DASSAI Moon Talk at Japan Society
Peek behind the curtain of the DASSAI MOON Project at this special Japan Society event. Photo ©DASSAI
Crafting DASSAI Sake on the Moon: Conversation & Sake Tasting
Friday, January 23, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
Admission: $45 | $35 Japan Society Members
Peek behind the curtain of the DASSAI MOON Project at this special Japan Society event.
Japan Society looks to the future with sake brewery DASSAI for a conversation on the DASSAI MOON Project, an initiative aimed at constructing the first-ever sake brewery on the moon. The project’s focus is to produce sake on the moon by 2050, and to achieve the historic feat, DASSAI recently carried out the world’s first sake fermentation in orbit inside the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibou” (Hope) aboard the International Space Station. This experiment was conducted in simulated lunar gravity (1/6 Earth’s gravity) using an artificial gravity generator installed in Kibou. The experiment investigated how fermentation behaves in lunar gravity and laid the foundation for brewing sake beyond Earth, bringing traditional Japanese craftsmanship into the era of space exploration. The moromi (fermentation mash) produced inside Kibou will be brought back to Earth and pressed to make sake bottled under the name DASSAI MOON, and DASSAI will donate all proceeds from its sale to the future development of Japanese space exploration. This project is a first test in anticipation of human lunar settlement and the dream of making sake in lunar colonies!
DASSAI Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai and DASSAI MOON Project Manager Soya Uetsuki will be in conversation about their collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to conduct brewing experiments in orbit. They will discuss the technology behind the project and how DASSAI transformed this idea into reality to achieve a historic milestone for humanity. This talk will be followed by a reception and sake tasting.
To purchase tickets, please visit Japan Society’s website.
©DASSAI
About the Reception
Attendees are invited to join in a sake tasting featuring sake from DASSAI BLUE. All are freshly brewed in Hyde Park, New York, with Yamada Nishiki rice from Japan and Arkansas and water from New York’s Hudson Valley.
Dassai Blue Type 23 – Tasting Notes: Complex aromatics of anise, pear and marshmallow develop into bright lemon chiffon, honeysuckle and stone fruit with a touch of minerality.
Dassai Blue Type 35 – Tasting Notes: White peaches and ripe papayas with a soft, sweet fragrance. The taste is characterized by a subtle sweetness and refreshing acidity.
Dassai Blue Type 50 – Tasting Notes: Licorice and cantaloupe give way to pineapple candy, lemon curd and vanilla with a hint of brine on the finish.
Dassai Blue Nigori Sparkling 50 – Tasting Notes: A fruity aroma reminiscent of green apples and Japanese wagashi treats. Some sweetness, moderate fizziness and a refreshing crisp finish.
All attendees must be 21 or older.
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!
Dassai Sake Series Continues at Japan Society
Dassai Sake Series at Japan Society: Conversation with Dassai Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai and Keiko Ono Aoki, entrepreneur and CEO of Benihana of Tokyo
Dassai Sake Series: Benihana and Beyond
Thursday, July 24 at 7:00 p.m. (Please arrive by 6:45 p.m.)
Japan Society – 333 E. 47th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)
Admission: $45 | $35 Japan Society members
Join Dassai Chairman Hiroshi Sakurai and Keiko Ono Aoki, entrepreneur and CEO of Benihana of Tokyo, for a talk about the past, present, and future of both organizations. Both leaders will engage in a dialogue around the themes of “Challenge” and “Innovation,” discussing how they blend yesterday and tomorrow with the goal of rising to the modern world.
How are we defined by our history, and what is our obligation to it? What are the realities of the U.S.-Japan world today and new dangers and opportunities within it? Is there a future without innovation? How can one create change within a historic organization? And what are the needs to create real revolution? Japan Society invites you to spend the evening with Hiroshi Sakurai and Keiko Ono Aoki to hear their answers.
To purchase tickets, please visit Japan Society’s website.
About the Dassai Sake Series
The Dassai Sake Series is an ongoing lecture series pairing thought and business leaders from across the U.S.-Japan world together onstage with festive sake celebrations. The Dassai brand is built around the goal of bringing revolution to the sake industry, and the Dassai Sake Series is similarly focused on engaging conversations with U.S.-Japan leaders who have created their own revolutions—each concluding with celebratory networking receptions and kampai toasts to their success.
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!