My Sake World is an experiential facility where you can make your own sake by blending. By blending your own sake, you can customize the taste to your liking and create your own original blended sake, "My Sake." In addition to blending, you can also enjoy explanations about sake and tasting, making it an experience that is just like a sake theme park.

Sneak peek into the blending experience facility [My Sake World]

[My Sake World] will be available at two locations: Oike Bettei, a private space that can be rented for four people, and Kyoto Kawaramachi, where 4 to 20 people can experience the experience at the same time. (Oike Bettei is scheduled to open on January 30, 2, and Kyoto Kawaramachi is scheduled to open around spring 2025.)

Let's take a first look at My Sake World Oike Bettei!
As we entered the old house through the white shop curtain with the word "sake" written on it, we found ourselves seated at the counter, where measuring cylinders, droppers and other equipment were lined up, reminiscent of a laboratory. Feeling excited already, we sat down and started with an explanation of sake and a tasting.

First, the staff will give a brief explanation about the structure, history, and brewing method of sake. The explanation is easy to understand for those who are knowledgeable about sake as well as those who are unfamiliar with sake, and it builds up anticipation for "something" that is about to begin.

A total of 12 types of sake will be offered, carefully selected from all over Japan, including Kyoto. You can sample a wide variety of sake, including daiginjo, unpasteurized sake, junmai sake, and aged sake, with explanations from the staff, and then find your favorite combination and blend it as you like.

Twelve types of sake are prepared in the mini cups, and you taste them in order, which is actually an essential step in making your own sake. Knowing which flavor and aroma of sake you like is an important point that will come in handy for the blend later.

Choose your first favorite drink, "primary," and two second favorite drinks, "secondary," and adjust the ratio to create your own original drink. When you mix the three drinks you chose, it may be delicious, or it may taste unexpected. It's also fun because you can't predict the taste until you try it.

Let's start blending! This place is just like a sake laboratory!

The blending process involves first making two sample blends, and then finally blending the actual liquor and bottling it.

Consider the recipe and how much of each to add so that the total is 40ml. You can choose how many ml each should be, but we recommend using 20ml of the primary base liquor and 10ml + 10ml or 15ml + 5ml of the remaining secondary liquor.

The basic blend is three types, but it is also possible to use two or four types. For example, you could choose four types and blend one type at 3ml and the other three at 2ml each. It's also interesting to see how the taste can change dramatically just by adding a small amount of a strong-flavored aged sake. The combinations and blends are endless. The more advanced you are with sake, the more you get into the quagmire of particular blends. "Intuition has a higher chance of producing a delicious drink," says the staff member.

I chose "Tatomo Tokubetsu Junmai" (Takanoi Sake Brewery) as my primary, and "Ishizuchi Junmai Daiginjo Sakurahime" (Ishizuchi Sake Brewery) and "Tomiou Junmaishu Premier Amour" (Kitagawa Honke) as my secondary. I like the crisp aftertaste of "Tatomo", so I set the ratio higher and used small amounts of "Ishizuchi", which has a gorgeous apple blossom-like aroma, and "Tomiou", which is characterized by its refreshing acidity and gentle sweetness.

The process of calculating ratios using a recipe sheet and blending while measuring amounts with a measuring cylinder is a lot of fun, and it's like doing an experiment, and it's also great that you can consult with staff and other participants as you go.

The resulting "My Sake" will be a one-of-a-kind original sake, delivered to your designated address at a later date. In addition, the recipe for the sake you made with your original blend can be stored as your own recipe on Sake World's NFT, so you can order it at any time. (Currently being implemented, timing is undecided.) The appeal is that you can enjoy the experience in more ways even after the experience, such as ordering it as a gift for a loved one.

A new tourist attraction! The potential of sake blending

The first thing I thought after this experience was, "I definitely want to introduce My Sake World to my friends abroad!" I felt that even people from overseas who are not normally familiar with sake would be able to deepen their understanding by coming here, learning about the process of how sake is made and the differences in taste depending on the type. Unlike coming to Japan and buying sake that is already on sale, My Sake World is full of special experiences.
Of course, I would also be proud to recommend this to Japanese people. By blending different sakes, you can create a sake that suits your taste, or blend it to match a specific dish, which can be quite an enjoyable experience for advanced drinkers. In this way, My Sake World is a place where anyone over the age of 20 can have a fun experience.

Miike Bettei will soon open on January 1rd. Be sure to visit and make your own original blend for your spring celebrations!

Book in Japanese

Writer: Kaho Domae
Born in Ishikawa Prefecture. After planning and managing a sake event, he discovered the deliciousness of sake. His favorite sake is a very dry type with a strong flavor. Recently, he has been interested in pairing Western food with sake.