3 reasons why you should start drinking Japanese sake now

Do you drink sake?

According to the National Tax Agency , sake (Japanese sake) made up just 5% of all alcohol consumed in fiscal year 2020 (April 2019 to March 2020). Since this is based on quantity, even taking into account that beer, chuhai, and highballs, which make up the majority of alcohol, are consumed in larger quantities at one time, the reality is that sake is hardly being consumed at all.

However, having lived abroad for a long time, I feel that this is a huge waste for people living in Japan, because only Japanese people living in Japan can drink delicious sake at a reasonable price . In the podcast, Mr. Oka of Oka Sake Shoten said that a French friend of his jokingly told him, "Good wines don't go overseas because the French drink them all," and I think the same can be said about sake.

Since we are lucky enough to live in Japan, where sake is the most delicious in the world, I want everyone to enjoy it too! I would like to explain further why you should drink sake "now" .

Now is the best time

Sake began to be made around the Nara period (8th century), and the prototype of the current production method was completed during the Muromachi period (14th-16th century). It's not like we need a time machine to say that sake is at its best now based solely on its taste, but considering improvements in transportation and preservation techniques, and the variety of sake available, I think there's no doubt that now is the best time to find the most delicious sake we can taste .

In particular, the way sake is brewed these days is a fusion of traditional handmade methods and the latest technology, and sake brewing that pursues deliciousness has evolved the most, making it a hot industry that will continue to evolve in the future.

I can only drink now

Most sake products are consumed within the season . Of course, there may be some unsold products or products that are deliberately stored, but these are in small quantities and are not distributed. It is normal to let sake sit for several years before drinking, as with wine, and there is no culture that considers it good to let it sit, so you will rarely see the same products from last season in liquor stores. Namazake in particular tastes better fresh, so it often sells out soon after it is sold, making sake that can only be drunk now a valuable commodity.

Now is the time to save

This is partly my own opinion, but I think sake is definitely a "buy" in the future. This is because, taking into account the effort that goes into making it and the quality of the product, it is cheaper than other alcoholic drinks. The price is basically determined by the balance between supply and demand. And , in my opinion, demand is low at the moment because it is almost only drunk by Japanese people, so the price is low, but in the future, foreigners will start drinking it too, so the price will go up . I don't know if that will be in a few years or decades, but the time will surely come when foreigners will notice and appreciate the value of sake, just like Suntory's Yamazaki whiskey and tuna . So, be sure to try sake now while you can still enjoy it at an affordable price!

Due to the effects of COVID-19, consumption of sake has decreased, and sake breweries, liquor stores, rice farmers, and other people in the sake industry are in a difficult situation. Now that we can't go abroad because of COVID-19, let's drink delicious sake that we can enjoy now in Japan, feel happy to be in Japan, and drink sake as a way to contribute to the important sake industry and do something good!