Sakaya NYC Blog

We are very fortunate to have just scheduled a visit from Mabuchi Keizo, from Tamano Hikari, the brewer of the tasty Junmai Daiginjo “Brilliant Jade.”  Keizo-san will be pouring his nihonshu from 6 to 8PM on　Thursday, April 24.

Founded in 1673, this Kyoto brewery produces this extremely well-balanced brew made from the distinctive Omachi pure rice strain,  featuring its unique flavor and a clean, crisp finish.

Please note that due to this addition to our tasting schedule that our “Dramatically Different Daiginjo’s” tasting has been shifted from the evening of Friday, April 25 to Saturday, April 26 from 2 to 4PM.

We look forward to seeing you for one (or both) of these tastings at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

SAKAYA

324 E. 9th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenue)

NYC  10003

212.505.7253 (SAKE)

For many April means enjoying the cherry blossoms (o-hanami) or opening day for baseball (yakyu) season. At SAKAYA it also means a month filled with great sake tasting events! Leading off our April schedule is an all-star line-up of brewers along with leading sake expert and “Sake Handbook” author (and our mentor) John Gauntner. We are honored and incredibly fortunate to have these esteemed icons of the sake world visit SAKAYA to share their brews and their knowledge.

We will also continue to welcome the latest wave of Spring namazake (unpasteurized sake) releases as they arrive, introduce more of the terrific brews from the World Sake portfolio, and wind up the month with a tasting focused on the dramatic differences that exist among some stellar super premium (Junmai Daiginjo/Daiginjo) grade sake.

Saturday, April 5: 2pm to 4pm
Yasutaka Daimon, President and Toji (master brewer) of Daimon Brewery (Osaka) will pour Tozai “Well of Wisdom” Ginjo and “Voices in the Mist” Ginjo Nigori. Joining us at the same time will be Ozaki-san, President of Tentaka Brewery (Tochigi) who will be sampling Tentaka Kuni “Hawk in the Heavens” Junmai as well as their “Silent Stream” Junmai Daiginjo.

Saturday, April 5: 6pm to 8pm
We are excited to have leading sake expert and “Sake Handbook” author John Gauntner here to share his wisdom along with Miho Imada, President of Fukucho Brewery (Hiroshima) who will be pouring her Fukucho “Moon on the Water” Junmai Ginjo. We are also delighted to have with us Mr. Sudo, President of the famous Sudo Honke Brewery (Ibaraki) to share samples of his Sato no Homare “Pride of the Village” Junmai Ginjo.

Monday, April 7: 6pm to 8pm Mr. Niichiro Marumoto, President of Chikurin Brewery from Okayama will be pouring Chikurin Fukamari Junmai, Karoyaka Junmai Ginjo, and Hou Hou Shu sparkling sake.

Saturday, April 12: 2pm to 4pm
Otokoyama Brewer from Hokkaido

Thursday, April 17: 6pm to 8pm
Andrew Richardson from World Sake Imports

Saturday, April 19: 2pm to 4pm
New Spring Release Namazake Arrivals from Japan Prestige Sake Imports

Friday, April 25: 6pm to 8pm
Rick’s selection of “Dramatically Different Daiginjo’s”

Keep checking our website “Events” page for updates and more details on these upcoming in-store tastings and please join us. We look forward to seeing you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko
SAKAYA
324 E. 9th Street (Between 1st & 2nd Ave.)
New York, NY 10003
212.505.SAKE (7253)
www.sakayanyc.com

Why not blaze a new beverage path and drink sake with Easter dinner this year! We’ve come up with seven sake to precede and accompany the traditional Easter meal.

Start things off with a fresh, lively unpasteurized sake as an aperatif to excite and prep the palate. Ichinokura Namazake (Miyagi) or Eiko Fuji Namazake (Yamagata) pair perfectly with crudites with Wasabi-Mayo dip and light finger snacks like edamame or classic deviled eggs.

When you move to the table for the main menu, the fruit and subtle sweetness of Chiyomusubi Tokubetsu Junmai (Tottori) or Nanbu Bijin “Southern Beauty” Tokubetsu Junmai (Iwate) , or the full flavored well-balanced acidity of Kagatobi Yamahai (Ishikawa) are all great complements to the salty, smokey, and sweet flavors of traditional brown sugar and mustard glazed ham.

Recommended sake-friendly side dishes such as arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette, steamed asparagus with chopped hard boiled egg drizzled with olive oil, sauteed artichoke hearts, and/or cucumber sushi rolls won’t be in supporting roles when paired with the citrusy notes Tsukinokatsura “Yanagi” Junmai Ginjo (Kyoto) or silky, smooth Shimeharitsuru “Jun” Jumai Ginjo (Niigata).

Kanpai!

Wasabi-Mayo Dip

1/2 cup Kewpie Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon wasabi paste
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients together. Serve with crudites.

March is the crazy month that can’t make up its mind. It’s an unpredictable mixed bag with frigid, blustery winter weather one day and a gentle, mild glimpse of Spring the next. The March tastings line-up at SAKAYA follows this theme of unpredictability with its own mixed bag of sake topics: regionality, special early Spring namazake releases, collections of two experts’ favorites, and some well-chosen selections from an importer’s impressive portfolio…

Saturday, March 1, 2 to 4PM – Mr. Ataru Kobayashi of Niigata nihonshu importer Niigata Sake Selections will offer visitors an exceptional opportunity to taste several of their small production brews including Kakurei Daiginjo, Midorikawa Honjozo, Yukikage Tokubetsu Junmai and one more…

Tuesday, March 4, 6 to 8PM – Mr. Kohiyama from Hokkaido brewer, Takasago will visit us to introduce Taisetsu Junmai Ginjo, and Ginga Shizuku Junmai Daiginjo, the “ice dome” sake that epitomize this sakagura on the northernmost island of Japan.

Saturday, March 8, 2 to 4PM – Our good friend Mr. Sake Samurai, aka the well-known UrbanSake blogger, and sake authority Timothy Sullivan shares his insightful commentary while pouring several of his favorite sake.

Thursday, March 13, 6 to 8PM and Saturday, March 15, 2 to 4PM – JotoSake Founder and CEO Henry Sidel and his NY Sales Director, Midori Nakazawa debut a selection of their artisanal breweries’ early spring namazake (unpasteurized sake).

Thursday, March 20, 6 to 8PM – World Sake Imports’ sake expert Andrew Richardson will share several selections from their exemplary portfolio of premium nihonshu.

Saturday, March 29, 2 to 4PM – Sakagura sake sommelier par excellence Chizuko Niikawa returns to SAKAYA to share her picks for sake to celebrate Spring!

Please join us to experience and explore the pleasures of these outstanding sake. We look forward to welcoming you at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

SAKAYA

324 E. 9th Street

NYC 10003

212.505.7253

We are delighted to have Ms. Sachiko Toshioka from the Fukumitsuya Sake Brewery in Ishikawa prefecture visit SAKAYA on Friday, February 22 from 6 to 8PM to offer guests a sampling of Kagatobi sake. Long before opening our store, we fell in love with the Kagatobi brews and therefore are particularly excited to have Toshioka-san here to share them with you!

Please join us for this special event to kick off your Friday evening.

Looking forward to seeing you at SAKAYA…

Kanpai!

SAKAYA

324 E. 9th Street (between 1st & 2nd Avenue)

NYC 10003

212.505.7253

Our schedule of weekly tastings for February will engage your senses with a spectrum of sake ranging from those that induce romantic notions to sake lovers’ perennial harbingers of Spring, the Hatsushibori Namazake (Spring-released unpasteurized or “draft” sake).

Friday, February 8, 6 to 8PM

Let the romance begin with the first of our pre-Valentine’s Day weekend samplings of suggested sake to sate your significant other’s thirst for an exquisitely crafted love potion. Onodera-san, of importer Wine of Japan, will offer the delicately floral Ume no Yado from Nara and the soft, smooth, Beni Mansaku (“in full bloom”) from Hiroshima to put your palate “in the mood.”

Saturday, February 9, 2 to 4PM

Sake Sommelier Chizuko Niiwaka of Sakagura, which serves NYC’s largest selection of sake, and also most recently, of New York Magazine fame will be on hand to offer her expertise as she pours her Valentine’s Day sake recommendations including Yuki no Bosha Junmai Ginjo from her native Akita prefecture, Hanatomoe “Flower Petals” Junmai Ginjo from Nara, and the pink-labeled Dassai “Otter Fest” Nigori from Yamaguchi.

Friday, February 15, 6 to 8PM & Saturday, February 16, 4 to 6PM

They’re here! Come sample the fresh, lively taste of the Spring namazake (unpasteurized sake) releases from Japan Prestige Sake; the light, smooth Koshi no Homare “Shiboritate” Junmai Nama Genshu from Niigata, Okayama’s unique Kamikokoro “Tokagen” Tokubetsu Junmai Nama Genshu made with white peach yeast, and rich, flavorful Shutendouji “Oh-Oni” Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu from Kyoto. Learn how they come by their unique flavor profiles from importer and Sake Master, Kazu Yamazaki and JPS Executive Director, Mariko Yamazaki.

Thursday, February 21, 6 to 8PM

It’s the day before Washington’s Birthday and by George, we’ve got it when it comes to some fascinating sake for you to try from importer, The Jizake. If you haven’t tasted a Kimoto sake, this is a prime opportunity to experience Daishichi Junmai Kimoto “Classic” from Fukushima prefecture, one of the premier examples of a type of sake made “the old fashioned way!” Sake Sommelier Yoshihiko Takao of The Jizake will be on hand to discuss what makes Kimoto so special and to pour another of their tasty brews that we’ve just begun to carry, Chiyomusubi Tokubetsu Junmai from Tottori.

Please join us for any or all of these sake explorations. We look forward to welcoming you to SAKAYA and hope to see you soon!

Kanpai!

Rick & Hiroko

SAKAYA

324 E. 9th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenue, closer to 2nd)

NYC 10003

212.505.7253 (SAKE)

www.sakayanyc. com

Interrupt your regular routine this chilly last week inJanuary with something that is certain to brighten it considerably…a special tasting of a selection of sake from the esteemed Hakkaisan brewery in Niigata.

We are honored and delighted to be visited by Hakkaisan’s Ms. Kuniko Kurosawa this Wednesday evening, January 30 from 5 -7PM when she will be pouring their “Eight Peaks” Honjozo, Ginjo, and Junmai Ginjo (as well as a mysterious “surprise” sake).

We apologize for the last minute notice, but knew that you wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to meet Kurosawa-san and taste some of these prized nihon-shu from one of Japan’s most highly regarded breweries! Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow evening here at SAKAYA!

Kanpai!

SAKAYA

324 E. 9th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues, closer to 2nd)

NYC 10003

212.505.7253

Instead of the usual beer, chips, and pizza, shake up your Super Bowl Party by serving a new brew…sake! Sake may be for sumo you say, but the Super Bowl? Of course! Wine-not! After all, there’s an historical association between Rice and the Super Bowl going back to the days of Jerry and the 49ers. (Ouch! Sorry about that!)

Here’s our recommended game plan…

Kickoff with a light, easy (as in Eli) Miyasaka Yawaraka Junmai with a bowl of boiled sea salt-dusted edamame.

If you’re a Brady fan, you may want to go with the clean, heroic notes of Sougen “Pride of the Samurai” Junmai along with some micro-waved frozen shumai and/or gyoza.

Warm up for the Second Half with some warmed up sake like Kamoizumi Shusen “Three Dots” Tokubetsu Junmai or Tengumai Junmai Yamahai. These are perfect with smoked, rich, robust dishes…think sausages of any sort or a hearty lamb or beef stew.

Or, maybe you just bring out the big guns for your feast with one (or more) of our 1.8 liter ishoubin of food friendly sake Otokoyama “Man’s Mountain” Tokubetsu Junmai or Okunomatsu Ginjo.

Whatever your Super Bowl plans might be, come visit us at SAKAYA for some ideas to put a new spin on the menu (and what to drink with it) for this year’s game.

Kanpai!

SAKAYA

324 E. 9th Street (near 2nd Avenue between 1st and 2nd)

NYC 10003

212.505.7253

Visitors to SAKAYA may be familiar with Kikusui “Chrysanthemum Mist” Junmai Ginjo from Niigata, the beautiful, compact sake in the distinctive ice blue bottle. It has been a favorite of many customers (and us too) since we opened.

We learned today that Mr. Daisuke Takazawa, the President of Kikusui brewery would be in town and are honored to have him and his associate Mr. Endo Takeshi joining us to conduct a special tasting of his sake tomorrow evening, January 22 from 6 to 8PM.

Please join us for this special event!

Kick off the New Year with some new sake explorations at SAKAYA. Our lineup of tastings for January features visits and expertise from the creators of Shichiken, Nanbu Bijin, and Dassai as well as a diverse array of premium sake from Vine Connections and World Sake Imports, two premier American importers…All except Nanbu Bijin (4PM) begin at 6PM and continue until 8PM.

Shichiken: 6pm~8pm, Friday, January 4

Tsushima Kitahara, the 13th generation of the Shichiken brewing family returns to
make his farewell appearance before heading back to his role at their Yamanashi-ken kura. If you missed his last visit, you’ll want to be here for this eye-opening introduction to the pleasures of drinking his Junmai Ginjo sake at several different temperatures.

Nanbu Bijin: 4pm~6pm, Saturday, January 12

Kosuke Kuji, the 5th generation of the family which owns and operates this Iwate-ken brewery, will offer samples of his “Southern Beauty” Junmai Ginjo and Tokubetsu Junmai sake accompanied by a healthy helping of his cheerfully delivered insights into how their unique attributes are achieved.

Vine Connections: 6pm~8pm, Friday, January 18

Sake Sommelier Paul Tanguay of Vine Connections will familiarize visitors with selections from their carefully chosen portfolio of ginjo sake.

World Sake Imports: 6pm~8pm, Thursday, January 24

Enjoy an assortment of high quality sake from the portfolio of the pioneering importer responsible for creating the Joy of Sake events in Honolulu, San Francisco, and New York.

Dassai: 6pm~8pm, Thursday, January 31 & 6pm~8pm, Friday, February 1

Kazuhiro Sakurai, 4th generation of the family that owns the Dassai brewery in Yamaguchi-ken will offer samples and discuss the fine points of their Dassai 50 Junmai Ginjo and Dassai 23 Junmai Daiginjo.

We look forward to seeing you soon at SAKAYA.

Kanpai to a Happy (Sake) New Year!

Rick & Hiroko

SAKAYA
324 E.9th Street (just east of 2nd Avenue)
New York NY 10003
212.505.7253 (SAKE)
www.sakayanyc.com