Hello everyone, I am Chisato Tateno, 2025 Miss SAKE Japan.
From March 20th (Fri) to 21st (Sat), I had the honor of appearing at the “Hourai Brewery Festival 2026,” held at Watanabe Sake Brewery in Hida City, Gifu Prefecture. During the lively three-day weekend, it was a truly heartwarming occasion where people of all generations and backgrounds came together, connecting through sake.
About the “Hourai Brewery Festival”
Watanabe Sake Brewery, a long-established brewery located in Hida City, Gifu, is widely known for its signature brand “Hourai.” It has captivated many with both its exceptional craftsmanship and its warm hospitality, earning a reputation as “the brewery filled with the most smiles in Japan.” Founded in 1870, the brewery continues to share the charm of Japanese sake by blending tradition with innovation.
Held annually in spring, the “Hourai Brewery Festival” is the brewery’s largest event, attracting over 10,000 visitors across two days. Surrounded by the clear air of Hida and the historic brewery atmosphere, guests can experience the appeal of sake with all five senses.
At the venue, visitors enjoyed a wide variety of offerings unique to a sake brewery, including free sake tastings, all-you-can-pack sake lees, amazake (sweet sake), kasujiru (sake lees soup), brewery-style curry, and Hida beef. In addition, kitchen cars, raffles, mochi-throwing events, comedy performances, kids’ dance shows, and festival booths created an enjoyable space for both children and adults. Limited-edition sake available only at the festival further enriched the experience, allowing visitors to appreciate the depth of sake culture.
Two Days Filled with Sake and Smiles
As a guest, I had the opportunity to walk around the venue over the two days and engage with many visitors. One of the most popular spots was the sake tasting corner, which remained lively throughout the event. Visitors could enjoy rare selections such as the limited Junmai Daiginjo “Gougaihin,” as well as “unfiltered nigori” sake and “fukuro-tsuri” sake. Priced accessibly at 500 yen, the booth attracted great interest, and it was delightful to see guests enjoying tastings while discovering their favorite sake.
The event welcomed a diverse range of attendees—from long-time fans of Hourai and passionate sake enthusiasts to local families who visit every year, as well as first-time visitors and tourists. This diversity reflected the growing reach of sake culture across generations and regions. Personally, I also had the opportunity to serve sake and introduce different varieties, making it a meaningful experience to directly hear visitors’ impressions.
We also welcomed guests from overseas, including Indonesia, the United States, Belgium, and France. Many were trying sake for the first time, and their genuine reactions—such as “Delicious!” and “I’m so lucky to be here today”—left a strong impression on me, reaffirming that sake has the power to connect people beyond cultural boundaries.
Connecting Generations through Food and Performance
One of the festival’s greatest attractions is its wide range of activities for all generations. The venue was filled with families, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I also had the opportunity to hand out balloons to children in front of the brewery.
The food area was equally impressive, offering delights such as Daiginjo melon bread, kasujiru, and amazake, alongside local specialties like Hida beef dishes and grilled sweetfish from food trucks. Visitors could be seen enjoying both food and sake together, further enhancing the festive atmosphere.
A particularly popular attraction was the sake lees packing corner, where guests enthusiastically filled bags with sake lees. It was fascinating to hear how people use them—whether for amazake, sake baths, skincare packs, or even grilled like crackers. I also introduced a recipe for sake lees cheese hot pot, which sparked lively conversations.
Stage performances added even more excitement. On the first day, a Miss SAKE talk show and a bubble performance were held, while the second day featured kids’ dance shows and a comedy performance by the Yoshimoto duo “Denis.” The venue was filled with laughter and applause. Both days concluded with a traditional mochi-throwing event, in which I also participated, creating a joyful and memorable finale.
Sake Breweries Connecting the Future of Communities
On the first day, I had the opportunity to participate in a talk show. After introducing myself as Miss SAKE, I joined Mr. Hisanori Watanabe, President of Watanabe Sake Brewery, and Ms. Maiko Fukuda, who is scheduled to join a new brewery project in Shirakawa Village.
They spoke about a new brewery project in Shirakawa Village, where less than 20% of young people return after leaving. This is largely due to limited job opportunities and the concentration of education and employment in urban areas. Through this new brewery, they aim to create jobs and new value, making the region more attractive for younger generations.
Having personally experienced living away from my hometown, I deeply resonated with the importance of rediscovering one’s roots from an outside perspective. I found myself imagining a future where people return and reconnect with their hometown through the sake produced there.
We also had the opportunity to taste a limited-edition sake, “KAORU – Graceful Junmai Daiginjo,” with only 300 bottles available. Its gentle effervescence, fresh flavor, and soft milky sweetness will make it both an excellent toast and a versatile pairing sake. A rock-paper-scissors contest for two bottles followed, and I joined as the host, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.
