Sold Out in 3 Days Last Year! Asahi Shuzo Hosts the 'Tasting Event of 100 Stored Undiluted Sakes'

Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture; President: Yasushi Hosoda) conducts an annual summer tradition called 'Hatsu-nomikiri'—drawing small amounts of sake from all storage tanks to evaluate quality and maturation through tasting. To share this unique brewery tradition with the public, the company will host the 'Tasting Event of 100 Stored Undiluted Sakes' for two days only, on Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30, at the Asahi Shuzo entrance hall. We have prepared 100 types of undiluted sake drawn during the 'Nomikiri' process. Enjoy the depth and complexity of sake rarely experienced in daily life.

'Nomikiri' (Hatsu-nomikiri) is a traditional practice unique to sake breweries, where a small amount of sake is drawn from storage tanks to analyze its condition, checking for maturation level, taste, and color changes. The toji (master brewer) draws sake from the tank's tap, carefully assessing its aroma and flavor to inform future storage management. This process is often referred to as a 'health checkup' for sake, emphasizing that storage management is as crucial as brewing itself. For the toji and brewery staff, it is the first opportunity to confirm whether the sake they brewed is maturing properly—an emotionally charged moment filled with both tension and relief.

The 'Tasting Event of 100 Stored Undiluted Sakes' was first held in 2015 and marks its 8th edition this year (with a pause during the pandemic). Last year, the total capacity of 800 guests was fully booked within just three days of registration opening. At the event, 100 types of undiluted sake—each drawn from individual tanks—will be lined up at the Asahi Shuzo entrance hall. Guests can freely sample and compare their preferred labels. Savor the depth and nuances of sake with varying quality and maturation levels from each tank.

■ Overview of the 'Tasting Event of 100 Stored Undiluted Sakes'

Name: Tasting Event of 100 Stored Undiluted Sakes

Dates: Saturday, August 29 and Sunday, August 30, 2026

Time:
Morning Session: 10:30–12:00 (Registration from 10:00)
Afternoon Session: 14:00–15:30 (Registration from 13:30)

Venue: Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd. Entrance Hall
(880-1 Asahi, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture)

Admission Fee: 1,500 JPY (tax included) with a souvenir

Capacity: 800 guests aged 20 and over (400 per day)
(Morning session: 200 guests, Afternoon session: 200 guests per day)

Application Period: Wednesday, July 1 to Monday, August 10, 2026

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will close once capacity is reached.

Application Form: https://asahi-shuzo-chozou100.espr-fes.com/

Inquiries: Tasting Event of 100 Stored Undiluted Sakes Office

TEL: 0120-963-995 (Weekdays 10:00–17:00)

Event Highlights:

- Taste undiluted sake from 100 different storage tanks—rarely available to the public.
- Compare sake from individual tanks and appreciate their unique depth, quality, and maturation.
- Special opportunity to taste evaluation-only sake not released to the market.

Organizer: Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd.

■ About Asahi Shuzo Co., Ltd.

Founded in 1830 (Tenpō 1) in Asahi, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture—a region rich in rice paddies and rural landscapes—Asahi Shuzo has continued sincere sake brewing for over 190 years. Using soft, pure groundwater from beneath its founding site, high-quality rice cultivated in collaboration with local farmers, and technical innovation rooted in wisdom inherited from the Echigo Toji, the company remains dedicated to producing premium sake exclusively from Niigata. Asahi Shuzo values quality above all and places the customer at the heart of its business.