Sake Festival Singapore returns on 20 June 2026 for its 11th edition, this year under the theme "The Masters' Return." The event runs from 2pm to 7pm at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, Level 4 Hall 403, with last admission at 5.30pm.

The festival is organised by Orihara, one of Singapore's main importer and distributor of nihonshu. It has been held annually since 2015. This year, more than 40 breweries from Japan will be present, with over 600 sakes and spirits available to try. The producers attending include kurabitos and tojis, brewery workers and master brewers respectively, who are involved in the daily production of sake at source.

Among the confirmed breweries: the famous Dassai Inc., a Yamaguchi-based producer known for its junmai daiginjo range; Hakurakusei from Niizawa Brewery in Miyagi Prefecture, which developed a category it calls shokuchushu, sakes formulated to accompany food rather than to be drunk independently - the style has since been adopted by a number of Michelin-starred restaurants; Shimeharitsuru by Miyao Brewery, which uses underground water flowing from the Asahi mountain range via the Miomote River; and Yukinobosha.

A few individual sakes are worth flagging. Azuma Rikishi's CAVE UROKO 5 is a blend of five cave-aged sakes. Then there is Yamakawa Mitsuo 2026, a collaboration between four Yamagata Prefecture breweries. The name is an acronym, one character drawn from each of the four brands: "Yama" from Yamagata Masamune, "Kawa" from Tatenokawa, "Mitsu" from Toko/Retsu, and "O" from Uyo Otokoyama. The result is described as a junmai sake aimed at high drinkability. From Hiroshima, Kamotsuru Brewery's Shuchu Zaishin Junmai Daiginjo uses Yamadanishiki rice from the Zoga district of Higashihiroshima and subterranean water from Mt. Ryuo. The brewery was founded in Saijo in 1873.

The main new addition to this year's programme is the Workshop Arena, making its debut at the festival. It runs complimentary sessions by Dassai, Suntory Toki whisky, and SKLO glassware, alongside sake tastings hosted by consumer group Sake Bottle Share. All sessions are included with festival entry.

Suntory will also be pouring The Premium Malt's for the first time at Sake Festival Singapore – this includes its premium on-trade only serves such as the Mliko, Sunset and Half & Half. Mliko is a novel Czech-style pour where beer is dispensed almost entirely as dense, uniform foam. The result is a softer mouthfeel and gentler bitterness than a conventional pour, and the technique requires a specific tap setup and trained execution. Kaoru Ale and Master's Dream will also be served. Both are not widely distributed at retail and are normally available only through select food and beverage outlets.

The Izakaya Alley, which first appeared at the festival in 2024, returns, run by the Tanjong Pagar Yokocho group of chefs. The menu runs to oden, karaage, California-style crab uramaki, anago stick sushi, and otsumami. Food starts at $6.

Attendees can also join sommelier-guided tours of the exhibition floor, offered as short themed walkthroughs led by the festival's sommeliers.

Advance tickets are $60, rising to $70 at the door. A 5+1 bundle is available, giving six tickets for the price of five. Visit Sake Festival Singapore’s official site for tickets and full details.

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team