Announcement: awasake specialty site "awasake.com" OPEN

ima Inc. (Headquarters: Taito-ku, Tokyo, Founder CEO: Miura Ami) has opened on 21st of December, 2018, an awasake online shop: “awasake.com”. Until now, awasake could not be easily compared, reviewed or even purchased within the same website. Through opening an ecommerce site specializing in
awasake, the products are now more accessible to the general public.　“awasake.com” will handle 9 breweries and 11 products out of 15 breweries and 18 products in the awasake association. awasake, a classification of sparkling nihonshu, is a perfect alcoholic toasting beverage to bring family and friends together during this Christmas and New Years holiday season. ima, Inc. the main company focused on connecting TAKUMI and UMAMI in Japan and also sharing with the world; has been managing the awasake association together with the traditional Japanese breweries, and has successfully provided consumers with top quality sparkling nihonshu. By opening this awasake specialty website “awasake.com”, we will continue to do our best effort in making awasake available to everyone. We look forward to your continued support and encouragement.

link : https://awasake.com/
The English version will be ready soon.

■ awasake
Real, authentic awasake® (pronounced AH-WAH-SAH-KEH) is produced only through natural fermentation, without additives, and is clear, and distinguished by its fine bubbles rising in a straight line. The Japan awasake Association certifies only products produced in accordance with its set of quality guidelines, including natural fermentation, no additives and preservatives, and the use of only premium-quality Japan-grown rice. Unlike many mass-produced sparkling sake products on the market today, no artificial introduction of CO2 gas is allowed for carbonation purposes – only natural carbonation produced by time-intensive secondary fermentation may be used to create authentic awasake. The trademark awasake® is registered in Japan (in Japanese: awa 酒® ).

Reference : http://www.awasake.or.jp/en/pages/rule/

■ ima Inc.
ima Inc. (spelled with a lowercase “i”, pronounced AI-MAH) was founded in 2013 with the mission of being the “aima between the world and Japan’s umami and takumi”. In Japanese, “aima” means connective fabric. “Umami” is the sense of taste, discovered and developed in Japan, that is responsible for the feeling of deliciousness and satiety. Finally, “takumi” means artisan, embodying the spirit of careful Japanese craftsmanship that is well-known around the world. ima Inc. is focused in the field of “cultural engineering” [1] that incorporates state-of-the-art technology and concepts into traditional Japanese craft assisting in succession strategies as the times change. ima Inc.’s business also focuses on assisting artisan sake producers with exporting their products overseas, including consumer education about sake quality and Japanese culture. In 2016, ima Inc. established the general corporation association”awasake association” and is currently acting as the secretariat. Also, in December 2017, ima started “Art of Artificial Artisan ~ Takumi Eye Project” [2]with Nanbu Bijin which is a sake brewery in Iwate Prefecture.

■ Japan awasake Association
The Japan awasake Association works with sake breweries throughout Japan to bring fine awasake to the discerning connoisseurs of the world. Its activities include:
Certification, accreditation, and branding of naturally sparkling, authentic awasake.
Education and promotion of awasake to consumers through organized tasting events. Spread of highest quality production techniques by sharing knowledge and research. It is the hope of the association that awasake will take its place with the other premium beverages of the world produced with fine, uncompromising craftsmanship, such as Champagne.

Reference : http://www.awasake.or.jp/en/

■ Company Information
Name: ima Inc.
Established: 2013
Address: Sankee White Building 3th Floor, 2-29-12 Taito, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 110-0016
Telephone: +81 3-5846-8737
Official Website: http://i-ma.jp/en/

[1] Cultural Engineering
ima Inc. focuses on cultural engineering projects specifically regarding integration of modern technology and culture. In the world of traditional industry, techniques and philosophies have been passed-on through word-of-mouth between master and pupil, protecting quality within confined closed spaces. This master-pupil relationship in the world of the artisan has functioned as a medium that connects tradition to the next generation.　In the present time where the borderlines of countries and time have vanished, the master-pupil medium is exposed to new tool, technology.

A new era begins where people and technology collaborate to support the inheritance of culture from generation to generation. ima, Inc. constructs systems combining cultural inheritance with leading-edge technology to protect and promote traditional craft. Using modern technology as the main driver, ima Inc. implements knowledge of science, engineering, finance, etc. in traditional industries and crafts to construct systems for cultural succession.

[2]“Art of Artificial Artisan Project“
“Art of Artificial Artisan ~ Takumi Eye Project” is a project to protect the disappearing Japanese traditional craft with the use of advanced technology; connecting tradition and technology of Japan to the future by using state of the art technology. The first step of the project is to understand the artisan’s eye in the Japanese sake production process. In the sake-making process, the rice’s water absorption range (steeping) before steaming the rice is a critical point to making good sake; this water absorption range is not currently analyzed by modern technology. We are constructing a tool to support accuracy and success of high quality sake brewing, by providing machine learning data on the optimal water absorption time.

AI-SAke https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2018/06/02/national/help-eludes-top-iwate-brewery-turns-ai-high-tech-assist-sake/
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