CRAFT SAKE WEEK Turns 10: 130 Breweries, 13 Days at Roppongi Hills
KAMPAI Editorial
CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 celebrates its 10th anniversary at Roppongi Hills Arena, running from April 17 to 29. A total of 130 breweries from across Japan rotate through the venue—10 each day—alongside 20 restaurants serving pairing menus. Organized by Hidetoshi Nakata, the event has drawn over 1.25 million visitors since its launch in 2016.
Free talk sessions: six days of big conversations
This year's highlight is a series of six free talk sessions hosted by Nakata under the theme "Updating Japanese Culture: A Strategy to Preserve 'the Real Thing' for the Next 100 Years." Each runs from 15:30 to 16:30 and brings together brewery owners, chefs, and entrepreneurs to discuss how Japanese culture—sake included—can become a globally competitive industry.
| Date | Theme | Guests |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 20 (Sun) | New Beverage Strategy: Beyond "Delicious" | Hiroyuki Kanda (Kanda), Nobuo Miyasaka (Miyasaka), Taku Hosaka (Sushi Zai) |
| Apr 22 (Tue) | Sake Export 2.0: The Next Challenge for Global Markets | Kazuhiro Sakurai (Dassai), Iwao Niizawa (Niizawa Brewing), Norimasa Yamamoto (Heiwa Shuzo) |
| Apr 23 (Wed) | AI & Technology: The Future of Food Culture and Safety | Atsushi Miya (SOMPO Light Vortex), Taiga Sakai (NTT AgriTechnology) |
| Apr 24 (Thu) | From Craft to Brand: Japanese Artisanship for the World | Jun Nakagawa (VISION to STRUCTURE), Takuro Kuwata (Ceramicist), Chiharu Nousaku (Nousaku) |
| Apr 27 (Sun) | Protecting "Delicious": The Final Vote on the Future of Food | Akinobu Namae (L'Effervescence), Takaaki Sugita (Nihonbashi Kakigaracho Sugita) |
| Apr 28 (Mon) | Beyond "Delicious": Redefining Sake for Survival | Yusuke Sato (Aramasa), Tadayoshi Onishi (Kiya Masa Shuzo), Masayuki Imanishi (Imanishi Shuzo) |
The April 22 session on exporting brings together three brewery leaders well known for international ambitions: Dassai's Sakurai, Niizawa Brewing's Niizawa, and Heiwa Shuzo's Yamamoto. On April 28, the lineup features Aramasa's Sato, Jikon-maker Kiya Masa Shuzo's Onishi, and Imanishi Shuzo's Imanishi—a conversation worth planning your visit around.
Event details
- Event: CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 with OMAKASE byGMO at ROPPONGI HILLS
- Dates: April 17 (Fri) – 29 (Wed), 2026
- Hours: Weekdays 15:00–22:00 (LO 21:30) / Weekends & holidays 12:00–21:00 (LO 20:30)
- Venue: Roppongi Hills Arena, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
- Admission: Starter set ¥4,800 (original sake glass + 14 drink/food coins)
- Website: craftsakeweek.com