For those interested:
There is a sake / pairing event at Sake Dojo on Friday 10/4. The brewery featured will be Inaba Shuzo from Ibaraki prefecture. I actually met with them when they were doing an event in Northern California SF Bay Area, and they told me they are going to be in LA (as of writing actually) for about a week or so.
The event at Dojo will be a set menu of food paired with their sake, and there should be upwards of four kinds. I do not have further details but was told when I called Dojo, that it would run about $70. Seats are limited from what they said, so call them directly if you want to find out more, type of food, and what kind of courses.
Inaba Shuzo makes two sake: one called Minaogawa which are Junmai Ginjo, and their upper exquisite Junmai Daiginjo, “Stella” of which there is a premium version and a non premium. The Premium is absolutely magnificent and needs to be tried. I believe Sushi Ginza Onodera currently carries Stella Premium and Shunji had it briefly as well. However, Stella should work quite brilliantly with many other cuisines…I’d probably take it to Providence, high end French and Italian as well, and even simpler fare like Connie & Ted’s. The Premium drinks like a semi sweet dry Riesling with some age and viscosity, but far more versatile and less in the way of stone fruit aromas. Of course it’s going to work for sure at the usual sushi suspects as well, and I’m told it’s killer with duck surprisingly. The other sake are great for beginners and intermediate drinkers as well, delicate, elegant, feminine in nature (and not because the master brewer is female), clean and dry overall.
The brewery people are actually going to be there: the master brewer is currently 6th generation (and owner as well), her name is Nobuko Inaba. With her is her husband and their older daughter Misaki (who speaks fluent English, mom not as much but very friendly). Inaba Shuzo doesn’t really sell their sake outside of their geographic area within Japan, so you will not find it in Tokyo…but their sake are exported overseas. The brewery is not big, and a lot of the process is manual (labor intensive), so one can categorize it as artisanal.
More info about the brewery (and also check out their youtube videos)
Other places you might find Stella premium retail: Tokyo Central market (OC?), Wine House (LA), or see if your favorite restaurant can special order it for you (if you are FOTC/friend of the chef).
I’ve no idea what the food is like there, but either way this is a great learning opportunity. I’m not affiliated with them, but I do dearly love that Stella Premium Junmai Daiginjo Muroka Genshu Shizuku (unfiltered, undiluted, gravity drip sake).