On a recent chilly evening, I found myself in the heart of Tokyo's touristy Asakusa district for the first time in many years. I came to visit Kurand Sake Market, a popular standing bar that specializes in the offerings of local brewers, where Chris Hughes, a U.K. sake expert who is helping Kurand reach non-Japanese drinkers, led me through an impromptu tasting.
"This is what I'd give to someone who's not sure of the style of sake they like," he says, pouring me a sip of Jinya Daiginjo from Fukushima Prefecture. "The first time I tried this one it knocked my socks off."
The Jinya was a great way to start; it had an attention-grabbing fruity impact, ample body and a pleasantly dry finish. I'd originally planned to sample only three varieties, but by the time I left Hughes had persuaded me to taste 10 of his personal favorites — including two enticing brews from the tiny and idiosyncratic producer Miyoshikiku Shuzo in Tokushima Prefecture.