This year, the event is powered up for a 12-day run! Roppongi’s spring tradition, “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” is finally about to begin! Come and find yourself captivated by Japanese food culture.

The season for “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” the festival of Japanese food culture, has arrived once again!

For 12 days from April 18 (Thu) to April 29 (Mon, National Holiday), the Japanese food culture festival “CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2024 at ROPPONGI HILLS” will be held at the Roppongi Hills Arena!

This year marks the longest duration ever at 12 days, featuring 120 carefully selected breweries from across the country and 15 restaurants, including famous establishments that are notoriously difficult to book.

During the event, you can enjoy original menus created by top chefs exclusively for this occasion, along with each brewery’s finest sake—including special labels available only on that specific day. This is an event we highly recommend to both sake enthusiasts and those who are new to the world of sake!

▼ Past event coverage (articles) can be found here

2023: CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2023 at ROPPONGI HILLS opens this weekend for the first time in four years! Our PR representative shares tips on how to enjoy it!
2019: The second half of “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” one of Japan’s largest sake events produced by Hidetoshi Nakata, has started! A complete guide to the best places to drink and eat!
2018: Produced by Hidetoshi Nakata! A report on “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” where you can fully experience the charm of Japanese sake!

I am Makino, the PR representative for CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2024 at ROPPONGI HILLS, and I would like to introduce the highlights of this event!

About “CRAFT SAKE WEEK”

The event was launched in 2016 by organizer Hidetoshi Nakata. Having traveled across Japan and met numerous producers focused on sake, agriculture, and traditional crafts, he felt the profound depth and potential of sake in particular. He started this project with the desire to share the excellence of Japanese culture with as many people as possible.

We are focusing on carefully selected sake from all over the country and disseminating the appeal of sake and the food culture that is closely related to sake. So far, it has been held not only in Roppongi, Tokyo, but also in local cities such as Hakata and Sendai, and has attracted a total of 800,000 visitors.

Scenes from CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2023 at ROPPONGI HILLS held last year.

Highlight ①
Even if you don’t usually drink sake, you are sure to find a variety that suits your taste!

The sake, which can be called the true essence of this event, features 120 breweries gathered specifically for this occasion. They were strictly selected through tasting sessions involving over 100 experts, including Hidetoshi Nakata, sake specialists, and top chefs. It is truly an “All-Star” lineup of Japanese sake!

For those of you thinking, “I don’t usually drink sake…” or “I don’t really understand the difference in taste,” CRAFT SAKE WEEK sets a different theme for each day. By comparing the 10 breweries that appear daily, you can discover the sake that perfectly matches your preferences!

When you make a purchase, the brewers themselves will pour the sake for you, allowing for direct communication. Why not enjoy it as a place to learn about how to enjoy sake and how to pair it with food, rather than just a place to drink?

Please check here for the list of breweries for each date!

By the way, I used to have a bit of a dislike for sake, but when I visited CRAFT SAKE WEEK last year, I was moved by how surprisingly easy many of the sakes were to drink.

Since then, I have become such a fan that I always order it when I go out. Even if you have a negative impression of sake, please take this opportunity to step into the world of sake at this event!

This is a photo from when I visited CRAFT SAKE WEEK last year with the 2023 new graduates. Has everyone grown over the year…?

Highlight ②
Experience famous restaurants that are difficult to book! Pay attention to the dishes that pair perfectly with sake!

At “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” highly acclaimed restaurants from Japan and abroad—including popular establishments that are usually difficult to book and hidden gems from regional areas—will open stalls. You can enjoy a variety of dishes, including limited-edition menus prepared specifically for this event!

For the first five days from April 18 (Thu) to April 22 (Mon), a lineup of famous restaurants will be present.

Five restaurants—”Komiyama” (Nishi-Azabu, Tokyo), “TexturA” (Hibiya, Tokyo), “Elio Locanda Italiana” (Hanzomon, Tokyo), “Shiro” (Ebisu, Tokyo), and “Nomi Ogaki” (Utsunomiya, Tochigi)—will be participating, allowing you to enjoy food that pairs exquisitely with sake.

On the final day, April 29 (Mon, National Holiday), the lineup includes “SUGALABO” (Kamiyacho, Tokyo) and “Torishiki,”

“Ushimaru,” “Saika” (Tofukuji, Kyoto), and “Mieda.” This is a collection of restaurants that would be a waste to miss!

I am secretly planning to conquer all the restaurants myself… Please be sure to check out the food at CRAFT SAKE WEEK as well.

Highlight ③
Enjoy the finest sake and cuisine in a superb setting.

The venue design for CRAFT SAKE WEEK incorporates elements of Japanese culture and the four seasons. In the past, we have set different themes each time—such as yagura (scaffolding), cherry blossoms, bamboo, rope, and masu (wooden cups)—with installations handled by popular architects active both in Japan and abroad.

For this year’s venue installation, it has been decided that Taichi Kuma—an up-and-coming architect active in projects such as “SHAREtenjincho,” “SAZAE,” and “SHOPPE,” as well as with TAILAND/Kengo Kuma Associates—will be in charge.

Based on the concept of “SAKA-MORI,” the space is designed to resemble the mother forest from which sake is born, with natural wood and leaves composing the environment. The “forest” appearing in Roppongi will be a festive space that evokes the primitive human pleasure of tasting and enjoying sake.

Furthermore, DJs from various genres will select music to match the space, design, and atmosphere, creating a comfortable environment.

Luxurious culinary moments deserve a luxurious space. Please pay attention to the meticulously designed atmosphere of the venue.

Guide on How to Enjoy CRAFT SAKE WEEK

① Get your advance ticket (Starter Set)!

By purchasing your ticket online in advance, you can enjoy the event smoothly! Of course, you can also purchase a Starter Set at the venue during operating hours from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM (L.O. 8:30 PM) each day.

▼ Click here for the purchase site
Pass Market

The Starter Set includes an original CRAFT SAKE WEEK sake glass and 11 food and drink coins. These coins can be exchanged for sake and food. Of course, you can also purchase additional coins at the venue!
* (As on-site sales are limited in quantity, we recommend purchasing in advance)

Tip: Popular sakes and items may have long lines early on, so arriving early is recommended!

② Talk to the brewers and sommeliers to find your favorite sake!

Ten different breweries appear each day, offering sake with a wide variety of characteristics. Furthermore, at CRAFT SAKE WEEK, the brewers’ Toji (master brewers) and sake sommeliers will pour the sake for you directly. Don’t just taste it—talk to the brewers and sommeliers to find the sake that suits your taste!

Tip: Register the sake you’ve tasted in the official app Sakenomy to enjoy it even more!

③ Enjoy even more with sake and food pairings!

The possibilities for pairing sake with cuisine are endless. Without being bound by preconceptions, please try discovering new marriages between sake and different genres of cuisine. You cannot go wrong with any of the dishes and sake featured at this event!

Tip: Be sure to check out the original menus available only here!

④ Feel the “SAKE Culture” with all your senses!

The music in the venue is a collaboration with “TOKYO M.A.A.D SPIN” (Mon–Sat 3:00 AM–5:00 AM), a late-night dance music program broadcast on the radio station J-WAVE.

With full production, DJs select music to match the atmosphere and create a more comfortable space.

The “forest” that suddenly appears in Roppongi evokes the primitive human pleasure of tasting and enjoying sake. Please enjoy SAKE culture with all five senses, not just by drinking it.

Tip: Capture the 12-day limited space in photos to keep as memories!

⑤ Not just once—you can enjoy it as many times as you like!

Since the participating breweries change every day, attending for just one day is not enough! If you bring your original sake glass from the Starter Set, you can enjoy subsequent visits by purchasing only the coins. Coins can be used anytime during the event period, so it’s fine if you don’t use them all at once.

Tip: If you only want to enjoy the food, a sake glass is not required. You can purchase coins only!

Even if you are not yet familiar with sake, you will surely find a variety you like from the finest sakes carefully selected from across the country. Why not experience a new world of sake at CRAFT SAKE WEEK?

Please look forward to the upcoming “CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2024 at ROPPONGI HILLS”!

Additional information will be announced on the official website as needed, so please be sure to check it.

Website: http://craftsakeweek.com/

We look forward to seeing you at the CRAFT SAKE WEEK venue!