One good thing about globalization is that the sake available in Toronto these days is no longer solely limited to the poorest examples of Japan’s national liquor. If the only sake you’ve ever tried has been the “house sake” at the nearest all-you-can-eat sushi joint, then you haven’t had sake. In honour of Kampai Toronto’s Festival of Sake, this evening at The Distillery District, we offer you seven reasons to make sake your drink of choice.
- Sake just happens to go very well with sushi, so that almost classifies it as health food.
- The more you drink it, the better your karaoke gets.
- The small cups promote fast drinking.
- Japanese custom dictates that your drinking partners are honour-bound to keep your cup filled to the rim. Of course, that means you also have to pour for them — but, fortunately…
- Sake doesn’t leave stains. Does it?
- Sake is typically consumed straight up — not diluted with water, ice, juice or anti-freeze — so that justifies getting the good stuff.
- It gives you an excuse to use every Japanese word you know, in a loud voice, over and over again: “Arigato!” “Kampai!1” “Banzai!” “Kono nihonshu wa, oishii, ne? Mo nomimasho!”
If you want to know more cool things about sake, read this.
1Why do people say “kampai”? because writing it is really difficult: 乾杯!
Evan Andrew Mackay is a Toronto playwright and humorist who writes about culture and social justice.
