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Koshu from Yamanashi and Pinot Noir from Yoichi: What Place Names Reveal About Japanese Wine

Bringing the name of a grape variety to the world. Protecting the name of a place. Nurturing the next generation of winemakers. Each of these efforts forms part of the story behind Japanese wine.

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The Differences in Barrel-Aged Shochu Begin Before the Barrel

Sake lees, fermentation, aging, and bottling: tracing the character of seven spirits through how they are made.

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Six Expressions from One Rice: The Distinct Personalities of Six BORN Sakes

Place these six BORN labels side by side, and differences in polishing ratios and maturation periods immediately stand out. Yet numbers alone do not reveal the character of each sake.

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“Authorized Distributor” Status Is Reviewed Annually: Juyondai and Official Distribution in Thailand

On July 1, 2026, a certificate was issued jointly by Takagi Shuzo of Yamagata Prefecture and Japan Craft Sake Company Co., Ltd., a company whose name appears alongside Takagi Shuzo in Juyondai's official brand book.

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720 Milliliters and Four Gō: The Edo-Period Standard on Modern Sake Bottles

On shelves across Bangkok, sake and wine often sit side by side. Wine commonly comes in 750 ml bottles, while sake typically comes in 720 ml or 1.8-liter bottles. The 30 ml difference between the wine and sake bottles seems slight, yet 720 ml remains a curiously specific number in the metric world.

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The Nuances of Room Temperature: Pasteurization and Environmental Realities

In Japanese bottle shops, arrayed alongside cold displays, many bottles of sake rest quietly on open shelves.

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Two Fruits Differ Only in Juice. One Also Carries Wine.

Among the SHIROI liqueurs made by Sakurao Distillery (operated by SAKURAO Brewery and Distillery Co., Ltd., Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima), three bottles stand side by side: Lychee, La France and Chardonnay. Lined up, their ingredient labels share a great deal.

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SAKE HUNDRED: Three Distinct Expressions Named Category Champions at the Oriental Sake Awards 2026

Three SAKE HUNDRED labels have been named category champions at the Oriental Sake Awards 2026, a sake competition held in Hong Kong. Spanning three distinct categories across ginjo, namazake, and aged sake, the awards illuminate how a single brand explores the possibilities of sake through markedly different paths.

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Who Decides What Makes a “Good Drink”? ｜ Bangkok’s Dining Table and a Wine Writer’s Binary Choice

In October 2025, an international wine writer published a lengthy article about food and wine in Bangkok. Its conclusion was straightforward: in this city, you have to choose between prioritizing authentic Thai food and making wine the star of the meal.

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From Cherry Blossom Yeast to Katsuobushi: The Okinawan Ingredients and Craft Behind LEQUIO

Awamori, liqueur, and rum follow distinct paths of creation. Tracing how they are made reveals shared ingredients and the work of the people behind them.

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A Neighbor Complained About the Noise. That’s Why the Bar Is Hidden｜and Why Stories Added Later Often Serve the Storyteller’s Interests.

In June 2024, Wine Enthusiast published a feature on hidden bars around the world, including Florería Atlántico in Buenos Aires. According to the magazine, the bar was created by mixologist Renato Giovannoni and restaurateur Julián Díaz, and it conceals its entrance.

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Why Wine Professionals Study Sake at the Source

Seeing how sake is made and speaking with the people who make it can help wine professionals explain it in clear, accessible terms.

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