Sakaya NYC Blog

After launching this year’s Masumi Arabashiri and  Chokaisan Junmai Ginjo Nigori Namazake in NYC, the focus of  our April tastings shifts to showing our support for the brewers in the area of Japan affected by the earthquake and tsunami disaster.   For the balance of this month and into May,  we will feature sake from Miyagi, Iwate, and Fukushima prefectures as one small means of contributing to aiding the recovery.   Please join us to show your support through sake!

Saturday, April 2, 2011, 5-7pm

Miyasaka Brewery Namazake Tasting (Nagano)

Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo

Saturday, April 9, 2011, 5-7pm

Winebow Sake Tasting

Chokaisan Junmai Ginjo Nama Nigori (Akita)

Saturday, April 16, 2011, 5-7pm

Drink Sake to Support Japan

Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo (Fukushima) & Ken Daiginjo (Fukushima)

Saturday, April 23, 2011, 5-7pm

Drink Sake to Support Japan

Urakasumi Zen Junmai Ginjo (Miyagi) & Nanbu Bijin Daiginjo (Iwate)

Saturday, April 30, 2011, 5-7pm

Drink Sake to Support Japan

Naraman Junmai (Fukushima) & Hakurakusei Tokubetsu Junmai (Miyagi)

We are honored  to be collaborating with Wall Street Journal Wine Columnist, Lettie Teague in a special  JapanNYC event at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, March 31 at 7:30pm.    A lively dialogue discussing the parallels and contrasts between premium sake and fine wine will be followed by a tasting of four terrific sake all for an incredibly reasonable $20.

Please see the Carnegie Hall site for details.  We hope to see you there!

We know that Spring is just around the corner because the hatsushibori (early Spring release namazake) has arrived!   In fact the theme of our March tastings could be new arrivals since both  Yuki no Bosha Junmai Yamahai and Kozaemon Tokubetsu Junmai are two of the most recent additions to our selection of premium artisanal nihonshu.

Saturday, March 5, 2011, 5-7pm

Joto Sake Import Sake Tasting

Yuki no Bosha Junmai Yamahai (Akita)

Friday, March 11, 2011, 6-8pm

Spring Namazake Tasting

Tokagen Tokubetsu Junmai Nama (Okayama) & Harushika Shiboribana Junmai Ginjo Nama (Nara)

Saturday, March 19, 2011, 5-7pm

Japan Prestige Sake Association Sake Tasting

Tokagen Tokubetsu Junmai Nama (Okayama) & Harushika Shiboribana Junmai Ginjo Nama (Nara)]

Saturday, March 26, 2011, 5-7pm

JFC Sake Tasting

Kozaemon Tokubetsu Junmai (Gifu)

For our first vacation since opening SAKAYA in December 2007, we closed the store to visit sake brewers in Miyagi, Yamagata, and Akita prefectures. which are located in the Tohoku region well-known for growing rice.

We first visited 287 year-old Urakasumi Brewery located outside of Sendai City, Miyagi.

Old fashioned way of straining water using bamboo basket after washing and soaking rice.

At Take no Tsuyu Brewery in Tsuruoka, Yamagata.  CEO, Aisawa-san (left) with workers in the koji muro

Newspaper journalists taking photo of Rick working.

Kamenoi Brewery known for making Kudoki Jozu sake brand.

Temperature controlled sake tank for storage.

Rick tasting moromi at Kamenoi Brewery.

The historic Sankyo Storehouses in Sakata built in 1893 for rice.

Dinner with Kodama-san, CEO of  Kodama Brewery in Akita.

View of Japan Ocean/East Sea with Sait0- san,  CEO of  Saiya Brewery.

Saiya Brewery in Yuri Honjo, Akita, known for Yuki no Bosha brand.

Takahashi Toji talks about sake yeast at Saiya Brewery.

At Asamai Brewery in Akita, known for Ama no To “Heaven’s Door” brand sake.

Moriya Toji, brewmaster of Asamai Brewery, famous for his love of cooking, served us some of his otsumami (sake kasu marinated food) with the freshly pressed Ama no To sake.

Moromi at Hinomaru Sake Brewery.  Rice used in this moromi is Sake Komachi rice.

With Hinomaru Sake Brewery’s  Takahashi toji (seems to be a popular name for toji in Akita!)

Microbiologist, Dr. Konno with koji mold produced by his company.

Visiting Mr. Ito, the president of Akita Seishu Brewery, maker of Dewatsuru brand sake at his historic home.

Very old-school fune (sake pressing machine).

Tasting the newest sake brand at Akita Seishu Brewery.

Trying to find Yokote Station on snow covered street in Yokote, Akita.

As we begin 2011 it’s time to take what has become our annual last look back to share the list of our customers’ favorite sake from the just completed year.  This year we’ve added a new wrinkle to our reporting by separating what has previously been one list into two;  the first for Seishu (refined sake) and the second for Specialty Sake (e.g. Nigori, Sparkling, and flavored).   Each list is posted separately.

So, without further adieu we give you the countdown of our top 10 selling seishu…

10.  Otokoyama Tokubetsu Junmai (Hokkaid0)

Dry and easy to drink, the best example of dry Junmai sake

9.  Masumi Okuden Kantsukuri Junmai (Nagano)

Medium to light body, it is smooth and goes down easy.

8.  Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo (Nagano)

The best spring namazake of 2010!  Fresh and lively, it makes people smile.

7.  Kokuryu Gohyaku Mangoku Junmai Ginjo (Fukui)

Who can say “no” to Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo?  With its silky smoothness  and great body it is a great accompaniment for any food.

6.  Jokigen Junmai Ginjo (Yamagata)

Cool label with smooth rice flavor, it goes down easy and quick.

5.  Denemon Junmai Ginjo (Niigata)

Hint of peach and honeydew on the note, it is great to drink by itself or with food.

4.  Narutotai Ginjo Nama Genshu (Tokushima)

Bold and distinctive!  Its body and smoothness will match with beef and hardy food.

3.  Suigei Tokubetsu Junmai (Kochi)

The basic table sake of  choice, it is dry with good body.

2.  Dassai 50 Junmai Daiginjo (Yamaguchi)

If you have never had sake before, start with Dassai 50.  It is an elegant and beautiful sake.

1.  Kikusui Funaguchi Nama Genshu (Niigata)

Who can resist this bright, bold sake in a pocket-sized can?

Happy New Year!   Our somewhat abbreviated  tasting lineup this month features two sake that we believe are deserving of greater attention than they generally receive.   We hope that you’ll visit us to sample them and discover their unique charms.

Saturday, January 8, 2011, 5-7pm

Nagaragawa “Tenkawa” Junmai Ginjo (Gifu)

Saturday, January 15, 2011, 5-7pm

Sake Hitosuji Junmai Ginjo (Okayama)

We also wanted to note that SAKAYA will be closed from January 25 to February 4 while we take our first vacation since we opened in December 2007.    We hope that you’ll plan to visit us before (or after) at your convenience.

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

With the Holiday Season kicking into gear and our 3rd Anniversary coming up, we’ve tastings aplenty this month to help inspire you with holiday gift ideas.

Friday, December 3, 2010, from 6 to 8pm

Joto Sake Import Tasting

Seikyo Omachi Junmai Ginjo & Seikyo Junmai (Hiroshima)

Saturday, December 4, 2010, from 5 to 7pm

Sake and Chocolate Tasting

Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo (Ishikawa) & Ume no Yado Umeshu (Nara)

Dark Chocolate and Sake Chocolate Truffle by Xocolatti

Friday, December 10, 2010, 6 to 8pm

SAKAYA 3rd Year Anniversary Party

Saturday, December 11, 2010, 5 to 7pm

SAKAYA 3rd Year Anniversary Party

Friday, December 17, 2010, 6 to 8pm

World Sake Import Sake Tasting

Tedorigawa “Kinka” Daiginjo Namazake (Ishikawa)

Saturday, December 18, 2010, 5 to 7pm

Vine Connection Sake Tasting

Sato no Homare “Pride of the Village” Junmai Ginjo (Ibaraki)

Although  Fall officially started in late September, for us  it is the arrival of  Hiyaoroshi, the autumn seasonal namazake that truly ushers in the season.  In the next month we’ll be offering the full complement of  available Hiyaoroshi at two of  our tastings as well as a visit from our friend Mr. Yageta from the Fukumitsuya Brewery in Ishikawa and a first-time tasting of a delicious sake made from the usually-reserved-for-shochu black koji .

Saturday, November 6, 2010, 5-7pm

Hiyaoroshi Sake Tastings

Kikusui Junmai Ginjo Hiyaoroshi & Urakasumi Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi

Friday, November 12, 2010, 6-8pm

Fukumitsuya Brewery Sake Tasting (Ishikawa)

Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo & Kuroobi Do Do Junmai Yamahai

Saturday, November 20, 2010, 5-7 pm

Japan Prestige Sake Association Sake Tasting

Sawanoi Junmai Hiyaoroshi & Wakatake Onikoroshi Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi

Saturday, November 27, 2010, 5-7pm

Black Koji Sake Tasting

Kurokabuto Junmai Daiginjo (Fukuoka)

After we kick off the month with our third annual Sake Day celebration, October becomes “Akita Sake Month” at SAKAYA.  We want our sake enthusiast friends to learn more this region where so much great sake is produced so we’ve partnered with the Akita Prefecture Tourism Office to dedicate this month’s tastings to familiarizing you with a few of these delicious brews.

Once you’ve tasted their sake, you’ll most likely want to visit the source!

Friday, October 1, 2010, 6-8pm

Sake Day Celebration

Saturday, October 2, 2010, 5-7pm

Saiya Brewery Tasting

Yuki no Bosha Junmai Ginjo & Yuri Masamune

Saturday, October 9, 2010, 5-7pm

Kodama Brewery Tasting

Tenko Junmai Daiginjo

Saturday, October 16, 2010, 5-7pm

Akita Seishu Brewery Tasting

Dewatsuru Junmai Kimoto

Saturday, October 23, 2010, 5-7pm

Asamai Brewery Sake Tasting

Ama no To Tokubetsu Junmai

Saturday, October 30, 2010, 5-7pm

Hinomaru Brewery & Tenju Brewery Sake Tastings

Manabito Junmai Daiginjo & Chokaisan Junmai Daiginjo