The Tokyo tournament "THE JOY OF SAKE TOKYO 2015" of the largest overseas sake event "THE JOY OF SAKE" was held in Tokyo in November.

THE JOY OF SAKE is a sake event where sake exhibited at the "US National Sake Appraisal" held every July to August is open to the public. It was first held in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2001, and is currently held regularly in the United States and Tokyo. In addition to tasting all the sake exhibited at the reception, special menus from popular restaurants at each venue are also offered. It is an event where you can enjoy the collaboration of "good sake" and "gourmet food".

At the council, 10 experts from Japan and the United States will conduct a blind examination according to four categories. This year, 391 brands from 167 companies were exhibited. The 2015 Grand Prix winners are as follows.

Daiginjo A category (rice polishing rate 40% or less) "Koshino Kanume / Kinsei" (Ishimoto Sake Brewery / Niigata Prefecture)
Daiginjo B category (rice polishing rate 50% or less) "Hanaharu Junmai Daiginjo Sake" (Hanaharu Sake Brewery / Fukushima Prefecture)
Ginjo Division "Dewazakura Dewazakura (Junmai Ginjo)" (Dewazakura Sake Brewery / Yamagata Prefecture)
Junmai Division "Bon / Junmai 55" (Kito Kichibee Shoten / Fukui Prefecture)

In the semi-grand prix that won the second and third scores in each category, Dewazakura won 3 out of 8 stocks. In addition, Kato Yoshihira Shoten of "Bon" won the "Emerald Award", which is given to the brewery who has the highest cumulative benefits of all exhibited sake from 2001 to 2015.

On the day of the event, in addition to the award-winning sake and other exhibited sake, booths such as the Japan Ginjo Sake Association, Pure Sake Association, Hakutsuru Sake Brewery, Asahi Shuzo of "Daisai", and restaurant exhibition booths were lined up.


Looking at the restaurant, it was the meatball-like dish called "quenelle" from Beast Kitchen (Hokkaido) that became popular from beginning to end (I missed it because of its popularity). Western-style dishes made to match sake, such as French cuisine made with sake from Ishimoto Sake Brewery's restaurant (Niigata Prefecture) of "Koshino Kanume" and Pantapas from Shirogane Bar (Tokyo), also gained popularity.

Overseas restaurants will also be exhibited this year. "Hoko Head Cafe" from Hawaii offered roasted duck meat with maple syrup-based sauce. Maple leaves are also added, and it looks like Japanese food. It was finished as a dish that made use of autumn ingredients such as persimmons and chestnuts.


Overseas, it is said that an increasing number of people are enjoying sake as an in-meal sake as well as wine. At the event, sake produced mainly for export and 10 brands produced in the United States were lined up. One of the pleasures of Joy of Salmon is that you can enjoy these brands that you can't usually drink. According to exporters, blue bottles are very popular overseas. Indeed, bright blue bottles with English letters printed on them are lined up here and there.



Sake exports have been strong in recent years. According to the National Tax Agency's announcement, in 2014, both the export value and quantity of sake reached record highs for the fifth consecutive year. Strangely, 2015 was the year when the food-themed Expo was held. How was the sake offered at the venue and related parties perceived? Looking at everyone enjoying sake with a red face, I thought about next year's tournament.