Sakaya NYC Blog

Just as beer lovers in Germany look forward to Oktoberfest, sake drinkers excitedly anticipate the release of the Autumn seasonal sake, Hiyaoroshi.  Brewed using the newly harvested rice from the previous Fall, Hiyaoroshi is pasteurized once just before being cellared in the Spring.  It is then stored, according to its traditional method, to allow it to mature throughout the Summer and develop its characteristic mellow flavors and unique crispness in time for its October release. Unlike regular sake, with Hiyaoroshi there is no second pasturization before bottling.  As a result, the sake is more aromatic and imbued with the bolder flavor profile that characterizes unpasturized (nama) sake, yet it also has smooth and rounded finish.

At SAKAYA we’ve just received three of the best Hiyaoroshi available in the U.S.  So, stop by and pick up a bottle (or two or three) to celebrate Japanese Oktoberfest. We’ll also be offering a chance for you to try them as part of our October tasting schedule.

We look forward to seeing you soon at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

OCTOBER SCHEDULE

Saturday, October 18, 3 to 6pm

Vine Connections Imports Sake Tasting

Chiyonosono “Sacred Power” Junmai Ginjo (Kumamoto) & Mantensei “Star-Filled Sky” Junmai Ginjo (Tottori)

Saturday, October 25, 3 to 6pm

Japan Prestige Sake Association Hiyaoroshi Tasting

Wakatake Onikoroshi Tokubetsu Junmai Hiyaoroshi (Shizuoka), Tsuki no Katsura Junmai Hiyaoroshi (Kyoto), & Urakasumi Junmai Hiyaoroshi (Miyagi)

To kick off the fall season, we have visits from three brewers scheduled (so far) for September tastings at SAKAYA.  First from Niigata’s Musashino Shuzo, a brewery founded in 1916, we have the 4th generation brewer Hisashi Kobayashi to introduce us to his Nyukon “Into Your Soul” Tokubetsu Honjozo and Buna-no Tsuyu “Dew Drops”Tokubetsu Jumai sake.  These are new brews for us and we are excited to debut them at the store.  From Tottori, Haruta Okazora of Chiyumusubi Shuzo will pour his creamy, smooth, apple and peach-scented Chiyomusubi Tokubetsu Junmai.  And we are pleased to have Junichi Yageta back from Ishikawa’s Fukumitsuya to share their Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo plus a special SAKAYA sake exclusive!

Saturday, September 6:  3 to 6PM

Musashino Shuzo (Niigata)

Tasting of Buna-no Tsuyu “Dewdrops” Tokubetsu Junmai and Nyukon “Into Your Soul” Tokubetsu Honjozo

Friday, September 19:  6 to 8PM

Chiyomusubi Shuzo (Tottori)

Chiyomusubi Tokubetsu Junmai

Friday, September 26:  6 to 8PM

Fukumitsuya (Ishikawa)

Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo plus….

We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Here is the July Tasting Schedule.  Please check the Events page of the SAKAYANYC.com website for updates as we are continually scheduling new tastings….

Wednesday, July 2: 6pm to 8pm

Takasako Brewery (Hokkaido)
Tasting of Ginga Shizuku “Divine Droplets” Junmai Daiginjo and Taisetsu “Big Snow” Junmai Ginjo.

Friday, July 11: 6pm to 8pm

Selections from Importer, World Sake

Thursday, July 17: 6pm to 8pm

Selections from Importer, Joto Sake

Saturday, July 26: 3pm to 6pm

Summer Namazake (unpasteurized) selections from Importer, Japan Prestige Sake

We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Two of the more well-known brands of sake, Kubota and Denshu are found in many fine Japanese restaurants and izakaya but aren’t available (yet) at retail in NYC. Although as NYC’s first and only premium sake specialty shop we are trying to change that, we currently don’t carry either brand. Interestingly, it seems that these sake are the most familiar names among people who are in the early stages of learning about nihonshu. And so when they first visit or call SAKAYA, they are the sake that these folks ask for. We should say here and now that both brewers make fine sake and their reputations are well-earned and deserved. But, are they the ultimate or without peer? We thought that the subject was worth examining in order to provide our customers with sake that they could enjoy just as much so we set out to visit our good friend and sake sommelier Chizuko-san at our “laboratory,” the esteemed izakaya, Sakagura in midtown Manhattan.

Kubota is from Asahi Shuzo in Niigata, which was founded in 1830. The Kubota line was created in 1980, and soon became the popular hit. Denshu is from Nishida Shuzo in Aomori, which was founded in 1879. The Denshu line was first produced in 1974.

When we told Chizuko-san that we wanted to taste Kubota, she lined up four of their sake in front of us, Manju, Hekiju, Tokugetsu, and Senju. We started with Manju which is the Junmai Daiginjo. A very clean and well balanced daiginjo, it was soft, rich, and elegant with no aromatics and a quick finish. The second, Hekiju, a Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo also had a soft mouthfeel. Its flavor profile combined notes of creamy vanilla with the classic mushroom yamahai-esque aromatic. Chizuko-san then introduced us to the Kubota sake that we had not previously tasted, their Tokugetsu Junmai Daiginjo. This was an unusual brew with a seimaibuai (rice milling rate) of 28%. It was soft and gentle texturally but wielded a strong fruit flavor. The last of the Kubota flight that we tasted was Senju Honjozo. It’s calling card was its full body, yet it was also clean and smooth.

Next on the elusive sake list to taste was Denshu Tokubestsu Junmai. We found its appeals to be its smooth texture, tight structure combined with an enjoyable toasted rice flavor and dry finish.

If you’re looking for Kubota and Denshu and aren’t able to find them at retail, we recommend the following options:

Kubota Manju Junmai Daiginjo –> Masuizumi Junmai Daiginjo from Toyama

Kubota Hekiju Yamahai Junmai Daiginjo –> Masumi Nanago Junmai Daiginjo from Nagano

Tokugetsu Junmai Daiginjo –> Ken Daiginjo from Fukushima

Kubota Senju Honjozo –> Ban Ryu Honjozo from Yamagata

Denshu Junmai –> Jokigen Junmai Ginjo from Yamagata

These are but suggestions as in the end, no two sake are exactly alike and it all boils down to how it appeals to you. But, if you’re seeking an elusive sake, there are always alternatives that are just as enjoyable and new discoveries to be made!

Kanpai!

We’ve finally completed the last phase of our website construction with the launch of SAKAYANYC.com‘s online ordering capability today!

Now you can peruse the SAKAYA inventory by sake category, use the map of Japan to seek sake from a particular region (and prefectures within), and devour the details on everything that we currently stock. And remember, if there is a sake that you don’t see, please let us know and we’ll do our best to track it down to special order for you.

Thanks for your patience. Hopefully, we’ve made it just a bit easier for you to enjoy the pleasures of premium sake.

Kanpai!

Holy koji-kin! Hard to believe but it’s already been 6 months since we opened our doors in December. In the brief life of SAKAYA, we’ve been honored and excited to have had a steady stream of kuramoto (sake brewers) from some of Japan’s most distinguished breweries visiting the shop to pour their sake for our eager-to-learn customers.

To celebrate SAKAYA’s six month anniversary we wanted to thank them for their friendship and support by sharing this photo gallery commemorating their first visits to our shop.

It’s difficult to find the words that adequately express our gratitude to our friends, customers and new friends from the sake world for the enthusiastic reception and support that SAKAYA has received. We thank you all VERY much and look forward to sharing more sake experiences together with you!

Kanpai!

from left… Mr. Yasutaka Daimon from Daimon Shuzo (12/11/07), Mr. Tsushima Kitahara from Yamanashi Meijo, a.k.a Shichiken brand (1/4/08), Mr. Kosuke Kuji from Nanbu Bijin (1/12/08).

from left… Mr. Takeshi Endo & Mr. Daisuke Takasawa from Kikusui (1/22/08), Ms. Kumiko Kurosawa from Hakkaisan (1/30/08), Kazuhiro Sakurai from Asahi Shuzo, a.k.a. Dassai brand (2/1/08).

from left… Ms. Sachiko Toshioka & Mr. Junichi Yageta from Fukumitsuya a.k.a. Kagatobi brand (2/22/08), Mr. Shunsuke Kohiyama from Takasago Shuzo (3/4/08), Mr. Munenori Ozaki from Tentaka Shuzo (4/5/08)

from left… Sake Handbook author Mr. John Gaunter (4/5/08), Mr. Yoshiyasu Sudo from Sudo Honke (4/5/08), Ms. Miho Imada from Imada Shuzo (4/5/08).

from left… Mr. Niichiro Marumoto from Marumoto Shuzo a.k.a. Chikurin brand (4/7/08), Mr. Hiroyuki Yamazaki from Otokoyama (4/12/08), Mr. Kenzo Mabuchi from Tamano Hikari (4/24/08).

from left… Mr. Manabu Shobayashi from Kamotsuru Shuzo (5/15/08), Mr. Kotaro Saito from Saiya Shuzo a.k.a. Yuki no Bosha brand (5/16/08), Mr. Junichiro Yageta from Fukumitsuya a.k.a. Kagatobi brand (6/4/08).

We are tremendously excited about the “Destination: Sake” feature about SAKAYA in the June 2008 issue of Travel + Leisure. Thanks to the recommendation of our friend Lynn, we were selected by John Hancock Financial Services to be written about as part of their “Pivotal Conversations” campaign recognizing people who have achieved their dreams with the aid of a key advisor (in our case, our friend, sake expert John Gauntner.

If you’d like to read it and don’t have access to the issue, you can check out the piece here…. Travel & Leisure June 2008 Destination Sake.　　 And, if you think that picture in the story was a quick snapshot, below are some pictures of the photo shoot that produced it!

Kanpai!

Weddings, Graduation Day, Father’s Day, and the year’s longest day (marking the official beginning of summer)…in the U.S. the month of June brings with it many sake-celebratory occasions.

In Japan, June marks the start of the rainy season. Known in Japanese as Tsuyu or Baiu (梅雨）, the word which originally came from China, literally means “plum rain.” Why plum? As is often the case in China and Japan, seasonal weather is whimsically linked to a floral or food item that is prominent at that time of year. In this case, it is when plums ripen. Hence the kanji (Chinese) character for plum was adopted to describe this rainy season.

Rain or shine, we believe that every day is an occasion for enjoying sake. So, when planning your June celebrations, looking for that breakthrough idea for a gift to mark a special occasion, or just looking to metaphorically bring a little bit of the Japanese “plum rain” experience into your life, think sake!

This month we’ve lined up some great opportunities to expand your sake experience. We are fortunate to have two brewers from Japan and one key importer scheduled (so far) and we’ve also added a new wrinkle too….

Wednesday, June 4: 6pm to 8pm

Fukumitsuya, the brewer of Kagatobi sake will be represented by Mr. Yageta who will be pouring their flavorful, fruit forward Junmai Daiginjo, Junmai Ginjo, and dry, savory Cho Karacuchi Junmai Yamahai.

Thursday, June 12: 6pm to 8pm

Asahi Brewer Mr. Sakurai is back in NYC with his famous Dassai brand sake and will be leading the tasting of his Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo, Dassai 50 Junmai Ginjo and Dassai Junmai Ginjo Nigori.

Saturday, June 21: 3pm to 6pm

Sake expert Paul Tanguay will pour several special sake selections from the portfolio of importer, Vine Connections…check out the schedule on the website for updates on the specific sake to be tasted.

Saturday, June 28: 3pm to 6pm

Sake & Cheese! An unlikely marriage? If you haven’t tried it yet, let us introduce you to a match made in heaven.

Please be sure to check our website regularly for updates to this schedule. We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

We’re tremendously excited that kuramoto from two well-known breweries have landed in NYC this week and will be offering samples of their sake to those fortunate enough to be able to stop by the shop the evenings of Thursday, May 15 and Friday, May 16.

Thursday, May 15 from 6:30 to 8PM

From Kamotsuru Brewery in Hiroshima, the brewery that invented Daiginjo sake 50 years ago, we are pleased to have their Sales Manager, Mr. Tamura and his associate Mr. Shobayashi with us to introduce their legendary Daiginjo as well as their structured, crisp Junmai Ginjo, and rich umai-laden Tokubetsu Junmai.

Friday, May 16 from 6 to 8PM

Kotaro Saito, the 5^th Generation President of the Saiya Brewery in Akita, makers of Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Ginjo Nigori and Kattchou Gesseki Junmai Daiginjo will pour samples of these soft, fruity, yet flavorful sake.

Come visit us and experience the pleasures of the sake produced by these two dynamic breweries. We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

Hard to believe it’s already May! One of the first celebrations of Spring, the Sakura Matsuri at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is this weekend, May 3 and 4. Pick up your o-hanami sake at SAKAYA for your picnic under the sakura blossoms!

In Japan, May means Golden Week which is well underway. Golden Week is the collection of holidays that all fall in one week; Showa Day on April 29, Constitution Day on May 3, Green Day (Showa Emperor’s Birthday) on May 4, Children’s Day on May 5. It is one of Japan’s busiest holidays. If you are fortunate enough to be in Japan (or to be employed by a Japanese company), you have an entire week of time off from work to enjoy the beauty of Spring!

Although we don’t have Golden Week in the U.S., we do have a golden month of tastings blooming in May at SAKAYA.

Thursday, May 1: 6 to 8pm

Joto Sake Imports’ Namazake Tasting
Watari Bune Junmai Ginjo Nama (Ibaraki) & Eiko Fuji (Yamagata) Junmai Ginjo Nama

Wednesday, May 7: 6 to 8pm

Selections from Nishimoto Trading
Kudoki Jozu Junmai Ginjo (Yamagata) & Denemon Junmai Ginjo (Niigata)

Saturday, May 17: 2 to 4pm

Sake Samurai & Urbansake.com‘s Tim Sullivan Tasting

Saturday, May 24: 2 to 4pm

Selections from Niigata Sake

Saturday, May 31: 2 to 4pm

Futkumitsuya Brewery (Ishikawa)
Kagatobi Junmai Ginjo & Kagatobi Cho Karakuchi

Please join us to sample these golden brews. We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!