Hello everyone,

I am Kotoko Yamada, the 2023 Miss SAKE Japan.

In late October, as autumn deepens and the weather becomes chilly, I had the opportunity to visit Honolulu, Hawaii, for the Joy of Sake Honolulu and other various events promoting Japanese Sake.

In this blog, I would like to introduce the Joy of Sake Honolulu, the largest sake event in the United States, which I attended along with the 2024 Mrs. SAKE Japan Ruby Grand Prix winner, Hitomi Kimura.

 

＜What is Joy Of Sake＞

Joy of Sake started in 2001 as a public tasting event held alongside the U.S. National Sake Appraisal, the oldest sake appraisal event outside Japan. This event allows people living overseas to experience and appreciate high-quality sake and its true value. It has become a cherished event, offering participants the chance to enjoy premium sake firsthand.

Joy of Sake is not only held here in Honolulu but has also taken place in New York, as well as Tokyo and London in previous years, providing opportunities for people around the world to learn about sake.

For more details, please visit: https://joyofsake.jp/

＜The Event Scene＞

Joy of Sake Honolulu was held at the Hawaii Convention Center.

The tickets for the event were highly popular, with over 1,400 tickets sold out quickly this year.

The event began with a traditional sake barrel-opening ceremony, kagami-biraki at the entrance. I had the honor of greeting many people from Hawaii during this ceremony. The sake used for the barrel-breaking was brewed by Akita Shuzo from Akita Prefecture.

After the barrel-breaking, I served Akita Shuzo’s sake to the guests as their first drink of the evening. Many attendees expressed their excitement, saying, “I’ve been looking forward to this day!” I could sense the anticipation and excitement of everyone attending this event.

Joy of Sake is organized in a party-style setting, based on the belief that a good party cannot happen without good sake, good food, and good friends. This year, 587 types of sake from the appraisal were displayed, alongside dishes from popular restaurants across Hawaii, making it one of the most vibrant events I have ever attended.

Inside the venue, 19 restaurants set up booths, and many guests enjoyed pairings thoughtfully created for this event.

Here are some highlights (in no particular order):

• 53 by the Sea：Kahala Toast
• Beachhouse at the Moana：Thai Rice Noodle Salad with Head Cheese & Crispy Rice
• Cake Works：Azuki Diplomat “Shu-Cream”
• FEAST by Jon Matsubara：Kani Crab Salad with Gelled Lobster Dashi
• Hoku’s At The Kahala：Korean Cold Noodles in Chilled Tomato Broth
• Hy’s Waikiki Catering from G.Lion：Hy’s Denver Steak with Wafu Sauce
• Izakaya 855-ALOHA：Big Eye Tuna Tataki
• Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera：Bluefin Tuna Nigiri
• Kapa Hale：Da Poi of Sake
• Koko Head Cafe：Hawaiian Pastele Stew
• Mugen：Ikura Don
• Nami Kaze：Mrs. Cheng’s Silken Tofu
• Restaurant Suntory：Sakekasu Cheesecake
• Robata Jinya：Braised Pork Kakuni “Lau Lau”
• Straits：Hainan Meshi
• StripSteak：Spice-Crusted Short Rib Satay
• Superb Sushi：Firecracker Inari
• Threadfin Bistro：North Shore Garlic Prawns
• UMI by Vikram Garg：Seafood Curry / Koshihikari Rice

What impressed me most was that all the dishes were freshly prepared at the venue, allowing guests to enjoy them hot. The chance to savor these dishes with the perfect sake pairing must have created unforgettable memories for the guests.

At the entrance, there was a booth by World Sake Imports where visitors could taste sake directly from brewers who had traveled from Japan—a unique opportunity. Many guests were excited to speak directly with the brewers, saying, “We must visit that booth!”

I also helped out providing Sake to guests at this booth and I am very grateful how I had the chance to ask for preferences and introduce each Sake.

In addition to food, booths by various Japanese companies were present, selling items like personal sake cups, which many guests purchased to enjoy the tastings.

During the event, I also had the pleasure of interacting with guests and taking photos in front of the Joy of Sake banner. Many people in Hawaii are very knowledgeable about Japanese culture, and I was thrilled to talk about sake over delicious food with such wonderful people.

This year’s Joy of Sake Honolulu was filled with smiles and laughter until the very end. Many attendees expressed their excitement for next year, saying, “We’re already looking forward to next year!” I felt truly honored to have been a part of this remarkable event.

Thank you to all the attendees, the organizers of Joy of Sake, the volunteers, and everyone who made this event possible.

2023 Miss SAKE Japan
Kotoko Yamada