Journal

Blog

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

Blog

13% ABV and Still Genshu: KAGURA Junmai Clear Without Post-Production Dilution

The word genshu is often associated with sake at a high alcohol level. Yet Matsui Sake Brewery in Kyoto produces KAGURA Junmai Clear Non-filter Nama-Genshu at 13% ABV.

Drink

Bangkok Leads with Eight Bars: Three Ways “Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2026” Reflects How Regional Strength Is Built Over Time

On July 28, 2026, the highly anticipated “Asia’s 50 Best Bars” list was revealed in Macau. The regional edition of the globally recognized awards ranked 50 exceptional establishments from across Asia.

Drink

A Matter of Time and Texture: Decoding Skin-Contact White Wines

At wine bars across Bangkok, amber-hued white wines are becoming an increasingly common sight.

Drink

What Kusu Means: Okinawa’s Culture of Home-Aged Awamori and the Idea of Inheriting Time

Kusu is more than aged awamori. Okinawa’s home-aging culture, ceramic jars and shitsugi reveal how families preserve and inherit time.

Drink

Why Cheese and Sake Resonate: A Shared Transformation Through Fermentation

In Bangkok’s bistros, pairing wine with cheese has long been a familiar ritual. As imported wines have become more widely available, a growing number of restaurants have begun serving European cheeses alongside high-quality natural wines.

Blog

Five Years, Two Vessels: Oyama Yume Kobo’s “Yumehibiki”

When you hear “aged for five years,” you might picture a single liqueur resting quietly in the same vessel for the entire period. But Oyama Yume Kobo’s “Yumehibiki Nikka Barrel-Aged Umeshu — 5-Year Aged” does not spend all five years in one place.

Drink

The Unwritten Age: Deciphering the Identity of Koshu and Awamori

Some bottles of sake bear the mark of koshu, or “aged sake.” It is natural to assume that such a label denotes a spirit matured over many years. Yet, a fundamental question remains: how long must sake age before it earns the designation of koshu?

Drink

Rethinking Umeshu: Three Structural Insights for the Cocktail Glass

“Isn’t umeshu basically a fruit liqueur meant to be served on its own—and therefore difficult to use in cocktails?” It’s a reasonable question for bars in Bangkok considering Japanese umeshu. It is sweet, and many expressions possess a lower alcohol content than whisky or gin.

Blog

The Spectrum of Junmai Daiginjo: Tatenokawa at 8%, 33%, and 50%

The same brewery, committed entirely to a single category: Junmai Daiginjo. Yet its rice polishing ratios are deliberately split across three distinct marks—8%, 33%, and 50%.

Drink

From the “Awamori Fungus” to the “Ryukyu Fungus”: A New Name for Black Koji and New Directions for Awamori Distilleries

How black koji’s scientific name changed, and how Okinawan awamori distilleries are extending their fermentation and distillation knowledge into gin and rum.

Age Verification