The full-length videos of the special "Talk Sessions" held during CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 are now available on our YouTube channel.
The theme of the talk sessions was:
"Updating Japanese Culture — A Strategy to Keep the 'Real Thing' Alive 100 Years From Now"
We welcomed guests at the forefront of their fields — sake brewers, chefs, traditional craftspeople, and technology experts — to discuss the challenges and possibilities of passing Japan's food and culture on to the next generation and sharing it with the world.
Whether you couldn't join us in person or simply want to watch again, we hope you'll take this opportunity to view the sessions.
▼Watch each talk session below
■ Day 1
"The New Beverage Strategy: A New Standard for Drinks, Beyond 'Delicious'"
Leading figures in Japanese cuisine and beverages discuss the value of drinks that go beyond "delicious," and the future possibilities for drinks paired with meals.
Speakers
・Hiroyuki Kanda (Owner-Chef, Nihonryori Kanda)
・Nobuhiro Miyasaka (Owner-Chef, Miyasaka)
・Taku Hosaka (Sommelier)
・Hidetoshi Nakata
Watch the Day 1 video here
■ Day 2
"Sake Exports 2.0: The Next Challenge for Global Markets"
From the perspective of brewery owners, this session explores the challenges breweries must address, and the future potential of overseas markets, in order to further expand sake's reach around the world.
Speakers
・Kazuhiro Sakurai (Brewery Owner, Dassai Co., Ltd.)
・Iwao Niizawa (Brewery Owner, Niizawa Brewery Co., Ltd.)
・Norimasa Yamamoto (Brewery Owner, Heiwa Shuzo Co., Ltd.)
・Hidetoshi Nakata
Watch the Day 2 video here
■ Day 3
"AI and Technology: Shaping the Future of Japan's Food Culture and Food Safety"
How will AI and technology change the way Japan's food culture is passed down, and how food safety is maintained? This session considers the future of agriculture and the food industry.
Speakers
・Jun Miya (President & CEO, SOMPO Light Vortex, Inc.)
・Taiga Sakai (President, NTT AgriTechnology Corporation)
・Hidetoshi Nakata
Watch the Day 3 video here
■ Day 4
"From Craft to Brand: Japanese Craftsmanship That Captivates the World"
This session discusses how Japan's proud tradition of craftsmanship can be passed on to the next generation and developed into brands chosen by the world.
Speakers
・Jun Nakagawa (President, VISION to STRUCTURE Inc.)
・Chiharu Nosaku (President, Nousaku Corporation)
・Takuro Kuwata (Ceramic Artist)
・Hidetoshi Nakata
Watch the Day 4 video here
■ Day 5
"Protecting 'Delicious': The Final Vote That Will Decide the Future of Food"
What can chefs, government, and each of us do to pass Japan's food culture and ingredients on to the future? This session considers what it means to choose what we eat.
Speakers
・Noriyoshi Suzuki (Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)
・Shinobu Namae (Chef, L'Effervescence)
・Takaaki Sugita (Proprietor, Nihonbashi Kakigaracho Sugita)
・Hidetoshi Nakata
Watch the Day 5 video here
■ Day 6
"Beyond 'Delicious': A New Definition for Sake's Survival"
What does sake need in order to keep being chosen, both in Japan and abroad? This session explores sake's new value and future together with brewery owners leading the way in sake-making.
Speakers
・Yusuke Sato (Brewery Owner, Aramasa Shuzo Co., Ltd.)
・Tadayoshi Onishi (Brewery Owner, Kiyasho Shuzo Co., Ltd.)
・Masayuki Imanishi (Brewery Owner, Imanishi Shuzo Co., Ltd.)
・Hidetoshi Nakata
Watch the Day 6 video here
Across all six days and six themes, sake brewers, chefs, craftspeople, and technologists — each speaking from their own field — shared insights drawn from their work and a common hope for the next 100 years. We hope you'll watch the full sessions and find inspiration for carrying Japan's "real" culture forward into the future.
JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY is committed to refining the true value of Japan's food culture and traditional craftsmanship — sake included — for the times, and to sharing it with the world and the future.
CRAFT SAKE WEEK is one stage on which we bring that commitment to life. Together with makers and artisans across Japan, we will keep building a future in which Japan's "real thing" continues to be chosen, at home and abroad, 100 years from now.
Stay tuned for what's next.