Young Japanese brewers promote sake in Beijing ahead of 3-day event

The Mainichi

16 hours ago

BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Young Japanese sake brewers promoted their products Thursday at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing ahead of a three-day event in the capital from the following day to pitch the drink in China, Japan's largest overseas market by value.
At the "Sake Jump" event in Beijing, the second of its kind to be held outside of Japan following one held in Hong Kong in June, 23 brewers from 14 prefectures will showcase their sake.
Shintaro Tsuruno, 36, representative of a brewery in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, said he decided to join the event as part of efforts to revive his brewery, which was devastated by a major earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan on New Year's Day in 2024.
As his company jointly brewed sake with other makers following the quake, Tsuruno said he felt the need to turn to overseas markets. "I want to learn what kind of flavor Chinese consumers like and reflect their opinions back in Japan," he said.
Li Peng, one of the Chinese organizers of the event, said he hopes more Chinese people will learn about sake so that it will be provided not only at Japanese restaurants but also in daily meals and parties, especially among urban youth.
Japanese Ambassador to China Kenji Kanasugi pointed out that the number of Chinese tourists to Japan has been steadily increasing and the market for sake in China is expected to expand with those who tasted it in the neighboring country seeking it again after returning home.
"I strongly hope people in the sake industry in Japan and China cooperate with each other and create new chances," the envoy said.
In 2024, Japanese sake exports totaled some 43.5 billion yen ($300 million), with about 11.7 billion yen shipped to mainland China, according to official data.