JR East Startup and Agnavi, in cooperation with JR Chuo Line Community Design, will open a “traveling sake store” for a limited time starting December 15, where visitors can enjoy sake from all over Japan in “single cans.
The two locations are “under the east elevated railway tracks of JR Musashi Koganei Station” (Friday-Sunday, December 15-24) and “nonowa Terrace of JR Musashi Sakai Station” (Friday-Sunday, January 12-28, 2024).
Both of these “weekend-only corner bars” will be located in an outdoor space near the station, with a counter built in a trailer house where visitors can enjoy sake tasting and a kitchen car that changes daily, offering a wide selection of sake and matching snacks.
The sake sold here is the “ICHI-GO-CAN” brand of sake developed by Agnavi, and consists of 80 brands made in collaboration with sake brewers from all over Japan. As the brand name suggests, each 180 ml bottle is filled in a can, a new style of sake that takes advantage of the can’s easy-to-drink size, stylish packaging, and portability, as well as its convenience as a gift.
The five-week “Kanto Drinking Comparison,” “Kinki Drinking Comparison,” “Kyushu/Shikoku Drinking Comparison,” “Tohoku Drinking Comparison,” and “Chubu Drinking Comparison” themes were established for five weeks from December to January, and 80 brands were lined up for each region.
In addition, “ICHI-GO-CAN” with a train design in collaboration with East Japan Railway Company will be sold as a regular product.
Agnavi is a venture company selected for the “JR East Startup Program 2023 Spring”. As the consumption of sake is declining year by year, the company aims to spread the appeal of sake and the deliciousness of hidden regional sake through “ICHI-GO-CAN” (a can of sake), which can be drunk casually.
What is unique about the company is that it is not a major sake brewer that everyone knows, but rather a small- to medium-scale brewer that is rooted in the region and works closely with them, even if only in small batches. Since its establishment at the end of February 2020, the company now offers more than 130 brands from about 100 companies nationwide.
Agnavi’s president, Dr. Seishu Geng, is an expert in the field of yeast, the raw material of sake, and the sake brewing environment, The company has achieved a product that is stable in quality, aroma, and taste.
Mr. Gen explained the reason for choosing the Musashino/Koganei area as the venue for the “Traveling Sake Shop” project, saying, “The JR Chuo Line area is home to many gourmet events such as beer festivals and bread festivals, which attract many customers, and many people with a high sensitivity to food live in the area. He explained the reason for choosing the Musashino/Koganei area as the venue. In collaboration with JR, we would like to provide a once-in-a-lifetime (ippai) encounter between consumers and sake,” he said, making use of the vacant space under the elevated railway tracks and other facilities. We want to make people aware of the attractiveness of local sake breweries and link this to tourism flow,” he said.
During the opening period of the “Traveling Sake Shop,” those who collect five stamps, one for every single can of sake purchased, will receive a can of Sawanoi Ippodo from the Ozawa Sake Brewery at Sawai Station on the JR Ome Line (participation fee 10 yen, first 300 customers).
© Source travel watch
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