Tokyo Jizake Strolling (World Sake Day)
2025-12-17
By Ryuji Takahashi
October 1 is World Sake Day, the traditional start date of the sake brewery year in the fall, when rice was harvested and used to brew sake. World Sake Day was established by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association in 1978.
Various events that toast with sake are organized on this day to wish prosperity for the sake industry that serves an integral role in Japanese culture. World Sake Day appears to be largely unfamiliar to the public despite more than 47 years since its establishment.
Not wishing to organize laborious events, I opted to sit down and enjoy a leisurely meal instead. Therefore, I organized a sake toasting event at the restaurant “Kitchen Souma” in the Yoyogi district of Tokyo.
Kitchen Souma is a new restaurant that opened in the summer of 2023, a serene restaurant targeting middle-aged and older patrons among other restaurants frequented by young consumers in the Yoyogi district. Since my shop is also frequented by many middle-aged and older patrons, I chose Kitchen Souma as the venue for my sake toasting event.
All eight sake selections I brought to this event were seasonal fall sake selections, consisting of “Sanzui & Junmai Daiginjo Draft” by Hakuro Shuzo Brewery (Niigata prefecture), “Akagisan Junmai” by Kondo Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Gunma prefecture), “Junmai Kikutsuka~Yu~” by Kikunotsukasa Brewery (Iwate prefecture), “Takizawa & Jyunmai Hiyaoroshi” by Shinsyu Meijyo Co., Ltd. (Nagano prefecture), “Iwamiginzan Jyunmai Autumn” by Ichinomiya Sake Brewing (Shimane prefecture) and “Honshu-ichi Junmai” by Umeda Sake Brewery (Hiroshima prefecture). All eight seasonal sake selections were each aged throughout the summer, thus smooth in flavor, with a refreshing aftertaste, enhanced acidity and umami flavor.
Food paired with these sake selections are each Japanese fusion cuisine prepared with attention to fall flavors. Eight courses total - consisting of a starter, a pickled dish, a meat dish, down to the concluding rice dish - each perfectly complemented the seasonal fall sake selections. As the host, I intended to sip sake during the first toast and planned to refrain from drinking for the rest of the event. However, the restaurant owner Soma-san often prepared for me thoughtful, delicious small plates for me, separate from the event menu, I couldn’t help getting tipsy from drinking more than I had intended. Kitchen Souma is a thoughtful restaurant serving delicious dishes that sticking to the topic of sake was impossible. The fun three hours scheduled for this event flew by quickly with guests thoroughly drunk when the event concluded.
World Sake Day is a day to attend sake toasting events, still widely unknown compared to the Beaujolais Nouveau release date, which is unacceptable considering sake is the national wine of Japan. Like fall festivals in desolate towns known only to locals, we must use up the town’s budget to lavishly celebrate World Sake Day. I look to the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association to invite sake fans from other prefectures as guests as a measure to increase the popularity of World Sake Day.
Various events that toast with sake are organized on this day to wish prosperity for the sake industry that serves an integral role in Japanese culture. World Sake Day appears to be largely unfamiliar to the public despite more than 47 years since its establishment.
Not wishing to organize laborious events, I opted to sit down and enjoy a leisurely meal instead. Therefore, I organized a sake toasting event at the restaurant “Kitchen Souma” in the Yoyogi district of Tokyo.
Kitchen Souma is a new restaurant that opened in the summer of 2023, a serene restaurant targeting middle-aged and older patrons among other restaurants frequented by young consumers in the Yoyogi district. Since my shop is also frequented by many middle-aged and older patrons, I chose Kitchen Souma as the venue for my sake toasting event.
All eight sake selections I brought to this event were seasonal fall sake selections, consisting of “Sanzui & Junmai Daiginjo Draft” by Hakuro Shuzo Brewery (Niigata prefecture), “Akagisan Junmai” by Kondo Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Gunma prefecture), “Junmai Kikutsuka~Yu~” by Kikunotsukasa Brewery (Iwate prefecture), “Takizawa & Jyunmai Hiyaoroshi” by Shinsyu Meijyo Co., Ltd. (Nagano prefecture), “Iwamiginzan Jyunmai Autumn” by Ichinomiya Sake Brewing (Shimane prefecture) and “Honshu-ichi Junmai” by Umeda Sake Brewery (Hiroshima prefecture). All eight seasonal sake selections were each aged throughout the summer, thus smooth in flavor, with a refreshing aftertaste, enhanced acidity and umami flavor.
Food paired with these sake selections are each Japanese fusion cuisine prepared with attention to fall flavors. Eight courses total - consisting of a starter, a pickled dish, a meat dish, down to the concluding rice dish - each perfectly complemented the seasonal fall sake selections. As the host, I intended to sip sake during the first toast and planned to refrain from drinking for the rest of the event. However, the restaurant owner Soma-san often prepared for me thoughtful, delicious small plates for me, separate from the event menu, I couldn’t help getting tipsy from drinking more than I had intended. Kitchen Souma is a thoughtful restaurant serving delicious dishes that sticking to the topic of sake was impossible. The fun three hours scheduled for this event flew by quickly with guests thoroughly drunk when the event concluded.
World Sake Day is a day to attend sake toasting events, still widely unknown compared to the Beaujolais Nouveau release date, which is unacceptable considering sake is the national wine of Japan. Like fall festivals in desolate towns known only to locals, we must use up the town’s budget to lavishly celebrate World Sake Day. I look to the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association to invite sake fans from other prefectures as guests as a measure to increase the popularity of World Sake Day.
東京地酒散歩（日本酒の日）
１０月１日は日本酒の日である。何故に日本酒の日かと言うと、以前は酒造年度の始まりが１０月１日であったことと、秋の稲刈りの時期で、その米で酒造りが始まるタイミングであるからとされており、１９７８年に日本酒造組合中央会が制定した。その日は日本酒で乾杯をして日本文化である日本酒業界の繁栄を祈願しようと、色々なイベントが開催されているが、４７年以上制定から経っているにしては、一般的には浸透していない印象である。そんな中、疲れるイベントを打ちたくない私としては、座ってゆっくり料理を楽しみたいということで、東京代々木にある小料理屋【台所そうま】にて日本酒で乾杯イベントを行った。この台所そうま、２０２３年の夏にオープンした新しいお店で、若者が多い代々木の飲食店の中で、中高年を虜にしている落ち着いた店である。当店も中高年が多い店なのでうってつけの場所ということで、昨年と今年、日本酒乾杯イベントで利用させてもらった。今回の為に用意した日本酒は全て秋の季節酒で、新潟県柏露酒造の「さんずい・純米大吟醸生詰め」、群馬県近藤酒造の「赤城山・ひやろし純米」、岩手県菊の司酒造の「純米酒・きくつか～夕～」、長野県信州銘醸の「瀧澤・純米吟醸ひやおろし」、島根県一宮酒造の「石見銀山・純米秋あがり」、広島県梅田酒造場の「本洲一・純米秋あがり」の計８種。全て、夏を越してまろやかな味わいで後味スッキリ、酸味と旨味が増している秋の季節酒である。それに合わせる料理は全て秋の味覚を意識した創作和食で前菜からお漬物から肉料理から〆の飯物まで秋の季節酒とピッタリな８品が出てきた。主催としてイベント中は乾杯だけで酒を飲むつもりはなかったのだが、店主の相馬さんがちょこちょこ私用にイベント用の料理とは違う気の利いた美味い小皿を出してくれるので、私もついつい飲みすぎてしまった。美味い気の利いた店にいて、日本酒の話だけしているのは無理である。３時間のイベントだったが、楽しい時間はあっという間に過ぎ、参加者もすっかり酔っ払い終了となった。日本酒の日、乾杯イベント、一般的にはボジョレー解禁より知名度が低いが日本の国酒としてこんなことではいけない。寂れた町の秋祭りの様にその町の人しか知らない、町の予算を使い切る為だけの祭りの様にはしてはいけない。日本酒愛好家外部からも沢山の人に参加してもらい知名度が上がる施策を日本酒造組合中央会に期待したい。
