Sake Can Be A Global Tradition, Says Dassai President

What happens when one of Japan's most forward-thinking sake makers sits down with a leading ambassador for kimono culture? A surprising conversation unfolds, one that explores not only the craftsmanship behind sake and textiles but also a shared belief in keeping tradition alive through innovation, experimentation, and joy.

In a warm and wide-ranging conversation, Dassai president Kazuhiro Sakurai sat down with cultural ambassador Sheila Cliffe to reflect on the role of sake in Japanese culture, the challenges and surprises of brewing abroad, and what it means to keep tradition alive while pushing it forward.

Japanese Culture in Everyday Life

From the outset, Cliffe, who promotes kimono culture internationally, admitted she knew little about sake. But Sakurai welcomed the chance to share its depth. "Sake started with Japan's rice culture thousands of years ago," he explained. "It's not just a drink, but something offered to the gods, a part of weddings, festivals. It's woven into our rituals, climate, and way of life."

That word — woven — came up again when Cliffe drew a parallel between sake and kimono. "It's like with textiles," she said. "Certain plants only grow in certain places, and from those come specific dyes, fibers, and traditions. Sake, too, is deeply tied to the land."

Sakurai agreed. "Like kimono, sake couldn't have been born anywhere else. Its identity is rooted in Japan's climate, water, culture, and people. But that doesn't mean it must remain unchanged."

Indeed, for Dassai, evolution is central to survival.

Brewing Without Borders

While many breweries resist adapting sake to new environments, Sakurai embraces it. Dassai now operates a sake brewery in New York, using the same prized Yamada Nishiki rice it uses in Japan, grown, remarkably, in Arkansas.

"American rice farming is completely different," Sakurai said. "They sow seeds from airplanes over vast fields. In Japan, we plant seedlings by hand. But that is not important. What is important is that good farmers can learn and adapt, just like brewers."

Adapting also means understanding that water, so essential to sake, varies globally. "Water doesn't decide everything," Sakurai said. "It's about how we work with it. Harder water may ferment differently, but that just means discovering new flavor profiles suited to local conditions."

Cliffe likened this to French cuisine adapting to Japanese ingredients. "Exactly," Sakurai nodded. "Like chefs, we feel we are in essence the same as culinary artisans, and we adjust. Not to compromise, but to create something new that still reflects the essence."

Preserving the Essence

When asked what must be preserved in sake, Sakurai didn't hesitate: "That's difficult. We must protect the essence, but also allow it to evolve. Sake has always changed. What we call 'Japanese sake' today wasn't the same 1,000 years ago, or even 100."

*Sheila Cliffe (left) with Kazuhiro Sakurai (©studiomakishima)*

He likened this flexibility to fashion. "Just like kimono styles evolved by region and era, sake has shifted with time. And that's a good thing. We must avoid being so rigid that we strangle the culture we're trying to protect."

This philosophy extends to food pairings, too. Sakurai resists rigid rules about how sake should be consumed. "We focus on making sake that people will find delicious. How they enjoy it, with sushi or spaghetti, chilled or warm, is up to them. Discovery is part of the joy."

Shattering Stereotypes Abroad

Despite growing global interest, misconceptions about sake remain. In Europe and the United States, many associate it only with "hot sake," a harsh, one-dimensional experience that leaves little room for appreciation, Sakurai notes.

"When people try Dassai, they're shocked," he said. "They taste fruity aromas, elegant sweetness. Some say, 'I didn't know sake could be like this.' And that's the best reaction we can get."

Sakurai's goal isn't just to sell sake — it's to open minds. "People don't need to understand all the history right away. Just tasting it with a smile is a great start. Smiles are universal."

Culture That Plays

What both Cliffe and Sakurai share is a belief that tradition thrives not through preservation alone, but through play. "Culture isn't just serious," Sakurai said. "It grows when people experiment, explore, and yes, sometimes make mistakes."

That includes wearing kimono in new ways, or brewing sake in unexpected places. "The idea is not to dilute culture," Cliffe said, "but to democratize it, to return it to the people."

Both see global curiosity not as a threat, but as a chance for deeper connection. "The more people wear kimono, even imperfectly, the more they engage, learn, and eventually love it," Cliffe said. "We just have to welcome them in.

Eyes on the Horizon

As Dassai expands its reach, Sakurai keeps one eye on the past and another on the horizon. "We started in a tiny village of 20 people. We couldn't survive by staying put, so we took sake to Tokyo. Then, to the world. Now, we're learning from each place we go, and growing stronger."

For him, the future of sake isn't in rigid rules, but in living relationships. "If we keep moving, keep sharing, and stay open to change, sake will continue to evolve, not away from its roots, but deeper into them."

As the conversation ended, the two toasted with a glass of the company's flagship sake, Dassai 23, brewed in Yamaguchi and shared in Tokyo.

In a world where "authenticity" is often policed, Dassai's message is refreshingly democratic: that culture lives not in rules, but in relationships — with land, with people, and with change.

Because in the end, sake, like kimono, isn't just something Japan shows to the world. It's something the world is invited to wear, sip, and make its own.

*Kazuhiro Sakurai (left) and Sheila Cliffe (©studiomakishima)*

Kazuhiro Sakurai (left) is the president of the Yamaguchi-based brewery Dassai, one of Japan's most internationally recognized sake brands. Known for pushing the boundaries of tradition while staying rooted in quality and craft, Sakurai has spearheaded Dassai's expansion into global markets, including the opening of a brewery in New York.

Sheila Cliffe (right) is a professor, writer, and kimono stylist originally from the United Kingdom. Based in Tokyo for over three decades, she has worked tirelessly to promote kimono as a living culture through lectures, media appearances, and her book The Social Life of Kimono.

This article was published in cooperation with Dassai Inc.

Author: Daniel Manning