Tokyo Weekender July 2016
Breaking the rules of kimono – a new book shatters antiquated views of this traditional garment. Plus: The boys for sale in Shinjuku Ni-chome, best sake of 2017, Japan's new emperor, and what really goes on inside "Terrace House."
Breaking the rules of kimono – a new book shatters antiquated views of this traditional garment. Plus: The boys for sale in Shinjuku Ni-chome, best sake of 2017, Japan's new emperor, and what really goes on inside "Terrace House."
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TRENDS<br />
THE SAKE<br />
AWARDS<br />
Words by Alec Jordan<br />
Last month we stopped by Sake Competition 2017 to find out<br />
which are the top tipples to taste this year<br />
For a beverage with such a long<br />
history (nearly 2000 years!),<br />
sake’s ingredients are as simple<br />
as can be: rice, water, a special<br />
type of mold known as kōji,<br />
yeast, and in some cases, distilled alcohol. But<br />
from these basic materials, a countless variety<br />
of different sakes have been brought to life,<br />
generations of brewing families have passed<br />
down secret recipes over the years, and a long<br />
and flavorful history continues to develop.<br />
It was with this spirit at heart that Japan’s<br />
Sake Competition was begun. Drawing sake<br />
brewers from around Japan and beyond, the<br />
2017 awards, held in early June, saw a panel<br />
of beverage connoisseurs – including none<br />
other than Hidetoshi Nakata – appraising<br />
more than 1700 sakes produced by 453 different<br />
sake brewers. There were eight awards<br />
categories, and we’re sharing the top three<br />
sakes in each – whether you’re new to nihonshu<br />
or you’re a long-time fan of the tipple,<br />
you’ll want to add these to your shopping list.<br />
More info at www.sakecompetition.com<br />
20 | JULY 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER