Japan 400 celebrates in Plymouth

To commemorate the historic return of the East India Company’s ship to Sutton Harbour in Plymouth 400 years ago, an official ceremony was attended by senior dignitaries including ministerial representatives from the UK and Japan on the 27th September. A tall ship came into the port as a climax of the UK-Japan 400-year relations through a series of Japanese events which took in the city for a week.
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Enjoy International Sake Day events in London!

1st October is Sake Day (Nihonshu no hi) in Japan. It marks the first day of the sake-making season, and the month of October is significant. The tenth year, hour and month are represented in the Chinese zodiac system by the ancient character that is also a symbol for sake, and sake brewing begins in the autumn, usually in October. So the first day of the tenth month, October 1st, is known as “Nihonshu no hi” or “Sake Day” in Japan.
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Introduction to Sake at the Japan Foundation London

The Japan Foundation London is Japan’s principal organisation to promote Japanese culture exchange. On the 16th September, 'Introduction to Sake' lecture was held and well received by a full audience of those who already love Sake and others who wanted to learn more about this drink, which is enjoying increasing popularity in the UK, indeed, worldwide.
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IWC 2014 Champion sake

Sake Samurai UK would like to send heartfelt congratulations to Mr Atsushi Hirata from Hirata Brewery, who won the IWC 2014 Champion Sake Award with a 1995 Jukusei Koshu Hidanohana Suiou. The award was presented at the IWC Awards Dinner held in London on 16th July. It was a sensational win for this small family-run sake brewery with only 5 employees, which fought off stiff competition from over 700 other entries to scoop the prestigious title.
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Fukuoka showcases sake in Paris

A delegation from Fukuoka prefecture led by the Governor Mr Hiroshi Ogawa delighted the palates of gastronomic Parisians with a selection of finest sake, shochu and local specialities. The reception took place in Paris at the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to France, Mr Yoichi Suzuki, on the 2nd July, with invitations extended to opinion leaders, press and the trade in Paris.
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Oxford meets Japanese Sake Makers

On 28th June at the Saïd College Business School in Oxford, a delegation representing Japanese sake makers gave a talk on sake followed by a tasting reception. This prestigious and popular event offered students a rare opportunity to meet sake makers in person.
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Japanese hospitality at Oxford University Ball

On a mid-summer’s night of the 27th June at the St John’s College Commemoration Ball in Oxford, Japanese ‘omotenashi’ hospitality was extended to a distinguished party of guests. Founded in 1555, St John’s College is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges of the University, with notable alumni including Japan’s own Prince Fumihito.
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IWC 2014 Sake Trophy

IWC 2014 Sake Trophies have been announced on the 14th May. The best sake of each category is awarded the Category Trophy. The runner-up sake are awarded the regional trophies with the name of prefecture or city. The overall Champion of IWC Sake 2014 will be announced on the 16th July at the IWC Awards dinner.
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IWC 2014 Sake Judging

In London, on the 14th and 15th April, IWC 2014 sake judging was undertaken with a staggering new record of 725 entries in 7 categories. This year, two new categories of sparkling sake and ordinary sake were added to the original repertoire of Junmai, Junmai Gijo/Daiginjo, Honjozo, Ginjo/Daiginjo and Koshu.
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Sake evening at the Sainsbury Institute, Norwich

As a part of the Friends of the Sainsbury Institute programme, a Sake Tasting and Talk event was held on 8 April, giving the Institute’s supporters an opportunity to learn about sake from an expert in an informal and friendly atmosphere, and to enjoy tasting different kinds of sake, which is becoming increasingly popular in the UK.
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IWC 2014 Sake Competition

In partnership with International Wine Challenge (IWC), the Sake Samurai Association is pleased to announce the IWC 2014 sake competition schedule.
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Sake Seminar gives brewers’ insights to local staff

Following the Sake Evening at the Houses of Parliament on March 26th, the Embassy of Japan in the UK hosted a sake seminar for key Japanese expat staff working in the London branches of Japanese government agencies. The aim of the seminar was to provide up-to-date information and brewery-perspective insight to staff tasked with support the import and marketing of sake to British audiences.
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Sake Flows at the Palace of Westminster

Sake Samurai UK is pleased to report that on March 26th five of Japan’s most commercially and critically successful sake makers presented a selection of their most exceptional sake at a special Sake Evening hosted by the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group in association with the Sake Samurai Association.
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Top Chefs and Restaurants Celebrate UNESCO Inscription of Washoku

The Embassy of Japan in the UK hosted three-star Michelin chef Yoshihiro Murata from Japan and the UK’s very own Heston Blumenthal, as well as nine outstanding restaurants and culinary associations, to celebrate the inscription of washoku on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. A selection of sake was showcased as a unique national drink and an important ingredient in Japanese culinary culture.
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WSET Prepares to Launch New Qualification in Sake

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), in anticipation of the launch of a new sake qualification in August 2014 has run a series of sake seminars for sommeliers and distributors, supported by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to educate WSET sake instructors.
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Discovering Sake at BlackRock

In collaboration with the Japan Society and BlackRock, Sake Samurai hosted a screening of Discovering Sake, the MAFF-sponsored series of films introducing sake, following by a tasting.
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