Book presentation with 20 Kuramoto (sake brewers) in Tokyo
Enthusiasm, kanpai and chatting with the kuramoto... the people of Tokyo know how to party.
Here is a report from Yoshiko:
Over 100 guests gathered at Gakushi Kaikan in Tokyo to learn about my new sake book and celebrate with me and our sake brewers.
It was a surprise and a great pleasure that so many sake sommeliers and experts from the restaurants and tourism industry listened attentively to my presentation and the talk with Toshiaki Yamada (Sake Culture Institute) about the sake market in Europe.
The former UNESCO ambassador, Mr Kenjiro Monji, praised my book as the most comprehensive work on sake and found it very fitting for the future inclusion of sake in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
This was followed by greetings from Ms Anne Pomsel (Managing Director of the German-Japanese Business Circle) and Mr Haruo Matsuzaki (SAKE Marketing House - via video). When Mr Saura, the Kuramoto of URAKASUMI and Vice President of the Sake Brewers Association JSS, spoke the Kanpai and the guests present raised their glasses of Awa sake, it was a moving moment for me.
The tasting and buffet then began. 20 kuramoto (brewery owners) offered their sake and chatted to the guests. I didn't get a chance to drink, however, as many participants wanted to talk to me and have their photos taken. The attendees wanted to bring Japanese food culture and sake closer to foreign guests and introduce sake abroad. The book and my presentation should help them to explain sake to non-Japanese people.
I received a lot of praise and enthusiasm and was very pleased. Finally, Mr Yujin Yusa, Kuramoto of Ninki, gave a moving closing speech about our first meeting 20 years ago at Japan Day in Düsseldorf and my career as a sake ambassador. I would like to thank all participants, the 20 Kuramoto present and all supporters of my book project.
Participating Kuramoto: AMABUKI 天吹, AZUMA RIKISHI 東力士, DARUMA MASAMUNE 達磨正宗, DASSAI 獺祭, DEWAZAKURA 出羽桜, FUKUJU 福寿, HATSUMAGO 初孫, IKEKAME 池亀, KIRIN 麒麟, NANBU BIJIN 南部美人, NIIDA 仁井田, NINKI 人気, RIHAKU 李白, SAWA NO HANA 澤の花, SHICHIKEN 七賢, TATSURIKI 龍力, TEDORIGAWA 手取川, TOKO 東光, URAKASUMI 浦霞, YUKI NO BOSHA 雪の茅舎
Arigato und Kanpai!
Yoshiko Ueno-Müller