Latest news with #sake
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Inside Nobu's Global Sake Program
Nobu on London's Portman Square. In the world of upscale lifestyle dining, few restaurant and hospitality groups command the international presence and cultural cachet of Nobu. Co-founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro, and film producer Meir Teper, the brand is known for its high-end Japanese cuisine and supporting hotel business. After three decades of refinement, the offering is both casual but sophisticated, while Nobu's culinary identity, with its fun Peruvian influence is unmistakable. Underpinning it all is a deep and deliberate focus on sake. Sake, is a Japanese fermented drink made from polished rice, water, yeast, and koji mold. Its flavor profile can vary significantly, from light and crisp to rich and full-bodied, making it a highly versatile companion to Japanese cuisine. At Nobu, guests are encouraged to celebrate that versatility by pairing specific dishes, such as delicate sashimi or umami-rich miso cod, with different sake styles. While the pairings can be fascinating, it's also an opportunity to get your head around the differences between, say, a Ginjo and a Junmai. At every Nobu restaurant and hotel around the world, one producer dominates the sake list however - Hokusetsu, an artisanal brewery from Sado Island, a remote and solitary area of northern Japan. The brewery is privately owned and operated by the Hazu family and has been crafting sake under demanding winter conditions for generations. It was founded in 1871, and since has harnessed the natural characteristics of the territory. 'Delicious sake cannot be made without fresh air and clean water' notes the brewery. 'Sake rice, the raw ingredient, doesn't grow well until the temperature drops. We have ideal conditions for that. This place is perfect.' Hokusetsu's team point out that not only do they cherish traditional values, but, also strive to make sake that people oversees will enjoy. The Hokusetsu Sake Brewery on Sado Island The story behind Nobu's partnership with Hokusetsu goes back some time. In 1987, famed Japanese rock musician Eikichi Yazawa gifted Chef Nobu a bottle of Hokusetsu sake at his Beverly Hills restaurant, Matsuhisa. Struck by its quality, Chef Nobu reached out to his distributors and soon arranged an introduction to Mr. Hazu, owner of the brewery. What began as a professional agreement quickly grew into a lasting friendship and creative partnership. Over nearly 40 years, their collaboration has evolved into a deeper relationship. 'We're connected at a level that goes beyond a business partnership, we're like brothers.' The Nobu team reaffirms this, pointing out it comities to be a 'thoughtful and ongoing collaboration built on shared passion and trust.' Nobu San has invested in a high quality sake partnership with Hokusetsu on Sado island. Over more than three decades, the two have worked closely to curate a range of sakes that complement Nobu's food and reflect its values. 'Sake is a core part of Japanese culture,' says Chef Nobu. 'It was important we got Nobu's sake just right. It is made with the best ingredients and utmost care.' The brewery also feels that the correct balance has been struck, adding that, 'Hokusetsu's sake doesn't intrude on the cooking, but it still manages to assert itself. It complements and enhances the taste of the cooking.' At a time when many sake producers are expanding into the United States and Europe, Nobu has remained resolutely tied to Japan. All Nobu-branded sakes are still produced exclusively by the Hokusetsu brewery on Sado Island. Of course, each territory has its own quirks when it comes to the import and distribution of each product. The Nobu group works with Japanese import specialists to distribute Hokusetsu sake internationally, ensuring that quality is preserved and a full range of expressions can be accessed. This includes many different classifications such as Junmai (pure rice sake with no added alcohol), Daiginjo (highly polished and fragrant), and Nigori (cloudy, with a creamy texture). It also includes custom selections created in collaboration with Chef Nobu himself. Janju Watanabe, chief brewer at Hokusetsu elaborates. 'Food is a language shared through the world and through good sake, food can bridge the gap between cultures. Thanks to Nobu san Hokuetsu's sake has been enjoyed by people all over the world.' Nobu San in London While the source is singular, the presentation varies. Nobu's locations in Europe and the Middle East often carry a more curated selection, typically offering 8 to 10 sakes. In London, particularly at Nobu Hotel Portman Square, the offering is even more expansive, with up to 15 expressions at any given time. Some have the benefit of age and are very, showcasing both Hokusetsu's craftsmanship and more recently, the evolving sophistication of London's sake audience. Among the most distinctive is the Daiginjo YK 35 Enshinbunri, a sake processed using a centrifuge for extraordinary texture. It is full of fresh citrus, melon, and delicate umami, delivered with silk-like precision. Its sibling, the Daiginjo YK 35 Nigori Enshinbunri, maintains that same flavor profile but with a fine milky texture that pays homage to traditional unfiltered styles. For those drawn to complexity, the Cho Daiginjo YK 35 offers notes of lychee, melon, and marzipan. It is made from Yamada Nishiki rice (one of the top grades of Japanese rice used) and polished down to 35% of its original size. Other offerings, such as the Honjozo Yukinohibiki, strike a spicier, more savory chord, with pepper and citrus notes that work beautifully when served warm. A slightly higher temperature will give it more sharpness and a clean, refreshing taste. Moreover, those who prefer some of the mellow elegance that comes with maturation, the Onkagushu 10-Year-Old is delicate, dry with mellow, evolved aromas. Ginjo 71, one of the most popular Sakes on the list. In truth, across all locations, the brand considers two expressions as cornerstones of the program. The Nobu Private Selection, a Junmai Daiginjo handpicked by Chef Nobu, reflects the essence of the collaboration, ie. a bespoke sake chosen to enhance the food. 'Each sake offers something different and can be paired with different dishes,' says Chef Nobu. 'It elevates the dining experience.' Another standout, the Ginjo 71, features a vibrant label designed by Chef Nobu's daughter Yoshiko-san and offers bright citrus and melon aromas with a refined palate. It was sourced as an approachable, yet sophisticated expression of Hokusetsu's house style. It has quickly become one of the most versatile sakes on the menu, balancing acidity with full-bodied richness - an ideal starting point for newcomers. In many ways, Nobu's approach to sake mirrors its culinary ethos: deeply connected with Japanese tradition, but always open to reinterpretation. Chef Nobu was among the first in the West to serve premium sake cold, in bamboo pitchers, at a time when warm sake was the norm. 'With high-quality sakes I recommend you drink them cold' he says. 'Once customers have had this sake, they can't go back to normal sake.' NEW YORK, NY - MAY 30: Chef Nobu Matsuhisa (L) and Robert De Niro speak onstage during the Nobu Downtown Sake Ceremony at Nobu Downtown on May 30, 2017 in New York City. (Photo byfor Nobu Restaurants ) The first Nobu restaurant opened in New York in 1994, and the first hotel followed in 2013. Today, the company is an impressive hospitality force with venues all over the world. Nobu turned 31 last year, an impressive milestone in an industry with a high failure rate and at the constant mercy of fashion. The brand's longevity is matched by remarkable loyalty though. Guests return not just for the food but for the entire Nobu hospitality experience, which they associate with high-end, cosmopolitan lifestyle and a high octane atmosphere. 'Our sake represents my journey,' says Chef Nobu. 'It honors the past but looks forward.' In London the pouring of sake, all the way from the remote island of Sado and toasted in the lively ambience of the Portman Square site, often by guests experiencing sake for the first time, is an echo of that journey. Anyone fast tracking themselves to the top shelf should ask for a bottle of the Daiginjo Black Label.
Condé Nast Traveler
6 days ago
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
Beyond the Megacities, Uncovering Japan's Quieter Corners
At Satoyama Jujo—a modern ryokan housed in a lovingly refurbished 150-year-old farmhouse in Niigata—the first ritual is the bath. As I lower myself into the open-air onsen, bounded by whispering trees, the setting sun paints the mountains in amber hues. Though just over an hour from Tokyo, this place feels a world away. Later, as evening deepens, I make my way to the nearby river where a flutter of fireflies performs a luminescent ballet. After nearly two decades of calling Tokyo home, Japan continues to reveal itself to me in layers. The capital's labyrinthine sprawl—more a patchwork of village-like neighborhoods than monolithic metropolis—remains endlessly fascinating, with izakayas tucked into narrow alleys and century-old shops wedged between gleaming towers. But it was during the pandemic's forced stillness, when the borders shut for three years, that I began venturing deeper into Japan's peripheral spaces. Previously, my work as a journalist had briefly dispatched me to Japan's distant prefectures—the island of Honshu's sake breweries in Yamagata and fishing villages in Miyagi—but I'd find myself rushing back to the capital before I could properly experience these places. These days, I've embraced being a tourist in my adopted country; lingering in ceramics villages where the potters eschew electricity, and discovering remote temples carved into mountainside cliffs. While Kyoto's famous temples groan under the weight of selfie sticks, these quieter corners offer something that feels genuine—and right now, in particular, feels like a perfect moment to explore them further. Over the past few years, I've noticed a seismic shift in Japan's tourism landscape. Last year, the country welcomed a record 36.8 million international visitors. This momentum has continued into 2025, with over 10.5 million arrivals in the first quarter alone. During this period, foreign tourists spent ¥2.3 trillion (or $15 billion), up 28.4% from the same period last year. The country is evolving to keep up with the demand. New rail extensions have eased access to places like Fukui, on the Sea of Japan coast, while future expansions will unlock more areas in Hokkaido and Tohoku. I've watched with interest as new hotels and design-forward ryokan blend traditional aesthetics with creature comforts in regions where finding a decent cup of coffee once felt like a quest. Alongside these developments, small businesses have emerged to connect travelers with cultural experiences—craftspeople opening up their workshops, farmers offering culinary classes, and local guides creating bespoke itineraries. For communities facing population decline, tourism brings not just economic lifelines but something perhaps more valuable—renewed pride in cultural traditions that might otherwise fade into history. Recently, I've sought out hidden gems like Yamanaka Onsen—a hot spring town renowned for woodworking and lacquerware—that had previously seemed just beyond reach. Thanks to the Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train expansion last year, I found myself here in just two and a half hours from Tokyo. By day I spent an afternoon at a lacquerware atelier where a master craftsman guided a visiting artist through techniques refined over centuries. That evening, I slipped into Bar Engawa, where Yusuke Shimoki serves sake in locally crafted vessels behind a counter in a traditional house with doors featuring intricate wooden inlays. Throughout the town, a new generation of ryokan and shop owners is working to revitalize the area, creating events that showcase regional artisans alongside local cuisine—and launching a contemporary arts festival inside historic buildings.
South China Morning Post
08-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Kenbishi, world's oldest sake brand, leans on tradition to revive the drink's popularity
Although Japan's sake industry is facing a crisis thanks to falling domestic consumption, Kenbishi – the country's oldest sake brand – remains unbending in its commitment to the old ways, seeing it as the best guarantor of quality. Advertisement At the brewery of Kenbishi Sake Brewing in the Japanese city of Kobe, a bottle of sake is set on the table in the dining room to accompany the staff evening meal. In the kitchen, more sake is warmed in kettles. 'It's all-you-can-drink at dinner,' said Kenbishi president Masataka Shirakashi, who hopes the recent addition of traditional sake-brewing techniques to the Unesco intangible cultural heritage list will encourage a revival of the drink in Japan Tradition is everything – brewing always takes place during the winter season. Starting in October, 60 brewers stay on-site for six months, eating together in the dining room. By season's end, they will have consumed around 1,500 bottles of sake, according to Shirakashi. The consumption of sake is in decline across Japan. Drinking habits are changing, particularly among the young. In 2022, sake consumption had dropped to less than a third of its peak in the early 1970s, according to data from the National Tax Agency of Japan.
