Confirment of the Order of Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
Sake Samurai UK is pleased to report that on the 3rd November 2024, the Government of Japan announced that Rie Yoshitake, the UK representative of Sake Samurai association, the representative of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association in the UK, and the UK-Japan communication specialist, was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays.
The very prestigious award is in recognition of her contributions to the promotion of Japanese food culture, especially sake as a national drink as well as her achievements for developing mutual understanding between Japan and the United Kingdom. As an international strategy and communications expert, Rie made an invaluable contribution of raising the profile of sake internationally for two decades.
On the 18th November in Tokyo, the Order was awarded upon Rie by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan in accordance with the Japanese government.
The 19th Sake Samurai have been announced
20 August 2024
Four new Sake Samurai will be officially inaugurated in Kyoto on the 20th September, and this will make an alliance of 105 sake samurai devoting to promoting sake globally.
IWC 2024 Award Winning Sake Tasting at the Japan Embassy
10 July 2024
The day after the IWC awards dinner, when the Champion and other award sakes was announced, Sake Samurai Association hosted the IWC Award Winning Sake Tasting at the Japan Embassy in London. With the acknowledgment of the award and sake, more than 150 guests appeared in the venue, including Japanese / English government officials, influencers, Japanese & UK media, as well as trading people such as restaurant or bar owners.
IWC Announces 2024 Sake Awards
9 July 2024
On the 9th of July in London, the International Wine Challenge (IWC) announced its 3 biggest sake award winners including IWC 2024 Champion Sake, this year’s overall winner.
The IWC sake judging is the most vigorous and influential competition of its type in the world and judging was successfully carried out over four days in May at St Mary Marylebone in London. For the 18th year of sake competition since it started in 2007, the world’s most respected 65 sake experts assembled from 17 countries and judged staggering 1504 sake entries under a strict blind-tasting measure and multiple group examinations. This year, 31 sake brands were enrolled from 6 countries outside of Japan including Armenia, Brazil, China, England Taiwan and US.
Reception to Promote Sake and Food from Fukushima
8 July 2024
Fukushima prefecture hosted a reception at the Royal Auto Mobile Club in St James London to promote sake and food as well as its industries and nature of Fukushima. Two hundred distinguished guests such as Ambassador of Japan, members of Parliament, Japanese and UK company executives and directors of the food & drink industry were all invited, creating a large, fully attended event.
Rie Yoshitake Appointed to ”Fukushima Sake Meister”
8 July 2024
In 2017 Fukushima prefecture established “Fukushima Sake Meister” in order to promote sake from Fukushima domestically and internationally. Rie Yoshitake is honoured to be appointed as the Fukushima Sake Meister. Mr Shinya Tasaki, and Mr Rui Yoshida were appointed in the past. Rie mentioned that Fukushima has produced a variety of high quality sake and she is honoured to share “sake wonderland Fukushima” through events in London or SNS with sake fans from all over the world.