18th January 2025: Following the resounding success of the inaugural National Sake Week, Kokushu Creative is thrilled to announce the return of this nationwide celebration, running from 5th to 11th May 2025.
This week-long event aims to immerse enthusiasts and newcomers alike in the fascinating world of Japanese sake and shochu. In 2024, the inaugural National Sake Week achieved remarkable milestones, with over 70 bars and restaurants participating across the UK, hosting 25 events, and serving more than 2,000 glasses of sake in just seven days.
Building on this success, the 2025 edition promises an even bigger and better experience, with a target of involving over 100 bars and restaurants across the country. This year, National Sake Week is proud to collaborate with renowned partners, including Tengu Sake, World Sake Imports, Mai Sake, and Kanpai London, to deliver an unparalleled celebration.
The event also aims to bring some of the biggest names in sake from Japan to the UK for the very rst time. The festivities will kick off with a grand opening ceremony in London, featuring the traditional Kigami Biraki ceremony—an auspicious ritual symbolising the start of celebrations with the breaking of a sake barrel. Throughout the week, attendees can look forward to a variety of events, including curated tastings, expertly paired sake dinners, educational workshops led by sake masters, and creative cocktail experiences in bars nationwide.
Founder of National Sake Week, Samuel Boulton, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming celebration:
“With participating bars and restaurants all over the UK being involved in 2025, we hope to bring sake (and shochu) to a wider audience in the UK. 2024 saw the most sake ever enjoyed in the UK, and in 2025, we plan to capitalise and grow even more.”
Join the Celebration If you’re a venue or supplier looking to participate in this growing celebration, visit www.nationalsakeweek.co.uk to sign up and join the journey of promoting Japanese drinking culture in the UK. Stay tuned for updates, event details, and ways to get involved. Whether you’re a sake enthusiast, a curious newcomer, or a venue seeking to join the excitement, National Sake Week 2025 promises a celebration like no other.