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Roppongi Transforms into a "Sacred Ground for Sake" for 13 Days — CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 Opens at Historic Scale for Its 10th Anniversary
From Friday, April 17 to Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (a national holiday), "CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 with OMAKASE byGMO at ROPPONGI HILLS" will be held at Roppongi Hills Arena in Tokyo. Marking exactly 10 years since its inaugural event in 2016, this milestone year sees a record-breaking number of participating breweries and restaurants, as Japan's largest craft sake festival — boasting a cumulative attendance of over 1.25 million — continues to evolve.
The driving force behind it all is Hidetoshi Nakata, former star of the Japanese national soccer team. Having traveled across Japan for over 15 years and deeply immersed himself in the country's traditional culture — from sake breweries to agriculture and crafts — Nakata launched this event with a singular vision: to share the beauty of Japanese culture with as many people as possible. Since then, the festival has expanded to Hakata in Kyushu and Sendai in Tohoku, growing into a major culinary event that draws food enthusiasts and travelers from both Japan and abroad to Tokyo each spring.
The Symbol of the 10th Anniversary — An Unrivaled Scale of 130 Breweries × 20 Restaurants
The biggest story this year is the sheer scale. After taste-testing over 400 breweries nationwide, 130 carefully selected breweries will participate. With 10 breweries rotating daily, fresh discoveries await throughout all 13 days. In addition, 20 restaurants — including some of the hardest tables to book in Tokyo — will gather in pop-up format, with the lineup changing across four themed periods. In short, every visit promises a different experience.
According to a feature by Walker Plus (walkerplus.com), this year's edition — marking the 10th anniversary of the inaugural event — places even greater emphasis on the concept of "rediscovering Japanese food culture and passing it on to the future." Going beyond a simple sake tasting, it presents itself as a "comprehensive celebration of Japanese food culture," with brands spanning tea, dashi, and chocolate crossing over in exciting new ways.
Venue & Essential Info — A 13-Day "Sake Capital" Takes Shape at Roppongi Hills Arena
The main venue is Roppongi Hills Arena (6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo). The outdoor space of Roppongi Hills, one of central Tokyo's most iconic landmarks, becomes the stage for this sake festival under the warm spring sky.
- Event Dates: Friday, April 17 – Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (national holiday), 13 days total
- Weekdays: 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM (last order 9:30 PM)
- Weekends & Holidays: 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM (last order 8:30 PM)
- Access: Direct access from Roppongi Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and Toei Oedo Line
Entry operates on a coin-based system. The Starter Set (¥4,800) for first-time visitors includes an original SAKE glass and 14 food coins. Additional coin packs are available in tiers: 12 coins for ¥2,000, 25 coins for ¥4,100, 45 coins for ¥7,300, and 100 coins for ¥16,000. Advance purchase is available on the official website (craftsakeweek.com). Return visitors can bring their glass and simply purchase additional coins, keeping costs down. Note that some booths are cashless only — be sure to bring a credit card or IC card.
The Heart of the Sake Experience — The Joy of 130 Breweries and "Sake Flights"
The true appeal of Craft Sake Week lies in the opportunity to taste rare labels side by side — bottles you'd normally only encounter by visiting local sake shops or the breweries themselves, all in one place at one time. The rotating lineup of 130 breweries, selected from over 400 through a rigorous tasting process, is truly a "curated journey through Japanese sake."
With the official app "Sakenomy," visitors can check detailed information about each brewery and label on the spot while tasting. It's a handy digital companion for finding your favorite pour and later revisiting details about the region and production method. For overseas visitors discovering Japanese sake culture for the first time, it also serves as a guide with English-language information — making it an increasingly vital resource in Tokyo's spring, as inbound tourism continues to grow.
New Wave ① — HANAAHU TEA Opens a World Where Japanese Tea Meets Sake
One of the most anticipated collaborations this year is the special booth appearance of next-generation tea pairing brand HANAAHU TEA, for which Hidetoshi Nakata serves as CBO (Chief Brand Officer). According to an announcement on the official website (craftsakeweek.com), the brand's concept is "enjoying Japanese tea the way you'd enjoy sake or wine."
Four tea series representing Japan's four seasons will be served using the cold brew (mizudashi) method, which best draws out each tea's aroma and depth of flavor. Advance reservations for "SIGUSA," a bottled tea line for restaurants, are also set to open at this event. This pairing of two quintessentially Japanese beverages — sake and tea — is sure to offer fresh discoveries for overseas visitors accustomed to sommelier culture.
New Wave ② — The Depth of "Dashi × Sake" as Embodied by SIIDA® × Kudan
Another unmissable highlight is the limited collaboration restaurant between SIIDA®, the dashi brand launched by Ajinomoto in November 2024, and Kudan, a celebrated restaurant in Gakugeidaigaku, Tokyo. According to an announcement on prtimes.jp, six limited-edition dishes featuring SIIDA®'s three varieties (Taki, Ibushi, and Ko) will be served exclusively for five days: Tuesday, April 21 through Saturday, April 25.
Ajinomoto chose to participate in CRAFT SAKE WEEK out of a shared belief in the event's philosophy of "rediscovering Japanese culture and passing it on to the future." The interplay between dashi's aroma and umami and the sweetness, acidity, and bitterness of sake is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about pairings among food enthusiasts. The SIIDA® retail booth will be open for the entire duration (April 17–29), with an aroma comparison experience corner as well. The 3-variety dashi set (9 packets total) is priced at ¥3,564 (tax included), and individual packs (3 packets each) are ¥1,188 (tax included).
New Wave ③ — The Legendary Sold-Out Chocolate "YOIYO" Returns Exclusively at the Venue
Generating particular buzz among Millennial and Gen Z food lovers is the venue-exclusive, limited-quantity sale of YOIYO, Lotte's craft sake chocolate brand. According to reporting by traicy.com, this elusive item — which sold out on its debut day in 2024 and again in just two days during its January 2025 re-release — makes a special return exclusively at the CRAFT SAKE WEEK venue.
On sale this time is "YOIYO Sake Ganache <Kokuryu Sake Brewery> Kijoshu" — a premium confection encasing the rare Kijoshu crafted by Kokuryu Sake Brewery, founded in 1804, within a smooth ganache filling, and the 18th installment in the series. Over 30 types of sake were sampled during development to find the perfect pairing with chocolate. At the venue, 2 pieces cost 3 coins; a takeaway box is ¥1,780 (tax included) or 11 coins. Quantities are strictly limited — arriving early in the event period is strongly advised.
20 Acclaimed Restaurants Gather — Hard-to-Book Kitchens Come Together in Spring Roppongi
The full lineup of 20 restaurants participating this year has been published by walkerplus.com. The roster extends well beyond traditional Japanese restaurants that pair naturally with sake, spanning Italian, ramen, and gyoza specialty spots.
- ess. (Shibuya, Tokyo) — Italian
- Kuriya Shichidaime Matsugoro (Shibuya, Tokyo)
- Ubu (Roppongi, Tokyo)
- Yoshiharu (Chofu, Tokyo) — Handmade gyoza specialist
- Ramen Break Beats (Meguro, Tokyo) — Reservation-only ramen restaurant
- Kudan (Gakugeidaigaku, Tokyo) — SIIDA® collaboration
- 14 additional restaurants (lineup varies by period)
The crossover concept of pairing ramen or Italian cuisine with sake effortlessly breaks the conventional mold of "Japanese food × sake." This is precisely the legacy of "culinary boundary-crossing" that CRAFT SAKE WEEK has built over the past 10 years.
The Energy of 1.25 Million — The Festival Atmosphere of Roppongi in Spring
Ten years since its inaugural edition, cumulative attendance has surpassed 1.25 million. On weekday evenings, office workers gather glass in hand after work; on weekends and holidays, families and tourists fill the space from midday onward — this "spring scene in Roppongi" has become a beloved fixture of the city.
Spring 2026 is special. As the cherry blossoms fall and a new chapter begins, 13 days of encounters with Japan's finest craft sake unfold across Roppongi. For overseas visitors, it is hard to find a more concentrated opportunity to experience Japanese food culture that is so firmly "here and now." Here is every reason to pencil April 17–29 into your Tokyo spring itinerary.
Practical Tips to Know Before You Visit
- Since the theme and restaurant lineup changes by period, visiting multiple times broadens your experience considerably
- On return visits, bring your original SAKE glass — no Starter Set needed, just purchase additional coins for entry
- Advance purchase of the Starter Set and additional coins on the official website (craftsakeweek.com) is recommended for a smoother experience
- HANAAHU TEA is served cold-brew style, so note that it takes a little time after ordering before the tea is ready to drink
- The SIIDA® retail booth is open for the full duration; the collaboration restaurant runs April 21–25 only
- YOIYO is available in limited quantities — both previous sales sold out early, so visiting in the early days of the event is strongly recommended
- Some booths are cashless only. Always carry a credit card or IC card
- Downloading the official app "Sakenomy" in advance lets you check brewery and label information on the spot — very convenient
In Closing — What CRAFT SAKE WEEK Asks of Us in Its 10th Year
CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 is far more than an all-you-can-drink sake event. It brings together 130 brewery owners, 20 celebrated restaurant chefs, and makers of Japanese tea, dashi, and chocolate to examine the "present and future" of Japanese food culture.
The vision Hidetoshi Nakata set out 10 years ago — "to share the beauty of Japanese culture with as many people as possible" — has grown steadily alongside 1.25 million visitors. As the 10th anniversary arrives, that energy is higher than ever. This spring, Roppongi becomes a cultural crossroads anchored by sake.
Event Information
- Official Name: CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026 with OMAKASE byGMO at ROPPONGI HILLS
- Dates: Friday, April 17 – Wednesday, April 29, 2026 (national holiday)
- Venue: Roppongi Hills Arena (6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
- Organizer: JAPAN CRAFT SAKE COMPANY / Organizer: Hidetoshi Nakata
- Official Website: craftsakeweek.com
Sources & References
- "Special Booth Appearance Announcement for Next-Generation Tea Pairing Brand 'HANAAHU TEA'" — CRAFT SAKE WEEK Official (craftsakeweek.com/11401/)
- "CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026: Full Lineup of 20 Participating Restaurants Announced" — Walker Plus (walkerplus.com/article/1337077/)
- "JT's 'Ploom' Sponsors CRAFT SAKE WEEK 2026, Special Smoking Lounge to Be Installed" — Mapion News (mapion.co.jp/news/release/000000368.000031450/)
- "Lotte's 'YOIYO Sake Ganache <Kokuryu Sake Brewery> Kijoshu' — Venue-Exclusive, Limited-Quantity Special Sale Announced" — Traicy (release.traicy.com/posts/202604071105975/)
- "Ajinomoto's 'SIIDA®' Opens Limited Collaboration Restaurant with Acclaimed Gakugeidaigaku Eatery 'Kudan'" — PR TIMES (prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000161.000092524.html)
※ This article is an AI-generated trend report based on publicly available information and press releases. Prices, hours, and booth details are subject to change. Please check the official website for the latest information.
