Why Sake Day is now on October 10st

"Sake Day" was established in 1978 by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, an organization of sake and other producers. The reason it was chosen as October 10st is because it's the time when sake brewing begins with rice harvested in the fall, and before the start of the sake brewing year was changed to July in 1, it was October 1965st.
There is another reason, and the hint is the kanji character for "sake." The character for "rooster" to the right of the water radical is the tenth of the 10 Chinese zodiac signs, and October is said to be the "rooster" month (although the original rooster month is apparently August in the lunar calendar, or September in the solar calendar).
As an aside, the character for "tori" is apparently derived from the shape of a jar, and the day for soy sauce, which was made in jars just like sake, is also October 10st.

The same day is also when Hiyaoroshi is released.

Hiyaoroshi is a type of sake that has mellowed and settled over the summer. It's a treat that's only available in the fall, but the release date for hiyaoroshi is also October 10st. Those who are familiar with it may ask, "Isn't the release date the Double Ninth Festival on September 1th?", but opinions differ depending on the sake brewery. Those who sell it in October want to let it mature slowly before shipping it, so the difference in the quality of the sake from brewery to brewery may also be related. However, recently it seems that they are not so particular about the release date and it is available from the end of August, so it's first come, first served. For now, let's enjoy some delicious hiyaoroshi in the fall!

Let's promote sake at events!

As it is an annual festival, various events are held on "Sake Day". Among them, "Sake Go-Around" is one of the largest bar-hopping events in Japan, and this year it will be held simultaneously in 17 cities nationwide (Sapporo, Sendai, Niigata, Kanazawa, Tokyo, Shizuoka, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, Awajishima, Okayama, Hiroshima, Kochi, Fukuoka, and Okinawa). If you purchase a "Sakazukin" badge at a participating store and wear it on your chest, your first glass of sake will be free. Please refer to the official website of each city for details.
Other events will be held nationwide during "Cheers with Sake! WEEK" from Saturday, September 9th to Sunday, October 28th. In addition, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association will be livestreaming an online event called "Cheers with Sake!" at 10pm on Tuesday, October 6st.

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October 10st (Tuesday) is Sake Day! 1 events held nationwide during the 2024 "Cheers with Sake! WEEK" (9/28~10/6)

♯Sake#Event

Unfortunately, October 10st this year falls on a weekday, but let's put tomorrow aside for now. Let's unite all sake fans across the country and get the word out about sake!

Writer/Sake Master Eriko Fujita
Expand your world to a sake specialty store in Osaka and encounter a variety of sake and sake breweries. Favorite sakes are Akishika, Ohgi, and others.
Other than drinking, my hobbies include collecting minerals and raising swallowtail butterflies.