Why Sake is NOT popular in Japan (but is booming overseas)

In this one we visit the Nadagogo region of Hyogo and learn all about sake. Thanks to the Kobe Tourism Bureau for sponsoring this video!

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[C_M_R]

(11:06) the guy walking in the shot then running out of it. Lol 😂

[madeofyarn]

I want to deeply thank you for making such detailed videos (if not documentaries). Your knowledge and way to present is sublime + you clearly love what you are doing! (Investigating, reporting, creating genuine content...) I am sure this is what the internet is meant for. Thanks for bringing peace and quality information from Japan into my life, it influences my music as well 🍀 Regards from Europe!

[deanzaZZR]

Rice, water, koji mould AND yeast. It's amazing how many flavor profiles are being produced with such simple ingredients. Sake brewing is truly a refined art in Japan (with some science mixed in). I love incorporating tasting regional sakes on travels around Japan as they often match the local foods so well.

[Theoryofcatsndogs]

The thing about buying sake in Canada is the lack of choice. Most liquor stores only carry the cheapest one. When you find a better one, the price is pretty high, which costs like a bottle of Scotch, and it might be smaller too. The lack of mid-range sake is annoying.

Also, the cost of liquor is very high compared to the US. As I drink quite a bit, it really hurts.

[YezzyHD]

Took me a second to figure out that 70% polish, does not mean its 70% from poland

[SecretSquirrelFun]

You two really held it together while tasting all of that Sake, I’m impressed.

Although I was becoming a little concerned the longer it went on and the redder you became 😳

Well done, both of you 🙂

[Jordan-inJapan]

First of all Greg, I’ve never seen you drink that much! I hope you were OK afterwards. 😆
But seriously, I find it really interesting how the sake industry is adapting to keep up with the evolving tastes of consumers. For example, with sparkling sake, and other more wine-like varieties. But my personal area of interest is those traditional sake breweries that have branched off into beer production as well. Shiga-Kogen beer, for example, produced by the historic sake brewery Tamura Honten, makes some of the best craft beer in Japan. And now I’m getting thirsty. 😅

[zeroibis]

The cup is one of the most overlooked aspects of how sake tastes. I have a very large collection of sake cups that are in different shapes a materials. It is amazing the differences that each cup brings out in the sake. So far the vast majority of sake sampled has tasted best in Koito ware cups (takayama). I suspect that Bizen ware would also fair well so I plan to try to get some next time I am Okayama as currently I only have 1 cup shape in that pottery style.

The most surprising result has been my tasting of Dewazakura, a sake I drink regularly when in Japan. It is the only one I have ever had that tasted the best in the shakudani stone sake cup and the other cups were not even close. Usually the shakudani cups finish in the middle of the pack or bottom and rarely at the top let alone a run away for first place. Everyone was very surprised and I still can not believe how much better Dewazakura is out of that vessel.

But that is one of the exciting things about sake, even the same sake can be enjoyed in so many ways just from using different cups! You can find the cups that highlight the parts of the profile you love the most in a given sake or use it to adjust the profile of a not so great bottle to make it smoother.

[willymags]

Here in America sake is sold at the high-end supermarkets I love sake! I love cherry wine as well. I bet I would love the plum sake because I do like a sweet alcohol.. I think by the end of the show the two of you were starting to feel the effects of the sake lol

[irpacynot]

You guys were lookin' pretty hammered by the end.

Looked like a delicious variety of sake.

[Nainara]

Hakutsuru must be a big international exporting brand. I recognize the pink Sayuri label from my local liquor store which is in the US midwest.

[urouroniwa]

Japanese sake is really deep. If you enjoy alcohol, then I really recommend visiting some breweries. Most have tastings and it's worth exploring because everything is so different. Hakutsuru and Gekkeikan are the *really* big producers. You can often get that easily outside of Japan. They don't produce any of my favorites, but it is technically well made. If you try those big brands, I would say it only gets better from there (and it can get a *lot* better). I was kind of blown away when I first moved to Japan because I had enjoyed those big brands. I wasn't prepared for just how good Japanese sake can be.

[tiffanyhp]

I just love how much fun you two are having! 😂😂💕

[ers]

i luv using it my cooking here in the USA.

[tigger]

Another great video. Very informative. Love how your sister in law is doing much more with you. You two make a great team on the videos

[HoodieCat]

Amazing!
I thought the trope of flushed faces when drinking was always made more visible in media, but Greg's face from 15:37 compared to 18:13 is night and day difference!

[TravelGeeq]

Love these videos of yours, keep up the great work !

[dimbose]

I started my Sake journey after watching this. Very good content.

[brian]

Lovely video as always, thanks Greg.
Watching from Canada right now, the sake boom is indeed happening.
I do love sake as well and Hakutsuru sakes are available here (Montreal).
The blue bottle, Hakutsuru's Superior Junmai Ginjo is my personal favorite and the usual go to. I think it's a great value compared to other bottles ($8.30 CAD for 300ml) and offers much depth and complexity at its price point.
It was clean, crisp, dry, floral, and the finish lingered long with flavors of sakura flowers and fruit.
I hope you enjoyed filming it just as much I enjoyed watching it (a lot) and the alcohol enthusiast side of me hopes that you cover other offerings available in Japan (Japanese whiskey, shochu, gin, cocktails, wine, and etc.).
Thanks Greg!

[DavidCruickshank]

The more i hear about Japan the more "Why [traditional Japanese thing] is NOT so popular in Japan nowadays (but is booming overseas)" is true for so many things. I swear foreign countries like Japan more than Japan does.