Sake On Air

As sake continues to expand beyond its home borders and evolve into a global beverage, the rules of evaluation are being rewritten. While Japan’s competitions are mainly concerned with technical purity, competitions overseas are flipping the script with a more consumer-focused approach. One of the biggest of these is the International Wine Challenge held in London. Having already built up a solid reputation as one of the world’s foremost, influential wine competitions, in 2007 a sake category was added. In this episode, we sit down with Chris Ashton, the owner and managing director behind this massive UK-based competition. As well as exploring Chris’s personal story with sake, we learn more about how the competition judges sake in this new era, what a consumer-focused lens reveals about modern sake trends, and how an event thousands of miles from Japan is helping shape the future of the industry. This year’s competition was particularly special, as it marked the 20th anniversary and was held in Hiroshima, Japan. As well as Rebekah, who is a regular judge, Chris and Cindy were both very lucky to take part, either as judges or in the media.   As always, if you have questions or comments, please do share them with us at [email protected] or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow,” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

If you’ve listened to Sake on Air before, you know every single episode kicks off with Chris saying, “…all the culture and history and…” That line was actually born in our very first recording session, cut from an explanation about exactly what hooked him into sake. It’s a philosophy we live by on the show, but today, we’re exploring it in a remarkably unique way. We’re reporting on an event held earlier this year at the JSS Information Center that viewed sake culture through the vibrant, witty lens of Edo-period (1603~1868) comics and art. Joining us to guide this trip in a time machine is Yuki Hata, professor at Meijo University in Nagoya and an expert on 16th- to 19th-century Japanese culture and history. To give any more away would be to spoil this episode, so this time we are keeping the intro short. Enjoy! As always, if you have questions or comments, please do share them with us at [email protected] or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake on Air is produced by Export Japan. Our team is Cindy Bissig, John Gauntner, Chris Hughes, Sebastien Lemoine, Arline Lyons, Marie Nagata, Christopher Pellegrini, Rebekah Wilson-Lye, and Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow,” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Shuki, or sake vessels, are more than just cups for serving sake. They add another layer of enjoyment to the drinking experience, and come in a remarkable variety of sizes, shapes, and materials. As you use them they come to have their own meaning and special value as well. In this episode of Sake on Air, Miho explores the fascinating world of sake cups with Japanese pottery expert Robert Yellin, from everyday drinking vessels to those used in special rituals. From his pottery gallery in Kyoto, Robert shares his expertise and experiences, revealing how ceramic sake vessels can transform a simple tasting into a more holistic experience. For more discussion about sake cups with Robert, you can also listen to our previous talk with Robert in 2020.  As always, if you have questions or comments, please do share them with us at [email protected] or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack!We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow,” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

In this episode Sebastien Lemoine, John Gauntner, and Chris Hughes (and Frank Walter) interview Jacky Royer about sake, food, and travel in Shizuoka. Jacky works at Shidaizumi and runs a land operator tour business for French-speaking visitors to Japan. We learn about his origins studying library science in Tokyo, how he came to brew sake, and much much more. As always, if you have questions or comments, please do share them with us at [email protected] or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack!We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow,” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

Awamori is a traditional spirit from Okinawa with a history of over 500 years, yet it remains little known outside Japan. In this episode of Sake on Air, Miho interviews two Okinawa-based drinks professionals, Madoka Numata and Maurice Dudley. They talk about about places visitors can explore in Okinawa—particularly in the capital city of Naha—to taste, learn about, and experience awamori, along with its rich culture and history. As always, if you have questions or comments, please do share them with us at [email protected] or send us a message on our Instagram, Facebook, or Substack! We’ll be back very soon with plenty more Sake On Air. Until then, kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. Sake on Air was created by Potts K Productions and is produced by Export Japan. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow,” was composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.