English

On the night of the second day, 14 sake breweries out of 18 member breweries of the Fushimi Sake Brewers Association participated in the Sake Dinner with the contest participants.

Outside the banquet room, the applicants of the contest were talking with each other and exchanging information by warming themselves with sake.

The door of the banquet room was opened and the participants were led to their tables to the beautiful sound of the Koto musical instrument and the bamboo flute.

First Chairman of the JSA Kogai made a few opening remarks. In his remarks he mentioned the award from the Emperor by saying,
“This morning I received the Medal with a Yellow Ribbon. The award says “sommelier” in Katakana, the angular Japanese phonetic syllabary.
I was deeply impressed.”
The ceremonial sake barrel opening was performed on the stage.
All the participants practices a shout “Yoisho! Yoisho!! Yoisho!!!” and then the barrel was actually opened with wooden hammers.
The atmosphere of the banquet room became more friendly.

<Captions>
Chairman of the JSA Kogai’s opening remarks for the Sake Buffet Dinner

Ceremonial Sake Barrel Opening from the left
Deputy Chairman of the FSA Masuda.
    ASI Vice-President of the Continent Europe Serge Dubs
    ASI Vice-President of the Continent America Danio Braga
    ASI President Kazuyoshi Kogai & Vice-President of the Continent Asia-Oceania
    Chairman of the FSA Yamamoto


Chairman of the FSA Yamamoto explained how to sip sake out of the masu, a wooden measuring box, saying “Drink or sip sake with your lips onto the corner.”

It was a buffet dinner, but all the participants sat at the table.
On the buffet table were “Obanzai” (home-made dishes in the Kansai area) “Okonomiyaki” (Japanese savory pancakes or pies) “Takoyaki” (Flitter with chopped octopus) “Kitsune udon” (Wheat noodles with leek and fried soybean curd) “Osaka sushi” (Osaka-style pressed sushi).

On the beverages table were various Fushimi sake.

When they asked about the sashimi in a boat-style “What is the fish?” in English, the hotel staff members answered them in English.
Deputy Chairman of the FSA made a few closing remarks by introducing “Ipponjime” auspicious closing with a clap.

All the participants Clapped their hand once shouting “Yo Oh”

English