Kaze no Mori Akitsuho 657 Review: Fruity, Rice-Driven, and Full of Nama Sake Energy
Aug 1, 2026
A hands-on Kaze no Mori Akitsuho 657 review, following its fruit, rice-driven umami, natural fizz, and flavor changes from opening day to one week later.
Sake
Honest tasting notes on Japanese sake, from bottles you can order anywhere to rare jizake.
Four Kyushu Sakes in a Wooden Masu: A Tasting Flight at Sumiyoshi Shuhan, Hakata Station
Jul 30, 2026
A quick sake tasting at Sumiyoshi Shuhan inside Hakata Station: four Kyushu junmai daiginjo, a wooden masu, mentaiko with mozzarella, and thirty minutes before the shinkansen.
Nabeshima Omachi vs Yamada Nishiki: A Side-by-Side Sake Tasting
Jul 28, 2026
Two Nabeshima Junmai Ginjo—Akaiwa Omachi and Yamada Nishiki—tasted side by side to compare aroma, texture, finish, and food pairing.
Kagura Ruri Sake: The Kyoto Junmai I Chased from My Favorite Sake Bar to Kyoto Station
Jul 12, 2026
How a bottle I kept meeting at my local sake bar led me to Matsui Shuzo's Kagura Ruri in Kyoto — an unfiltered, undiluted junmai that went on to win a trophy at IWC 2026.
Nabeshima Sake: The Saga Bottle That Made Me Fall in Love with Nihonshu
Jul 5, 2026
A personal introduction to Nabeshima sake from Fukuchiyo Shuzo in Kashima, Saga — the bottle that changed my mind about nihonshu and started The Sake Encounter.