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Arigato project has been established since May of 2013

by authorized dealers of Kokuryu brewery, “Yushi-no-kai” as main members.

Yushi-no-kai and Kokuryu brewery started this project hoping for the participants

to learn the importance of bonding with others, and realize the charms of Fukui.

To make sake in this project, the participants start from planting rice.

After one year, they give the completed sake to the people whom they want to give thanks to.

It has been a year already since the participants planted the rice.

Finally! “The Arigato sake” (official name of the sake is “Adoso”) has been completed.

On June 5th, 2015, the presentation ceremony for the sake was held in Fukui.

Before the presentation, the participants gathered around and exhibited all the photographs taken during the project. They also wrote what they thought about the project on a big panel.

Today, I would like to introduce their last activities of the Arigato project 2015.

The participants worked together on exhibiting the photographs and making the panel.

Most of them were students last time when I saw, now they graduated and have jobs.

They even look so much more mature since about 6 months ago.

The ones who weren’t there that day, they have moved to different cities for their jobs.

I realized how the time has passed so fast.

The photographs were taken by a professional photographer throughout the year.

The photographs are not only cool or beautiful, but they let people see how they have bonded with each other, nature of Fukui, how the sake is made and what they did in this project.

The time was passing by quietly at first, but as the exhibits and panel were worked on by the participants, smiles and laughs were coming out.

I saw the panel and exhibition wall became filled with good memories and delightfulness.

This is the last time for the participants of 2015 can see each other like this.

I am sure that they now have so many good memories.

Whenever they will drink sake and/or they talk about Fukui, I am sure that they will remember the people they met and experiences they had in “Arigato Project 2015”.

T.F

Sake of Fukui / Part-10 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Great Enthusiasm

2016.07.14

As I have been introducing in our blogs, “Arigato Project” (Arigato means thank you in Japanese), what did you think about it?

Did you become more interested in Japanese Sake?

I had such a precious experience by participating in “Arigato Project”.
I came to like Kokuryu brewery and Japanese Sake more and I want to tell people around me “Arigato” (thank you) more.

The most importantly, I got to know the purpose of this project.

Participants who are age of 20 to 30, they take one year to make Sake. They experience planting and harvesting rice. Not just buying one from a store, taking one year to make the Sake makes it special. The participants give the Sake with special thanks to their family members, friends and/or anyone whom they want to show appreciation to.

It feels awkward and/or uncomfortable for some young people to say “Arigato” (thank you) so with the sake which they make, they show their appreciation to their important ones.

Throughout the year, they make sake, learn about Japanese sake, and they also learn the importance of the bond with others and the charm of Fukui.

The purpose of this project made me realized a very simple but very important for anyone to do that is to show appreciation from the heart.

The people who support this project are authorized dealer of Kokuryu, “Yushino Kai” as main members cooperated with Juridical Agricultural Union and Kokuryu brewery.

With the earnest wish for young people to know the “good Sake” and also for them tell their friends and family members “Arigato” which can sometimes difficult to say, this project has been activated.

The people who support this project are very serious and passionate, so the participants became enthusiastic as well.

After finishing all of the activities for the day, I saw smiles from all of the participants which made me sure that all of them were grateful being parts of “Arigato project”.

Therefore, I came to like Kokuryu brewery and Japanese Sake more.
I would like to appreciate Sake more, spread Japanese Sake to more people and tell friends and family members “Arigato”.

Do you like Japanese Sake?
Are you interested in making Sake?
Have you ever had Sake of Kokuryu?

How about having Sake tonight at your dinner?

Stay tuned for our videos of the project, “Arigato Project” (Arigato means thank you in Japanese) which has been established since May of 2013 by authorized dealer of Kokuryu, “Yushino Kai” as main members cooperated with Juridical Agricultural Union and Kokuryu brewery.

*Registration of 2016 has been ended. Please apply next year if you would like to become a part of “Arigato Project”!

For more information about Kokuryu

Please enjoy our previous blog

Sake of Fukui / Part-1 / One of the Greatest Sake Breweries, “Kokuryu”

Part-3 / Arigato Project / Passing on Japanese Sake to the Next Generation

Part-4 / Arigato Project / Learning about Sake

Part-6 / Passion for Japanese Sake at Kokuryu

Part-7 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Young Residents of Fukui

Part-8 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Overwhelming Moment

Part-9 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Overwhelming Moment

T.F

Sake of Fukui / Part-9 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Smiles

2016.07.11

The fourth Arigato Project was conducted from May 2015 to June 2016.

The participants were not only from Fukui, there were also people from other prefectures

and even from a foreign country. In recent years, sake has been loved by many people all over the world. As a Japanese person, I am grateful to see sake

which is one of our pleasurable culture has been spread to the world.

Being a part of this project was such an interesting experience for everyone.

All of the participants were concentrated on every activity of the project

from beginning to end. Although they all looked very serious during the acitivity on that day, by the time when they finished it, they all had smiles on their faces and seemed very satisfied.

For more information about Kokuryu,

Please enjoy our previous blogs.

Sake of Fukui / Part-1 / One of the Greatest Sake Breweries, “Kokuryu”

Part-3 / Arigato Project / Passing on Japanese Sake to the Next Generation

Part-4 / Arigato Project / Learning about Sake

Part-6 / Passion for Japanese Sake at Kokuryu

Part-7 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Young Residents of Fukui

Part-8 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Overwhelming Moment

T.F

Sake of Fukui / Part-8 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Overwhelming Moment

2016.07.05

Do you have anything that you feel passionate about enough that

you become overwhelmed when you talk about it?

I saw a participant who is very passionate about "Arigato Project"

(Arigato means thank you in Japanese).

During the workshop, one of the participants was getting overwhelmed

about how grateful she was to be a part of this project.

Everyone there had serious look from the beginning to the end.

There was another participant was saying passionately that

“there are not many of my friends who like sake. They have never tasted good and delicious sake so I want to change that. I personally think that the sake which is served for all you can drink at most of the restaurants are not that delicious ones and I do not want my friends to think that these are the good Japanese sake. I would like to let them know there are delicious sake that they can definitely enjoy.”

Young people can surely enjoy sake from Kokuryu brewery because their Sake has refreshing, pure, clear and mild taste which still has strong Sake taste but it’s not too heavy at all. It is actually lighter than many other sake, I think.
As one of Kokuryu staff mentioned (Sake of Fukui “Kokuryu” Part-4) that she hopes for the Sake of Kokuryu will be young ones’ first “good sake” in their lives, I am sure that it will be.

There is one Sake which can be recommended to anyone who are not used to having Japanese Sake and/or never had one. It is called “Kokuryu Gin No Tobira”.

According to Kokuryu pamphlet,

“literally The Doors of Gijo,” Gin no Tobira is a new-generation sake for everyone. Light, fruity and aromatic, in a convenient sighle-serving blue bottle as inviting as its name.”

Have you ever had Japanese Sake? If you don't like one, how about trying Gin no Tobira?

For more information about Kokuryu

Please enjoy our previous blog

Sake of Fukui / Part-1 / One of the Greatest Sake Breweries, “Kokuryu”

Part-3 / Arigato Project / Passing on Japanese Sake to the Next Generation

Part-4 / Arigato Project / Learning about Sake

Part-6 / Passion for Japanese Sake at Kokuryu

Part-7 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Young Residents of Fukui

T.F

Sake of Fukui / Part-7 / Arigato Project at Kokuryu / Young Residents of Fukui

2016.07.01

Do you like Japanese sake?

Do you have any favorite ones?

As I have introduced in our previous blog that there is one of the greatest sake breweries in Japan, "Kokuryu" in Fukui.
At Kokuryu brewery, "Arigato project" (Arigato means thank you in Japanese) has been held since 2013.

I participated in the fourth of their activities of the project.

It was very impressive for me to see all of the participants “Arigato project” were very concentrated and seemed enthusiastic about the project through the entire activity.

Throughout the year, participants experience planting and harvesting rice to make sake, and they also learn about sake and Fukui.

One of the purposes of this project is to pass sake to younger generation so all of the participants are young. The participants of “Arigato Project” are from the age of 20 to 30.

How about joining the project, if you are 30 years old or younger, and if there's any chance for you to participate in it?

Other than that, let's know the "good sake" and/or spread the good ones to younger generation!

For more information about Kokuryu,

Please enjoy our previous blogs.

Sake of Fukui / Part-1 / One of the Greatest Sake Breweries, “Kokuryu”

Part-3 / Arigato Project / Passing on Japanese sake to the Next Generation

Part-4 / Arigato Project / Learning about sake