Fukushima prefecture, located in the Northeast part of Japan, is home to some of the top sake in the country, with many breweries spanning centuries.
The abundance of rice cultivation in the region and the availability of high-quality water has allowed Fukushima to produce award-winning sakes recognised both within and outside the country.
Homare Brewery, located in Kitakata City, is one of the renowned sake breweries representing the region.
President and CEO of Homare Brewery, Mr Hiroyuki Karahasi, recently visited Australia under a Ministry of Foreign Affairs program to promote Japanese brands, traditions, and culture overseas.
While Homare Brewery did not suffer any structural damage due to the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, the effect of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster is still felt in the industry today, with countries such as China still banning the import of food products from Fukushima.
“It has been a frustrating experience,” Mr Karahashi tells SBS Japanese.
Homare Brewery, which celebrated 100 years in the business in 2018, has always looked beyond the region. The company now exports sake to 19 countries, including Australia.
He says while sake consumption within the country is declining, the interest and recognition of sake worldwide is increasing.
“Young people tend to go for things from other countries rather than their own,” pointing out a similar phenomenon in France and their brandy industry.
Mr Karahasi hopes that by showing the young generation of Japan how sake is enjoyed overseas, sake can be re-imported and revitalised domestically as well.
In the 2015 International Wine Challenge, Aizu Homare Banshu Yamada Junmai Daiginjo was awarded the champion trophy, from 876 sakes. At the time, Mr Karahashi described the win as a “hope and future” for the people of Fukushima, who were still facing some of the biggest challenge in life.
The win allowed the prefecture to realise the potential of Japanese sake to help Fukushima recover from the disaster, prompting the government to fund the industry, he says.
During his visit to Australia, Mr Karahashi held a Japanese Sake Seminar at the Consul-General’s Residence in Sydney.
Representatives from the hospitality industry and content creators were invited to the event, where Mr Karahashi showed the process and theories behind sake brewing.
Indonesian vblogger, Nick and Helmi say learning the process of sake making has allowed them to appreciate the beverage more and has opened the doors to enjoy sake with more perspective.
"The key to appreciating sake is to know the process of how it is made," Nick tells SBS Japanese.
"Traditional sake brewing" was recently re-proposed to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage.
Mr Karahashi says if sake became officially recognised as an intangible cultural heritage, not only will it mean more recognition for the industry, but it would put greater value into the traditional beverage, just like it did for Washoku - the traditional Japanese cuisine.
Its registration in 2013 triggered a world-wide boom in the Japanese food industry.
For the full interview with Mr Krahashi, listen below.
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