Every week, sake sommelier Satoko Utsugi leads groups of overseas visitors past the Fukagawa Fudosan Temple and along a shopping street in Tokyo¡¯s downtown neighborhood of Monzen-Nakacho.
Their destination is Orihara Shoten, a sake shop with a tasting bar, and Utsugi¡¯s mission is to provide a taste of Japanese culture through the country¡¯s national drink. At the shop, she answers questions and acts as an interpreter when the Japanese customers express curiosity in her guests ¡ª an almost inevitable occurrence.
¡°Japanese people become a lot friendlier after a little sake,¡± she laughs, adding that bonhomie is an important part of the experience she offers.
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