TWTT - (Taste with the Toji)

In this episode, Julian and Simone catch up with Tokyo based Alex Harrison from Mottox Craft Sake.

Craft Sake is a term that has been thrown around a little in previous episodes of this podcast. In this episode, we speak with someone from a company that actually owns the rights to the term 'craft sake'.

Alex joined Mottox in 2022, and along with many of his co-workers, he comes from a wine background. Mottox are a Japan based importing company, also working in wholesale and distribution, with a long history and a dedicated following in Japan and also overseas.

The company have built their line-up through a series of original collaborations with sake breweries from all over Japan. They are currently working with 21 breweries with a vision to expand on that number and bring sake to the tables of sake and wine lovers all over the world.

We chat with Alex a little about the sake side of Mottox, collaborating with breweries, and why he loves working with sake and sake brewers on this ever-evolving project.

We hope you enjoy listening to this conversation as much as we loved having it.

You can follow Mottox on IG: @mottox_craftsake

and our podcast and podcast hosts:

TWTT Podcast: @tastewiththetoji

Simone: @sakemistress

Maki: @sake.amata

Julian: @sakeadvocate

and don't forget to check out Julian's sake bar on IG: @sakehouse_osaka

This episode was recorded on 1 July 2025

A huge thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/

Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Links:

Mottox Craft Sake

Kinmon Akita Sake Brewery

Miyoshino Jozo - Hanatomoe

In this episode, Julian and Simone catch-up with good friend, Andy Russell.

Andy was TWTT's very first podcast guest - and, alongside Miho Imada, he was the very first Zoom room guest on TWTT The Project, back in April 2020.

This episode was actually recorded on April 27th - which just happened to be the 5th anniversary of TWTT The Project - so it was very fitting to have Andy as our special guest and to find out what he has been up to since we last spoke.

When he first graced the TWTT Zoom room in 2020, he was working at Imada Shuzo in Hiroshima. When he joined us on the Podcast for our second ever episode, he had just started working at Kenbishi in Hyogo... fast forward to April 2025, and Andy has recently joined good friend, (and previous TWTT guest), Jorge Navarrete, at Matsui Shuzo in the heart of Kyoto.

We chat about the move, the notable differences between his previous and current brewery, his Hyogo sake tours, his recent visits to Julian's new sake bar in Osaka, and other sake related stuff.

It's always a joy catching up with Andy.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.

You can follow Andy on IG: @originsake

and our podcast and podcast hosts:

TWTT Podcast: @tastewiththetoji

Simone: @sakemistress

Maki: @sake.amata

Julian: @sakeadvocate

and don't forget to check out Julian's new bar on IG: @sakehouse_osaka

This episode was recorded on 27 April 2025

A huge thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/

Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Links:

Andy Russell - Origin Sake

Matsui Sake Brewery

Kenbishi

Imada Shuzo - Fukucho

Nada Sake Region, Hyogo

In this episode, the gang are back together for the first time since last year, to chat to Julian about his brand new venture: Sake House!

Sake House is Osaka's newest Sake Bar, and it's something Julian has been working towards, or at least dreaming about, for some time.

Located in the popular area of Umeda, but a little out of the hard hustle and bustle, Sake House is a small bar with a big heart and an excellent sake menu - not to mention its fabulous host.

In addition to some amazing sake, and other beverages, hand selected by Julian, guests can enjoy a small menu of tasty treats ~ with things like saganaki, blue cheese and sake kasu pizza, and a dish with hummus, being some of the current items on the menu.

By the time you listen to this episode, the menu will most likely have changed a little, as will some of the sake, but that's what will keep his guests coming back for more - with each visit being a new and delicious experience.

Only 3 weeks into it's existence, Sake House aims to be a venue for locals and tourists alike. A place where everyone can feel comfortable and confident ordering, drinking and exploring the world of Nihonshu.

No stranger to many already in the sake industry, Julian has a wealth of knowledge and has been a passionate advocate for sake for many years. Needless to say, this venture was a long time coming - but it's finally here, and we are super excited to see how it evolves.

If you're in, or planning to be in Osaka, be sure to pop in and say hi to Julian at Sake House.

Congratulations, Julian - from all of us at TWTT.

You can follow this podcast and its hosts on IG...

TWTT Podcast: @tastewiththetoji

Simone: @sakemistress

Maki: @sake.amata

Julian: @sakeadvocate

and don't forget to check out Julian's new bar on IG: @sakehouse_osaka

This episode was recorded on 2 Mar 2025

A huge thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/

Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Sake House - Osaka

Address: B1, 1 Chome-2-8 Sonezaki, Osaka, 530-0057, Japan

Approx 10min from JR Osaka and the Midosuji Subway and approx 6 min from Higashi Umeda Station.From Kyoto it's less than 10 minutes from Yodoyabashi Station on the Keihan Line.

IG: @sakehouse_osaka

In this episode, the first for 2025, Simone catches up with the team from 'Sake Unplugged' - who also just happen to be two fabulous women doing some wonderful things in the sake world: both as a team and as individuals.

These two ladies are no strangers to the TWTT community or the TWTT podcast, and both were guests on seperate episodes of this podcast in 2024.

So much has happened in their 'sake world/s' since we last spoke, including the two of them teaming up to bring Sake Challenge to Japan for the very first time. We chat with Cindy and Giulia about the upcoming Tokyo Sake Challenge, and find out what else has been happening in their world of sake since we last spoke.

A big thanks to Giulia and Cindy for making time for our little podcast, and for a most enjoyable chat.

We hope you enjoy this episode and if you're in Tokyo in March (2025) - be sure to check out the details of Tokyo Sake Challenge. They'll be calling out for volunteers soon!

You can follow our guests on Instagram...

Giulia: @jijisake

Cindy: @sakenomad

and our podcast and hosts...

TWTT Podcast: @tastewiththetoji

Simone: @sakemistress

Maki: @sake.amata

Julian: @sakeadvocate

and don't forget to check out Julian's new bar on IG: @sakehouse_osaka

This episode was recorded on 17 Feb 2025

A huge thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/

Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Useful links from this episode:

Tokyo Sake Challenge

London Sake Challenge

Milano Sake Challenge

Singapore Sake Challenge

Sake Challenge (general info)

Gozenshu Brewery

JSS - Japan Sake and Shochu Info Centre

⁠⁠Sake Nomad⁠ (Cindy)

JiJi Sake (Giulia)

Anat Parnass

Itakura Shuzo - Tenon⁠

⁠Konohanano⁠

⁠SSA⁠

⁠Sake on Air⁠

⁠Sake Unplugged⁠

In this episode, the final one for 2024, Julian, Simone and Maki reflect a little on some of their sake highlights from this year.

A casual conversational episode, touching on sake moments from 2024, a few hopes and things in store for 2025, and we also make note of a few cool bars to check out if you’re travelling over the Christmas and New Year period.

We always enjoy our catch-ups, and enjoyed reflecting on some memorable sake moments from 2024.

It was a nice way to sign off on the TWTT Podcast for another year.

We hope you enjoy listening to our chat as much as we enjoyed having it.

A huge thank you to everyone who has listened to our little Podcast and to everyone who has supported TWTT.

To all our sake family and friends, and to everyone…

Stay safe, be kind…. and keep enjoying SAKE!!

KANPAI!

This episode was recorded on 7 Dec 2024

You can follow us on Instagram:

TWTT Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tastewiththetoji⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our hosts:

Simone ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sakemistress⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Julian ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sakeadvocate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Maki ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sake.amata⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tastewiththetoji.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Thanks for listening!

Some useful links from this episode:

ANTE, Sydney

Black Market Sake, AUS

Tamura Sake Bar, Melbourne

YATA, Shinjuku

Nihonshu Unagidani, Osaka

Washu Fes(tival), Japan

Australian Sake Festival

Kikawa Jozo Sake Brewery

Uehara Shuzo - Sake Brewery

Kawashima Shuzo - Sake Brewery

Moriki Shuzo - Sake Brewery

Melbourne Sake

Australian Sake Awards

In this episode, Maki, Simone and Julian are all together again - for the first time in a long time!

We've used this as an opportunity to catch-up with one another and see what's been happening, sake-wise, in each other's lives since we were last able to catch-up.

Maki chats a bit about some recent sake events held in Tokyo, Julian tells of his recent sake tasting adventures, which includes tales from a recent monitor tour in Hiroshima, and Simone talks a little about the Australian Sake Festival, more specifically, the recent festival held in Sydney

While we can't promise that this episode will educate you, we do hope it entertains or amuses those who give it a listen!

We certainly enjoyed this little catch-up, and we hope you do too!

KANPAI!

You can follow us on Instagram:

TWTT Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠@tastewiththetoji⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our hosts:

Simone ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sakemistress⁠⁠⁠⁠

Julian ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sakeadvocate⁠⁠⁠⁠

Maki ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sake.amata⁠⁠⁠⁠

This episode was recorded on 19 October, 2024.

Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tastewiththetoji.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Thanks for listening!

Some useful links from this episode:

Imada Shuzo - Fukucho

Sanzaburo Miura

Kamoizumi Shuzo

Fujii Shuzo - Ryusei

Bar Roberta

Sake Street

Mikawa Shuzojo - Maibijin

Yagi Shuzobu - Yamatan Masamune

Matsuoka Jozo

Australian Sake Festival

Australian Sake Awards

Takizawa Shuzo

Juji-Asahi

Naminooto Shuzo

In this episode of TWTT, Simone and Julian chat with Giulia Maglio.

Giulia was born and raised in Italy and moved to Japan in 2015. From then she worked in the tourism industry focusing on Japanese food culture which led to her growing interest in sake. 

She went on to receive qualifications in sake from SSI (Sommelier of Sake - International kikisake-shi) and the SEC (Sake Education Council) and also became a certified SSA Sake Educator. 

Wanting to further her knowledge and understanding of sake, she worked at Itakura Shuzo, a sake brewery located in the Shimane Prefecture for 4 seasons and is now brewing at Konohanano, a small craft sake brewery located in Asakusa, Tokyo. 

We chat to Giulia about her time at Itakura Shuzo, her work at Konohanano, making doburoku, the craft sake world and Singapore's first sake brewery: Orchid Craftworks.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it.

Follow Giulia on Instagram: @jijisake

TWTT Podcast ⁠⁠@tastewiththetoji⁠⁠

Our hosts:

Simone ⁠⁠@sakemistress⁠⁠

Julian ⁠⁠@sakeadvocate⁠⁠

Maki ⁠⁠@sake.amata⁠⁠

This episode was recorded on 22 August, 2024.Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: ⁠⁠https://tastewiththetoji.com/⁠⁠

Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Thanks for listening!

Some useful links from this episode:

Itakura Shuzo - Tenon

Konohanano

Orchid Craftworks

SSI

SSA

SEC

Hozuki fruit

In this episode of TWTT, Simone and Julian chat with a guest who needs very little introduction to those who are in the sake industry... Mr. John Gauntner.

Hailing from the U.S, John Gauntner is recognised as the world’s leading non-Japanese sake expert.

A resident of Japan since 1988, he is well known in the sake industry as the window to making sake understandable and popular outside of Japan. He has been writing and teaching about sake since 1994.

There is so much accessible information about John online that we decided to skip the back-story in our chat, (and in our show notes), and just have a good chin-wag and catch up while talking all things 'sake'.

A huge advocate in the sake world, and a huge influence & mentor for many - we hope you enjoy our chat with John as much as we did!

Useful links:

Sake World by John Gauntner

Sake Today Magazine

Sake Industry News

Sake On Air Podcast

Sake Confidential (book)

The Sake Handbook (book)

SPC - Sake Professional Course

SEC - Sake Education Council

JSS - Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association

Follow John on Instagram: @johngauntner

TWTT Podcast ⁠@tastewiththetoji⁠

Our hosts:

Simone ⁠@sakemistress⁠

Julian ⁠@sakeadvocate⁠

Maki ⁠@sake.amata⁠

This episode was recorded on 11 July, 2024.Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: ⁠https://tastewiththetoji.com/⁠

Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Thanks for listening!

In this episode of TWTT, Simone and Julian chat with Marcus Consolini, CEO of Daimon Shuzo in Osaka.

Marcus hails from New York but has held strong business connections with Asia through his many years of working in finance. The story of how he came to be a non-Japanese CEO of a Japanese Sake Brewery, (a very rare thing indeed), has been told many times in print and on other podcasts. 

We initially wanted to catch up with Marcus to talk about the internship that Daimon Shuzo offer, as sake brewing experiences has been a little bit of a theme for us lately, but it has also been some time since Marcus appeared on TWTT The Project, (our Zoom room series and where TWTT, as a whole, began).

Marcus was our special guest in the Zoom room for TWTT The Project back in February 2021, right in the heart of COVID lockdowns and border closures. He presented a wonderful virtual tour of the incredible space that is Daimon Shuzo, we got to see inside the brewery and the restaurant, and we were also joined by 6th generation, Yasutaka Daimon and his son Kohei for that session.

A lot of changes have happened at Daimon since we last spoke to Marcus, so we thought we'd touch base and hear about the recent happenings and changes at Daimon, as well as a little about the internship they offer.

We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it, and if you are curious to hear or read more about Marcus and Daimon after listening to this episode, we have shared a few links below of interviews and articles from others that you might find of interest.

Sake Today article by John Gauntner from 2020

Japan Eats podcast episode from 2021

Sake Revolution podcast episode from 2022

You can follow Daimon Shuzo on Instagram @daimonbrewery

TWTT Podcast @tastewiththetoji

Our hosts:

Simone @sakemistress

Julian @sakeadvocate

Maki @sake.amata

This episode was recorded on 4 June, 2024.Thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Podcast and The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/

Music by Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Thanks for listening!

In this episode, the TWTT gang chat all things sake to sandwiches with Australian chef, Michael Ryan.

Michael Ryan is the owner/chef of two-hatted restaurant, Provenance, in the delightful town of Beechworth, Victoria.

Ryan opened his first restaurant, Range, in 2006, winning a succession of awards, including The Age Good Food Guide’s two-hats and Country Restaurant of the Year in 2008. Provenance opened in early 2009 and has gone on to receive two-hats every year since. In 2013, Provenance won Best Regional Restaurant and Ryan was named Chef of the Year.

Ryan has a long-term interest in Japanese sake, cuisine and culture. His influences are reflected in the techniques and flavours he uses in his dishes and sake is always a feature on the restaurant’s extensive beverage list.

Ryan also hosts small-group guided culinary tours to Japan and is the author and co-creator of the book ‘Only in Tokyo’.

We could easily have chatted twice as long as we did with Michael, who is always a joy to speak with and always has some great stories to share.

If this episode inspires you to seek out some great places to eat and drink in Tokyo, be sure to seek out Michael and Luke’s book, Only in Tokyo.

Also, if you ever find yourself in Beechworth, Victoria, be sure to pay a visit to The Provenance, and be sure to include sake in your experience!

We’ve put a few links in the episode notes and we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed chatting with Michael.

You can follow Michael on Instagram...

@theprovenance

@beechworthbittersco

and our podcast and hosts...

TWTT Podcast: @tastewiththetoji

Simone: @sakemistress

Maki: @sake.amata

Julian: @sakeadvocate

This episode was recorded on 16 Apr 2024

A huge thank you to our subscribers at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

More information about Taste with the Toji - The Project can be found on our website: https://tastewiththetoji.com/

Music by: Kazuyoshi Sato (Koikawa Shuzo)

Useful links from this episode:

The Provenance Restaurant

Beechworth Bitters Co.

Black Market Sake

Sakenet

Luke Burgess

Only in Tokyo

Epicurious Travel

Gem by Moto (Mizunotori)

Eureka

Yoramu

Moriki Shuzo

Pizza Marumo

Shizen Restaurant

Kome Kome Sake Bar

Restaurant Kabi

KokoroMai

Camelback Tokyo