Hannah Kirshner’s plunge into traditional Japanese country life began in 2015 when she accepted an invitation to visit Yusuke Shimoki, a sake specialist in the tiny mountain town of Yamanaka, Ishikawa Prefecture. A friend-of-a-friend, Shimoki was staying with Kirshner at her home in New York City, where he shared a sampling of his favorite sake during a dinner party. Kirshner was hooked.
A few months later, the Brooklyn-based writer, artist and food stylist found herself working at Shimoki’s sake bar, Engawa, serving food and drink to guests, and absorbing some of Shimoki’s vast knowledge of sake and all things related to it.
