The second half begins! “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” produced by Hidetoshi Nakata, who is intimately familiar with the charms of sake, is held at Roppongi Hills Arena.
Hello, this is PR Sunny-chan!
The “SAKE” event where you can fully enjoy the appeal of Japanese sake,
“CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS,” which has been running since Friday the 7th, has now entered its second half!
At “CRAFT SAKE WEEK,” the participating breweries change daily according to a theme; the theme for the 12th is “Sparkling Sake Day.”
Sparkling sake, with its elegant flavor, is particularly popular among women!
Additionally, the participating restaurants have changed as of Wednesday the 12th!
CRAFT SAKE WEEK is dedicated to its culinary offerings to better convey the appeal of sake. By changing the restaurants between the first and second halves of the event, visitors can enjoy an even wider variety of food and sake pairings!
Last time, I enjoyed Japanese and Italian cuisine, so this time I chose Chinese!
I chose a sparkling sake from Shichiken—can you see the bubbles?
In addition to its refreshing taste, the carbonation helps cut through oil, making it an excellent match for fried dishes. Based on that advice, I selected the spring rolls from CHEF’S.
Just as the brewer mentioned, the bubbles truly cleanse the palate after eating,
so I believe it can be enjoyed with many different dishes.
The spring rolls are also simple and delicious, with the sweetness of the shrimp pairing perfectly with the ginger accent!
Here is a look at the atmosphere of the venue!
The cherry blossoms, which were mostly in bud on the first day, are now in full bloom!
The weather had been poor until the previous day, so as it was the first good day for cherry blossom viewing in a while, many people were enjoying sake at “CRAFT SAKE WEEK”!
I found an international sake sommelier walking around the venue!!
Originally from the United States, he became interested in Japanese food culture and traditional production methods. He is now active in promoting not just sake, but Japanese culinary culture as a whole. His comment about being “hooked on the world of fermentation” was memorable, and he even visits breweries in the winter to brew sake himself.
There was also a student sake sommelier.
She is currently studying sake at university with the goal of pursuing a career in the alcoholic beverage industry in the future. She gave such a fluent explanation that I was surprised to hear she was a student!
Through my conversations with these two, I was able to experience many of Japan’s charms, including Japanese food and culture,
in addition to the appeal of sake.
This is another one of the highlights of CRAFT SAKE WEEK!
Please come and enjoy sake while experiencing Japan’s world-class SAKE culture!
We look forward to seeing you at Roppongi Hills Arena!
CRAFT SAKE WEEK runs until Sunday the 16th!
Thursday, 13th: Muromachi to Edo Era Breweries Day
Friday, 14th: Kyushu Men Day
Saturday, 15th: SAKENOMY ALLSTARS Day
Sunday, 16th: Team Juyondai Day
You can also check the official website!
http://craftsakeweek.com/
◆Update: Friday, April 14◆
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The World’s First Sake Cellar: “The Cellar ‘Sake Master'”
Starting Friday, April 14, the world’s first sake cellar, “The Cellar ‘Sake Master’,”
was unveiled at “CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS”!
Just as wine has an ideal temperature, it seems sake also has an appropriate temperature! While the ideal temperature varies by brand, it is said that sake is best preserved when chilled. I had the impression it was stored at room temperature, so I didn’t know there was an optimal temperature!
The development of this sake cellar is part of the “Monozukuri Nippon e-shigoto × ReVALUE NIPPON” project, which Hidetoshi Nakata launched in 2014 with Nikken Total Sourcing. The project was reportedly triggered by conversations with brewers across the country who noted that “if sake could be preserved in optimal conditions, it could be spread further throughout the world.”
Mr. Nakata was also at the venue for the first domestic unveiling!
This sake cellar is filled with the ideas and knowledge of Mr. Nakata, who has visited over 300 breweries to experience the appeal of sake.
Furthermore, “The Cellar ‘Sake Master'” was explained by Ms. Takano, the PR representative for the “Sake Cellar Project.”
This project recruited social interns to convey the appeal of sake. Ms. Takano, who was selected, visited brewers nationwide and shared the sake-making process and her own experiences on social media to communicate the charms of sake.
She applied for the position because of her original desire to promote sake, Japanese food, and Japanese culture.
With a smile, Ms. Takano told us that she wants to spread the appeal of sake even further so that younger generations in their 20s and 30s can enjoy it!
She is very friendly, so please do strike up a conversation if you see her at the venue (laughs).
At CRAFT SAKE WEEK, various people are conveying the appeal of sake and Japan in various ways, making it an event where everyone can experience the depth and enjoyment of sake from many different perspectives!
CRAFT SAKE WEEK runs until Sunday the 16th!
Please visit the venue during these final two days!
