Tsuyoshi Tane designs the 2020 venue

Since the spring of 2009, Hidetoshi Nakata has traveled to all 47 prefectures, experiencing Japanese culture, traditions, agriculture, and craftsmanship firsthand. As part of his project to provide a platform for "rediscovering" Japan's world-renowned culture and techniques, he has hosted "CRAFT SAKE WEEK" since 2016.

This project, which began in Roppongi, Tokyo, has also been held in regional cities such as Hakata and Sendai, attracting approximately 600,000 visitors over the past four years, including international tourists. "CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS 2020" will feature around 130 carefully selected breweries out of over 1,400 nationwide. Each day will have a theme, focusing on 10 breweries to cherish the encounter with each individual sake. Visitors are sure to find their favorite brands and breweries.

The venue will also host top-tier restaurants offering a variety of cuisines, from Japanese to international fare, proposing new pairing experiences between sake and diverse dishes. For its fifth anniversary, "CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS 2020" will focus on fermentation, a traditional Japanese practice, with dedicated booths for Japanese tea and fermented foods. The event expands beyond sake to become a place for rediscovering Japan's ancient food culture.

The venue design for 2020 will be handled by Tsuyoshi Tane, representative of Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects, who has received high international acclaim, including the "Grand Prix" at the French Overseas Architecture Award and being named "Architect of the Year 2019" by Nikkei Architecture magazine.

In developing the concept for the venue design, Tane's sentiment that "rice and sake have supported and honored Japanese culture since ancient times" led to extensive discussions. To express the culture born from Japan's climate and environment, the concept of "Mass = Masu" (a traditional Japanese wooden box for measuring sake) was chosen. The masu has been used for over a thousand years to measure quantities of food. This installation, created exclusively for the event, uses approximately 6,000 'issho-masu' (one-sho capacity boxes) to envelop the venue in an overwhelming volume, creating a rich space with the soft texture of wood and light.

We invite you to pay attention to this event, which offers a moment of bliss while rediscovering the charms of Japan through carefully selected sake, exquisite cuisine from top restaurants, and a meticulously crafted space.
*Information on participating breweries and restaurants will be announced later.


The "CRAFT SAKE WEEK" Commitment
Rediscover Japanese Food Culture and Traditions Beyond "SAKE"
While "CRAFT SAKE WEEK" has primarily offered sake-centric experiences, from 2020 it will embrace "fermentation," a practice cherished in Japan since ancient times, and also feature Japanese tea and fermented foods. The event expands beyond sake to become a platform for rediscovering Japan's traditional food culture.

The Finest Sake, Selected Through Tasting, Gathered from Breweries Nationwide
Sake experts, including Hidetoshi Nakata, in collaboration with sake retailers nationwide, will taste sake from hundreds of breweries across the country to select the finest. To ensure enjoyment for a wide range of visitors, from sake novices to connoisseurs, sake will be offered with different themes each day. By limiting the selection to 10 breweries per day, the event cherishes the encounter with each brewery and sake, allowing attendees to discover memorable brands and favorite breweries.

Acclaimed Restaurants Offer Original Menus Exclusively for This Event
The restaurants, personally selected by Hidetoshi Nakata, are all highly acclaimed both domestically and internationally, including Michelin-starred establishments. Popular restaurants, usually difficult to reserve, will offer original menus specially developed for this event at reasonable prices. We hope you will enjoy the pairing of the finest sake with exquisite cuisine.

Approximately 6,000 Issho-Masu Create a Fantastical and Abundant Venue Space
Tsuyoshi Tane, a world-renowned architect representing Japan, has designed a venue that evokes the culture born from Japan's climate and environment. This design utilizes approximately 6,000 'issho-masu' (one-sho capacity wooden boxes), used for over a thousand years to measure food quantities, to envelop the venue in an overwhelming volume, creating a fantastical and abundant space.

Enjoy a Moment of Bliss Surrounded by Soothing Music
The pleasant music, selected by DJs from various genres, blends with the venue's atmosphere, creating a mood where people of all ages, genders, and nationalities can feel truly comfortable.

Hidetoshi Nakata
<Profile>
Former member of the Japan national football team. After retiring, he traveled to over 100 countries and regions, and in 2009, he began a journey visiting all 47 prefectures of Japan. Through this journey, he has visited over 350 sake breweries. Feeling strongly about the deliciousness of sake and its cultural potential, he established "JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY" in 2015. He is active in a wide range of fields, including consulting on sake, developing the sake cellar "Sake Cellar," the sake app "Sakenomy," the original sake ware brand "Nathand," and "CRAFT SAKE WEEK," which won the "Golden World Awards 2018" Grand Prize at one of the world's largest sake events. He also disseminates information through various media, including the web media "NIHONMONO," which introduces food, accommodation, and culture encountered during his travels across Japan in both Japanese and English; the book "NIHONMONO" (KADOKAWA), which introduces carefully selected Japanese gems and people from his travels, published in multiple languages; the radio program "VOICES FROM NIHONMONO" (J-WAVE, every Saturday); and social media. He has also announced the limited-time "J-WAVE NIHONMONO LOUNGE" to be held in front of the Takanawa Gateway Station, opening in March 2020.
JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY:http://craftsake.jp/

Venue Design: Tsuyoshi Tane
<Profile>
Architect. Born in Tokyo in 1979. Founded Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects, based in Paris, France. With the concept of "Archaeology of the Future," creating architecture from the memory of a place, he currently has numerous projects underway worldwide, primarily in Europe and Japan. Major works include the "Estonian National Museum" (2016), "New National Stadium - Kofun Stadium (Proposal)" (2012), "Toraya Paris" (2015), "Todoroki House in Valley" (2018), and the "Hirosaki Museum of Brick Warehouses" (scheduled for 2020), among others. He has received numerous awards, including the French Ministry of Culture's Prize for Emerging Architects, the Mies van der Rohe European Award 2017 nomination, the 67th Geijutsu Sensho Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology New Artist Award, and Architect of the Year 2019. He has been teaching at Columbia University GSAPP since 2012. His books include "Tsuyoshi Tane: From Archaeology to Architecture" and "TSUYOSHI TANE Archaeology of the Future" (both published by TOTO).
Atelier Tsuyoshi Tane Architects: www.at-ta.fr

Official App: "Sakenomy"
Developed to address the challenges of "unreadable, unmemorable" sake names, both domestically and internationally, this app provides diverse information in Japanese and English, including brand characteristics, brewer's dedication, and recommended gourmet pairings. It offers information on sake breweries and sake nationwide, not limited to those participating in CRAFT SAKE WEEK.

Diverse Search and Recording Functions
Easily search for sake by simply scanning labels or menus. You can also search for sake by region, price range, or food pairing. Record not only the taste but also photos of meals and enjoyable occasions, ensuring you never forget a sake you've tried.
*New features will be added continuously.

Recommended "Direct from the Source" Information
Features the dedication of breweries that have passed down their craft in their regions for generations, along with exclusive gourmet information. Enjoy sake more richly by contemplating the nature of the land where the sake was brewed and the passion the brewers poured into it. The official app, Sakenomy, plans to collaborate with this event.
Sakenomy:https://www.sakenomy.jp/

Overview of "CRAFT SAKE WEEK at ROPPONGI HILLS 2020"
Date & Time: Friday, April 17 - Wednesday, April 29, 2020 (13 days) Daily 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Last Order 8:30 PM)
Location: Roppongi Hills Arena (6-9-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Number of Participating Breweries: 10 per day, totaling 130 breweries (planned) *Lineup of participating breweries and restaurants to be announced later.
Number of Restaurants: 15
Organizer: JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY
Special Cooperation: Roppongi Hills
Official App: Sakenomyhttp://www.sakenomy.net/