SSSIA

Sake Nation The 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake Vol 1
By Kosuke Kuji

On April 14th 9:26 pm this year, there was a very large earthquake of 6.5 magnitude centered in Kumamoto prefecture. As mentioned in many reports from the media there was extensive damage and casualties. As of April 30th today, 49 deaths, 17 deaths assumed as earthquake related, 1 person missing, and people evacuated amounting to 26,000.

They have measured over 1000 aftershocks since the earthquake happened 2 weeks ago, and there are many people that cannot be guaranteed safety to return to their homes.

We have heard there are also many people that are cleaning up their home during the daytime and staying at an evacuation site or in their vehicle at nighttime.

There has especially been an emergence of a new type of evacuation with evacuees staying in their cars for this earthquake and many people have been diagnosed with Economy Syndrome from living in a tight space car which has contibuted to many of the earthquake related deaths.

Damage from Tsunami was enormous for the Great East Japan Earthquake and there were many people that died from the Tsunami. I mentioned it is called the Kumamoto Earthquake, but I've heard there was massive damage in Yufuin area in Oita prefecture, and still the people in Kumamoto and Oita are doing the best they can recovering while there are still threats of aftershocks. This Kumamoto Earthquake had supplies not being delivered to the evacuation sites and various problems were revealed. Lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake were not of any help?

I've heard that there were very few earthquakes in Kumamoto prior to this. Since there was a large earthquake in such a place like Kumamoto, I can't help but realize that this could happen anywhere in Japan.

It happens that Kumamoto prefecture is also a very important place in the long history of Japanese sake.

In Kumamoto prefecture there is a brewery named "Kumamoto Prefecture Brewing Institute Co., LTD" that makes a sake named "Kouro."

This "Kouro" brewery is very famous where Kumamoto brewing yeast originated. Kumamoto brewing yeast #9 which established the first generation of Japanese sake, especially "Ginjo sake." What happened to this Kumamoto brewing yeast from this earthquake? ....

I would like to share the answer with you in the next "volume 2."


酒豪大陸「熊本大地震　その１」

日本でも大変有名な観光地となりました東京スカイツリー(TOKYO SKYTREE)。日本人観光客もたくさん訪れますが、近年、外国人観光客も大勢訪れて、大賑わいです。

東京スカイツリーは世界一高い電波塔(the world's tallest free-standing broadcasting tower)で、タワーの高さは634mにもなります。展望デッキなどもあり、グランドオープン時には大変な混雑と、予約制の展望デッキへの入場は、まさに抽選で当たった人だけのプラチナチケットでした。

今現在でも、大変な混雑をしているこのスカイツリーとスカイツリータウンですが、東京の、そして日本の新しい観光の名所となりました。

そんなスカイツリーに隣接する「東京ソラマチ」(TOKYO Solamachi)という新しい商店街には、日本中の様々な専門店が入居していますが、ここに何と日本酒、焼酎など本物の日本の酒を販売する、地酒専門酒販店「はせがわ酒店」(Hasegawa Saketen)が入りました。

南部美人(Nanbu Bijin)をはじめ、日本中で手造りの、心を込めた地酒が、日本の今一番ホットなスポットで販売していただいております。

試飲もできますし、日本酒や焼酎に詳しい専門スタッフが常駐するなど、お酒を
買う事の面白さを楽しめる場所でもあります。

日本に帰国されたり観光でおいでの際には、ぜひ東京スカイツリーの見学と、ソラマチで、日本有数の地酒を購入してアメリカへのお土産にするなど楽しいと思います。

日本有数の観光スポットで日本酒が当たり前に販売されていることに、本当に心から感謝します。