We bring you a range of resources to help you learn the world of sake.

If you know Aichi Prefecture, you probably know it for one thing: Toyota. Aichi is one of Japan’s great manufacturing centers, and Nagoya — its largest city — sits on the main route between Tokyo and Kyoto. But cars are only one part of the story. Aichi is also home to one of Japan’s richest fermentation cultures. Soybean miso.Tamari soy sauce.White soy sauce.Mirin.Vinegar.Pickles.Sake. And, as we discovered at our latest Weekly Sake Flight, even matcha shochu. Aichi currentl

Toyama is not usually the first place international drinkers think of when they hear the word sake. Kyoto may come to mind. Niigata may be familiar to more serious sake drinkers. And some people may know neighboring Ishikawa because of Kanazawa. Toyama often sits quietly between them. That changed for us after our latest Weekly Sake Flight. We tasted six very different sake from Toyama Prefecture, paired them with local seafood and kelp-based foods, and explored what connects

When people outside Japan hear the name Shizuoka, sake is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. You may know it for Mount Fuji. You may have seen Shizuoka green tea. Or, if you have traveled between Tokyo and Kyoto, you may have passed through the prefecture without realizing that it is also home to one of Japan’s most interesting modern sake stories. Shizuoka is not one of Japan’s ancient, obvious sake regions in the way that places such as Kyoto or Hyogo are ofte

When people outside Japan hear “Aomori,” they may think of apples first. That is understandable. Aomori is famous for apples. But from a sake perspective, Aomori is much more than an apple region. Located at the northern tip of Japan’s main island, Aomori is shaped by snow, cold winters, clean water, rice, seafood, and local food culture. It is also surrounded by different seas and bays, which gives the region a strong connection to fish, scallops, squid, and other seafood. T

From assemblage and kōshu to umeshu, KAN, highballs, and cocktails—how “mixing” can make sake more approachable Wine drinkers are already comfortable with the idea that mixing can create something better. In Bordeaux, different grape varieties may be blended to build structure, fruit, aroma, and balance. In Champagne, producers may combine different grape varieties, vineyards, vintages, and reserve wines to create a particular house style. And in some parts of the wine trade,

Why Japanese people drink sake at soba restaurants In Japan, there is a familiar image: a person sits quietly in a traditional soba restaurant, orders a small flask of sake and a few simple dishes, and waits before asking for the noodles. It can look like a highly refined Japanese ritual. But for readers outside Japan, several questions come first: What exactly is soba? Is it similar to ramen? Why would a noodle restaurant serve alcohol? And are people supposed to drink sake

When people outside Japan think about Japanese sake, Shimane is probably not the first region that comes to mind. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Hiroshima may be easier to recognize. Shimane, by contrast, is quieter. But that is exactly why Shimane is interesting. Located on the Sea of Japan side of western Honshu, Shimane is deeply connected to mythology, shrine culture, seafood, soba, and slower regional drinking traditions. For sake beginners, Shimane may not be the easies