Topics.【酒のつまみ話】人類初、宇宙で酒造り「獺祭MOONプロジェクト」
獺祭MOONプロジェクトは、日本酒ブランド「獺祭」を手がける株式会社獺祭が2024年に始動した宇宙開発プロジェクトで、将来的に月面で日本酒を醸造することを目指す挑戦である。人類が月で生活する時代を見据え、酒を通じて月面での生活の質（QOL...
conversation to liven up a cup of sake (esp. in the context of a tea ceremony)
Topics.
Topics.[Snacks to go with your drinks] Cat Day limited edition "Shiraka Nekodasuke" released with a portion of sales going to animal welfare
Hakushika will release a limited-edition product, Kuromatsu Hakushika Nekodasuke Special Junmai Yamada Nishiki, on February 7, 2025. This special junmai sake commemorates Cat Day on February 22nd, and features a limited-edition illustration by popular illustrator Okieiko, expressing her desire for zero euthanasia of stray cats.
Topics.[Snacks to go with drinks] Outdoors and sake brewing! Patagonia's sake is amazing
On January 28, 2026, outdoor brand Patagonia's food line, Patagonia Provisions, launched Yamamori 2025, a natural sake brewed by Niida Honke in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture. This is the first of its kind in Japan...
Topics.[Snacks to go with drinks] We have launched a new product called "Catnip" - a catnip liquor that supports cat rescue efforts.
KURAND Co., Ltd., operator of the online craft liquor store "KURAND," began selling a catnip liqueur, "Catnip for Cats," on January 20, 2026, through crowdfunding to support rescued cats. Cats love...
Topics.[Snacks to go with your drinks] Nikaido Sake Brewery produces documentary featuring world-famous soccer player Maya Yoshida for the US market to commemorate its 160th anniversary
Nikaido Sake Brewery, a long-established sake brewery in Hiji Town, Oita Prefecture, is producing a documentary film featuring internationally acclaimed Japanese soccer player Maya Yoshida as part of its 160th anniversary project. The three-part film will be primarily aimed at the US market...
Topics.[Snacks] Sapporo Beer's Business Strategy for 2026
In 2026, Sapporo Breweries (Sapporo Holdings Group) announced that it would mark its 150th anniversary by transitioning from a manufacturing industry to a creative industry and strengthening its marketing efforts with an emphasis on unique experience value. In 2025, amid a budget-conscious consumer environment, the company's flagship brand, "Sapporo Breweries,"...
Topics.[Sake Snacks] Deadline for applications for "2026 Miss SAKE," an ambassador who promotes the appeal of sake, has been extended
Miss SAKE, a general incorporated association, has announced that it has extended the application deadline for the 2026 Miss SAKE contest, which selects an ambassador to promote the appeal of sake, a traditional Japanese culture, both domestically and internationally, until January 15, 2026, in response to the overwhelming number of applications. Last year's Miss SAKE contest in Osaka...
Topics.[Snacks to go with alcohol] Effective measures to prevent excessive drinking and hangovers during the New Year holidays
There are many theories about how to prevent hangovers, including milk, turmeric, clam extract, and hydration, but few methods have been medically proven to be effective. While blood alcohol levels are less likely to rise after a meal, increasing the amount of alcohol consumed does not necessarily prevent a hangover. Milk, supplements, and herbal medicines are also effective...
Topics.[Snacks to go with alcohol] Asahi's shipment decline hits the industry hard This year's year-end gifts focus on "craft beer"
Following a cyberattack on Asahi Breweries, the state of year-end gifts in the beer industry this year has been shaken up. On the 10th, Sapporo Breweries announced that it would no longer be selling its Hokkaido-exclusive "Sapporo Classic" year-end gift set. Due to Asahi's reduced shipments, the company has received a flood of orders that exceeded expectations, leading to...
Topics.[Limited Time Offer] "The TAKETSURU experience" is a reservation-only bar where you can enjoy the charm of "Taketsuru Pure Malt" with all five senses.
Asahi Breweries and Nikka Whisky have opened a limited-time bar, "The TAKETSURU experience," at TRUNK (HOUSE) Kagurazaka in Tokyo's Kagurazaka district. The bar is by reservation only, allowing visitors to experience the charm of Taketsuru Pure Malt with all five senses.
Topics.[Snacks to go with drinks] Local Hakusuisha's P-boxes are a big hit at the university festival! Tokyo University of Science's "Gengai Shokudo"
At the cultural festival of Tokyo University of Science (formerly the Tokyo Institute of Technology, among others) in Ookayama, Meguro Ward, high sour P boxes (plastic beverage containers) from local company Hakusuisha were cleverly used to set up the venue for the "Girigiri Shokudo" (Extraneous Dining Hall), a cafeteria themed around food waste.
Topics.[Snacks] Does drinking alcohol increase the risk of hair loss? Research shows surprising correlation
Research has shown that people who consume a lot of alcohol (as well as sugary drinks such as soft drinks) may be at a higher risk of hair loss and thinning. A recent review of the relationship between nutrition and hair compiled 17 previous studies and examined a total of 61,000 people...
Topics.[Sake Snacks] Applications now open for "2026 Miss SAKE," an ambassador who will promote the appeal of sake
Applications have begun for the 2026 Miss SAKE, an ambassador who will promote the appeal of sake and Japanese culture both domestically and internationally. Representatives from regions that have yet to hold regional competitions will be selected through auditions held at the headquarters, and the 2026 Miss...
Topics.[Snack Talk] Why the future is bright for alcohol manufacturers in an era of "drinking away from alcohol"
Recently, there has been talk of young people turning away from alcohol, but some figures suggest that the future of the alcohol industry may actually be brighter than expected. According to a survey by the IMARC Group, Japan's alcoholic beverage market is expected to reach 12 billion liters in 2024, and 16.2 billion liters by 2033.
Topics.[Snacks to go with sake] Go beyond One Cup! The evolution of Ozeki by Cambria Palace
The theme of the TV program "Cambrian Palace" broadcast on September 4th was "Surpassing One Cup! The Challenge of a 300-Year-Old Company." One Cup Ozeki has been loved by people since its founding. Released in 1964, it was a sake that could be opened and drunk straight away...
Topics.[Snacks to go with drinks] The latest home drinking sugoroku game "Way Way Land! ®3" released
The latest installment of the "house drinking sugoroku game" that's a huge hit among people in their 20s, "Way Way Land!®3," will be released on September 4, 2025! The game uses the German liqueur "Kleiner Feigling" as a piece, and features realistic romance and workplace themes based on the theme of job hunting...
Topics.[Snack Talk] Orion Beer's Licensing Business Rapidly Expands | Merchandise Sales to 6 Billion Yen
Orion Beer's licensing business is expanding rapidly. Sales of merchandise, such as Orion T-shirts popular with tourists, are expected to reach approximately 3 billion yen in fiscal 2024 (1.5 times the previous year), and over 6 billion yen for the full fiscal year 2025. Sales have fallen from approximately 1 billion yen in fiscal 2019 to 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Topics.[Snacks] Orion Beer to become Okinawa's first manufacturing company to be listed on the stock exchange
Orion Breweries (Tomigusuku City, Okinawa Prefecture) is expected to list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as early as September 2025. This could be the first time for an Okinawan manufacturing company to do so. Current shareholders include Carlyle and Nomura Capital Partners, each with approximately 40% stake, and Asahi Group...
Topics.[Snacks to go with your drinks] Cultivating sake with sound: Kesennuma sake brewery to release "acoustically vibrated sake"
Otokoyama Honten, a sake brewery in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, has developed a new technology called "acoustic vibration sake," which applies jazz vibrations to sake during fermentation. The company will release a new product called "Ao no Oto" (Blue Sound) on August 6th. Rather than playing music inside the brewery, the sake is brewed using an Onkyo vibrator mounted on the outside of the tank...
Topics.[Snack Talk] New Suntory Whisky "Kakubin" TV Commercial Features Yu Aoi as New Owner
On July 16, 2025, it was officially announced that Yu Aoi will be starring as the "fourth-generation bar owner" in Suntory's new "Kakubin" TV commercial, "Hajimari." The commercial began airing nationwide on July 21. Aoi plays the owner of a small bar on a hill, and Shota Sometani...
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