With a brewing tradition stretching back centuries, sake has become one of Japan's most popular recent exports and has been making serious inroads on the international dining scene abroad.

Clumsily translated as "rice wine" in English, sake is in fact much, much more complex than this simple phrase suggests incorporating centuries of tradition, exacting production techniques, strict attention to quality and detail. At it's best, sake can astonish both the first time drinker and the veteran aficionado.

An excellent introduction to the varieties of sake and the different brewing processes can be found here.

Best served in traditional Ochooko, the ubiquitous small cups found wherever sake is served, sake can be enjoyed hot or cold at any time of year!

The Japan Sake Fair

A combination of 2 events presenting visitors with a unique opportunity to expand one's appreciation and knowledge of this delicate, diverse and refined cultural mainstay.

(1) All Japan Sake Fair 2008
Open to the general public.
Visitors can enjoy tasting a variety of sake from Hokkaido to Kyushu and can also purchase the featured sake to bring home.

(2) Award Winners Sake Fair
Both public and closed events (please check times), the Award Winners Sake Fair celebrates the best titles of 2007. Visitors will find themselves presented with a special ochooko of their own to enhance the tasting experience (and a small sake dropper to ensure a good tasting size)!

Enjoy and Kampai!

The Japan Sake Fair Photos

* Photos courtesy of the Japan Sake Brewers Association

The Japan Sake Fair Details

(1) All Japan Sake Fair

Location:
Ikebukuro Sunshine City Bunka Kaikan Building 4th Floor (3-1-1 Higashi Ikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo)

Access:
Sunshine City is about a 8 minute walk from Ikebukuro Station (East Exit)

Date & Times:
June 11th, 2008
11am - 8pm (doors close at 7:30pm)

Tickets:
• All Japan Sake Fair
¥1,000 yen for entry only to the All Japan Sake Fair
(Permits visitors to taste many kinds of sake, served in small plastic cups).

(2) Award Winners Sake Fair

Location:
Ikebukuro Sunshine City World Import Mart Exhibition Hall A2, A3, B (3-1-1 Higashi Ikebukuro Toshima-ku,Tokyo)

Access:
Sunshine City is about a 8 minute walk from Ikebukuro Station (East Exit)

Date & Times:
June 11th, 2008

Closed to public:
Open for distributors, restaurants, etc.
10 am to 1pm (doors close at noon)

Open to public:
4pm to 8 pm (doors close at 7:30pm)

Tickets:
• Japan Sake Fair 2008:
¥3,000 yen in advance or ¥3,500 at the door.
Ticket available for purchase at e-plus (site in Japanese only)

(Permits visitors to taste many kinds of sake served in a special ochooko sake cup and allows visitors to gain entrance to the All Japan Sake Fair).

More Info :
• Japan Sake Brewers Association
http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/fair/index.html