Shuso Imada's guest appearances

Shuso Imada

Drinks Adventures

Sake On Air

Drinks Adventures - Wine, beer, whisky, gin & more with James Atkinson

John Gauntner

Sam Reid

Andrew Derbidge

Hervé Dantan

David Vitale

Janice McDonald

Desmond Payne

Cam Mackenzie

Howard Park

Kathleen Davies

Heather Tillott

Jeni Port

Sue Hodder

Matt Houghton

Bakery Hill Distillery

OwlTail

Chris Hughes

This week it’s time once again to take a moment to get to know the team here at Sake On Air. We first aired one of these episodes back in October (Episode 27), where you got to know Sebastie Lemoine and Christopher Pellegrini; aka, “little Chris”.  This week you’ll be hearing from Christopher’s sake-inspired counterpart, Chris Hughes (aka, “big Chris”) along with our quiet champion behind the scenes, Shuso Imada.  Despite his relatively short amount of time based in Japan, Chris’s personal and professional history with sake extends back to the days when he still called the U.K. home, which has led him to now becoming one of the most active and prolific non-Japanese sake educators in Japan. In his endless pursuit of truth, as well as new questions in the world of sake, his passion and dedication are both palpable and highly contagious.  Currently the general manager of the Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center (where we broadcast from almost exclusively), Imada-san’s ties to the sake industry reach deep, and are long and storied. From his family ties to world-renowned breweries in Hiroshima to deeply rooted sake distributors in Tokyo, then extending to his own private ventures in sake-centric marketing and brand development, Imada-san has arguably one of the broadest perspectives on the industry out of anyone, along with the experience to match. In his interview, Rebekah takes him down a journey of his own personal past, but also explores the major turning points of the industry and its evolution over the past several decades. We let this one run a bit long, because it we thought it was all important.  As always, if you’re willing to take a moment to review and rate us on Apple Podcasts (or whatever service you listen on) it would mean the world to us. We also welcome all of your questions and comments about the show, which you can send to questions@sakeonair.staba.jp, or track us down at @sakeonair onInstagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also listen on our official  YouTube channel, if that’s your thing. Time stamps: Chris Hughes interview  01:46 Start of the interview    05:12 Chris discovers sake for the first time   10:50 Working in sake   26:15 Comics and sake  Shuso Imada interview  33:44 Start of the interview     37:36 About the Japan Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association    43:30 Sake in the 1960s and 1970s   50:30 Why Imada-san’s English is so good    59:40 What does the Sake world mean to Imada-san now?  We’ll be back in two weeks. Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the Japan Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association and is broadcast from the Japan Sake &amp; Shochu Information Center in Tokyo. The show is a co-production between Export Japan and Potts.K Productions, with audio production by Frank Walter. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by forSomethingNew for Sake On Air.

This week it’s time once again to take a moment to get to know the team here at Sake On Air. We first aired one of these episodes back in October (<a href="http://sakeonair.staba.jp/2019/10/26/know-your-hosts-christopher-pellegrini-sebastien-lemoine/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 27</a>), where you got to know <a href="http://sakeonair.staba.jp/hosts/sebastien-lemoine/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sebastie Lemoine</a> and <a href="http://sakeonair.staba.jp/hosts/christopher-pellegrini/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christopher Pellegrini</a>; aka, “little Chris”. This week you’ll be hearing from Christopher’s sake-inspired counterpart, <a href="http://sakeonair.staba.jp/hosts/chris-hughes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chris Hughes</a> (aka, “big Chris”) along with our quiet champion behind the scenes, <a href="http://sakeonair.staba.jp/hosts/shuso-imada/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Shuso Imada</a>. Despite his relatively short amount of time based in Japan, Chris’s personal and professional history with sake extends back to the days when he still called the U.K. home, which has led him to now becoming one of the most active and prolific non-Japanese sake educators in Japan. In his endless pursuit of truth, as well as new questions in the world of sake, his passion and dedication are both palpable and highly contagious. Currently the general manager of the <a href="http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/goto/jssic.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center</a> (where we broadcast from almost exclusively), Imada-san’s ties to the sake industry reach deep, and are long and storied. From his family ties to <a href="https://fukucho.info/?mode=f14" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">world-renowned breweries in Hiroshima</a> to deeply rooted sake distributors in Tokyo, then extending to his own private ventures in sake-centric marketing and brand development, Imada-san has arguably one of the broadest perspectives on the industry out of anyone, along with the experience to match. In his interview, <a href="http://sakeonair.staba.jp/hosts/rebekah-wilson-lye/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rebekah</a> takes him down a journey of his own personal past, but also explores the major turning points of the industry and its evolution over the past several decades. We let this one run a bit long, because it we thought it was all important. As always, if you’re willing to take a moment to <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sake-on-air/id1437291138?mt=2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">review and rate us on Apple Podcasts</a> (or whatever service you listen on) it would mean the world to us. We also welcome all of your questions and comments about the show, which you can send to <a href="mailto:questions@sakeonair.staba.jp">questions@sakeonair.staba.jp</a>, or track us down at @sakeonair on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sakeonair/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/SakeOnAir?lang=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sakeonair/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. You can also listen on our official  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcNtmowiZw3u1ip07kkpOuQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>, if that’s your thing. Time stamps: Chris Hughes interview <ul> <li>01:46 Start of the interview </li> </ul> <ul> <li>05:12 Chris discovers sake for the first time</li> </ul> <ul> <li>10:50 Working in sake</li> </ul> <ul> <li>26:15 Comics and sake</li> </ul> Shuso Imada interview <ul> <li>33:44 Start of the interview </li> </ul> <ul> <li> 37:36 About the Japan Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association </li> </ul> <ul> <li>43:30 Sake in the 1960s and 1970s</li> </ul> <ul> <li>50:30 Why Imada-san’s English is so good </li> </ul> <ul> <li>59:40 What does the Sake world mean to Imada-san now?</li> </ul> We’ll be back in two weeks. Kampai! Sake On Air is made possible with the generous support of the <a href="http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/about.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japan Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association</a> and is broadcast from the <a href="http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Japan Sake &amp; Shochu Information Center in Tokyo</a>. The show is a co-production between <a href="https://www.export-japan.co.jp/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Export Japan</a> and <a href="https://www.potts-k.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Potts.K Productions,</a> with audio production by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/frank_eats_food/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Frank Walter</a>. Our theme, “Younger Today Than Tomorrow” is composed by<a href="https://www.forsomethingnewmusic.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> forSomethingNew</a> for Sake On Air.

Know Your Hosts: Shuso Imada & Chris Hughes

In this episode we're diving back into the world of Japanese sake, which we explored in the very first episode of Season One.This time I've got two interviews to share with you from my time in Japan earlier this year doing a sake press tour with the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association.First up is a chat with John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert.A resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic.Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada.Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery.At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine.But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry.And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the JSS Information Centre, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it.I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, Sake Confidential - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners.And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for Rangitoto Tokyo. It's a brand new bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

In this episode we're diving back into the world of Japanese sake, which we explored in the very <a href="https://drinksadventures.com.au/2018/09/19/japanese-sake-is-finding-fans-in-australia-season-one-episode-one/" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">first episode of Season One</a>. This time I've got two interviews to share with you from my time in Japan earlier this year doing a sake press tour with the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association. First up is a chat with John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert. A resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic. Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada. Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery. At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine. But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry. And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the <a href="http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/goto/jssic.html" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">JSS Information Centre</a>, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it. I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, <a href="http://sake-world.com/store/books/" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sake Confidential</a> - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners. And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for <a href="https://www.rangitototokyo.com/" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rangitoto Tokyo</a>. It's a brand new bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake. Follow James Atkinson on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/byjamesatkinson" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/byjamesatkinson/" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/byjamesatkinson" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/rudists" rel="noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Rudists</a>.

Japanese sake with experts John Gauntner and Shuso Imada

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders &amp; more.Sake and its rising popularity outside Japan was explored in the very first episode of Season One of Drinks Adventures.My recent sake press tour with the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association brought the opportunity to interview John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert.You may also like:Wine episodes on Drinks AdventuresA resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic.Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada.Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery.At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine.But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry.And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the JSS Information Centre, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it.I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, Sake Confidential - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners.And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for Rangitoto Tokyo. It's a brand new wine and sake bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake.Follow James Atkinson on Facebook here, Instagram here and Twitter here.Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by Rudists.

A podcast for lovers of wine, beer, liquor (incl. whisky, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila etc) and cocktails, Drinks Adventures hosts wine makers, brewing and distilling experts, sommeliers, bartenders &amp; more. Sake and its rising popularity outside Japan was explored in the very <a href="https://drinksadventures.com.au/2018/09/19/japanese-sake-is-finding-fans-in-australia-season-one-episode-one/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">first episode of Season One</a> of Drinks Adventures. My recent sake press tour with the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association brought the opportunity to interview John Gauntner, who is recognised as the world's leading non-Japanese sake expert. You may also like:<a href="https://drinksadventures.com.au/2019/11/04/wine-podcast-episodes-on-drinks-adventures/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wine episodes on Drinks Adventures</a> A resident of Japan since 1988, he has been writing and lecturing about sake since 1994 and has published six books on the topic. Next up, I visited the Japanese Sake &amp; Shochu Makers Association Information Centre in Tokyo where I sat down for a chat with the centre manager, Shuso Imada. Shuso has spent almost his entire life in the sake industry - he was born into a family that owns a sake brewery. At first he had little interest in following in his family's footsteps, so much so that he did the unthinkable and study a sommelier equivalent qualification in wine. But little by little, sake drew him back in. And as you would expect for someone of his experience, he has some really interesting insights into Japanese sake industry. And if you're heading to Tokyo, I highly recommend you visit the <a href="http://www.japansake.or.jp/sake/english/goto/jssic.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">JSS Information Centre</a>, it really is one of the best places you can taste a lot of sake and learn about it. I also want to recommend John Gauntner's excellent book, <a href="http://sake-world.com/store/books/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sake Confidential</a> - I bought a copy last year and it's a fantastic introductory resource for sake beginners. And finally, also for people visiting Japan, look out for <a href="https://www.rangitototokyo.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rangitoto Tokyo</a>. It's a brand new wine and sake bar in Tokyo opened by Wayne Shennen, a sommelier from New Zealand who also has a passion for sake. Follow James Atkinson on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/byjamesatkinson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>, Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/byjamesatkinson/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> and Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/byjamesatkinson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Theme music ‘Sandbox’ by <a href="https://soundcloud.com/rudists" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rudists</a>.

Sake in Japan with experts John Gauntner and Shuso Imada