Photos: Sake Tasting & Cultural/Business Exchange in NJ
Japan-US Alliance of New Jersey, Japanese American Society of NewJersey & Crowne Plaza Englewood
In Collaboration with Sake Discoveries, LLC, NY Mutual Trading Inc., WINEBOW Inc., New York Taiko Aikokai, Gotta Eat Sweets
Photos by Kumi Hayase Chamagraphy
Japanese Night Out Otafuku’s Okonomiyaki,Takoyaki & Hakkaisan
| April 20, 2010 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 8:00 pm |
Get as close to Japan as you can get without stepping on a plane. You’ll have a chance to taste your favorite savory Japanese pancake お好み焼き OKONOMIYAKI and those oh-so-delicious Japanese octopus dumpling balls たこ焼き TAKOYAKI from OTAFUKU, one of New York’s favorite Japanese hotspots.
Also Sake Sommelier Chizuko, the founder of Sake Discoveries will serve you samples of some of Japan’s best sake from Hakkaisan Brewery which uses only highly polished, locally-produced sake rice from Niigata Prefecture which is known for producing high quality rice and water. The ‘Hakkaisan’ series has a lot of loyal fans in Japan as this sake is a clear, crisp and refined honjozo. You’ll be served three types of sake for tasting, Hakkaisan’s Ginjo, Tokubetsu Junmai, and Honjozo (warm).
3 kinds of Hakkaisan tasting set with Okonomiyaki & Takoyaki
$35 (Including tax & tips)
Guest speaker
Ms. Kumiko Kurosawa from Hakkaisan brewery
Limited to 30people!
Get your ticket right now!!
Special Spring Kaiseki Dinner with Dassai at Hakubai
| April 10, 2010 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
The Kitano New York and Dassai present
Special Spring Kaiseki Dinner served with Dassai
in the Private Tatami Room
Saturday, April 10. 2010 6pm to 8:30pm
Please join us as we celebrate cherry blossom Sakura season at Hakubai restaurant with Traditional Japanese cuisine paired with
Dassai sake from Yamaguchi prefecture.
Assorted appetizers, 3 courses, a main course and desert
created by executive chef Yukihiro Sato.
$150 per person (including tax and gratuity)
You will receive $50 gift certificate of Hakubai and special gift from Dassai.
Mr. Sakurai the 4th generation producer of Dassai, Sake Samurai Timothy Sullivan, and Sake sommelier Chizuko (me!) will have a dinner with you.
Let’s enjoy authentic Japanese Kaiseki with us!!
RSVP by Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Manami: myaezawa@kitano.com
Tel: 212-885-7072
This event is LIMITED for just 15 people!! Please make a reservation as soon as you can!!
See you at beautiful Tatami Room of Hakubai!!
Kubota Night at Sakagura!
I believe that you have heard the sake brand’s name “Kubota”, even you are not big sake fan. Kubota(Kubota is a sake brand of Asahi Brewery in Niigata prefecture, and Kubota brand has many grades as well) is one of the most famous sake brands in the world. Niigata prefecture has over 100 sake breweries, and of course very famous and popular as a sake region in Japan. Kubota is the top brand in Niigata, which means Kubota is one of the top sake brand in Japan. Fortunately, we can find Kubota brand in New York easily, but some Kubota’s Daiginjo are very hard to get in Japan!
So, I can say that we are very lucky to enjoy Kubota anytime at Sakagura or many Japanese resstaurants in New York. Especially, Sakagura has many Kubota brands like Kubota Manju, Kubota Hekiju, Kubota Koju, Kubota Senju, Senshin, and my most favorite Kubota’s Junmai Daiginjo Tokugetsu!
The other night, I really enjoyed Kubota sake tasting at Sakagura with my best sake friend Timothy Sullivan.
Mr. Sanjo of Kubota(the guy right side in the 2nd picture) served 6 kinds of Kubota with little cute gifts for customers. (BTW, he is one of the cutest sake people from Japan!)
Oh, and another great thing happened at the night. I saw very lovely couple who love Niigata and huge Kubota Senju fans! (they are in the picture with Mr. Sanjo) I used to take care of them at Sakagura when I was a sake sommelier of Sakagura, but I couldn’t say good-bye to them at the time, so I haven’t seem them for 2 years since then, but we could meet up again for beautiful Kubota sake!
Sake always gives me great encounters and stories….It’s called sake magic!
Sake And The Sundance Film Festival Photos
My friend Ayumi Sakamoto is a great photographer. My husband and her husband are good friends and both are editors of the movie Blue Valentine. We traveled all together during Sundance film festival 2010 in Park City.
Photos by A Y U M I SAKAMOTO
“Sake And The City” 3 for Web Magazine OPENERS (Japanese only)
Check this out!
Sake And The Sundance Film Festival!
I had been in Park City for Sundance film festival for this last few days. My husband is film maker, and he edited one of the movies “Blue Valentine“. We had a great party with the crew, including Ryan Gosling and Michalle Williams. It was wonderful night!!
The movie is very beautiful and sad… so real love story. Ryan and Michalle are awesome! They made me cry a lot!
We wish Blue Valentine will get awarded….!
The Best Sake Sommelier and The Best Sake Tasting Event 2009 of Kanpai NY
It is my honor to announce that KANPAI NY has given me the distinction as BEST SAKE SOMMELIER 2009, and BEST SAKE TASTING 2009 for Akita Sake Club sake tasting.
Other BEST are…
Best Japanese Restaurant: Sakagura
Best Sushi Restaurant: Sushiden
Best Soba Restaurant: Soba Totto
Best Robata Restaurant: Aburiya Kinnosuke
Best Vegetarian Restaurant: Kajitsu
Best Izakaya Restaurant: Riki
Best Late Night Restaurant: Donburi-ya
Best Sake Bar: Soba Totto
Best Sake Cocktails: Soba Totto
Best Agedashi Tofu: Omen
Best Sushi Rolls: Fujinoya
Best Plates: Fujinoya
Best Karaoke: Japas 38
Best Daiginjo Sake: Daishichi Minowamon Junmai Daiginjo Kimoto
Best Ginjo Sake: Dewazakura Dewasansan Junmai Ginjo
Best Junmai Sake: Nanbu Bijin Tokubetsu Junmai
Best Nama Sake: Masumi Arabashiri Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu
Best Sparkling Sake: Rokkasen Junmai Sparkling Rose
Best Cup Sake: Kikusui Funaguchi Honjozo Nama Genshu
Best Sake Bottle: Denshin Yuki Junmai Ginjo
Best Sake Tasting Event: The Akita Sake Tasting Event
Best Sake Ambassador: Kosuke Kuji
Best Sake Sommelier: Chizuko Niikawa-Helton
Best Bartender/Mixologist: Gen Yamamoto
Best Sake Teacher: Timothy Sullivan
Best Sake Website: Urban Sake
My 2009 is not finished yet, but I definitely enjoyed a lot of my sake work this year! Of course, I will keep on doing more till December 31st, and will do something more exciting work 2010 as well!!
MY OCHOCO! Bring your own sake cup “ochoco” for Sake tasting!
I designed Sake Discoveries original Sake cup called Ochoko! Blue one is for men, and white one is for ladies. (actually, doesn’t matter though) I always feel bad when I use a plastic cup at sake tasting events. So, finally, I decided to make original simple sake tasting cups. I cannot wait to use this for JOY OF SAKE!