In Saijo, Hiroshima Prefecture, the largest room in the home of Hisao Maegaki, president of the sake brewery Kamoizumi Shuzo, is set for a feast.
Zabuton floor cushions and red ozen, the low tray-tables traditionally used for dining in Japan, form a circle on the tatami floor, and the windows look out onto two exquisitely manicured rock gardens. The guests of honor are eight sake educators from around the globe who have come to Japan for an intensive, five-day training course created by London's Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), one of the world's most respected certifying bodies for wine and spirits professionals. While the main purpose of the trip is to gain a deeper understanding of Japan's national drink, the trainees also get a crash course in cuisine and omotenashi (hospitality).
"We wanted to give insight into Japanese food culture, which is such an important part of sake culture and something that we want these educators to take back to their home countries," says program liaison Toshie Hiraide.