The first sake brewery tour of 2025 was at Mitsui no Kotobuki in Fukuoka 🍶
Yes, it’s that Slam Dunk reference (the one you're thinking of)! 🏀
We had the opportunity to learn about the history of the brewery and the local region, and sake brewing from Inoue-san, the brewmaster.
The brewery is in the peak of its brewing season!
The tense atmosphere inside the brewery and the precise movements of the brewers were captivating.
During the tasting session, we had the rare opportunity to sample freshly pressed nama-genshu (unpasteurized raw sake) and even unfinished products, such as batonnage sake in the middle of the batonnage process. It was truly a valuable experience!
Thank you so much, Inoue-san‼️

22/01/2025

Braving a snowstorm and a (quite) bumpy ride on a high-speed jetfoil, we made our way to Iki (壱岐) Island in Nagasaki Prefecture.
The destination? Omoya Shuzo, the brewery behind the sake "Yokoyama (横山)"!
Founded in 2018, this sake brewery stands on a miraculous spot where its owner, Yokoyama-san, discovered ideal underground water for sake brewing after searching the island and drilling 20 locations.
The brewery is equipped with state-of-the-art brewing technology and embodies sustainability that respects the island's environment—truly a next-generation sake brewery.
Having apprenticed under the renowned Toyo Biijin (東洋美人), Yokoyama-san has crafted a unique brewing style and philosophy through his travels between Iki and Hagi. We had the privilege of learning about it firsthand.

We are excited to announce that we’ve started exporting "Yokoyama (横山)"!
Bringing the world of Iki sake to the global stage!!

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!