Previous Sold-Out 'Sohomare Shuzo × IMADEYA 4 Types of Genshu My-Blend Tipsy Workshop' Expands Its Scale! Due to Popular Demand, Decided to Hold at Each Store

IMADEYA Co., Ltd. (Location: Nitona-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba City; Representative Director: Shuichi Ogura; hereinafter 'the Company'), which operates the sake select shop 'IMADEYA' with its main store in Chiba, and branches in GINZA SIX, Kinshicho PARCO, Chiba Ekinaka, Kiyosumi Shirakawa, Karuizawa, and Matsuzakaya Nagoya, will host 'Create Your Own Sohomare! My-Blend Workshop' starting May 2026 at various IMADEYA stores. This workshop, featuring Senior Managing Director Kono of Sohomare Shuzo in Tochigi Prefecture as a guest, allows participants to create their unique original Japanese sake by blending four types of unblended sake (genshu). Experience 'Blending' with a 150-year history, easily accessible to everyone. Sohomare Shuzo, the focus of this event, is a rare brewery that exclusively uses Yamada Nishiki rice from Hyogo Prefecture's Special A district and masters the traditional 'Kimoto method.' Its greatest feature is 'blending.' By meticulously tasting and combining genshu with different characteristics from each brew, Sohomare Shuzo consistently brews the unwavering taste of 'Sohomare.' Currently, in the global premium sake market, 'assemblage' (blending), which seeks a complexity unattainable with a single brew, is establishing itself as a new high-end category. While sake blending was once primarily aimed at standardizing quality, it has now evolved into an extremely creative process of 'combining different individualities to create a harmony unattainable by a single component.' In this workshop, participants will experience being a blender, exploring their 'golden ratio' using four types of genshu that differ in rice polishing ratio, yeast, and aging period. On the day, under the guidance of Senior Managing Director Kono, who gained brewing experience at wineries in Burgundy, France, participants will go through four trials to bottle their ideal 300ml bottle. It will also be possible to sign the bottle themselves, and for the June sessions, Father's Day gift wrapping will be available, allowing participants to give a special, handmade bottle as a Father's Day gift. The inaugural workshop held in January this year garnered attention immediately after its announcement and quickly sold out. In response to this tremendous feedback, and to allow more people to experience the depth of Japanese sake, IMADEYA has decided to hold this event in a tour format for the first time, visiting various IMADEYA stores (Ginza, Chiba, Kiyosumi Shirakawa, etc.). Additionally, IMADEYA GINZA will offer sessions conducted in Chinese, promoting the charm of Japanese culture to inbound tourists. Modern consumption styles have shifted beyond mere 'mono-shohi' (buying goods) and 'koto-shohi' (enjoying experiences) to 'mono-koto shohi,' where individuals participate in culture with their own sensibilities, and take home a tangible form. This workshop, combining the cultural value of touching a part of sake brewing with the experiential value of taking home and enjoying a one-of-a-kind bottle, is an initiative that aligns with modern lifestyles. Under the keyword 'Sake is interesting,' IMADEYA has developed 'Tipsy Workshops' in collaboration with professionals from diverse fields such as Kintsugi, aroma, and camping gear. This activity, which views sake not just as a beverage but as a 'gateway to culture' that satisfies intellectual curiosity and enhances sensibilities, is creating diverse communities. This tour expansion is a new challenge to spread this initiative to various regions and stores. ■ Sohomare Shuzo, Tochigi Prefecture Sohomare Shuzo, located in a rural area in eastern Tochigi Prefecture overlooking the Nikko mountain range. While approximately 80% of its production is consumed within the prefecture, making it a 'true local sake,' it boasts one of the highest usages of 'Yamada Nishiki rice from Hyogo Prefecture's Special A district' in eastern Japan, focusing on sake brewing with the highest quality rice from ordinary sake to premium sake. Its sake quality, born from meticulous techniques such as the unique 'Clean Kimoto' method and 'vertical and horizontal blending' (jūō chōgō) of multiple vintages, is characterized by a spherical balance. It continues to pursue a flexible and deep flavor that complements the delicacy of Japanese cuisine. (Right) Senior Managing Director Michihiro Kono ■ Senior Managing Director Michihiro Kono, Sohomare Shuzo Born in Tochigi Prefecture in 1991. Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Economics. Joined Rakuten Co., Ltd. after graduation, engaged in new business development. After leaving the company in spring 2017, he moved to France and was involved in wine brewing at two wineries in Burgundy. Returned to his family's Sohomare Shuzo in December 2017, where he currently serves. [Sohomare Shuzo × IMADEYA 4 Types of Genshu My-Blend Workshop Details] - May 5th (Tuesday/Holiday) / IMADEYA NAGOYA SAKAE ① 13:30–15:00 / 6 seats ② 16:00–17:30 / 6 seats - May 6th (Wednesday/Holiday) / IMADEYA SUMIDA ① 13:30–15:00 / 5 seats ② 16:00–17:30 / 5 seats - May 10th (Sunday) / IMADEYA GINZA ① 15:30–17:00