INTRO
In episode 88, Stephen chats with Kayoko Akabori of Umami Mart about the 1st ever American shochu festival! Shochu Live will be held on June 28th in Oakland, CA.
CREDITS
Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)
Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)
HOSTS
CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before.
STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.
Stephen Lyman and Christopher Pellegrini can’t believe there is actually going to be a shochu festival in the US and neither of them can be there at Shochu Live!
If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Instagram. We would love to hear from you.
SHOW NOTES
Shochu Live!
Way back in episode 31 in March 2022, Kayoko Akabori and her partner Yoko Kumano about their uniquely amazing Japanese specialty shop in Oakland, California. Flash forward 3 years and 3 months and Umami Mart is hosting Shochu Live, the very first shochu festival in North America.
Inspired by a conversation with Jamie Graves, the Japan Portfolio Manager for Skunik Wines, at a sake festival in California, Kayoko decided that there is no time like the present to begin a shochu festival. And thus Shochu Live was born. In short order she’s put together a stellar program of shochu companies, importers, education, and a DJ.
The Details
The Guest Distillers, Brands, & Importers:
Tadashi Yanagita of Yanagita Distillery (Miyazaki)
Hisao Taura of Kirishima Distillery (Miyazaki)
Jamie Graves, Skurnik Wines
Jake Tennenbaum, Honkaku Spirits
Taeko Ichioka, Mizu Shochu
Chris Lane, High Road Spirits
Shochus featured:
Yanagita Aokage Genshu (Barley) from Yanagita Distillery
Yanagita Koma (Barley) from Yanagita Distillery
The SG Mugi (Barley) from Sanwa Shurui in Oita
Mizu Sakura Cask (Barley) from Munemasa Distillery in Saga
Mizu Green Tea (Barley) from Munemasa Distillery in Saga
Mizu Saga Barley (Barley) from Munemasa Distillery in Saga
Kirishima 8 (Sweet Potato) from Kirishima Distillery
Kuro Kirishima (Sweet Potato) from Kirishima Distillery
Watanabe Penguin Winter (Sweet Potato) from Watanabe Distillery in Miyazaki
Kiroku Muroka (Sweet Potato) from Kuroki Honten in Miyazaki
Toji Junpei (Sweet Potato) from Kodama Distillery in Miyazaki
Yamato Zakura (Sweet Potato) from Yamatozakura Distillery in Kagoshima
Daiyame (Sweet Potato) from Hamada Distillery in Kagoshima
Daiyame 40% (Sweet Potato) from Hamada Distillery in Kagoshima
The SG Kome (Rice) from Takahashi Distillery in Kumamoto
Tsutsumi Taru 12yr (Rice) from Tsutsumi Distillery in Kumamoto
Selephant (Kokuto) from Nishihira Distillery in the Amami Islands
Shigamasu (Kasutori) from Takahashi Shoten Brewery in Fukuoka
Yokka Koji Awamori from Chuko Distillery in Okinawa
Seminars:
2-2:30p – How to Drink Shochu by Tadashi Yanagita (RSVP to shochu@umamimart.com)
1-4p – What is Shochu? Info Booth by Kayoko Akabori
Food by (sold separately):
Pal Burgers
Casa de Kei
Music by:
Vivien Bovell
DJ Wiley Coyote
WHAT: SHOCHU LIVE
America’s first and only shochu festival! Featuring over 20+ honkaku shochu and awamori from Japan, plus presentations on how to enjoy the spirit
WHEN: Saturday, 28 June 2025, 1-4pm
WHERE: Umami Mart
4027 Broadway, Oakland CA 94611
phone: 510-250-9559. email: shop@umamimart.com
ADMISSION: Buy tix now! Presale – $60 / $50 members with code. $60 at the door.
Become a member today! This is a 21+ event.
“How I Met Shochu” Contest!
As we mentioned on the podcast, if you create an Instagram reel explaining how you discovered shochu, you have a chance to win either 2 free tickets to Shochu Live at Umami Mart or a discount on your next purchase from umamimart.com.
The rules are simple. Create a reel (not a post or a story) explaining how you met shochu and tag @umamimart and @japandistilled – hint, we recommend you also tag @christopherpellegrini as well as all of the distillers and importers who will be at the show (do your own research on their handles – they are all on Instagram!) to get them to amplify your reel. We will pick a winner a few days before the show.
We can’t wait to see your creativity in action!
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