A unique sake experience crafted by an International Kikizakeshi (sake sommelier), the “Discover Your Sake Palate” Sessions launched in November 2023 in Nakameguro, Tokyo. Participants are invited to explore sake through their own senses, with no previous experience necessary. These guided tastings allow you to quickly uncover personal preferences by relying entirely on taste, aroma, and intuition. By grounding the experience in the senses alone, the insights gained are often remarkably intuitive and clear.

Our sessions are designed for participants to gain:
• A personal analysis of their sake preferences
• A foundational understanding of sake
• Insight into various ways to enjoy sake in different settings
• The confidence and grace to choose their own sake, no matter the setting or occasion.

Graduates of the session are welcomed into ‘The KIKIZAKE® Gathering,’ a vibrant Oryzae & Friends community for shared sake exploration.”

Sessions are available in Japanese and English.

In our ‘Discover Your Sake Palate’ Sessions, we help you visualize your unique preferences and uncover your personal taste. Under the guidance of an International Kikizakeshi, you will define and refine your individual sake profile – the heart of the Oryzae & Friends experience.

Participants first engage with sake by prioritizing their own senses, exploring aroma, flavor, and texture to uncover their personal preferences. Based on these sensory discoveries, carefully selected information about sake is then introduced—not to override intuition, but to provide a deeper context for your own perceptions. To close the session, participants return to their favorite sake for a final tasting, pinpointing the single most important element that defines ‘delicious’ for them. The session also explores the art of warmed sake, allowing participants to explore how changes in temperature transform flavor, and to discover new ways of enjoying your favorite pours. By blending balanced guidance and hands-on practice, participants gain the confidence to choose sake that truly suits you wherever you are. Leave with a renewed sense of anticipation for a richer, more personalized sake life ahead.

Designed exclusively for those who have completed our sessions, these seasonal gatherings are a space to deepen your expertise while celebrating a shared passion for sake. Whether gathering for an intimate “bring-your-favorite” pairing session or meeting at a premier sake house, these events are dedicated to the joy of deepening your personal journey alongside fellow enthusiasts.