The second half of Japan’s largest “SAKE” event, produced by Hidetoshi Nakata—“CRAFT SAKE WEEK”—has begun! A full roundup of the best drinks and bites!

How is everyone doing? This is O from the PR Group.
These days, as the countdown to the start of the new era name “Reiwa” begins in earnest, a particularly “hot” spot has emerged in Tokyo as a new era is about to begin.

That place is Roppongi.
“CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS 2019,” one of Japan’s largest “SAKE” events produced by Mr. Hidetoshi Nakata—who has visited more than 350 breweries across Japan—is now being held to great acclaim at the Roppongi Hills Arena for 11 days, from Friday, April 19 to Monday, April 29 (national holiday)! Some of you may have already been there.

The venue is packed every day!

Incredible—110 breweries from across Japan have gathered!

The venue design is based on the concept of “rope,” symbolizing the culture born from Japan’s climate and natural environment. It is overseen by architect Yuko Nagayama, who also designed the Japan Pavilion for Expo 2020 Dubai.

Before you know it, “CRAFT SAKE WEEK” has entered its second half. In this blog, we will introduce all the highlights of the second half—namely, the best drinks and the best bites—all at once!

All sake served at “CRAFT SAKE WEEK” is carefully selected by Mr. Hidetoshi Nakata and other sake experts. The 110 participating breweries are segmented by theme, with 10 breweries featured each day, making it easy for visitors to find sake that suits their taste—each offering distinctive, top-tier sake!
Click here for the list of brewery categories for the second half!
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●Thursday, April 25: Chugoku & Shikoku Day
~Breweries from the Chugoku and Shikoku regions gather~
・Kamokinshu (Hiroshima) ・Gassan (Shimane) ・Takaki (Yamaguchi)
・Gokyo (Yamaguchi) ・Miyoshikiku (Tokushima) ・Ishizuchi (Ehime)
・Hime Ichie (Ehime) ・Tosa Shiragiku (Kochi) ・Bijofu (Kochi)
・Kameizumi (Kochi)

●Friday, April 26: Kyushu Day
~Breweries from the Kyushu region gather~
・Mii no Kotobuki (Fukuoka) ・Wakanami (Fukuoka) ・Tanaka Rokujugo (Fukuoka)
・Niwa no Uguisu (Fukuoka) ・Mae (Saga) ・Nabeshima (Saga)
・Azumaichi (Saga) ・Chiebijin (Oita) ・Fukuda (Nagasaki)
・Hana no Ka (Kumamoto)

●Saturday, April 27: SAKE COMPETITION 2018 Day
~Breweries recognized by sake professionals, ranked among the top in the world’s largest sake competition, “SAKE COMPETITION,” appear~
・Akabu (Iwate) ・Nanbu Bijin (Iwate) ・Zao (Miyagi)
・Sharaku (Fukushima) ・Nagurayama (Fukushima) ・Machida Shuzo (Gunma)
・Senkin (Tochigi) ・Zaku (Mie) ・Hakutsuru (Hyogo)
・Gokusei (Okayama)

●Sunday, April 28: SAKENOMY ALLSTARS Day
~A lineup of breweries recommended by “Sakenomy,” the app that covers sake information from across Japan~
・Denshu (Aomori) ・Yuki no Bosha (Akita) ・Yuki no Bijin (Akita)
・Hakurakusei (Miyagi) ・Katsuyama (Miyagi) ・Kudoki Jozu (Yamagata)
・Soumura (Yamagata) ・Daishichi (Fukushima) ・Niida Shizenshu (Fukushima)
・Ima Nishiki (Nagano)

●Monday, April 29 (national holiday): Team Juyondai Day
~Led by “Juyondai,” praised as a “phantom” legendary sake, a lineup of renowned sakes representing Japan—perfect for the final day~
・Juyondai (Yamagata) ・Ippakusuisei (Akita) ・Yamagata Masamune (Yamagata)
・Houou Mida (Tochigi) ・Tensei (Kanagawa) ・Jikon (Mie)
・Hohken (Hiroshima) ・Izumo Fuji (Shimane) ・Yokoyama (Nagasaki)
・Toyo Bijin (Yamaguchi)
——————-

Another hallmark of “CRAFT SAKE WEEK” is that sake is not the only “star.”

This year, under the theme of “pairing sake with cuisines from around the world,” a lineup of carefully selected restaurants endorsed by Mr. Hidetoshi Nakata—who has eaten his way through restaurants worldwide—will all be in one place! Even popular restaurants that are normally difficult to book will be participating, and you can enjoy original menus developed especially for “CRAFT SAKE WEEK” at reasonable prices.

■Restaurants exhibiting from Wednesday, April 24 to Sunday, April 28
1. SCHMATZ (Schmatz) [Germany] (Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo)
It has gained popularity as a casual dining spot with an open, relaxed atmosphere, offering an evolved new style of cuisine that fuses Japanese and German influences.
2. Caviar House Prunier [France] (Takanawa, Tokyo)
A world-renowned caviar boutique with a 140-year history, producing its own French caviar and barrel-aged salmon based on recipes once presented to Russian emperors, and operating seafood bars at major airports around the world.
3. RISTORANTE La Ciau (Ristorante La Ciau) [Italy] (Shibaura, Tokyo)
A ristorante where Chef Tsuyoshi Mawatari—who trained for four and a half years at a Michelin one-star restaurant in Piedmont, Northern Italy—serves exquisite dishes that fuse fresh Japanese ingredients with Piedmont-style cooking. A popular Italian restaurant representing Tokyo, it won “2017 BRONZE” from a leading Japanese gourmet website.
4. Roppongi Kappou ukai/Roppongi Ukai-tei [Japan] (Roppongi, Tokyo)
A cutting-edge kappo restaurant born to commemorate the 15th anniversary of Roppongi Hills, where you can enjoy ultimate Japanese cuisine crafted by top chefs using carefully selected ingredients from across Japan. It is exhibiting simultaneously with a luxury teppanyaki restaurant that captivates VIPs from around the world with refined, creative dishes and the finest hospitality.
5. Arroceria La Panza (Arroceria La Panza) [Spain] (Ginza, Tokyo)
Despite being open for only two years, it has secured unwavering popularity among Tokyo’s Spanish cuisine scene, with Spaniards living in Japan unanimously endorsing it as delicious. Featuring 15 types of rice dishes, you can enjoy gastronomic Spanish cuisine such as paella that even Spaniards praise as better than in Spain.

■Restaurants exhibiting on the final day: Monday, April 29 (national holiday)
On the final day, Monday, April 29 (national holiday), five premium, carefully selected restaurants—endorsed by Hidetoshi Nakata, who has eaten his way through restaurants around the world—will appear for one day only!

① A steakhouse known as a pioneer of the aged-meat boom, where you can enjoy top-tier aged beef that brings out the meat’s natural umami to the fullest: “Chusei I Naiten”. ② “MOTOI”, where former Chinese cuisine chef Hajime Maeda blends French foundations with elements of Chinese cuisine to create inventive French dishes that unite tradition and modernity. ③ A fully reservation-only Italian restaurant in Ebisu with just six seats per day, where you can savor the finest carefully selected prosciutto: “PELLEGRINO”. ④ Spanish cuisine by Shinya Fukumoto, who trained extensively in Italy and Spain, from Kobe’s Michelin Guide three-star restaurant “Cà sento”. ⑤ The prestigious, orthodox Japanese restaurant that has earned three Michelin stars for 11 consecutive years: “Kagurazaka Ishikawa”. These outstanding restaurants will gather to offer special one-day-only menus! Being able to enjoy the flavors of these five “renowned establishments” in the same venue truly feels like a miracle…

■A special deal for those who have read this far!
A special collaboration with the news curation app “antenna*,” the media partner of “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” is now being held at the venue. Limited to the first 10 guests each day, you will receive a free gift of sake lees from one brewery exhibiting that day!! For details, please see here.

Please take this opportunity to experience Japan’s proud “SAKE” culture and fully enjoy carefully selected sake and cuisine in a wonderful space where you can rediscover the appeal of sake. Head to Roppongi!

[CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS 2019 Event Overview]
Dates: Friday, April 19, 2019–Monday, April 29, 2019 (national holiday) (11 days total)
Daily: 12:00–21:00 (Last order: 20:30)
Venue: Roppongi Hills Arena (6-9-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

On your first visit, please purchase a starter set (¥3,500) that includes a sake glass and 11 coins for food and drinks. From your second visit onward, if you bring your glass, you can enjoy the event by purchasing additional coins only. For details, please see the official website.