Sake: A Beyond-the-Basics Guide to Understanding, Tasting, Selection & Enjoyment ⋅ Nippan IPS

A bilingual Japanese-English book dedicated to sake, introducing readers to the basics of this iconic beverage and exploring its rich cultural heritage. Each spread features the original Japanese text on the left and its English translation on the right, with certain key terms highlighted in both languages. The Japanese text is without furigana. This book is written by John Gauntner, renowned as one of the world’s leading non-Japanese experts on sake. A long-time resident of Japan, he is fluent in Japanese and maintains close ties with brewers. For eight years, he wrote the Nihonshu Column for The Japan Times, followed by a weekly column in Japanese for the Yomiuri Shimbun. Nicknamed “The Sake Guy,” he is regularly quoted in the international press and has lectured at leading universities, from Harvard to the Wharton School. He has won the title of “Kikizake Meijin” three times for the accuracy of his tastings. A renowned educator, he leads the Sake Professional Course in Japan and the United States, where he shares his knowledge with professionals and enthusiasts from around the world.