Must-see for sake fans!
Live Streaming Pinch to “Chance” July 14, 16:07
"If nothing is done, you will not be able to drink Japanese sake."
Domestic consumption of sake is declining.
The new Corona is catching up and the industry is in further trouble.
Under these circumstances, efforts by sake breweries nationwide to connect directly with consumers and turn a pinch into an opportunity are spreading.
(Akita Broadcasting Station reporter Haruka Mouri)
200 in 2 minutes
"It's a pity that it doesn't get through the screen, but now I have a nice scent of sake and wood brewery."
Live stream starting every Thursday at 8 pm on the video site.
The stage is a sake brewery.
The owners of the sake brewery and Mr. Mori will appear.
In addition to the history of the sake brewery, the climate and climate of the area, and what kind of rice is used, we will explain the sake brewing process while showing videos.
On this day, the stage was Kyoto's sake brewery "Daily Brewing".
We will tell the viewers unknown secret stories such as trying new sake brewing with a kind of sake rice that we have never used before and making use of the experience of learning sake brewing at sake breweries all over the country.
Tasting was also held and the taste and aroma were explained in detail.
"Aroma of rich fruits like ripe melon"
"Hidden deeper taste"
"This liquor, which was shaped by the Korona-ka, has more value than this taste. It is important. I want you to share it with people and drink it. "
In the distribution, you can purchase after knowing the charm of each sake brewery, including who made it and what kind of environment it was made in.
After the distribution ends, only 200 bottles of sake will be sold online.
Sold out in just 2 minutes.
Mr. Matsumoto:
"A situation like Corona that no one can predict actually happened, and I was keenly aware of the limits of what I could do alone. It's easy to say that it's difficult to continue making shochu and sake in the future, but myself. We are gathering for the purpose of leaving, and I think that you can feel that strong feeling in the distribution. I would like to convey a message firmly to the customer and drink Japanese sake in the live distribution. I want you to be in close contact with the local community, connect with the production area, and have an opportunity to drink the sake you are making. "
Korona-ka that chased
Yusuke Sato, one of the creators of the live stream.
Founded in 1852, it is the 8th generation of Aramasa Sake Brewery, one of the longest-established sake breweries in Akita.
I had a strong sense of crisis that I would not be able to drink Japanese sake as it is.
Domestic alcohol consumption is centered on beer and sake, but as we have become able to enjoy a variety of alcohol, our tastes have diversified.
Along with this, the consumption of sake continued to decline from the peak in 1975, and by 2020, it had decreased to almost a quarter.
The spread of the new coronavirus has added to the impact of refraining from operating restaurants and restricting behavior.
Mr. Sato
"The new Corona has put a catch-up to the place where the demand for sake as a whole was declining. There are many sake breweries that have been hit hard by management. Our industry is next to what kind of sake new to our customers. I should have thought about presenting the charm earlier, but I couldn't do that either. "
At the origin of business
Mr. Sato called out to sake breweries nationwide with whom he had exchanges, and tried to improve his technical and management capabilities while exchanging information. It was established about a year and a half ago.
Today, about 50 sake breweries nationwide are participating.
With Korona-ka, we can no longer rely solely on the liquor stores and restaurants that were our main customers until then, and we will make a new target for connecting with "individual customers" who enjoy drinking at home. There was a need.
Mr. Sato:
"Thanks to Corona, we needed to connect directly with our customers, and we were made to think again about the origin of business, like selling each one by hand, at this difficult time. Isn't it? I often talked with the brewery during Corona that there are future efforts to discover unknown charms individually and promote them properly. "
In this way, live distribution started in September last year.
Delivery from the sake brewery has exceeded 40 times in total and continues every week.
Taking advantage of adversity
Recently, in addition to live distribution, new projects such as "experience-based" where you can actually visit the sake brewery and observe it have been born.
Mr. Sato's sake brewery also plans a "rice planting experience" for the production of sake rice, which is the raw material.
Seven people from all over the country who usually enjoy live streaming participated.
Participants
"I understand how difficult it is to make sake by sticking to it. I think it's a new approach to be able to learn about breweries that you didn't know before and easily buy them online."
Mr. Sato feels that the live distribution has given the sake brewery an opportunity to reconsider and learn about their sake brewing and management.
Mr. Sato:
"Thanks to Corona, I think every brewery felt a strong sense of urgency that they had to rebuild here. It's fun to watch this distribution, and men and women of all ages can easily access it. And, although it is a traditional industry, I hope that sake will become an easy-to-follow existence. "
Not limited to sake, "traditional Japanese sake brewing" such as shochu and awamori has been protected by making the best use of the local climate, and the country is aiming to be registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Preserving this precious culture may depend on seeing adversity as an opportunity and maintaining a positive awareness of change.
Akita Broadcasting Station Reporter
Haruka Mouri Covered
agriculture and traditional culture in Akita, the first place to join in 2018
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I noticed the charm of sake in Akita!