Sake Talk Anyone?

[pomodoro]

@dvlpmnt

(“nichi nichi kore kou jitsu”)

good to know!

what did you eat with it?

[dvlpmnt]

@pomodoro

what did you eat with it?

the one and only sushi yoshizumi

[J_L]

Aw yeah. #真的是好日

[pomodoro]

some recent sips at home

[pomodoro]

some recent pickups. thanks to gifts from dear friends, new connections, and just making the baggage weight limit for my suitcases from my trip to Japan

from right to left:

Hitakami Winter Aquarium nigori junmai ginjo
Kankiku Ocean Ninety-Nine Nagi Spring Misty, spring Japan release nigori junmai ginjo
Kankiku Sakemirai 50 Wonderland junmai daiginjo
Aramasa Viridian 2023 (“AD-HOC”)
Ubusuna Homase Gonojo Kawamatsuri “river festival”
Ubusuna Yamadanishiki no. 2
Nabeshima Ura
Denshu Yonwaregobu Gineboshi junmai daiginjo
Akabu Red Emblem

edit: I tried some Nichi Nichi tastings back to back between sake bowl, guinomi, and wine glass at a special store, and I learned that style of sake was much better in a sake bowl. Wine glass (I think it was Riedel Vinum) concentrated the alcohol and bitterness a bit too much, especially a bit sharper on the nose. This was a surprise to me because I tend to drink sake in a wine glass for flavor or in various kiriko at home for the experience. Guinomi was too small, needs to be refilled too quickly. But sake bowl was definitely preferred for this particular one. It could be confirmation bias, but Nichi Nichi yamadanishiki did taste a bit more bitter in the wine glass. Different sake for different vessels, though.

I ended up buying this Tambayaki and got on the waitlist for some other styles

[Totoro]

I’m going to Japan next month and I’ll be flying first class on JAL!

I don’t drink often (I suffer from Asian glow), though what should I try?

https://www.jal.co.jp/inter/service/menu/pdf/drink/nrt_sp_ame_f_d_202503.pdf

For sake, they have

• Jikon Hakutsuru-Nishiki
• Hakurakesei

For Japanese wine

• Tomi No Oka Winery: From Farm Tomi No Oka Koshu 2022

[pomodoro]

Get the 2013 Salon because it’s free and otherwise a bottle will run you over $1,000. You won’t come across Salon champagne by the glass. I love Salon on the rare occasions I do get it, but haven’t had the 2013 yet.

Jikon and Hakurakusei are are much more readily available. You can easily drink these great sakes at many places in Japan. I love Jikon, it’s one of the tops, but you also see various ones at many, many good restaurants and even just walking around you can find it (I saw randomly in Nihombashi and Ichinomiya). In fact at almost every nice restaurant I went to, or many izakayas, I could order Jikon and Hakurakusei. Also, I tend to like sake with food, so I’d save that experience for when you’re in a Japanese restaurant. If you must go sake and not get champagne, then I’d go with Jikon. It’s much harder to get retail, but it’s also one of the best around.

I don’t care for Japanese wine too much, so I don’t know about the Tomi No Oka. It’s by Suntory? Interestingly, sake brewer Kuheiji now has some burgundy.

You’ll be flying well. Have a good trip!

[Totoro]

Salon is not possible. Those are only for flights from Japan.

[Starchtrade]

That Mimuro Sugi Dio Abita is very good. It’s easy to love sakes (and teas and coffees) that taste vividly and almost singly like one thing. This was a total melon bomb in the best way. Tried to search for more of it, but it seems I wasn’t the only one that loved it.

[pomodoro]

@Starchtrade

Mimuro Sugi Dio Abita

Yes it’s quite delicious, round, slick, and dangerously easy to drink at 13%. I’ve had it with crab chawanmushi, with anago, and with a cheese plate all to very good effect.

There’s a bunch available for $25 at Hi-Time right now.

[pomodoro]

Recent sips

From right to left:

• Hirotogawa tokubetsu junmai
• Senkin Hope! Assemblage Miracle junmai ginjo
• Gakki Masamune Type-C “White Drum” daiginjo nakadori
• Nichi Nichi Library Selection
• Nabeshima Kitashizuku junmai daiginjo

[Starchtrade]

If it is still available for $25 at Hi Time, it is a steal. It wasn’t available at reputable sake shops in Tokyo in late fall. Sounds like MTC haven’t exhausted their inventory yet! Highly recommend.

[PeonyWarrior]

Iwa 5 blew me away.

[pomodoro]

Ubusuna was great on a hot day.

[pomodoro]

some recent pickups

from left to right (Nichi Nichi through Aramasa picked up in Tokyo, Abe through Akabu picked up in CA)

Nichi Nichi Kame No O 4th brewing season
Gakki Masamune “Black Drum” Type-C nakadori
Juyondai Jyomorohaku nakadori
Aramasa No.6 S-Type 2024
Abe JD
Hououbiden Black Phoenix
Akabu SEA
Akabu Hisui

and enjoying my new oribe vessel I picked up by Mt. Fuji with this Ohmine 3 grain “Summer’s Arrival” (a bottle from earlier this season but now good for the summer heat…though in this weather, my ideal drink is either Utashiro or Soukuu)

and some recent notable sips I had in Japan from my trip report of August 2025.

[pomodoro]

“Seven Lucky Gods” project - 7 breweries each doing a monthly collaboration with Shiraito Shuzo (maker of Tanaka 65) during the latter half of this year for Shiraito’s 170th anniversary.

really liked this Toyo Bijin x Shiraito. pictured is “Benzaiten.”

others:

June: Ubusuna, “Hotei”
August: Wakanami, “Daikokuten”
September: Senkin, “Jurojin”
October: Shichihonyari, “Fukurokuju”
November: Nichi Nichi, “Bishamonten”
December: Aramasa, “Ebisu”

[pomodoro]

recent pickups in Japan retail

from left to right:

• Hououbiden Reserve orders & Assemblage 2024
• Senkin Grand Nature
• Kakumei Senkin Issei
• Nichi Nichi Homase
• Abe Vega 2024
• Kankiku Silver Lining 2025
• Kankiku Chronicle 50 aiyama 2025
• Kankiku True White 2025
• Kankiku Special Yell 2025
• Ocean 99 toumi
• Yoshidagura-u Ishikawamon kijoshu

and as souvenirs, a couple of sake ochoko by ceramic artist Matsunaga Keita, whose artworks I like to collect. he was having an exhibition alongside artist Hashimoto Tomonari at Ginza Wako. sure, a wine glass is often better for the aromas when drinking sake, but I sometimes like to drink out of different vessels for the experience.

[aaqjr]

So what is a good Sake to pair with the Dodgers winning the World Series? Does Ohtani have any sake sponsorships

[robert]

Hakkaisan “LA Dodgers” Sake 720ml - Tippsy Sake

[pomodoro]

if you want thematic, then go for something from his home area of Iwate. his hometown of Oshu city in Iwate has Oshu-no-Ryu (blue baseball edition) to celebrate Iwate baseball stars (basically Ohtani). never tried it.

but for good sake from Iwate, Akabu is a nice brewery. their whole lineup is pleasing, particularly their seasonal stuff. for fall and for timing with the world series, definitely look into their Kohaku, which came out around August but should be arriving to California fairly soon if it hasn’t already. i really liked last year’s. this year’s was pretty good and am looking forward to trying it again.

this year’s release, in August

@robert

Hakkaisan “LA Dodgers” Sake 720ml - Tippsy Sake

have you tried it? if so, what did you think?