I was just reading about a "Sake Samurai Tasting" event to be held in Shimbashi later this month (picture above from last year's event). This is what it is all about:
"The Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council, fearing that the pride of the Japanese people was in danger of being lost from Japan, formed the Sake Samurai last year [2005] as a gathering of those who share a love of sake and the desire to nurture it, to restore the pride of sake and to spread sake culture not only within Japan but throughout the world."
Here are some of the Sake Samurai. There are a few foreigners - most people will likely already be familiar with John Gauntner.
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[/floatr]"Know widely as an American sake evangelist active around the world. A true lover of sake, Gauntner is active in cultivating and popularizing sake both in Japan and abroad, making a particularly significant contribution overseas...Gauntner is the only non-Japanese to have been named a kikizake meijin (accomplished sake taster) by the Junsui Nihonshu Kyokai (Pure Sake Association), an honor he has received three times"
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[/floatl]"Sam Harrop first came to Japan after participating in a London seminar run by a Japanese sake brewery and visited breweries in Shizuoka and Kyoto, returning home with a favorable impression of Japan and Japanese sake. Since becoming Co-Chairman of the International Wine Challenge he has been planning the establishment of a sake category to further introduce sake to the world"
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[/floatr]"After earning two professional sake-tasting licenses and the sake sommelier qualification, Beau Timken opened True Sake, the first sake specialty shop in the US, in San Francisco on 7 August 2003. He chose the name because he felt that most Americans had yet to encounter true, high-quality sake. He hoped to provide a place where those who wished to learn more about this wonderful drink could buy sake. Timken is active in sake-related consulting, creating menus and training staff for numerous San Francisco Bay Area restaurants, and offering tasting seminars for individuals, restaurants and the press"
I like the sound of this guy:
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[/floatl]"Known widely for his love of sake bringing his own cup to parties and wearing short livery coats that promote sake Otake is a cheerleader for sake who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in contributing to sake's revival."
There organization will be naming a new Samurai next Friday and following it up with a tasting in Kyoto on Saturday 20th before moving to Tokyo for the event on the 26th.
