World’s largest sake festival held in Tokyo

Approximately 400 sake breweries headed to the Japanese capital to participate in Japanese Sake Fair 2023, as organised by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS).

The fair, held from 16 to 17 June, attracted some 4,500 visitors and offered a taste of 1,300 varieties of sake. Representatives from 45 of Japan’s 47 prefectures were present.

Each prefecture had its own theme/style to show. For example, Yamagata and Shiga presented sakes with a Geographical Indication (GI), as they have acquired this on a prefecture basis.

Koichi Saura, vice-president of the association, said: “Sake breweries are located all over Japan and have been nurtured along with local history, culture, and climate. To know sake is to know the local food culture…”

Masumi Nakano, chairman of the overseas sake sales promotion committee of JSS, echoed this sentiment: “The biggest attraction of the Japanese Sake Fair is that visitors can compare various types of sake. Sake can be enjoyed not only by pairing it with food but also by enjoying different tastes with different sake-wares and temperatures, so we want people in the alcohol industry around the world who are interested in sake to be aware of this fair.”

Another category that was the subject of several stands and seminars was awa sake, or sparkling sake. Tsushima Kitahara, executive director of the Japan Awasake Association, explained: “The mild acidity of awa sake enhances the taste of Japanese food, and if consumers can toast with Awasake, they will choose standard sake as the next alcohol they drink. That is the goal of developing a sparkling sake.”

JSS director Hitoshi Utsunomiya said: “Currently, our main target of this fair is domestic sake fans, but we want to make this an event that attracts sake fans worldwide. We would also like to hold an exhibition that attracts buyers from around the world who are interested in sake.”

One thing which JSS is keen to push is the notion of sake as a brewed alcoholic beverage that can be enjoyed alongside food in a similar manner to wine. The growing popularity of Japanese cuisine outside of Japan has helped bolster sake’s profile – a survey by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, recorded the number of Japanese restaurants in the world in FY2021 as 159,000, approximately 6.6 times the number since the survey began in 2006.

JSS partook in ProWein this March, showcasing the traditional Japanese beverage on its booth and through masterclasses, with 20 companies participating – a sign of the international interest in the category. Last year, sake exports reached approximately ¥47.5 billion, a record high for the 13th consecutive year, and the export volume also reached a record high of 4.15 million cases.

Details of Japanese Sake Fair 2024 will be announced next April.

Related reading: Sommeliers show strong support for sake