World Sake Day 2023

Yesterday we celebrated my good friend's birthday at Inakaya Watanable restaurant off of Jamil Road. We were there several hours and we laughed and carried on.

The food was good and plentiful and the sake flowed for several of the participants.

I don't partake of sake these days as I once did in the past.

The ravages of age have left me needing to avoid alcohol altogether and this is the ONLY reason.

I recall a time when I would down a fur box filled to the brim with the house brand there and I was particularly fond of Gekkeikan Sake's "Tiara over the Moon" which at that time was sold in a fantastic white decorative bottle.

I think the brand I drank most was called Haiku by the same company. We would toast one another by saying Kampai ...

Haiku was the smoothest sake I have ever known. I would still have a drink if the opportunity arose but with the sushi I typically drink water these days.

In conjuction with the annual rice harvest in Japan, today is World Sake Day. It goes down each year on the first of October and coincides with the beginning of sake production.

It all began in 1978 when Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association decoded to mark the day.It is a recognition of sake as a part of Japanese culture and promotes the beverage as the treasure it is.

I hope you'll take the opportunity to enjoy sake a few times to gain an appreciation for this fine rice wine.