Life in Fukuoka "English"

【Sake】

What is your drink of choice? I guess at this hour a lot of people are having a coffee or some tea, but how about later in the evening? A cold beer? A small glass of whisky? Well, have you ever had "sake"? Being here in Japan, the sky's the limit when it comes to the varieties of sake we can try. It can be enjoyed throughout the year, but winter is the season for making sake, and it's the time when new sake is released.
The main ingredients of sake are "rice, rice koji, and water," and its simple ingredients and as well as the techniques used to make it, determine its taste and quality. You can choose how you'd like to drink it, chilled, at room temperature or even warmed up. The alcohol content is typically around 15%.

In February, many sake breweries hold an event called "Kura-biraki" or a Sake Brewery Opening. During these times, you can sample the season's new sakes and tour the breweries.
There are currently 68 sake breweries in Fukuoka Prefecture, including Ishikura Shuzo, the only remaining sake brewery in the Hakata area that continues to make sake today. The eye-catching white-walled storehouse with brick chimneys was built in 1870, and is used as a restaurant, concert hall, and wedding venue. It is probably better known to people around the city as "Hakata Hyakunengura." There is also shop right on the premises, so you can pick up a bottle of your favorite sake while tasting it!
This year's sake brewery opening of "Hakata Hyakunengura" will be held for two days on February 29th (Thursday) and March 1st (Friday) from 2pm to 8pm. There will be plenty of sake for sale, including freshly squeezed new sake, a sake tasting corner, complimentary amazake (non-alcoholic), and food sales.
Why not take this opportunity to visit the brewery?

【Blue Bottle Coffee opens at Kego Shrine】

Now, I have some information about a new store opening, that might interest the coffee drinkers this morning.
In the heart of Tenjin, you'll find Kego Shrine, just next to Kego Park near Solaria Plaza. If you have been around the city for a few years, you probably noticed the renovation work going on around the shrine. It was two years ago, the shrine office underwent a major renovation, creating new space and a very cool building. In that space you'll now find the first Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Kyushu, on the first floor of the shrine office building!
Blue Bottle Coffee was founded in Oakland, USA, a sister city of Fukuoka, and operates under the belief that "a delicious coffee experience enriches life." They prioritize not only the coffee in the cup but also the experience surrounding coffee, including the space and the mugs, relentlessly pursuing deliciousness by offering specialty coffees.
Whether you choose to relax in the spacious, glass-walled interior or grab a takeout on your way back from visiting the shrine, it's open from 8 am to 8 pm. Be sure to visit for a delicious cup of coffee. Just look out for the blue bottle logo!