I have become a kurabito, at least for a week I have. What’s a kurabito? A sake brewery worker. How did this happen? Read on.

Yasutaka Daimon is the shacho and toji of Daimon Shuzo in Osaka. Since he wears the hats of both shacho and toji, or president and master-brewer, Daimon-san’s kura is truly his own domain. He has been generous enough to share it with several groups of visitors from abroad this year. I was lucky enough to be accepted as a member of the second session of the Mukune International Sake Brewing Program [MISBP] at Daimon Shuzo, directed by Beau Timken of True Sake.

I arrived at the kura on Sunday and have busy ever since. This experience has already been totally amazing, and there are still three more days to go. After the many lectures I have attended, websites perused, manga struggled through, and brewery tours, this is the capstone. Getting up every morning to go on rounds with the toji then turn my hands to the same tasks as the brewery staff has tied everything together.

Don’t take my word for it, visit the MISBP group blog for my postings and the perspectives of everyone else staying and working in the brewery. We are a pretty eclectic group. If you want to get up-to-the-minute news, follow me on Twitter as saketechan.

If you see something you like and are in the States, Daimon Shuzo products are distributed in the US by Vine Connections. You might get a bottle I helped produce. And, it has been a lot of fun doing it, too!

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