SAKE MAP
Tokai / Types: Sake
Six drinks from Mie, each with a snack that suits it and a short story behind the bottle.
Zaku
Chosen as the toast sake at the Ise-Shima Summit, this Suzuka bottle vaulted to national fame. Its hallmark is a grainy, fresh fruitiness and a delicate mouthfeel. Its name, said to come from a Noh chant, conveys a quiet dignity. You'll want to casually try the caliber that world leaders tasted.
Pairs with：Matsusaka beef / Ise-ebi (spiny lobster)
Jikon
A Nabari mega-hit whose name means "not the past, not the future, but this very moment." With a gorgeous aroma and juicy umami, it became a byword for hard-to-get sake. A standard-bearer of modern sake, created by a young brewery head who took over the family business. You'll want to savor the "now" of a single cup, slowly.
Pairs with：Tekone-zushi (marinated fish on sushi rice) / Awabi (abalone)
Hanzo
A bottle bearing the name of Hattori Hanzo, linked to the land of the Iga ninja. Brewed with Iga's rice and water, its hallmark is a taste with firm umami. It has a certain deep, mysterious air, evoking the tale of the ninja homeland. In the castle town of Iga-Ueno, you'll want to tip it discreetly.
Pairs with：Matsusaka beef / Tekone-zushi (marinated fish on sushi rice)
Takijiman
A bottle whose pride is the purity of its water, brewed at the foot of the famed Akame 48 Waterfalls. True to the name, its hallmark is a clear, poised taste. Its cool drinkability, evoking the spray of a waterfall, is pleasant. A sake to savor while gazing at the green of the gorge.
Pairs with：Awabi (abalone) / Ise-ebi (spiny lobster)
Tabika
A rising talent lifting its reputation lately, made by a small brewery at the foot of the Suzuka mountains. In snow-deep Komono, its hallmark is a carefully brewed, fresh, vivid taste. Made in small amounts, spotting it is called good luck. A bottle that mirrors the clear mountain air straight.
Pairs with：Matsusaka beef / Kaki (oyster)
Tenyurin
A bottle loved as a food sake, brewed by a long-established maker in the port town of Yokkaichi. Rather than flash, it has pursued a deep, savory umami that shines when warmed. With a never-tiring generosity, it stands by the daily table. In a sea-scented town, you'll want to raise cup after slow cup.
Pairs with：Kaki (oyster) / Tekone-zushi (marinated fish on sushi rice)