For this third installment of our Sake Travel Series, we’re heading north – way north!

More commonly associated with some of the best skiing and snowboarding on the planet, extravagant snow festivals, expansive landscapes unlike anywhere else in Japan, and a wholly unique and celebrated culture rooted in the livelihood of the Ainu people spanning centuries, it’s fair to say that Hokkaido was really only added to the sake map relatively recently.

But what an incredible trajectory Hokkaido sake is on. From the rapid development of breweries across the territory by Kamikawa Taisetsu, to the unprecedented brewery relocation of Michizakura to the region, and the almost overnight transformation into a rice-cultivating powerhouse, Hokkaido is being looked to as a vision for the future of sake.

To help you chart that vision this week are your hosts John Gauntner, Cindy Bissig, and Chris Hughes. From local stories and history to exciting brewery developments and a few suggestions on places to check out for some exceptional sake discoveries, we’ve got you covered.

For more info on Hokkaido and other regional adventures, follow along with us at @sakeonair on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or if you’d like to share your thoughts or questions with the hosts, please reach out to us at [email protected].

We’ll be back with more Sake On Air in just a couple of weeks.
Until then, kampai!

Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake & Shochu Makers Association and is recorded and broadcast from the Japan Sake & Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is brought to you by  with audio production by . Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” was composed by for Sake On Air.