Nakameguro GT

Immerse yourself in a sake-tasting adventure at one of Tokyo's premier sake festivals. Held three times a year, Washu Fes celebrates the culture and tradition of sake-making. For the festival's 32nd edition, 53 breweries from around Japan will set up shop in Nakameguro, where you can sample over 250 varieties of sake. Some of the participating sake makers such as Igarashi Syuzo and Iwase Sake Brewing are based around the Kanto region, while others hail from faraway prefectures like Aomori or Kumamoto. The theme of the 32nd edition is 'Enjoy the perfect sip as autumn deepens', so expect a curated selection of autumn-brewed sake and warm sake that's perfect for the winter months – including everything from hiya-oroshi (sake aged until autumn) to piping hot sake and plum wine, all only available after autumn. If you find something you like, you’ll be able to purchase full bottles of your favourite sake on-site. Besides sake tasting, the programme will feature stage performances including a shakuhachi flute and trumpet duet by traditional instrument unit Iccho Isshi and a tsugaru shamisen and taiko drumming performance by Masakatsu and Chiyozono Tsuyoshi. Tasting tickets for residents of Japan are ¥3,600 on Rakuten Travel Experiences (sold out) and ¥4,500 for tourists with foreign credit cards via Stripe. The ticket includes a tasting cup, a sake textbook, an original fan, a bottle of water and a pouch to carry the cup home. With limited space available, it's wise to arrive...