Professional Sake Brewing Lecture & Tasting of Distinctive Japanese Sakes

I. Professional Lecture (approx. 30 minutes) – Understanding Japanese Sake from Scratch Many travelers have tasted sake but don't know the reasons behind its deliciousness. This lecture won't be a superficial overview; it will guide you into the world of sake brewing in an easy-to-understand way. ① The Entire Sake Brewing Process From washing rice, steaming rice, making koji (fermentation starter), fermentation to pressing, this lecture will comprehensively outline every step in the creation of sake. It will focus on explaining "which stages in the brewing process determine the final flavor"—so that you can discern the unique character of a glass of sake from the processes described. ② The Mystery of Koji – A UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Japan's "koji-making technique" has been listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. The lecture will explain in detail how koji mold converts starch in rice into sugar, and how yeast converts sugar into alcohol. You will understand: without high-quality koji, there is no high-quality sake. ③ Sake Rice Varieties and Rice Polishing Ratio What is the difference between sake rice and regular rice? What are the characteristics of representative sake rice varieties like Yamada Nishiki, Gohyakumangoku, and Miyama Nishiki? How does the rice polishing ratio (degree of milling) affect the aroma and taste of sake? This section will help you truly understand the principle that "raw materials determine the upper limit." ④ Filtration and Fire-Aging – The Final Processes Determining the "Direction" of Sake Whether or not it is filtered, whether it undergoes fire-aging (low-temperature sterilization), whether it is nagantsuke (raw sake) or nagane sake (unpasteurized sake) – these seemingly minor processing methods will result in completely different styles of sake. This lecture will help you clarify these technical terms and no longer be confused by sake labels.

II. Tasting of 5 Japanese Sakes (approx. 20 minutes) – Verifying Knowledge with Your Tongue Immediately following the lecture, we will move on to a practical session. We have prepared 5 distinctive sakes from different regions of Japan, each with a unique character. Some are from Niigata (light and dry), some from Hiroshima (smooth and rounded), some from Nara (bright acidity), some from Akita (rich umami), and some from Shizuoka (luxurious aroma). Through comparative tasting, you can personally experience how differences in region, rice, rice polishing ratio, and filtration methods, under the same brewing principles, can result in drastically different flavor profiles.

【Who is this suitable for?】 Travelers who enjoy sake but don't know much about its brewing process Friends who only look at the alcohol content or order randomly when at izakayas Travelers who want to incorporate a "culturally enriching experience" into their trip to Japan People interested in UNESCO intangible cultural heritage and traditional Japanese food culture Tourists who want to experience the atmosphere of Kyoto's machiya (traditional townhouses) in a small group