Gathering for Enjoying Tokyo Sake

Tokyo tends to be conceived poor in nature due to its image of the center of Japan's business, economy, and politics, but there are many places in Tokyo richly endowed with nature. In some of these places, sake breweries have been making sake using good waters, which are blessings bestowed by nature, since olden days.

Actually, there are 12 breweries in Tokyo, and 4 breweries in the Nishitama area (western part of Tokyo) collectively hosted the Eighth "Gathering for Enjoying Nishitama Sake and Sake Cups" at Tachikawa Washington Hotel in Tachikawa City on Sturday 22, November. I participated the gathering. The host breweries were Nakamura Shuzojou from Akiruno City, Ishikawa Brewery and Tamura Shuzoujou from Fussa City, and Ozawa Shuzou from Ome City.

The gathering is held in Café de Paris (http://www.tachikawa-wh.com/cafe/index.html), the restaurant on the third floor of the hotel, and twenty sakes from these breweries, including daiginjo, and junmai-daiginjo sakes, were served with the food of the restaurant.




Since this was already the eighth "Gathering for Enjoying Nishitama Sake and Sake Cups," there were many attendees who I had got acquainted with. So, when I entered the restaurant, I felt quite easy, and I could enjoy talking and drinking during the gathering. We also enjoyed playing bingo, and some lucky attendees won bottle of sake from these breweries.

All the sakes served were good and they well suited the food, which is European cooking. I believe sake goes well with any types of food including not only Japanese food but also Western food and I think the gathering at this time well exemplified how sake goes well with Western food. I hope the parties concerned will continue to make efforts for familiarizing sake to the public and provide opportunities in which people can enjoy sake with various foods.

Today's Sake
Kisho Ginjo-namazume Shiroyamazakura (Nozaki Shuzo)
The article this time is about the gathering for enjoying Nishitama Sake. Nozaki Shuzo making "Kisho" brand sake is also a brewery in the Nishitama area. This brewery is a small company located in Akiruno City, Tokyo. I hear that the brewery is sticking to the method that has not been changed since olden times, and making a small amount of sake in an attentive manner.
Usually, sake is pasteurized twice in its production process, soon after sake is pressed and immediately before it is shipped. But, for a namazume-shu, the pasteurization immediately before the shipment is omitted. This ginjo-namazume-shu is a wonderful sake that is well balanced between the matured taste from aging and freshness.

Alcohol: 16 - 17%

The Opening of Tachikawa Yataimura Paradise

In Tachikawa City, Tokyo, the Yataimura Paradise (http://yatapara.com/) was opened yesterday. This is a small food squire consisting of ten and several retro-style small restaurants. We went there as first visitors of this pleasant place.

The place opened 5:00 p.m. and we reached there 5:15. The place was not so crowded at first, but only after about an hour, the seats of most restaurants were occupied by customers.

We first went to a yakitori shop, and then Okinawa food restaurant. Employers of those restaurants looked not very accustomed to handling their jobs because of the first time for them to perform their jobs. Actually, when I paid for the food in the first yakitori restaurant, we were the first customers for this restaurant who were to pay money. A cashier calculated the sum very awkwardly while we were waiting patiently. Finally, she calculated the sum. I gave her a 10-thousand bill. She opened the cash register, ... . and found no change there!! Oooops! They seemed to have forget to prepare changes.

Anyway, this is a pleasant place and there no place like this in my vicinity, so I am sure that I will frequently visit this place in the future.

本日の酒
Shichihonyari Junmai Wataribune (Tomitashuzo）
After visiting the Yataimura Paradise, we went to a restaurant run by my acquaintance. There, knowing that I was interested in this sake, he kindly kept it for me. This is for me the second sake using the rice variety Shiga-wataribune-roku-go. This sake is mild on your palate, leaving flinty impression.

Rice used: Shiga-wataribune-roku-go

Seimaibuai: 77%

Alcohol: 15 to 16%

Sake meter value: (+)6

Acidity: 2.1