Sake On Air

This week, Cindy Bissig and Frank Walter sit down with Takashi Eguchi , better known in the sake world as Umio , to explore Shiga Prefecture’s vibrant sake scene and its potential as a sake tourism destination...

Every February, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association holds the Sake and Shochu Academy, a week-long course that teaches students everything they need to know about Japan’s national beverages. Think...

In the second of our new format “Bulletin” episodes, Chris reports back from the JSS’s annual press conference, sharing current export figures, and strategies to increase exports further. The press conference was held...

Frank visited the multi-instrumentalist Bobby Griffin at his home and studio to talk about how sake is treated in traditional Japanese music. In particular they talked about Sasa no Tsuyu , a piece for shamisen, koto...

This week, Frank is joined by Aaron Hao, the founder of Sake Studio , to talk all things sake tasting. Aaron drinks sake every day. He basically has to, since he is a triple-certified Sommelier, Executive Director of...

In this special episode we are trying out a new format we are dubbing the “Sake on Air Bulletin.” One or more of our hosts will report back on an event or experience they tried recently in the form of a...

Frank got to sit down with Okura Taiji of Gekkeikan Sak e to talk about the whole swath of Gekkeikan’s existance. Our conversation covers its rise to prominence in the late 1800s to its creation of a brewery in...

In this episode of Sake on Air, we’re heading off the tourist path to Kochi Prefecture! Tune in to learn more about this little-known yet deeply compelling region, and why it deserves a spot on your sake travel list. In...

Join Imada-san and Sebastien (and a late arriving guest ) as they talk all things Izakaya. These Japanese drinking and eating establishments are the foundation of sake culture and the trio has a lot to say about where...

Frank and Eric C Rath, Professor at University of Kansas and author of multiple books on Japanese food culture , dive deep into his new book, Kanpai: The History of Sake. We talk about samurai drinking games, the...

Sebastien and Marie catch up with friend of the show, David Joll! Their conversation with the founder of Zenkuro Sake covers both the tribulations of making sake abroad while using Japanese rice, koji, and yeast along...

Liam McNulty , the man behind nomunication.jp and a standing member of the Tokyo Whisky and Spirits Competition (TWSC) managing committee, joins Frank to talk all things shochu. Our discussion covers how shochu is...

We are thrilled to be able to interview the one and only Philip Harper at the brewery where he works as toji, or master brewer. Philip is first non-Japanese person to become a toji at a brewery in Japan, and his impact...

Miho Ota is joined on this episode of Sake on Air by Spanish sake educator and promoter Elvira Aldaz to talk about their three-day sake trip to Fukushima in July. They visited 9 breweries in under 72 hours including...

Sebastien and Chris had a lovely time talking to Norihiro Fujii of Fujji Shuzo , makers of Ryusei . Their conversation was wide ranging: covering the history of the brewery, the change to all kimoto brewing, and the...