Kansai Bilans d’évènement
Nihonshu Tasting at the Hilton Osaka with Shimizu Seizaburō
On Tuesday,October 3, we held our very first sake tasting dinner at the Centrum in Hilton Osaka, located in Umeda. It was the result of a special collaboration with one of our benefactor members, Shimizu Seizaburō Shōten, a brewery based in the prefecture of Mie and known for the famous award-winning “Zaku” brand, and another member from Kansai: the Hilton Osaka itself.
Founded in 1869, Shimizu Seizaburo Shoten is located in Suzuka, also known as Umasake Suzuka no Kuni (味酒鈴鹿国), ‘Suzuka, the land of good sake’. On the road to their recognition on the French market, they won the famous Prix du Président at the Kura Master 2020 concours in Paris.
For the occasion, Shimizu seizaburo made a special selection of Nihonshu: Zaku Kizui (Junmai Daiginjo), Zaku Naguwashi (Junmai Daiginjo), Zaku Monad (Junmai Ginjo), Zaku Concentration (Liqueur).
While Shimizu Seizaburō was providing the high quality sake, the Hilton Osaka gave us the benefit of a befitting private room at the prestigious restaurant Centrum, as well as an original 4 course menu conceived by their French culinary director Philippe Egalon: duck confit, Jérusalem artichoke velouté, Japanese sea bass meunier or Wagyu beef pot au feu, and finally a Normandie apple tart.
Cherry on top, a professional French sommelier specialized in Japanese sake, Kévin Lemonnier, was especially hired from Tokyo to comment on the sake during the tasting.
The event started early with a private introductory meeting between the Hilton’s team, the sommelier and both Shimizu, husband and wife, who jointly direct their company.
Then the event started for earnest with the arrival of our guests, who could enjoy the food, the intimacy and warmth of the private room, the alcohol, the conversation, and even an improvised acapella version of famous Edith Piaf song “Non, je ne regrette rien”, performed on the spot by our guest Matsumoto Kazuko (松本 和子)
Overall, we are very proud that our local members in the regions are able to collaborate in order to help us put together such a complete and high-quality event, which also brought two of our offices together. Variety of talents, skills, knowledge and expertise, brought together into the CCIFJ’s community by growing friendships is what we are striving for. We provide the stage where you can play.
If you are cursing your fate because somehow you missed the event, put your mind at ease: we have in mind to replicate it next year (most probably in September this time). Please also know that our end game is to actually take you all to Mie one day to visit the actual brewery and enjoy this sake at its birthplace, straight from the source. So keep an eye out for further notice!
