Discovering Yamaguchi Sake - A Taster''s Guide to Breweries, Culture, and Terrain

A new and remarkable look at the sake produced in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture.

This book is the first of its kind, a deep-dive into a single sake-producing region to highlight its delicious brews as well as the people, land, and culture behind them. Brewing in Yamaguchi — in southern Honshu, Japan — reflects the whole history of sake in Japan, from boom to bust to resurgence, and many of its brands, including the fabled Dassai, are now at izakaya and fine restaurants around the world. 
Expert Jim Rion takes us on a tour of all 23 Yamaguchi breweries to introduce the character of each and its brewmasters’ best picks. Along the way he provides background on such topics as rice farmers, drinkware, brewing methods, and the controversy over sake “terroir” (does it exist?). An added bonus for travelers is a mini sightseeing guide to the region and its many delights. Illustrated with photographs and quick-reference sake labels.

List of contents

Table of Contents

 

Glossary

Foreword

Preface

The Yamaguchi Sake Story

The Sake Breweries and Their
Communities

Eastern Yamaguchi

• Connections – Agriculture

• Yamaguchi and Sake Rice

Eastern/Central Yamaguchi

• Connections – Sake Shops and Bars

Central Yamaguchi

• Connections – Doburoku and the
Roots of Sake

Western Yamaguchi

• Connections – Sake and Dining

Northern Yamaguchi

• Connections – Ceramic Artists

Travel Information

• Getting to Yamaguchi

• Getting Around Yamaguchi

• Places of Interest for the Traveler
and Sake Lover

About the author

Jim Rion is a licensed international kikizakeshi (sake sommelier), certified sake professional, and freelance translator and writer working in the sake industry since 2018. He has lived in Yamaguchi Prefecture since 2004. He took his first sake brewery tour in 2008, and with it discovered a whole new world to explore.

Melinda Joe is an American journalist based in Tokyo, Japan. Her food writing has appeared in publications such as Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Departures Magazine and has been translated into four languages. She writes about Japanese drinks in her column for The Japan Times, "Kanpai Culture." A certified sake and wine specialist, she is a panel chair for the sake division at London’s International Wine Challenge.

Summary

A new and remarkable look at the sake produced in Japan’s Yamaguchi Prefecture.

This book is the first of its kind, a deep-dive into a single sake-producing region to highlight its delicious brews as well as the people, land, and culture behind them. Brewing in Yamaguchi — in southern Honshu, Japan — reflects the whole history of sake in Japan, from boom to bust to resurgence, and many of its brands, including the fabled Dassai, are now at izakaya and fine restaurants around the world. 
Expert Jim Rion takes us on a tour of all 23 Yamaguchi breweries to introduce the character of each and its brewmasters’ best picks. Along the way he provides background on such topics as rice farmers, drinkware, brewing methods, and the controversy over sake “terroir” (does it exist?). An added bonus for travelers is a mini sightseeing guide to the region and its many delights. Illustrated with photographs and quick-reference sake labels.

Foreword

The sake market was valued at US$ 9,290.16 million in
2019 and is projected to reach US$ 13,146.68 million by 2027; it is expected to
grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2020 to 2027.

Co-op available

Galleys available

Association of Asian Studies

National print campaign

The New York Times, The Japan Times, Kyoto Journal, Japan Forward, Nippon, Nikkei Asian Review, LA Times, Booklist, Foreword, Kirkus, Library Journal, NPR, Portland
Book Review, City Book Review, Publishers Weekly, Asian Review of Books, Books
on Asia, Bon Apetite.
Online/social
media campaign
Tokyo
Weekender, Metropolis Magazine
General
eBook marketing plans
eBook will
be available at the same time as print publication to maximize sales
eBook ISBN
will be included on all press materials, author and publisher websites, and
whenever print ISBN is listed
publisher
and author will be promoting both e and p through social media
Excerpts
in
Bon Apetite,
Asian Pacific Journal, Sake Today, Sake Magazine, Sake Times, Japan Times
Promotion
through the [author’s/book’s] website:
https://yamaguchisake.com/
https://twitter.com/YamaguchiSake
https://jimrion.com/
Bookseller/Library
promotions
Attendance
at Association of Asian Studies
Seek
blurbs from notable sake and wine professionals in the industry such as John
Gauntner.
Edelweiss
and Netgalley digital review copies to the trade and blogs.

Podcast
interviews with book related podcasts such as Books on Asia, Asian Review of
Books.

Product details

• Authors: Jim Rion
• Assisted by: Melinda Joe (Foreword)
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 21.02.2023, delayed
• EAN: 9781611720808
• ISBN: 978-1-61172-080-8
• No. of pages: 256
• Subjects: Guides > Food & drink > Drinks; COOKING / Regional & Ethnic / General, COOKING / Regional & Ethnic / Japanese, TRAVEL / Asia / East / Japan, Travel guides: food & drink regions