In the early hours of December 2024, 12, Japan time, the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) decided to register Japan's "traditional alcohol brewing" practices, such as sake, shochu, and awamori, as intangible cultural heritage.

Since being registered as an intangible cultural heritage in 2013, "washoku" has been spreading around the world. This is also likely to become a tailwind and an opportunity for further growth for the Japanese sake industry, which has increased its export value fourfold over the past 10 years to approximately 4 billion yen (by fiscal year 411).

So this time, we spoke with Uesugi Takahisa, the ninth head of the Uesugi family of the former Yonezawa-Shinden domain and active as a sake producer, and his wife Uesugi Misuzu, on the 5th, the day the registration was decided, about the current state of the sake industry and its future prospects.

▲ Sake producer Takahisa Uesugi (far left in the image)

Issues facing exporting sake

--In the early hours of today (December 12th), it was decided that "traditional Japanese sake brewing," including sake, would be registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Takahisa Uesugi (hereinafter, Takahisa)
"I've been contacted by a lot of people, which I'm very grateful for, and it's a great opportunity to spread the appeal of sake to a new market.
When I first got involved in this industry in the early 1990s, the collapse of Japan's bubble economy was a time when many sake breweries that had been maintained until then were sold off one after another and turned into parking lots. At the time, there were around 4,000 breweries, but now there are only around 1,000... Personally, I think the industry should be restructured with the theme of 'sustainable sake brewing.'"

--Sake has become popular overseas in recent years, but what do you think is needed for the sake industry to achieve further growth?

Takahisa
"When considering exporting sake to the world, the biggest problem is that existing breweries are too small.
For example, even if China asked us to export 1 bottles of the same brand of sake every month, there are currently no breweries that can fulfill that order. Sake has begun to attract attention overseas, and export amounts are increasing year by year, but the majority of current export destinations are Japanese restaurants operating overseas.
In my opinion, unless we create a situation where sake is served on dining tables in other countries, it will not become a true export industry. To make this a reality, I think it will be necessary to create a company with sales of 100 billion yen through methods such as merging large companies."

--You mentioned exports to China earlier, but is it possible that in the future we may see a situation where Japanese people will no longer be able to drink sake due to "explosive buying" by Chinese tourists?

Takahisa
"There is a huge market next door, so that kind of risk does exist, but from a long-term perspective, we will have to go some way to establishing a system and distribution network that will enable a stable supply of products to the Chinese market.
In fact, my wife and I have traveled to China to investigate the origins of sake. People living inland know about sake and are quite interested in it. We have even had local people say to us, "We want to try making sake ourselves, so please teach us how to make it."

--There is an image of sake breweries as something that is protected from generation to generation, but what are your thoughts on the current state of business succession?

Takahisa
"Some breweries have been able to successfully pass the baton to the next generation, but some have stopped producing sake due to lack of prospects for profits or business succession.
As a result, there are an increasing number of cases where sake breweries are kept afloat by hiring new personnel or bringing in foreign capital."

--Are you starting to establish a foundation for smoothly accepting new people into the business?

Takahisa
"The reality is that some local governments are not wholeheartedly welcoming. As for foreign capital, some are welcoming Western capital, but have a strong aversion to Chinese capital. In fact, until a certain point, I myself was somewhat wary of foreign capital itself coming in.
However, I have also seen cases where sake from breweries with foreign capital is placed in VIP rooms at airports around the world and is gaining popularity.
In the future, with the registration as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, we will likely be required to create a system for mass-producing certain brands and to regularly update the equipment to maintain the brewery, so I personally support the inflow of capital that will expand the possibilities of the business, and I hope that the doors will open even further. Given the current state of sake, it will be important to determine whether we are suitable people to join the business, and to create a system that will help people who are interested in getting involved to deepen their understanding of sake.
--Currently, it is quite difficult to build a new brewery.

Takahisa
"You're right. So new businesses looking to enter the market buy out licenses from struggling breweries or put capital into existing breweries... but I personally feel that we need to have more discussions about the nature of sake brewing licenses and deregulation."

Potential as a "tourism resource"

--The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has been increasing in recent years, but what potential do you think sake has as a tourist resource?

Takahisa
"I think there are people who visit wineries when they travel to Europe, but it gives a glimpse of the situation where Japanese sake brewing culture still remains closed. I feel that we need to use this registration as an opportunity to create a foundation that will allow people to casually enjoy the taste and culture of sake.

For example, Ishikawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., which produces the sake "Tamajiman" in Tokyo, has restaurants and accommodation facilities on the premises of its brewery, creating an environment that is like a "sake theme park." On weekends, the place is bustling with families and has a great atmosphere, so I hope to see more facilities like this pop up all over the country in the future.

--People coming from overseas also seem to have a strong interest in sake.

Takahisa
"That's right. In the past, people from the Italian region of Piedmont, known for its rice production, said, 'There's no way you can make sake from rice!' But the mayor, council members, and chamber of commerce of Piedmont came all the way to Japan to see the production method and were convinced. While it may seem natural to us, there are people from around the world who find it strange that sake can be made from grains. So, by having people actually visit our brewery and enjoy an extraordinary experience, we hope they will learn about the appeal of sake, which has been passed down as a unique part of Japanese culture."

--Tourists may now be drawn to ruins and other sites related to sake.

Takahisa
"In Nara Prefecture, where Heijo-kyo is located, there are many ruins where sake was once made, and I think that visiting them will give you a deeper understanding of sake. Also, drinking warm sake and otoso (※), which is drunk on New Year's Day to pray for good health and long life, are rare cultures that are unique to Japan today. (※This culture was originally introduced from China, but the custom was discontinued with the fall of the dynasty, etc.)
It would be great if there was a focus on the culture and tourism resources centered around sake."

--Uesugi Kenshin is known to have been a heavy drinker, but do you also drink a lot of sake?

Takahisa
"When I drink sake, I end up in work mode (laughs wryly). There is an anecdote that says, 'Uesugi Kenshin liked alcohol,' but the sake he drank at the time was similar to what we now call 'doburoku,' and had a lower alcohol content. It is said that people started drinking sake as they do today during the Edo period, so in that sense, even though it is still called 'sake,' it has changed in many ways."

--Listening to what you've said, does it mean that from a tourism perspective we also need to prepare a system to welcome people from overseas?

Takahisa
"At some point, acceptance will be required, and I think that courage will be needed.
In the past, there were some breweries that were reluctant to accept foreigners because they could not speak English, but now, using apps and other tools, communication is easy and barriers have been removed.
Also, when we ask foreign tourists who have come to Japan about a tourist spot they would like to visit again, many of them answer "sake breweries." We need to create an environment where people can enjoy traditional Japanese cultural elements centered around sake."

Women are fueling Japan's sake boom

--In recent years, sake has been gaining popularity in Japan as well.

Takahisa
"This may come as a surprise, but the people who are most interested in sake are women in their twenties.
In the past, sake was seen as something "old men drank," and many people had a negative impression of it, but the women who come to sake events say things like, "Beer is bitter, but sake is sweet and delicious." And when they like the sake, they spread the word to their acquaintances, so they contribute in various ways in terms of marketing as well."

-- One brand that has contributed to the PR of Japanese sake is Dassai, produced by Asahi Shuzo (Yamaguchi Prefecture). Its annual sales are said to reach 165 billion yen (2022), of which 43 billion yen, or 70%, is from overseas sales.

Takahisa
"I've known the chairman, Hiroshi Sakurai, for a long time, and I believe the reason he was able to achieve success is because he had an understanding of the concept of 'marketing.'
Dassai advertises itself as a "pure rice daiginjo made with Yamada Nishiki rice," and you can tell at a glance whether the sake is good or bad just by looking at the label. I think the fact that they explain things in easy-to-understand terms using language that everyone can use is what has enabled them to create a large-scale business model that spans the world. It's a model that's difficult to replicate."

Misuzu
"This is a bit off topic, but the other day I was looking around an Afternoon Tea store and there was a section for cutely designed 'Japanese tableware for the New Year's', and there were some stylish sake cups lined up.1,600It was reasonably priced at about 1,000 yen, and I think that the sake vessels will spark your interest in the world of sake, and you can have fun collecting all the sake equipment you need."

Takahisa
"The occasional sight of drinking from a cup placed inside a masu box originated with craftsmen in the Taisho period, and is not particularly refined. Women probably don't like it very much, as it can also get your clothes dirty, but if people can enjoy sake on stylish tableware like this, maybe more people will become interested in sake. I think that creating tableware with a design that fits seamlessly into everyday life, and advocating stylish ways to enjoy sake, are important approaches to opening up new markets."

Misuzu
"The other day, a foreigner I spoke to said, 'I want to drink from a sake cup, not a wine glass.' People at restaurants might think that wine glasses are more stylish and bring out the ginjo aroma better. But now there are glasses that have been developed specifically for sake. I want people to be able to enjoy the original flavor of sake from the cup as well."

Takahisa
"By the way, we collect drinking utensils from various people..."

The sake vessels in the photo are a sake cup and sake cup stand made of Kutani ware. The colorful design is impressive while still retaining the atmosphere of traditional Japanese culture.

Misuzu
"The number of tourists visiting Japan looking for Japanese antiques is increasing every year. Many sake vessels and drinking implements have artistic value, so it's fun just looking at the items being sold at antique markets. Perhaps the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation will draw attention to this genre and increase the number of collectors."

Recommendations for after World Heritage registration

--After being registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, how do you think sake should be developed?

Takahisa
"I think the first thing we need to do is raise awareness.
Perhaps as a vestige of the Meiji era's emphasis on catching up with and surpassing the Western powers, there was a long period when Japanese embassies only stocked wine, and I have heard stories of foreign leaders being disappointed when they could not drink sake inside the embassy. This seems to be gradually changing recently, but I hope that in the future the appeal of sake will be conveyed in diplomatic situations as well, and the value of Japan's proud historical heritage will be spread.

――What do you think about growth in the industry and in business?

Takahisa
"The sake industry tends to be sensitive to price hikes.
Recently, we have been forced to raise prices due to rising material costs, but many people are scared that their products will no longer sell, so we have not yet raised prices by an appropriate amount.
While facing these challenges, we will continue to convey the appeal of sake to many people and create a market where it can be sold at a fair price. I think it will be important to create a structure that will generate continuous profits, and this will enable us to invest in facilities.
With the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation as an opportunity, I hope we can make sake production a sustainable industry and lay the foundations for passing on the traditions that have been cultivated for many years to the future."

Writer: Junichi Shiratori
I'm a freelance writer living in Tokyo, and also work as a certified administrative scrivener. I like spicy drinks, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know.
X: @JunSchwan