Immerse yourself in a sake-tasting adventure this March at one of Tokyo's premier sake festivals. Held three times a year, Washu Fes celebrates the culture and tradition of sake-making. For the festival's 27th edition, 63 breweries from around Japan will set up shop in Nakameguro, where you can sample over 230 varieties of sake. Some of the participating sake makers such as Asahara Brewery and Iwase Sake Brewing are based around the Kanto region, while others hail from faraway prefectures like Akita or Yamaguchi.
The theme of the 27th edition is 'Traditional knowledge and skills of sake brewing', commemorating the registration of sake brewing as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage. Types of sake selected for spring cover a wide range from chilled sparkling and fruity ginjo-shu to unpasteurised namazake and cloudy nigori sake. If you find something you like, you’ll be able to purchase full bottles of your favourite sake on-site.
Besides sake tasting, the festival's programme will feature performances including a shakuhachi flute and koto showcase. Tasting tickets for residents of Japan are ¥3,300 on Yahoo Passmarket and tasting tickets for tourists with foreign credit cards are ¥4,400 on Stripe. The ticket includes a tasting cup, a sake textbook, and a wooden sake cup to take home. With limited spaces available, it's wise to arrive early (reception starts 15 minutes before opening).