Kanpai in NYC: 6 Ways to Toast World Sake Day
Celebrate World Sake Day at six different events in NYC
From Pairings to Parties, Here’s Where to Sip Sake This October
October marks the beginning of the sake brewing season in Japan, arriving just after the September rice harvest and leading into winter, the ideal time for fermentation. In 1978, the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association officially designated October first as Nihonshu no Hi, or World Sake Day.
Here are six fantastic events in New York where sake lovers can raise a glass and say “Kanpai!” to the rich traditions of Japanese sake.
How will you celebrate World Sake Day?
SAKE DAY 2025 at Bin Bin Sake
29 Norman Avenue, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Admission: $10 - $15
Greenpoint-based Bin Bin Sake, a liquor store specializing in sake and natural wine, will host its second World Sake Day celebration.
Highlights
Tickets include admission, unlimited tastes of sake, a small ochoko (ceramic sake tasting cup), and a special discount at the bin bin shop for take-home bottles
Each sake being poured has been selected by the Bin Bin team in collaboration with its distributors, showcasing the team’s favorite products
Vendor market featuring incredible local art and Japanese crafts, as well as a food vendor and DJ
Go to Bin Bin’s Eventbrite page to purchase tickets.
Sake Revolution Podcast
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.-ish
6:00 p.m. – Taproom Opens
7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. – LIVE Sake Revolution recording
9:00 p.m.-ish – Taproom closes
Brooklyn Kura – 34 34th Street, Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Admission: $15
Be part of a LIVE studio audience recording of America's first sake podcast, Sake Revolution! Hosts John Puma and Timothy Sullivan will be live and in person at the Brooklyn Kura taproom and invite you to join in the studio audience.
Highlights
Interview and sake tasting with Byron Stithem, owner and master brewer of Proper Sake in Nashville, Tennessee. Guests will taste two kinds of Stithem's sake and explore his philosophy and point of view on the making of his unique and delicious brand.
Audience members will be able to submit questions to be answered live during the broadcast
Purchase tickets at Brooklyn Kura’s website. Admission includes admission for one, plus two tasting pours of sake. Snacks and additional sake will be available for purchase.
World Sake Day NYC
Friday, October 3, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
The W Loft Rooftop – 240 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Admission: $65
The mission of World Sake Day NYC is to elevate awareness and appreciation of the rich history, dedicated people, and vibrant culture behind Japanese craft sake. This annual event brings guests face-to-face with the artisans and experts of the sake world, offering a unique opportunity to taste, learn, and connect directly with the makers of this traditional beverage.
Highlights
Premium sakes from more than 30 Japan and US breweries
Admission includes 15 tasting tickets, souvenir sake glass, and tote bag
Complimentary Bluefin Sampling Curated Japanese food vendors ($10–$20 per dish)
Meet Michelin Starred Sommelier Steve Kim of Restaurant l'abeille
Original cocktail designed by award-winning bartender Takuma Watanabe of Martiny's
Exclusive catering of Japanese appetizers and snacks by Tabetomo
Installation art by Ikuma design
Portraits pop-up by Japanese artists Hiroshi Masuda and Remi Yamamoto
Asian artisanal vendor market with crafts, ceramics, candles and more
To see the complete list of participating brewers and to purchase tickets, please visit World Sake Day NYC’s website.
Kato Sake Works Sake Day Party
Saturday, October 4 at 2:00 p.m.
Kato Sake Works – 379 Troutman Street, Bushwick, Brooklyn
Admission: Free (sake for sale)
Kato Sake Works, a small but mighty craft sake brewery in Bushwick, will celebrate World Sake Day with music, food, art, and a brand new sake. The event will serve as KSW’s official launch NY Jizake (NY Local Sake), a Junmai sake made with Akitakomachi rice grown by Great Joy Family Farm in Pine Bush, New York.
For more information, please visit @katosakeworks on Instagram or their website.
Sake Day Brooklyn 2025
Sunday, October 5, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura – 34 34th Street, Industry City in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Admission: $50
Since one Sake Day celebration isn’t enough, Brooklyn Kura is hosting a Community Sake Day at their taproom in Industry City.
Highlights
Premium Sake Tasting all night
Interactive Brewery Tour
Shizuku Drip: Taste freshly dripped sake
DJ playing all night
Raffles and giveaways for sake classes and swag
Food pop ups in the courtyard
There will be two rounds of tastings, each featuring dozens of brands. Sake distributors will also be on hand to pour sake from all over Japan.
Premium Sake Tasting Round 1 – 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Dassai
Heavensake
Kato Sake Works
Komé Collective
Mutual Trading
Proper Sake
Sake Discoveries
Skurnik Wines & Spirits
World Sake Imports
Premium Sake Tasting Round 2 – 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura
Hakkaisan
Joto Sake
Kikusui
Niigata Sake Selections
Origami Sake
Wismettac
To purchase tickets, please visit Brooklyn Kura’s website.
SAKECON
Friday, October 10, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
The Mezzanine – 55 Broadway, New York
Admission: $85-$120
Round out the Sake Day (week+) at SAKECON, presented by Upstairs NYC, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting friendly relations between New York and other countries through cultural exchanges.
Highlights
Theme: All White – Dress in white (not required) as a nod to “shinpaku,” the snow-white center of sake rice
Ultimate Premium Sake Selections: More than 40 breweries and 65 sake
Free sample of Dassai Blue Sake Mille Crêpes by Lady M (while supplies last)
Mouthwatering Japanese food and special cocktails by NR (Food is available for purchase)
Japanese marketplace
Original sake glass that is yours to keep
Giveaway: Original Izak Zenou tote bag
Live Entertainment: DJ and LED Electric Violin performance by global artist Sarina The Violin Diva
Part of the proceeds will be donated to sake breweries in Ishikawa Prefecture, impacted by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit Upstairs NYC’s website.
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Calligraphy Master Leads Workshop at Brooklyn Kura
Enjoy the meditative art of Japanese Calligraphy with a glass of sake and sushi pairing!
Japanese Calligraphy Workshop with Rihaku Inoue
Sunday, September 28 from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura – 36 34th Street, Industry City, Brooklyn
Admission: $109.96
Enjoy the meditative art of Japanese Calligraphy with a glass of sake and sushi pairing!
This Sunday, Brooklyn Kura hosts a special afternoon of mindfulness, calligraphy, sake, and sushi in collaboration with Japanese Calligraphy Master RIHAKU.
Welcome the season of early autumn through brush, ink, and flavor. The theme of this workshop is the Zen-inspired phrase: 「ひと葉落ちて 秋を知る」Hitoha ochite Aki wo shiru. (When a single leaf falls, the world senses the coming of autumn.)
Guided by RIHAKU, participants will slow down, align breath with brush, and experience the meditative rhythm of Japanese calligraphy. Writing this seasonal phrase becomes a practice of mindfulness—quieting the mind, noticing subtle transitions, and embracing the present moment.
RIHAKU (center, in kimono) leads a calligraphy workshop at Brooklyn Kura
Each guest will create their own unique piece on traditional Japanese washi paper, to be taken home as a personal keepsake of calm and clarity.
This mindful journey will be paired with a tasting of Brooklyn Kura’s premium sake, along with casual futomaki rolls and inari prepared by Sushi Chef Yoshihiko Kousaka. His simple yet refined sushi will complement the spirit of the workshop, grounding the senses in flavor and seasonality.
To register, please visit Brooklyn Kura’s website.
About Rihaku Inoue
Rihaku is a New York–based Japanese calligraphy artist and founder of RIHAKU New York. She pioneers “3D Calligraphy,” blending classical brush techniques with projection mapping and VR. She has collaborated with Michelin-starred restaurants, cultural institutions, Brooklyn Kura, and in 2025 she led a mindful calligraphy workshop sponsored by JP Morgan. Her large-scale calligraphy performance at Japan’s Todaiji National Temple garnered national media coverage. Her mission is to share the timeless spirit of Japanese calligraphy across cultures, fusing tradition with innovation. Follow her on Instagram at @rierihaku.
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SAKE WEEK 2024 AT BROOKLYN KURA
Happy Nihonshu no Hi! The first day of October is celebrated as Nihonshu no Hi, or World Sake Day, officially designated by the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association in 1978. Why October 1? October marks the beginning of the sake brewing season in Japan, perfectly sandwiched between the rice harvest in September and the beginning of winter, which is the ideal time for fermentation, the essential process in brewing the beverage.
To celebrate, Brooklyn Kura, New York’s first sake brewery, is hosting events not just today but the entire week! Visit the taproom at 34 34th Street near the Japan Village complex in Industry City, Brooklyn, to enjoy tastings and educational sessions.
Sake Week 2024 at Brooklyn Kura
Sake Revolution Podcast LIVE!
Today, October 1
6:00 p.m. – Taproom opens
7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. – LIVE Sake Revolution recording
9:00 p.m. – Taproom closes
Admission: $15 (includes admission for one, plus two tasting pours of sake)
Snacks and additional sake will be available for purchase.
John Puma (left) and Timothy Sullivan, hosts of the Sake Revolution podcast
Sake Revolution, America's first sake podcast will do a studio audience recording to mark the occasion of Sake Day. Your hosts, John Puma and Timothy Sullivan, invite you to join in the studio audience to laugh and sip along with them and experience Sake Revolution LIVE! On this very special Sake Day episode, they’ll be interviewing the master sake brewers of New York City: Brandon Doughan of Brooklyn Kura and Shinobu Kato of Kato Sake Works. They’ll explore their trailblazing journeys to producing premium sake in NYC. Both Doughan and Kato will each bring a sake for the audience to taste as they are recording, which is included in the ticket price.
In addition, audience members will be able to submit written questions to the tojis. This will be an engaging, interactive, and delicious podcast experience! The Brooklyn Kura taproom will be open before and after the recording to hang out, enjoy, and purchase additional sake and snacks to make your Sake Day complete!
Chizuko Niikawa Helton (center) of Sake Discoveries
Sake Caliente Warm Sake Night
Wednesday, October 2 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Admission: $70.77
Join this special evening of exploring all aspects of warm sake with Sake Samurai Chizuko Niikawa Helton! Niikawa Helton is a leading expert in preparing "okan" (warm sake), and you'll be amazed with the flavors, textures, and aromas that premium warm sake can produce.
All together you'll taste five premium expressions of warm sake, prepared with a delicious twist by Niikawa Helton. Each sake tasting is paired with a delicious small bite prepared by the Brooklyn Kura chefs as they launch our new fall menu. Go at your own pace and enjoy each course to the fullest.
The event starts at 6:00 p.m., but guests can arrive at any time before 8:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura's offerings
Exclusive Event for Kura Kin Members
Thursday, October 3
Brooklyn Kura will have a special evening of brewery tours and tastings offered for free, exclusively to their active Kura Kin members! Kura Kin is Brooklyn Kura’s subscription program for limited-release bottles.
At the special brewery tour, Kura Kin members can sip and taste steamed sake rice, Koji rice, Moromi fermentation mash, and even sake kasu along the way as the brewers dive deep into their brewing process. Members will also learn about “shizuku drip,” a special way to drip-press super premium sake.
Current Kura Kin Sake subscription members received invitations. Not a Kura Kin member? Join here!
The Birth of Sake Documentary Screening
Friday, October 4 at 8:00 p.m.
Admission: $16.33
Join Brooklyn Kura's first movie night as they screen the acclaimed 2015 sake documentary The Birth of Sake, directed by Erik Shirai and staring the staff and family of the Yoshida family, makers of Tedorigawa sake.
Your ticket includes entrance to the screening and a glass of Tedorigawa sake that is featured in the film! Special gourmet popcorn and additional sake will be available for purchase from the bar throughout the film.
Winner of Best Documentary Director Special Jury Mention at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival and Best Documentary Film at the 2016 Palm Springs International Film Festival, The Birth of Sake is a cinematic documentary that reveals the story of passionate sake-makers and what it takes to make world-class sake at Yoshida Brewery, a 144-year-old family-owned small brewery in Ishikawa Prefecture. In a world where most mass-produced goods are heavily automated, a small group of artisans must brave unusual working conditions to preserve a 2000-year-old tradition. The workers at Yoshida Brewery are an eclectic cast of characters, ranging from 20 to 70 years old. As a vital part of this cast that must live and work for a six-month period through the brutal winter, charismatic veteran brewmaster Yamamoto (65) and the brewery’s sixth-generation heir, Yasuyuki Yoshida (27), are keepers of this tradition and are the main characters who bring the narrative forward. Currently, stiff competition and the eventual retirement of experienced workers intensify the pressure of preserving quality of taste, tradition, and brand reputation for Yoshida Brewery. As craftsmen who must dedicate their whole lives to the making of this world-class sake, their private sacrifices are often sizable and unseen.
To purchase tickets to any of the above Sake Week events, please visit Brooklyn Kura’s website.
American Sake Association’s Sake Day USA Sake Tasting Event
Saturday, October 5 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Admission: $75
The American Sake Association, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is hosting a sake tasting event at Brooklyn Kura to support their ongoing sake education efforts throughout the U.S.
Premium Sake Tasting
Taste sake from dozens of breweries from all over Japan. The sake will be flowing, and featured brands and varieties being poured will change every hour. Confirmed importers and brands include Mutual Trading, Niigata Sake Selections, Joto Sake, Hakkaisan, Kubota, HEAVENSAKE, Kato Sake Works, Brooklyn Kura, World Sake Imports, Kome Collective and MORE!
Culinary Delights
The tasting will also feature a great selection of food to pair with the sake along with the ever popular onigiri bar from SEN restaurant.
To purchase tickets for Saturday’s event, please visit the American Sake Association’s website.
Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries
New Hope: Sake Tasting Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries
Monday, February 12 from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Kura – 34 34th Street, Industry City, Brooklyn
Admission: $108.55
The American Sake Association and Brooklyn Kura have teamed up to host New Hope: Sake Tasting Fundraiser for Ishikawa Sake Breweries.
On New Year's Day 2024, Japan was hit with a major earthquake. While several prefectures were affected, the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture was the epicenter. In total, eleven sake breweries were completely destroyed, and several others have lost their entire stock of sake.
To support the Ishikawa sake industry, ASA and Brooklyn Kura are organizing a sake tasting fundraiser to send donations to the Ishikawa Sake Brewer's Association. Assistance from these funds will go directly to the impacted sake brewers.
Event Highlights
Premium Sake Tasting:
Taste sake from dozens of breweries from all over Japan. The sake will be flowing, and the featured brands and varieties being poured will change every hour.
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: JOTO SAKE | SAKEMAN | SKURNIK | NIIGATA SAKE SELECTIONS | WISMETTEC
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: DASSAI BLUE | MUTUAL TRADING CO | JFC | HEAVEN SAKE | KATO SAKE WORKS
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: WINE OF JAPAN | KOME COLLECTIVE | WORLD SAKE IMPORTS | SOTO | HAKKAISAN
Culinary Delights:
Delicious flavors from a variety of well-known chefs and restaurants will be available. Enjoy a range of tastes with dishes changing throughout the night. (Subject to change)
Chef Abe Hiroki – Miyazaki Wagyu Beef Shabu Shabu
Taka Sakeda and Jihan Lee of Nami Nori – Hand Rolls
Chef Foo Kanegae of Karazishi Botan – Chicken Wings
Chef Masaru Kajihara of Ootoya – Sesame Tofu
Sen Japanese Restaurant – Onigiri Bar
Chef Chika Hanyu of C by C Pastry – Chocolates and Dessert
Assorted Japanese savory snacks for sake sipping
Behind the Bar:
Guest bartender Kenta Goto will provide cocktails throughout the evening.
Music: DJ Aki, Executive Chef of Tokyo Record Bar, will be spinning tunes.
Raffle:
The price of admission grants you one ticket for an exciting sake goods and experiences raffle. Win sake sets, sake cups, carafes, sake classes, tastings, restaurant dinners, artwork, and more! You can purchase additional tickets at the event for only $10 each.
To purchase tickets to the fundraiser, please visit ASA and Brooklyn Kura’s Eventbrite page.
The Impact of Your Donation
Ticket sales will be collected by the American Sake Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All profits from this event will be donated to the Ishikawa Sake Brewers Association, and these funds will directly benefit the impacted sake brewers of Ishikawa.
Ishikawa Breweries Affected by the New Year’s Day Earthquake
Matsuba Shuzo
Sakurada Shuzo
Tsuruno Shuzo
Hiyoshi Shuzo
Sogen Shuzo
Kazuma Shuzo
Shimizu Shuzo
Hakuto Shuzoten
Nakajima Shuzo
Nakano Shuzo
Support JapanCulture•NYC by becoming a member! For $5 a month, you’ll help maintain the high quality of our site while we continue to showcase and promote the activities of our vibrant community. Please click here to begin your membership today!