A mobile app called SakeWiz used for finding information on Japanese sake was released on May 8, 2018 and is available on iOS and Android in Japan, the US, Canada and Singapore.

There's been a boom recently amongst young females in Japan for local sake. SakeWiz was developed to play a role in helping spread the boom of Japanese sake even more through the internet.

 

The app was officially endorsed by Sake Service Institute (SSI), a Japanese sake service that authorises the Kikisake, or Master of Sake course.

Using artificial intelligence, the app has label scanning software to search for Japanese sake brands and names which can be difficult to remember. Additionally, you can save your favourite brands on the app to share and recommend with friends.

 

Sake has a tendency to mostly be enjoyed by males and females in their 30s. The polyphenol effect, which became the impetus for the first wine boom in Japan, also played a role in lighting a fire amongst young women who are consistently the leaders consumption in this area.

There are plans to implement more functions such as to enable users to be able to comment on sake and food they like, as well as introduce coupons. The app is also available in multiple languages, including Chinese and Korean.

If you love Japanese sake or someone who wants to try out all the sake that Japan has to offer, then consider downloading SakeWiz.

 

Japanese sake bar Kuranoya held the grand opening of its second branch at the Karasumori exit of Shimbashi Station on May 15, 2018.

The main components of Kuranoya are sake and meat. Drinks are their forte, and they offer up a wide variety along with the perfect meal to match.  They clear away stereotypes and confidently serve up food with a Western essence along with Japanese sake.

 

Their beverage line-up includes amino acids and is recommended to those who are looking to take care of their health and beauty. The café interior is stylish with the colour white as the base.

Drinks range from affordable prices such as ¥299 (pre-tax) for one cup of sake to more premium brands. There are high table counter seats which make for the perfect date setting, or even customers on their own.

There's even an all-you-can-drink plan with close to 30 brands of sake which can be enjoyed either across a two-hour period or an unlimited period. As well as their stock of highly valuable premium sake, the café even offers a sangria made using Japanese sake.

Whether you're going on a date or having a girl's get-together, Kuranoya can be used for numerous settings and promises delicious food and drinks.

 

KitKat Umeshu is a new product produced by Hidetoshi Nakata specifically aimed at foreign tourists coming to Japan. It was first made available at CRAFT SAKE WEEK＠KITKAT BAR, a Japanese sake bar for those coming from overseas, on September 13. The bar will run until September 24 at CITAN, a hostel, cafe and bar in Higashi-Nihombashi. The KitKat was also released for general sale on the Japanese market on September 18. Hidetoshi Nakata toured over 350 sake brewers and with his expertise launched the first Craft Sake Week in 2016, a huge coming together of sake artisans in Japan. The KITKAT BAR is part of that experience which has opened for inbound foreigners to try Japanese sake. The bar offers a special and exclusive menu featuring a careful selection of premium Japanese alcohol by Nakata as well as an original menu developed by chefs of well-known restaurants. They also offer a range of cocktails including  one that's made with umeshu tsuruume suppai, an ingredient used in the new plum wine KitKat. The bar counter is crowned with a chandelier made from masu boxes which were created for measuring rice. This offers a new and unique way of experiencing the charm of Japanese culture. Since the bar has opened it's been packed with foreigner customers. A female Asian customer who tasted the plum wine KitKat paired with the bar's original 'Kishuu Tonic' cocktail expressed her surprise at how well they went together: "The sweetness of the KitKat and freshness of the cocktail matched exquisitely together. Despite the cocktail using sake as the base it was really easy to drink and delicious. Sake and chocolate go well together, don't they."   A male American customer compared the taste of the KitKat with the Umeshu Tsuruume Suppai wine used in the KitKat: "The combination of the sour plum wine with the sweet chocolate was delicious beyond my expectations. There's a lot of flavours in Japan we can't get overseas, so I want to buy things and take them back as souvenirs." Speaking about Craft Sake Week, producer of the bar Hidetoshi Nakata commented the following: "I want lots of people to get to know about the enjoyment and appeal of Japanese sake and plum wine through this event and KitKat Umeshu Umetsuri to further expand the reach of them overseas."   Experience the KitKat and Japanese sake for yourself at CRAFT SAKE WEEK @ KITKAT BAR.