Episodes

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 …

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, …

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 …

Following up on our Izakaya 101 episode, Frank, Cindy, and Chris share some of their favorite sake focused restaurants and watering holes. Cindy took on Kyoto, Chris led the Tokyo discussion, and Frank filled in the gaps with off the wall picks from places in between. Our rollicking discussion bounces around all of the archipelago, …

Cindy leads a year-long discussion about sake events with fellow hosts Sebastien, Chris, and Frank. They talk about many of the main sake events that are happening or have happened this year. They talk about the large events like the Niigata Sake no Jin and small events like the various Kurabiraki that are held throughout …

This week, Cindy Bissig and Frank Walter sit down with Takashi Eguchi, better known in the sake world as Umio, to explore Shiga Prefecture’s vibrant sake scene and its potential as a sake tourism destination Together, they discuss breweries across the region that welcome visitors, from formal tours to shops and lively brewery festivals, along …

Every February, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association holds the Sake and Shochu Academy, a week-long course that teaches students everything they need to know about Japan’s national beverages. Think Hogwarts for sake. The teachers are not wizards in a literal sense, but are top representatives from various official sake industry and research bodies, …

In the second of our new format “Bulletin” episodes, Chris reports back from the JSS’s annual press conference, sharing current export figures, and strategies to increase exports further. The press conference was held at the JSS headquarters in February 2026, and presented by our very own Shuso Imada and Hitoshi Utsunomiya. With domestic consumption flailing, …

Frank visited the multi-instrumentalist Bobby Griffin at his home and studio to talk about how sake is treated in traditional Japanese music. In particular they talked about Sasa no Tsuyu, a piece for shamisen, koto, and voice. It was arranged in the 1800s and the lyrics are all about the power and pleasure of sake. …