Rare pours and the stories behind them.
An insider's guide to rare Japanese sake — the bottles, the bars, and the cups worth seeking out, from someone drinking it in Japan.
First pairing stories are on their way.
Aug 21, 2026
A side-by-side tasting of two Mii no Kotobuki sakes from Tachiarai, Fukuoka: the elegant, fruity Junmai Daiginjo Fuku and the sharp, dry Junmai Ginjo +14, paired with cured ham.
Aug 1, 2026
A hands-on Kaze no Mori Akitsuho 657 review, following its fruit, rice-driven umami, natural fizz, and flavor changes from opening day to one week later.
Jul 30, 2026
A quick sake tasting at Sumiyoshi Shuhan inside Hakata Station: four Kyushu junmai daiginjo, a wooden masu, mentaiko with mozzarella, and thirty minutes before the shinkansen.
Aug 28, 2026
What does +14 mean on a sake label? A guide to the Sake Meter Value, what nihonshudo actually measures, and why a single number cannot explain how a sake tastes.
Aug 3, 2026
What do muroka, nama, and genshu mean? Learn how unfiltered, unpasteurized, and undiluted sake differ, using bottles I actually tasted in Japan.
Toshi, writing from Kyushu in southern Japan — and someone who has spent years chasing bottles that never leave it. More about The Sake Encounter →