Sake Nation: “Young Japanese consumers and Japanese Sake②”
By Kosuke Kuji
This is the second report about young Japanese consumers and Japanese sake.
The previous report was about a social gathering organized in Asakusa district, while this report is about another social gathering organized in Shibuya district.
As you know, Shibuya district is a renowned gathering place for the Japanese youth, a district that represents young consumers. I also frequented the Shibuya district when I was young.
The “Sake Park” event is held at the newly renovated Miyashita Park as the venue in the Shibuya district. Held this year for the third time, many youths from Shibuya district gather every year.
This event attracts 25 sake breweries and 5 craft sake brewers (unrefined sake producers not licensed to brew sake) from nationwide.
Artists also participate in this event. DJs start performing live at the venue in the afternoon, etc., where sake is enjoyed in a lively environment characteristic of Shibuya district.
Guests dancing to the rhythm of the music with a cup of sake in hand is an interesting sight unique to Shibuya district, also captured in video footage.
The event is attended by “gyaru” (young “gals” wearing loud, bold, and expressive street fashion, a subculture of Japanese street fashion popularized in the 1990s), young IT professionals, and other guests who enjoyed sake with music, a sight atypical from the usual sake sampling events attended by old men only, which shed a ray of hope into the future of the Japanese sake industry.
Encouraging the consumption of sake served in a sake pub is a difficult way to attract young consumers, who might hesitate to step inside. Therefore, serving sake with live music and performances by DJs in the Shibuya district is a great way to attract young consumers to try sake, a highly promising effort in my opinion.
The previous report was about a social gathering organized in Asakusa district, while this report is about another social gathering organized in Shibuya district.
As you know, Shibuya district is a renowned gathering place for the Japanese youth, a district that represents young consumers. I also frequented the Shibuya district when I was young.
The “Sake Park” event is held at the newly renovated Miyashita Park as the venue in the Shibuya district. Held this year for the third time, many youths from Shibuya district gather every year.
This event attracts 25 sake breweries and 5 craft sake brewers (unrefined sake producers not licensed to brew sake) from nationwide.
Artists also participate in this event. DJs start performing live at the venue in the afternoon, etc., where sake is enjoyed in a lively environment characteristic of Shibuya district.
Guests dancing to the rhythm of the music with a cup of sake in hand is an interesting sight unique to Shibuya district, also captured in video footage.
The event is attended by “gyaru” (young “gals” wearing loud, bold, and expressive street fashion, a subculture of Japanese street fashion popularized in the 1990s), young IT professionals, and other guests who enjoyed sake with music, a sight atypical from the usual sake sampling events attended by old men only, which shed a ray of hope into the future of the Japanese sake industry.
Encouraging the consumption of sake served in a sake pub is a difficult way to attract young consumers, who might hesitate to step inside. Therefore, serving sake with live music and performances by DJs in the Shibuya district is a great way to attract young consumers to try sake, a highly promising effort in my opinion.
酒豪大陸「日本の若者と日本酒②」
日本の若者と日本酒についての2回目のお話しです。
前回は浅草での会のお話しをしましたが、今回は渋谷です。
ご存じの通り、日本の若者＝渋谷、という図式が成り立つほど、渋谷は若者にとって若者を象徴する場所です。私も若いころは良く遊びに行きました。
その渋谷の新しくなったMIYASHITA PARKを会場に、「SAKE PARK」というイベントが開催されています。今年で3回目の開催で、年々たくさんの渋谷の若者が集います。
このイベントは全国から25の酒蔵と、5つのクラフトサケ（日本酒の製造免許は無いがどぶろくなどを製造する）の会社が集まります。
さらに、お酒だけではなく音楽アーティストも参加して、夕暮れからはDJライブなどが会場で開催され、渋谷らしい盛り上がりで日本酒を楽しむことが出来ます。
このような形での開催が出来るのは、まさに渋谷ならではで、ダンスのリズムを取りながら、手には日本酒という、すごい映像を見ることが出来ます。
ギャルもいるし、若いIT系の人や、もういつも見ているおじさんだけの試飲会とは全く違う方々が日本酒と音楽を楽しむ光景は、日本の日本酒の未来に希望を持てる瞬間だと思います。
日本酒だけを飲み屋で飲んで、といっても若い方々には伝わりにくく、行きにくいのも確かです。だからこそ渋谷という地で、音楽やDJライブと日本酒を掛け合わせる事で若者を取り込むことはとてもすごい試みだと思います。