Venture north to Ibaraki for a day of spectacular Japanese flavors.
Following the huge success of the Culture, Community & Entertainment Committee’s recent tour to Tochigi Prefecture, this trip takes in two storied sake breweries and a lunch of local cuisine and libations.
The first stop will be Meiri Shurui, a brewery in Mito City that has been crafting wonderfully smooth, fruity sake since 1950. It has since expanded it artisanal lineup to include umeshu plum wine, shochu and even sake-infused gin and vodka.
Following a multicourse lunch featuring the area’s famous Hitachi wagyu beef and pairings of sake and umeshu at Restaurant Iijima (menu below), participants will visit Sudo Honke, a centuries-old brewery in the nearby city of Kasama.
Established in 1141, Sudo Honke has been continuously brewing simple, natural sake longer than any other kura in Japan. Bottles of its premium sake were even presented to guests at the Mie Prefecture-hosted G7 summit in 2016.
A tasting of its junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo sake—almost all of it unpasteurized—will provide the perfect ending to a Saturday of epicurean excellence.
Lunch
Appetizer
Ibaraki Rose Pork Sausage and Ham Charcuterie and Hitachi Corned Beef
Raifuku Shuzo Sparkling Sake, Chikusei City
Soup
Carrot Potage
Morishima Shuzo Hitachi Nishiki Karakuchi Junmai Ginjo, Hitachi City
Main
5oz (140g) Hitachi Beef Steak
Yuki Shuzo Fukufuku Michiko 90, Yuki City
Dessert
Meiri Shurui Hyakunen Umeshu, Mito City
