Official Website: https://konsai.jp
Venue: TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY – NEWoMan TAKANAWA, Tokyo
Dates: June 10–14, 2026
Japan’s evolving sake culture took center stage at KONSAI 2026, a five-day festival celebrating innovation, craftsmanship and cross-cultural creativity. Organized by camo and LUMINE, the second edition of the event expanded significantly after relocating to NEWoMan TAKANAWA within TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, transforming one of Tokyo’s newest urban destinations into a vibrant showcase for the future of Japanese sake.
Ahead of the public opening, organizers welcomed industry professionals, media representatives and partners to an exclusive opening party on June 9 at LOOPS, the café and cocktail bar located on the 28th floor of NEWoMan TAKANAWA NORTH LUFTBAUM. The evening introduced the philosophy behind KONSAI 2026 while offering guests an early taste of the festival’s original sake cocktails, curated food pairings and cultural exhibitions that bridge centuries of Japanese brewing tradition with contemporary gastronomy.
Rather than presenting sake solely through traditional tasting experiences, KONSAI 2026 positions Japan’s national beverage within a broader global culinary conversation, encouraging newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts alike to discover its remarkable versatility.
Expanding the World of Japanese Sake
Opening the event, Aki Kawana, CEO of camo and Founder and Director of Roots of, reflected on the inspiration behind KONSAI after attending one of Europe’s major wine and spirits festivals.
“Our goal is to create opportunities for people who have never experienced sake to enjoy their very first glass,” Kawana explained. “Once they take that first step, they discover an incredibly fascinating world beyond it.”
His vision highlights one of the festival’s central missions: lowering the barriers to sake appreciation while introducing younger generations and international audiences to Japan’s rich brewing heritage through accessible, contemporary experiences.
Joining him on stage was Keita Watanabe, ninth-generation owner of Aizu Shuzo, who discussed the changing landscape of Japan’s sake industry.
“For many years breweries pursued the same goal—making great sake. We’ve reached that point, and only now are we beginning to see true diversity emerge,” Watanabe noted. “Consumption may be declining, but this is precisely the moment for the industry to showcase what makes Japanese sake so special.”
Kawana expanded on the evolution of sake trends over recent decades, describing the industry’s journey from the crisp, dry styles that dominated the 1980s and 1990s, through the fragrant ginjo boom led by premium labels such as Juyondai, to today’s growing appreciation for terroir-driven, naturally expressive breweries including Aramasa and Kazenomori.
Despite this creativity, the challenges facing the industry remain significant. Japan’s brewery count has fallen dramatically over the past half-century to approximately 1,500 licensed breweries, with several continuing to close each month. Compared to an estimated 260,000 wineries worldwide, Japan’s sake market represents only a fraction of the global wine industry.
Nevertheless, Kawana remains optimistic.
“Japanese sake has more than 2,000 years of history,” he said. “There are still tremendous opportunities overseas. Working together with JR East, which is creating a city designed to thrive for the next hundred years, we wanted TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY to become a place where people can discover the future of Japanese sake.”
Guests were welcomed with Dassai Nigori Sparkling, whose creamy texture, gentle sweetness and lively effervescence provided an elegant introduction to the evening.
Three Experiences Define KONSAI 2026
KONSAI 2026 revolves around three major experiences designed to immerse visitors in the diversity of Japan’s sake culture.
The centerpiece is KONSAI Park, where approximately 100 breweries from across Japan rotate throughout the five-day festival, allowing visitors to sample an extraordinary range of sake styles without reservations. Food trucks serving dishes specifically selected to complement sake complete the outdoor experience.
The second pillar consists of exclusive collaborations between NEWoMan TAKANAWA’s restaurants and participating breweries. These limited-time menus reinterpret sake through innovative culinary partnerships that extend far beyond conventional food pairings.
Highlights include a sake retreat developed by Takanawa SAUNAS and Akebono Shuzo from Fukushima Prefecture, an eight-course pairing dinner presented by Bovin d’Or alongside Matsuse Shuzo from Shiga, a six-course collaboration between 800°DEGREES TAKANAWA and breweries from Noto, and LOOPS’ signature sake cocktail experience exploring the evolution of Japanese brewing history.
The third component invites visitors to engage creatively through hands-on workshops, including the opportunity to design personalized sake labels and create one-of-a-kind bottles—an especially popular activity ahead of Father’s Day.
A Cocktail Journey Through the History of Sake
Among the evening’s highlights was LOOPS’ exclusive “History of Sake Through Cocktails” pairing course, which reimagines three distinct eras of Japanese sake through modern mixology.
Rather than confining sake to traditional Japanese dining, the concept explores how Japanese brewing has evolved alongside Western influences over the decades.
The journey begins in the present before traveling backward through time.
Back to Wild
Representing the modern era of aged sake, terroir and fermentation, Back to Wild combines Yoshidagura u Night & Dance from Yoshida Shuzoten with fermented strawberries, strawberry vinegar, red shiso and black pepper.
Visually striking in vivid pink, the cocktail balances savory complexity with refreshing herbal aromas. Paired with duck pastrami, fermented beet purée and cacao nibs, the combination demonstrates how contemporary sake cocktails can rival fine dining wine pairings.
Ginjo Air Spritz
Inspired by the aromatic ginjo movement of the 2000s, Ginjo Air Spritz features Mutsu Hassen Pink Label from
Hachinohe Shuzo alongside white grape and elderflower, finished with a delicate foam created entirely from sake.
Served with asparagus, beef prosciutto and melon enhanced by sake lees yogurt and fresh dill, the pairing elevates familiar flavors while preserving the elegant fragrance characteristic of premium ginjo sake.
Wataribune Martini
The final cocktail revisits the clean, dry sake styles that defined the 1980s and 1990s.
Built upon Matsu no Tsukasa Junmai Wataribune by Matsuse Shuzo, the cocktail incorporates dry vermouth, fino sherry and orange bitters, creating a refined Japanese interpretation of the classic martini.
Its accompanying dish—a rare bonito katsu sandwich with white miso, watercress and orange zest—beautifully bridges Japanese and Western culinary traditions while emphasizing the sake’s crisp finish.
Additional creations available throughout the festival include the Sweet Roast Highball, featuring Toji Junpei Shochu, and Modern Umeshu, which combines warmed Kizakura Yamahai Tokubetsu Junmai Yamadanishiki with Darjeeling tea aromas, palo cortado sherry and amaretto.
Rare Historical Artifacts Celebrate Japan’s Brewing Heritage
Beyond food and drink, KONSAI 2026 also functions as a cultural exhibition.
The gallery space within LOOPS displays not only bottles from participating breweries but also rare historical documents illustrating the evolution of Japanese sake production.
Among the standout exhibits are haccoba – Craft Sake Brewery’s foundational brewing text Shokoku Doburoku Houten, Miyake Shuzo’s approximately 84-year-old newspaper displayed alongside its original straw-wrapped “Kiku Nippon” bottle, Tsujimoto Shoten’s Edo-period illustrated publication Nihon Sankai Meisan Zue, historical brewing licenses from Akishika Shuzo, Meiji-era promotional materials from Aoi Shuzo, and archival photographs documenting the earliest days of Niizawa Brewery and Ogino Shuzo.
The exhibition also features some of Japan’s most extraordinary sake, including Niizawa Brewery’s “Reikyo Absolute 0,” produced from rice polished to an astonishing 0.85%, representing one of the most technically ambitious daiginjo expressions ever created.
Alongside these ultra-premium offerings, visitors can discover classic junmai styles, traditional kimoto brewing, emerging craft sake producers and even Japanese mead, illustrating the remarkable diversity shaping today’s industry.
A Festival Shaping the Future of Japanese Sake
More than simply a tasting event, KONSAI 2026 presents a compelling vision for the future of Japanese sake by connecting centuries-old brewing traditions with modern gastronomy, creative mixology, cultural storytelling and urban innovation.
By bringing together nearly 100 breweries, acclaimed chefs, bartenders, designers and cultural institutions inside Tokyo’s rapidly developing TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, the festival demonstrates that sake is no longer confined to traditional settings. Instead, it continues to evolve as one of Japan’s most dynamic cultural exports, capable of captivating a new generation of drinkers both domestically and around the world.
Official Links
- KONSAI 2026: https://konsai.jp
- TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY: https://www.takanawagateway-city.com/
- NEWoMan TAKANAWA: https://www.newoman.jp/takanawa/
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