Showcase of top sake breweries

YAMADANISHIKI may sound like the name of an electronics superstore but it is actually the hardy short-grain Japanese rice that 95 per cent of all sakes produced in Japan are made from. And the most prized examples of this popular strain are grown in the Tojo region in Hyogo prefecture.

As the birthplace of Yamadanishiki, Tojo is to brewmasters what Pinot Noir and Burgundy are to winemakers.

So it is no surprise that fine-dining restaurant Waku Ghin on Tuesday presented Frontier Tojo 21, a one-night dinner where chef Tetsuya Wakuda created a menu to match the ambrosial offerings of 11 top breweries rarely available outside Japan.