On a rainy day in late July, dozens of sake enthusiasts braved the torrents whipped up by Typhoon Jongdari to attend the Greater Tokyo Sake Festival, held on the grounds of Kanda Myojin Shrine.
Organized by the Women's Association for Japanese Sake and Wine Lovers (Omotenashi Sakejo), the event showcased sake breweries and shōchū distilleries from all over Tokyo — including Izu Oshima island, which lies 120 kilometers south of the capital yet still falls under its jurisdiction.
The Tokyo area is home to 11 active sake breweries, mainly located on the outskirts of town. While producers such as Ozawa Shuzo, makers of the Sawanoi brand, and Ishikawa Brewery — which brews Tamajiman as well as the popular craft beer Tama no Megumi — offer free tours to visitors and are widely represented at restaurants and retail shops, many of the city's other brews are somewhat harder to find.