Sake On Air

09/08/2025

Our good friend Julian Houseman just told us that today (Saturday, August 9), he’s hosting his very first sake brewery collab with Furui-san of Yoshimura Hideo Shoten from Wakayama at his sake bar "Sake House" in Osaka! 🍶

They’ll be pouring everything from local Futsu-shu to their flagship Kurumazaka — plus a few rare treats you don’t often see!

If you’re in Osaka, swing by for a chat and a glass (or… a few 😏).

No booking needed — just come by between 15:00–20:00.

See you there!

02/08/2025

This week on Sake On Air, we have a special guest host, who is none other than Julian Houseman, to join Cindy Bissig in welcoming back a familiar voice: Tom Wilson, co-founder and head brewer of Kanpai London Sake Brewery & Taproom, UK’s first sake brewery!

And, Julian generously offered his newly opened sake bar "Sake House", in Umeda, Osaka, to host the conversation 😎

Listeners may remember Tom from “Episode #73: Future of Sake with Les Larmes du Levant & Kanpai London”, where he joined us for a lively conversation alongside Grégoire Boeuf. Now, several years later, Tom returns to share exciting updates from Kanpai.

He reflects on his recent collaboration with a sake brewery in Nara, giving us a peek into the inspiration and process behind this unique Japan-U.K. brew, which will soon be available in both countries 😉

He also offers insight into Kanpai’s evolving philosophy and what’s been happening at their new home in London Bridge, where they continue to experiment, grow, and celebrate all things sake. And for a special treat, Tom brought along a bottle of Kanpai’s 2021 vintage “Kura” sake, which was enjoyed during the recording—and let’s just say, it didn’t disappoint.

Tune in to hear how the international sake scene continues to evolve, and what it means to brew Japanese sake with British roots.

So if you are curious, make sure to tune in here: https://sakeonair.com/2025/07/21/kanpai-revisited-catching-up-with-tom-wilson/

We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air.

Until then, kampai!

#古酒

24/07/2025

For anyone in New Orleans (or close by) this is happening and you get the chance to not just see a free screening of “The Spirit of Japan” but also a chance to meet no other than Stephen Lyman executive producer and shochu aficionado 👏

Are you at Tales of the Cocktail right now? Will you still be in New Orleans tomorrow? If so, we have a free public screening of "The Spirit of Japan," a shochu documentary that was released officially introduced to the world on Sunday.

RSVP now to make sure your name is on the guest list. Drinks and snacks included.

Kanpai!

21/07/2025

Well said! 👏

“Sake, shochu, awamori, and mirin are more than just beverages. They are deeply connected to the climate, history, and lifestyle of each region and form the basis of food culture in Japan.” Shinuemon Konishi

17/07/2025

More great shochu education here!

Organized by Kagoshima Prefectural Government, this seminar is designed to help alcoholic beverage professionals outside of Japan to deepen their understanding of Honkaku-Shochu from Kagoshima. Last year, Honkaku-Shochu production was registered as part of the

23/06/2025

Recently, we hosted our first Sake On Air tasting and chat session at the 日本の酒情報館 Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center! 🍶

Thank you to everyone who came - we were excited to meet a few listeners, as well as people new to the beverage, who Sebastien and Big Chris promptly turned into sake fans!

15/06/2025

We had an amazing first day at the Japan Sake & Shochu Fair 2025 at ATC Hall in Osaka! Chatting with brewers, sipping exceptional sake, and attending some truly inspiring seminars.

And this year, the event is featuring an amazing array of shochu, awamori, and cocktails made from it, so if you're in the area, there's still time to check it out! The final session runs from 3:00 to 6:00 PM today, and tickets are available at the door 😉

If you’re coming by and spot one of us, don’t hesitate to say hello and join us for a small kanpai!

More info: https://japansake.or.jp/sake/en/topic/news/kokushu-fair-2025/

02/06/2025

We spent a day at Yamada Farm in Kyoto for their annual 田植え (taue) event — the traditional rice planting ceremony that marks the beginning of the rice growing season 🌾🌾🌾

This yearly gathering is held in collaboration with three local sake breweries: Tsuki no Katsura (月の桂), Eikun (英勲), and Joyo (城陽), all of whom use the locally grown Iwai rice (祝米) variety, though this year, only Tsuki no Katsura will be brewing with it.

More than just a chance to connect with the roots of our favorite beverage, the event is a celebration of community and craftsmanship, and honestly, it’s really hard to beat a day out in the Japanese countryside with good friends and some excellent sake!

Kampai!

29/05/2025

The Expo in Osaka has just become more interesting for sake lovers as it seems there are various sake and koji themed events happening in mid June!

Have you got your tickets to the Osaka Expo?
On June 14th and 15th, the "Kokushu Fair," a major event gathering sake and honkaku shochu from all over Japan, will be held at the Osaka ATC Hall.
During the same period, several sake events will be held at the Expo site.
One of these is the "Tohoku Sake and Traditional Sake Brewing" event, organized by the Sendai Regional Taxation Bureau. It will be held at the EXPO Arena from Friday the 13th to Sunday the 15th. There will be fascinating content such as tastings of Tohoku sake and amazake, and koji workshops, so be sure to stop by!

27/05/2025

One of THE sake events in Japan that is not to be missed and yes, this year it is happening in Osaka!!!

Make sure to get your tickets early as this is a busy one and we are looking forward to seeing you there 😉