Duck into just about any local izakaya pub in Japan, wind through a tight squeeze of boisterous diners, clusters of friends and coworkers reenergizing themselves after a long work day with skewers of grilled yakitori, potato croquettes and platters of local sashimi carefully folded into waves. Sit down, refresh yourself with a hot oshibori towel, … Read More
When most people first get into sake and are trying to make sense of grades and styles, a lot of drinkers land on the sturdy and well-structured kimoto styles. Older and more labor-intensive than the current standard for making fine sake, kimoto sake tends to have a bigger presence and impact, lovely creamy texture, and … Read More
Although just a short two-hour train ride north of Tokyo on the bullet train, the mountainous area of Niigata is a world apart from the lights and hustle of earth’s largest urban center. Niigata faces out to the Pacific Ocean and at its back is a rippling and dramatic mountain range crisscrossed by narrow valleys. … Read More
If you ever get the privilege to visit a kura, as you are led through the rows of fermenting tanks, stepping over hoses and watching your breath form in the chilled air necessary to keep the huge cauldrons of rice moromi bubbling at a slow and leisurely pace, you might just start to catch a … Read More
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