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Stories of makers, ingredients, places and the decisions behind Japan's most compelling drinks.

Drink

From the Soil Up

How Japan’s Historic Breweries Are Redefining Sake Through Regenerative Agriculture For centuries, the craft of sake brewing and the cultivation of rice have existed as separate realms. Breweries traditionally sourced their grains from dedicated farmers, viewing rice as a premium ingredient to be acquired rather than nurtured firsthand. Today, however, a subtle yet profound paradigm […]

Bar

The Shifting Formality of Sake

Inside Thong Lo’s yoshibar For generations, sake has carried an air of reverence, often approached with a certain quiet seriousness. In Bangkok’s vibrant Thong Lo district, yoshibar gently unties this formality, offering a space where the beverage is woven seamlessly into the rhythm of modern everyday life. A Philosophy of Unpretentious ComfortThe sanctuary is curated […]

Drink

Terroir in a Bottle

The Distinctly Japanese Botanicals Shaping Modern Distilling Japanese craft gin is charting a course that is both quiet and remarkable. According to data from the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association, shipments of domestic gin reached approximately 5.53 million liters in 2024—a nuanced reflection of growth that stands at nearly five times the volume of […]

AWARD JAPANESE LIQUEUR

A Pale Pink Umeshu Chosen by French Judges

“ICHI” from Wakayama Plum Grower Umeyoshi and Kura Master In 2026, Kura Master, the acclaimed competition for Japanese sake, shochu, and liqueurs, convened in France. In its fiercely contested umeshu category, a single bottle captured the prestigious Judges’ Award: “ICHI,” crafted by Kishu Honjo Umeyoshi Co., Ltd., a revered plum grower in Minabe, Wakayama Prefecture. […]

Drink

Polishing Away 92% of the Rice, Leaving Just 8%

The Focus and Resolve Behind Tatenokawa “Kyokugen” Polish a single grain of rice. Then polish it again. And again, until almost nothing remains. A mere 8% of its original weight is left; the other 92% is meticulously shaved away as rice bran over roughly 40 days. Born from pushing rice to its physical limit, the […]

CRAFT BEER

Yuzu Gose, Sansho Wit, Shiitake Porter

How Japanese Craft Beer Captures Global Attention Through Traditional Ingredients As the global craft beer market enters a mature phase and breweries search for distinct identities, Japanese brewers have arrived at an answer remarkable for its simplicity: the thoughtful integration of local ingredients. Evolving From the IPA: The Rise of Terroir Beer The craft beer […]

Drink

Sake’s Other Side

How Aged, Low-Alcohol, and RTD Styles Are Redefining the Craft When one thinks of sake, the image is often of a clear, colorless liquid that quietly complements a meal—chilled or warmed, junmai or ginjo. For a long time, these were the parameters that defined the category.Yet, in discerning markets worldwide, new expressions residing just outside […]

Drink

Letting Sound Shape Shochu

A Small Distillery on Amami Oshima Takes on an Experiment Attach speakers to a barrel. Then let the shochu rest for eight hours a day while music resonates through the cellar.This is the unconventional aging process being carried out by Nishihira Distillery on Amami Oshima, an island in Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Japan. The project […]

Drink

A Quiet Evolution in Bangkok

KANPAI THAILAND 2026, a Celebration of Japanese Sake and Spirits Over the past few years, the landscape surrounding Japanese sake in Thailand has been quietly, yet unmistakably, changing. Once tucked away in the corners of high-end Japanese restaurants, artisanal sake bottles are now appearing on the menus of Bangkok’s contemporary bistros and wine bars. A […]

DAIYAME, SEKITOBA

The Lychee Aroma Rising from Imo Shochu

Inside Daiyame’s Path of Innovation To many, imo shochu evokes an earthy, robust character. Yet, a single pour of Daiyame 25% ABV—crafted by Hamada Syuzou in Ichikikushikino, Kagoshima—instantly introduces notes of fresh lychee. How does a sweet potato spirit yield such a vibrant, fruit-forward profile? The secret rests upon two deliberate choices: the evolution of […]

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