Why a Japanese spirit has been made with Thai rice for nearly 600 years

Why a Japanese spirit has been made with Thai rice for nearly 600 years

When speaking about rice wines, one usually thinks of sake, either warmed up or drunk cold to pair with some sushi or some izakaya fare. A drink brewed from polished rice, water, yeast, and koji mould, it is one of Japan’s largest alcohol exports. However, there is another rice wine that not only has centuries … Read more

How 1 cocktail set Japanese bar group owner Shingo Gokan on the road to global success

How 1 cocktail set Japanese bar group owner Shingo Gokan on the road to global success

It is a searing 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) in Hong Kong on the day we meet, but Gokan’s interior is invitingly cool. Past the vintage-American-style brick facade there are subtle nods to Hong Kong’s bing sutt (traditional-style cafes) in the front salon, while other elements are inspired by Japanese culture, such as the … Read more