The Bitchu region of Okayama Prefecture produces distinctive local sake.
I moved to Kurashiki only a few months ago, but I’ve noticed that many izakaya seem to offer a selection of local sake.
Just as I was thinking, “I’d like to learn more about Bitchu’s local sake,” I heard that an event called the “Sake Showdown” would be held at Shinkei-en Garden, so I took the opportunity to attend.
The Sake Showdown features sake from Okayama Prefecture’s Bitchu region and Hiroshima Prefecture’s Bingo region. Brewers from each region are also expected to attend.
Here’s a look at the Sake Showdown, held on Sunday, April 21, 2024.
The information presented was accurate when this article was published in April 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Is “Sake Showdown in Shinkei-en Garden: Bingo Sake vs. Bitchu Sake”?
“Sake Showdown in Shinkei-en Garden: Bingo Sake vs. Bitchu Sake” was an event held on Sunday, April 21, 2024.
Three breweries each from the Bingo and Bitchu regions took part, and visitors could enjoy distinctive sake while also exchanging with the brewers.
The participating breweries were:
- Kumaya Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Kurashiki City)
- Sankan Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Kurashiki City)
- Horetsu Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Takahashi City)
- Tenpoichi Co., Ltd. (Fukuyama City)
- Miwa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Jinsekikogen Town, Jinseki District)
- Yamaoka Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. (Miyoshi City)
Many attendees came not only from Okayama Prefecture but also from Hiroshima Prefecture.
The event was hosted by Kazuo Nakahara, owner of Bitchu Local Sake Bar Suisuibi, located near the Bikan Historical Area. Guests could also enjoy special snacks that Nakahara had prepared for the event.
The venue was Shinkei-en Garden, built in 1893 as a villa for the Ohara family. It is a scenic spot with traditional Japanese architecture and a Japanese garden, both more than 100 years old.
It’s rare to have the chance to drink sake while looking out over a garden, so the special atmosphere of the venue lifted my spirits.
The Day’s Events
There was a light drizzle on the day of the event, but the rain gave Shinkei-en Garden an even more atmospheric feel.
Before the Toast
After checking in and paying, I went inside and saw rows of tables lined up in the large hall.
The large hall is said to be as spacious as 56 tatami mats. The event had a capacity of 50 people, but there was plenty of room for a large group.
The sake prepared for the event was lined up at the front of the room, chilled and ready to serve.
Each brewery had apparently brought three or four kinds of sake, for a total of 19 varieties.
Many people photographed every bottle before the event began, making it clear that sake lovers had gathered here.
A picturesque garden stretched out right in front of us, and the greenery glistening with rain was beautiful. My anticipation of drinking sake in such a lovely place kept growing.
Seating was unassigned, so I sat wherever I liked.
Each seat had a bento box of snacks and a list of the sake available to drink.
It was helpful to have a list like this, so I could keep track of which sake I had tried.
Kazuo Nakahara of Suisuibi, the event’s host, gave a few opening remarks, and then the Sake Showdown got underway.
Before the toast, representatives from the six breweries explained the sake they had brought for the event.
They began by talking about the regions where their breweries are located and their histories, then shared fascinating details about the sake’s characteristics and brewing methods. Everyone listened intently.
The representatives from every brewery spoke with palpable passion and enthusiasm for their sake.
The Sake Showdown Begins
Everyone poured the sake of their choice, and at last it was time to toast.
For my first glass, I was poured “Moe Ibuki” from Tenpoichi, a brewery in the Bingo region.
People seated near one another also clink glasses and ask things like, “What did you choose for your first drink?” and “Is there a sake you recommend?” Sake gets the conversation flowing among the participants.
I tried striking up a conversation with the two participants sitting across from me, asking, “Where did you come from?” They told me they had come from Hiroshima Prefecture and said, “We’re so happy to try Bitchu sake, which you don’t often see at izakaya in Hiroshima!”
The conversation then turned to the snacks. Everything on offer looked like it would go well with sake, and it was fun to talk about what sake to pair with them.
You can pour yourself whichever sake you like whenever you want, and sharing pours with the brewers and other people there made for a lovely moment of exchange.
Everyone was meeting for the first time, but having a shared love of sake made it easy to strike up a conversation.
As time passed, more people began moving to different seats.
Some people enjoyed chatting with brewers they were curious about, while others took their time savoring sake as they admired the garden, and everyone spent the time as they pleased.
When I returned to my seat, event organizer Nakahara was making the rounds and chatting with participants at each table.
I had come alone as a woman, but when Nakahara came over to talk, I felt it helped me connect with the people around me. It was a welcoming space where you could enjoy sake even if you came alone.
The final souvenir rock-paper-scissors
As the event drew to a close, a rock-paper-scissors tournament was held, with bottles of sake as prizes.
It got so lively that everyone stood up to take part.
Participants played rock-paper-scissors against the brewers, and the winners received sake from the breweries.
Each time a winner was decided, cries of “Aww!” and “Yes!” rang out from different parts of the room.
I joined in too, but unfortunately kept losing in the first round and returned to my seat empty-handed.
However, a participant at my table won some sake and asked, “Would you all like to share it?”
I gratefully had a glass of the freshly opened sake, and it made me realize that this was an event where participants could deepen their connections right to the very end.
From the Writer
The Sake Showdown was an event where sake lovers could enjoy connecting with one another from beginning to end, alongside delicious sake.
Talking with participants who had come from Hiroshima, we exchanged recommendations for izakaya and sake from our respective regions, and it made me more interested than ever in Bingo. I think it’s wonderful that Bingo and Bitchu can connect through sake.
I got to enjoy the best of both Bingo and Bitchu sake at once, which felt like a great deal.
This event has inspired me to visit the Bingo region someday.
Sake Showdown at Shinkei-en Garden: Bingo Sake vs. Bitchu Sake — Event Information
| Name | Sake Showdown at Shinkei-en Garden: Bingo Sake vs. Bitchu Sake |
|---|---|
| Location | Shinkei-en Garden, Keikendo Hall |
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