Welcome to Issue #87 of SIN.
The seasons rush by in a flash here in Japan. Just as we were enjoying the spring sake releases, the summer varieties are already starting to appear. But they'll have to hold off just a little bit as Japan dives into "Golden Week" - that time of year when a number of public holidays hit in succession giving many people a nice little break before the summer kicks in.
There is a noticeable amount of festivities happening over Golden Week for the first time in a while - sake related and otherwise, indicating that life is finally starting to resemble what we enjoyed pre-2020. For those in Japan (and it seems like lately that's a lot of you!) it's a good time to get out and support some of those sorely missed events.
And now for the news...
Experienced Hands Take Over Historic Brewery
Nagasaki- After fifty years helming his family's 200-year-old brewery, Tsutomu Nagaike has made the decision to sell his business to new owners.
As the fifth generation kuramoto of Urakawa Shuzō, Nagaike gave up his job with the National Tax Authority as a sake yeast researcher to take over the business when he was only 23 years old. Now, at the age of 75, with no successor in sight (his children pursued other work interests), he decided to sell to an as yet unnamed Ibaraki Prefecture-based brewery.
Through introductions via a mergers-and-acquisitions service Nagaike received interest from a number of parties including a construction company, rice milling firm and a China-based firm, however he was adamant the brewery go to an enterprise that already possessed the know-how and experience to continue the history and brewing tradition of Urakawa Shuzō.
Source - Batonz
JG: While it is bittersweet to see a fifth-generation brewer in a prefecture that has recently been reasserting it’s presence in the sake world need to hand over the reins, congratulations to Mr. Nagaike for managing to keep it in the “big sake family.” Let’s hope the new owners help the brewery to thrive.
浦川酒造店
Super Hero Sake!
Gunma- In celebration of the release of the new Kamen Rider film, Tsuchida Shuzō has released two new commemorative sake labels.
For those unfamiliar, Kamen Rider is an insanely popular super hero-esque TV show (similar to the Power Rangers) that has been entertaining young men, and maybe even a few women, since 1971.
Based on the brewery's existing product, Shin Tsuchida, the new labels, K/Kamen Rider and Shin Tsuchida/Shocker, have been tweaked in appearance and taste to represent the image of Kamen Rider, and its enemies, the secret evil organization Shocker.
Tsuchida Shuzō reports sales are very healthy for both sake with the first release in March selling out and the second batch being released in April.
Source - Jomo News
JG: I dunno; the Kamen Rider shows always bugged me. ;-) But I hope the products from Tsuchida Shuzo help bring in more sake fans from an as-of-yet untapped sector.
土田酒造 , K/仮面ライダー , シン・ツチダ／SHOCKER
TV Drama Draws Attention To Sake's Sexist Past
Japan- A popular morning TV drama has had viewers asking questions about a common quirk of the history of sake and brewing culture.
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