TOKYO: Craft Sake Week 2026 @ Roppongi Hill
This April, I have my bucket list ticked!!!
I flew to Tokyo for the Craft Sake Week 2026. It was an incredible event which I had been eyeing on for the longest time, for some years. It featured 130 handpicked sake breweries, each showcased through rotating daily themes, alongside top-tier restaurants serving exclusive pairings.
Thanks to my ultimate buddies who decided to tag along to this event. We had a great fun time during the event and also during our trip! (We are still bffs after the trip #iykyk LOL). Thanks to Jean who take charge on purchasing the ticket. After some calculation, we decided to go for Starter Set C that was priced at ¥8,900; came with a sake glass and 39 coins and then to top up the 100 coins package later.
We attended on Day 5 – The Connoisseur’s Choice – and it absolutely lived up to its name. We sampled a wide variety of sake including limited edition brew specially crafted for CSW2026.
The event started from 3pm to 10pm on weekdays and 12pm until 9pm on weekends. We arrived at the event space at around 3.30pm and snatched an empty spot. While we were deciding which one to start first, the staff from DAINA dropped by. Hence, we spent our first 4 coins on their DAINA Junmai Ginjo Yumasasara (unpasteurized), from Kikunosato Shuzo, Tochigi Prefecture. First sip, we were sold! It was the first wow-ing on our palate and very memorable. We saved the last few coins on this before leaving the place!
DAINA Tojosan Yamada Nishiki (Unpasteurized), Junmai Ginjo Yumasasara (Unpasteurized) and Chokarakuchi Junmai
Happily asking for autograph.
I really like everything we had on this Day 5’s theme. They are all my favourites. LOL, I know I am greedy, but they are all superb and I really love it. However, I must highlight this range by Matsui Sake Brewery from Kyoto Prefecture. I managed to try their regular range during my last trip in Kyoto, and I really love it. The appearance of the bottles is amazingly stunning too, colourful and vibrant. Their sake too, are amazingly heart-wowing.
During this event, they showcased three types and two of them were only available exclusively for the event – KAGURA Roca Sparkling 2026 type and KAGURA Junmai Daiginjo Unfiltered Undiluted Unpasteurized (this cost 9 coins!!). The sparkling sake was a wow, but the 9 coins Junmai Daiginjo wow-ed me the most, as well as the Spring limited Junmai Daiginjo KAGURA East wind Unfiltered Undiluted Unpasteurized.
Left to Right: Spring limited Junmai Daiginjo KAGURA 東風 KOCHI Unfiltered Undiluted Unpasteurized,KAGURA Roca Sparkling 2026 type and KAGURA Junmai Daiginjo Unfiltered Undiluted Unpasteurized.
Happily asking for autograph, again!
And of course, we had many more of the others too. While I was too busy trying, chatting and partying, some of the photos I have tried may not be in the post.
KACHIKOMA from Kiyoto Sake Brewing, Toyama Prefecture; Daiginjo, Junmai, and Junmai Ginjo
We also fancied this Summer Blue from Takachiyo Shuzo, Niigata Prefecture.
豊醇無盡 たかちよ 扁平精米無調整生原酒 Summer Blue, 髙千代 扁平精米 無ろ過生酒 AQUAMARINE, 豊醇無盡 たかちよ ちよらー専用試験醸造酒 ABDUCTION06 活性生原酒 NIGORI SPARKLING
Munched on some snack bites to go with the sake. Cemembert with special Nori Sauce was great! Very umami.
Golden Ginger Gyoza
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YUKI NO BIJIN from Akita Jozo, Akita Prefecture: Junmai Ginjo Yamadanishiki 6号酵母 超辛, Junmai Ginjo 改良信交 and Junmai Daiginjo 技巧
HARUKASUMI from Kuribayashi Shuzoten, Akita Prefecture: Black Label Origarami (Cloth Filtration, Unpasteurized), Green Label and White Label (Unpasteurized).
KARAHASHI from Homare Sake Brewery, Fukushima Prefecture: Ultimate Cerulean, Ultimate Rose and Aizu Homare Junmai Ginjo Fukunoka Usu-nigori.
Chiebijin Evergreen and Chiebijin Dolce from Nakano Shuzo, Oita Prefecture
GASSAN from Yoshida Sake Brewing, Shimane Prefecture: Shunyo 70, Mizuki Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Daiginjo (Unpasteurized)
Happy to bump into Master Sake Sommelier Joshua Kalinan from Singapore too!
If I had more time in Tokyo, I’d definitely make multiple trips back to Roppongi Hills to check out each day’s unique theme. A must-visit for any sake lover!
