Sake Festival Singapore 2025 marks a milestone 10th edition with its biggest celebration yet, bringing over 500 labels, rare aged brews, and Japan’s top sake masters to Suntec City for a one-day kanpai not to be missed.
Sake lovers, rejoice — Sake Festival Singapore returns for its 2025 edition this month! More significantly, it will be a key landmark 10th edition for Singapore’s first-ever and longest-running festival dedicated to Japanese sake. Happening on 28 June 2025 at Suntec City Convention & Exhibition Centre, the one-day sake spectacular is not just another drinks fair; it will shape Singapore’s sake landscape for years to come.
For many, Sake Festival Singapore was the event that first sparked their love for Japan’s national drink. Organised by Orihara Shoten, one of Singapore’s foremost sake distributors and specialists in traditional nihonshu, the festival has played a pioneering role in shaping the city’s growing appreciation for sake since its inception in 2014. What started as a boutique affair has blossomed into a beloved annual pilgrimage for sake enthusiasts, drawing connoisseurs and curious drinkers alike with its rare access to Japan’s finest brewers.
A decade on, it continues to shape the city’s sake culture… one that is now more vibrant and knowledgeable than ever.
Sake Festival Singapore 2025 promises to be the event’s biggest yet. Whether you’re a seasoned sake enthusiast or just starting your journey, Sake Festival Singapore delivers a deep dive into the heritage, craft, and evolution of nihonshu in ways that go beyond the bottle.
You’re looking at more than 500 sakes from over 31 brewers available for your tasting pleasure, with many kuramoto (sake brewery owner), toji (master brewer), and kurabito (brewery worker) in attendance.
So what’s new this year, you ask?
New immersive experiences include an expanded section for hot sake appreciation, as well as an entire collection of aged sakes for your exploration. And we’re not talking about koshu, or “old sake” that’s deliberately-aged by breweries to develop an entirely different style of sake. Instead this is teinjukusei, or low-temperature cellaring. This collection has been lovingly matured by the Orihara team in its cellars here in Singapore, and the low temperature conditioning has resulted with sakes offering mellowed bitterness and a rich, layered complexity.
Then there are the rare and limited-edition sakes that the breweries will be unveiling to celebrate a decade of Sake Festival Singapore, many of whom have been participating since its inaugural edition.
Some examples?
- Miyagi Prefecture’s Niizawa Brewery brings its highly-prized Crystal Absolute 0, along with the sought-after Niizawa Kizashi Super 7 and Absolute 0.
- Manatsuru Brewery from Fukui Prefecture will showcase a Junmai Daiginjo aged in Oloroso sherry casks.
- Fukushima Prefecture’s Minenoyaki Brewery offers their LOHAS Organic Sake, made from premium Koshihikari rice — originally table rice for eating — from rice fields that use trained ducks for clearing weeds and insects. Yes, really.
- Kiyama Shoten in Saga Prefecture will pour its gold medal-winning Kihotsuru from Saga
Sake Festival Singapore 2025 also sees the return of its beloved Izakaya Alley. Led by chefs Sho Naganuma and Koki Miyoshi, the Tanjong Pagar-based ‘Tanpaga’ chef collective returns with a beefed-up izakaya alley serving up bites crafted to pair beautifully with sake.
And if you feel overwhelmed by the prospect of trying over 500 sakes, be sure tap on the guided tours led by certified sake sommeliers. It’s a great way to discover hidden gems, and perhaps more importantly, skip the snaking queues at popular stops. Ahem.
On the way out, you’ll also want to stop by the merchandise section. Here in particular you’ll find a stunning range of sake cups from design boutique atomi, such as Gifu’s famous Minoyaki earthenware or Yamagata porcelain, that elevate your drinking experience.
So whether you’re chasing rare bottles, chatting with brewers, or simply sipping your way through this integral part of Japanese culture, Sake Festival Singapore 2025 promises to be one unforgettable kanpai.
Tickets are priced at S$60 per person. To purchase tickets or find out more, visit: www.sakefestival.sg.
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