Kohei Nito

New Trends in the Sake Industry

The image of a female toji (master brewer) defying the odds in a male-dominated industry or sake crafted specifically for women who don’t typically enjoy alcohol often emerges in discussions about “sake and women.” While these narratives aim to spotlight underrepresented voices, they can sometimes feel oversimplified, especially in today’s world where addressing the gender gap demands a more nuanced approach.  When will it no longer be a novelty for women to brew sake or to enjoy it as consumers? To unpack this question, SAKE Street has dedicated a special series to the theme of “Women in the Sake World”  In the first article, we analyzed the experiences of women working in sake production, highlighting workplace challenges and exploring pathways to change. The second article expanded the conversation with a roundtable discussion featuring women in non-production roles, shedding light on systemic barriers and envisioning a more inclusive industry.  Now, in this third and final installment, we broaden our perspective, looking at the intersection of gender and diversity in an increasingly globalized sake industry. First, we examine the wider fermentation sector through the lens of the Women’s Craft Fermentation Alliance (WCFA), an organization uniting female brewers from the craft beer world and beyond. Then, we turn to the stories of two trailblazing women: Noriko Kamei of Sequoia Sake in San Francisco and Chiaki Takahashi of Islander Sake in Hawaii. Both have successfully established sake breweries overseas, navigating unique cultural and industry challenges.  This feature, conceptualized and written by sake journalist Saki Kimura, seeks not only to explore the evolving role of women in sake but also to envision a future where diversity becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Women in the Sake World: Craft Beer, American Sake - Learn about the global fermentation industry (3-3)

Sake Street Editorial Team

What do women working in the traditional Japanese sake industry think about the gender gap?  In recent years, the principles of DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—have gained significant attention across industries worldwide. Reflecting this shift, SAKE Street's feature series "Sake and Women" explores the experiences of women, a historically underrepresented group in the sake industry. This initiative seeks to uncover the challenges they face and propose ways to create a more inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone can contribute without barriers.  In the first installment, we examined the challenges and potential solutions for improving the working environment in sake manufacturing, drawing insights from a survey of 50 women. This time, in the second installment, we hosted a roundtable discussion with five women excelling in non-manufacturing fields, such as restaurants, liquor stores, and social media influencing. They shared their experiences, highlighting moments of discomfort in their sake-related activities and offering perspectives on their career paths.

Women in the Sake World: Five Female Professionals Share Candid Insights (2-3)

In recent years, more companies have shifted from using the term “diversity” to the broader acronym “DEI”—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—to describe their initiatives and strategies. DEI represents a state where individuals of diverse genders, nationalities, and abilities collaborate in an equitable and inclusive environment.  In the SAKE Street feature “Women in the Sake World,” a three-part series, we spotlight women, a group historically marginalized within the sake industry, to examine what is necessary to build a more inclusive landscape—one where all individuals can work without barriers.  As gender diversity gains recognition globally, with more people acknowledging identities beyond the traditional male-female binary, many industries are actively addressing gender-related challenges to foster comfort and equity. However, the sake industry, steeped in tradition, is still on the journey toward this transformation.  In the first installment of this series, we delve into the unique challenges women face in sake brewing, drawing on insights from a survey (*) of 50 women who have worked in the field. What barriers do these women encounter as they pursue careers in sake brewing, and what steps are needed to ensure they can thrive in this industry long-term?  *The survey was conducted online from June 5th to 20th, 2024. We received 50 responses through social media, the female brewery workers' community, and other means of dissemination. The breakdown was 50% for those in charge of production and 50% for those not in charge of production.

Women in the Sake World: Challenges that Breweries Need to Overcome in Order to Accept a Diverse Range of Workers (1-3)

In recent years, corporate efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been emphasized. The sake industry, where many of the old systems and practices remain, has been faced with a strong need to confront these changes. This special feature, "Sake and the SDGs," examines the possibilities of each of the 17 goals of the SDGs, looking beyond image strategies and transient efforts to consider what sake can do to realize a sustainable society from the ground up.  People are probably familiar with many of the common conversations about sake and alcohol, whether they’re discussing potential health benefits of alcohol, drinking in moderation, and hearing inspiring stories and philosophies around ingredients and methods used to make these wonderful beverages, we don’t often talk about this industry in relation to its “societal” aspects  In the first part of this series, we  discussed eight goals from the perspective of theNature/Environment and Health/Safety.In the second part, we discuss the sake workplace and norms in sake culture and how they contribute to our life and goals.

Sake and SDGs（Part2） - How Can Sake Contribute to Society's Needs?

A shift in consumer behavior is occurring among the Generation Z (*1), whereby these consumers seek out products and companies that value environmental products and have philosophies that minimize their impact on the environment. Sake is a traditional industry, and many traditional systems and approaches remain in place, but it is increasingly necessary to challenge tradition and support values held by the younger generations.  Despite implementing efforts to change corporate images, some of these strategies have been criticized as "greenwashing" (*2). In addition, stricter regulations and standards for ESG investment (*3), which calls for investment in companies that place importance on the environment and social contribution, are being considered in many countries.  In this special issue, Sake Street examines how sake brewing can be addressed within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth at the United Nations Summit. We’ll categorize the 17 SDGs into Nature/Environment, Health/Safety, Job Satisfaction/Equality, and Others, with examples of what the sake industry can do to help.

Sake and SDGs（Part1） - What are the Essential Initiatives that are not Greenwashing?

Sake kasu (sake lees) is a byproduct of sake production. It has long been used for a variety of purposes, but in recent years its disposal rate is said to be increasing.  It is difficult to know the actual status of utilization of sake kasu, and sometimes there is misinformation flying around. This time, the Sake Street editorial team has conducted its own survey on the usage of sake kasu and here are our results.

How Much Sake Kasu is Being Reused? Latest Report Including Statistics on Disposal/Reuse Rates

The United States has long been not only an important export partner of Japanese sake, but also the top country in terms of the number of local sake breweries. In this series, Sake journalist Saki Kimura explores the future possibilities of American Sake by interviewing some of the players involved in the industry.  In the first installment, we spoke with Kita Sangyo's President Tsuneo Kita, a leading expert on the history of sake in the U.S. For the second installments, we interviewed Weston Konishi, president of the Sake Brewers Association of North America (SBANA), a trade association of American brewers.  In this final installment, we interview Kazuhiro Sakurai, president of Asahi Shuzo, which has built a sake brewery in New York. He let us know about the reasons and prospects for entering the U.S. market, as well as the latest news on the new Dassai Blue brand.

American Sake Takes Off: What is Dassai's goal for localization? (Part 3)

Of all the countries overseas where the number of sake brewers has been increasing in recent years, the United States continues to lead the world in number. In this series, sake journalist Saki Kimura will explore the future possibilities of sake in the United States by interviewing players involved in the industry.  In the first installment, we spoke with Kita Sangyo's President Tsuneo Kita, a leading expert on the history of sake in the U.S. For the second and third installments, we'll be interviewing Weston Konishi, president of the Sake Brewers Association of North America (SBANA), a trade association of American brewers established in 2019. In this interview, we asked him about the current state of local sake breweries in the United States.

American Sake Takes Off: Toward a Future with Sake Breweries in Every State (Part 2)

Toshi

Learn Sake

Rice, which is the raw ingredient for sake, contains starch. While starch is the source of sugar, it in itself does not contain any sugar. Therefore, another ingredient, koji, is indispensable for sake brewing, allowing the production of alcohol from rice.

Koji, the main character in sake brewing! The process and how it gives sake its qualities

Are you familiar with "kijoshu"? A type of Japanese sake, it can be increasingly spotted on restaurant menus or lining the shelves of liquor stores. Kijoshu* is a sake with a rich sweetness and elegance. Thick yet sophisticated, it offers an allure to be enjoyed different from generic sake. Here, we will see the definition and history of kijoshu, how it is processed, and the characteristics of its taste. At the end we also have some ideas for pairing which we hope will get you started.

Rich sweet dessert sake!  Learn about the manufacturing method and tastes of "kijoshu"

Nobuyuki Kubota

Most people know that sake is made from rice and water but what about the actual process? When you know how sake is made, you will be able to better enjoy it as you have an increased appreciation for the various methods to get it to taste the way it does. The exact process of brewing sake differs from brewery to brewery but I will illustrate here the general process.

How is Japanese sake made?

Within sake making, there is the step of making "shubo". As the adage "First koji, then moto, and lastly tsukuri" highlights, the second most important element of sake making is this "moto" which is just another name for shubo or yeast starter. Depending on the type of shubo, the process is slightly different, each giving the resulting sake a unique taste and aroma which we will explore.

Demystifying the shubo in sake

Sake & Health

Often heard that they don’t drink sake because it makes them fat. It is true that Japanese sake is sweeter compared to other alcohol and perhaps the fact that it is made from rice gives it this image. But is this really the case? For us who drink nothing but sake, this is a crucial matter and definitely worth investigating.

Is it true that Japanese sake makes you fat?

Ever seen the words 'polishing ratio xx %' written on a sake bottle? The polishing ratio greatly affects the taste and aroma of sake. It also affects whether you are permitted to call the sake certain names such as 'Junmai Daiginjo' and 'Ginjo'. By understanding the polishing ratio, you will be able to better understand the sake that you choose, so let's take a look!

What is the "Polishing Ratio" often seen on Japanese Sake?

One unique characteristic of Japanese sake compared to wine or beer is that it can be enjoyed at a wider range of temperatures. Changing the temperature even slightly can alter the aroma and taste, and therefore the same sake can be joined in multiple ways depending on your mood! At the same time, if you have it at the wrong temperature it can also ruin the sake, killing the very features that make it! Here I will be sharing with you how sake changes at different temperatures as well as how to select a suitable temperature according to the type of sake.

Hot or cold? The perfect temperature for your sake

What are the ingredients of sake? What would be your answer to the question? Many might wonder what else than rice? Or, those who are extremely knowledgeable might wonder how much detail they should include. In this article, we cover what ingredients constitute sake.