Japan goes all out to promote its rice wine Sake in India, worldwide
Having launched Miss Sake India pageant for the first time in India, Japan is going places in China as well as in Europe to launch Miss Sake contests to make Sake popular.
SUNDAY SPECIAL:
New Delhi: In an aggressive move, Japan has unleashed major campaign to promote its rice wine Sake in India and worldwide, and is now venturing into European markets too.
Japan not only launched Miss Sake India pageant for the first time in India this February, but it is also going to take similar events to Shanghai in China on March 8 and also in Paris next year.
So far, Miss Sake pageant has been confined to four places like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Australia besides Japan.
The Japanese embassy in India also hosted a series of Japanese food and beverage-specific events inviting Sake breweries from Japan to trial serve rice wine to Indian people recently.
“Sake is a healthy alcoholic beverage made with Japanese rice and India is a big market for us, and we want to promote it amongst the people here,” said Mika Eoka of Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.
In February only, the Japanese Embassy hosted ‘An Evening with Japanese Food 2020′ where it invited Indian guests to serve Japanese food and alcoholic beverages including sake, gin, and whiskey.
Also read: Nagaland girl is first Miss Sake India 2020
Earlier too in October last year at an event held in the Japanese embassy in New Delhi, eleven Sake breweries, brewers and exporters from Japan accompanied with Miss Sake Japan 2019 Sae Haruta reached India to promote Sake amongst Indian foodies as well as hoteliers.
They served different assortments of Sake such as sparkling, Umeshu (plum sake), Ko-chu (aged sake), and Ginjo, along with a variety of Japanese cuisines.
Mika Onishi, Director, Miss Sake Association said that Miss Sake pageant was aimed at promoting Sake at new places.
“The Miss Sake Shanghai 2020 will happen on March 8 as per schedule despite the scare of coronavirus COVID-19. We will hold a similar event in France too next year,” she added.
Miss Sake Association had launched Missa Sake pageant in New York too five years ago just once as it could not be organized again for some reason, said Onishi.
Sake, a very costly affair in India
However, a high customs duty at 150% and an additional 20% GST makes Sake an expensive beverage in India.
“A bottle of Sake In Japan is generally available at the price equal to Rs. 500 whereas the same bottle costs around Rs. 5000 in India because of heavy duties and other expenses,” said Kenji Sugino, secretary-general, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India (JCCII).
While elaborating it further Yuichi Koshikawa, second secretary, Embassy of Japan in India said since Sake was classified as wine, it attracted the same customs duty and taxation structure making it a costly beverage in India.
There are however some places in India where the bars are serving sake to youngsters in cocktail formations to make it affordable.
“Indian youngsters are enjoying Sake as some bars are serving Sake as cocktails or sake tonics and mix it with water or soda. There are many bars in Delhi too such as PCO restaurant that offers such type of Sake drinks,” said Yuichi Koshikawa.
Also read: After Sushi, Japanese rice wine Sake set to make a splash in India, and tickle your taste buds
