On April 1st, 2017, the Canadian Museum of Nature, in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan, held a lecture and tasting focusing on Japanese sake as part of its Nature Tastes series. About 110 participants had the opportunity to taste and learn more about Japan’s proud national drink.

Following opening remarks given by Ms. Ailsa Barry, Vice-President of the Canadian Museum of Nature, Ambassador Monji, who holds the title of Sake Samurai*, gave a detailed presentation on the process of making sake and introduced the guest to the different types of sake under 3 themes, polishing ratio, hot & cold and experimental type.

Mr. Masataka Shiroki, Founder and CEO of Artisan Sake Maker, spoke of his business of growing Canada’s first sake rice and making the country’s first locally produced sake in his British Columbia domains. Mr. Paul Sokoloff, Senior Research Analyst of the Canadian Museum of Nature, complemented the lecture with a presentation of the science behind sake making.

Following the comprehensive lecture/tasting, the participants enthusiastically took part in a Q&A session, asking a wide variety of questions from the types of glasses required to experience the full aroma of sake to the methods of planting rice in rice fields.

*Sake Samurai is a title awarded by the Japan Sake Brewers Association Junior Council to people who contribute to the promotion of Japanese sake worldwide. There are only 65 people with the title of Sake Samurai in the world.