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Ever-prolific 'Superflat' artist Takashi Murakami’s next partner in crime is a slightly unlikely one: sake brewing team Next 5, which represents five nihonshu makers from Akita prefecture. The nihonshu masters have worked their magic, Murakami's decorated the bottle label and packaging with his signature Flower theme, and one variety of Japan’s traditional spirit now has a very contemporary look. Here's what you need to know about it.
The entire sake industry has been struggling with declining consumption levels for years, so breweries can no longer rely solely on quality and name recognition. Aiming to preserve nihonshu culture for the next generation and resuscitate interest in it, the folks behind the Next 5 breweries teamed up in 2010. Basing their cooperation on frequent exchanges of information and techniques, they've produced a special sake together almost every year since.
2016 marks their seventh batch – and second collaboration with an artist, following a tie-up with techno pin-up Richie Hawtin in 2015. The Next folks first approached Murakami, who quickly gave his approval to having the flower design adorn the bottles. In order to understand where his boozy buddies were coming from, the artist visited all five breweries, but left the nitty-gritty of brewing entirely up to Next 5 – fortunately, one may say.
The Next 5 brewers are particular about using local Akita ingredients, and have also recently started employing the traditional Kimoto brewing technique, which was in use before the invention of mass production. Their policy is to go back to the roots to produce supremely fresh sake for contemporary tastes.
'It took much longer than usual and we had to go through more different processes to brew. But teamwork paid off, and the sake happened to taste quite modern, so it should be easy for many people to enjoy' says Tadahiko Kobayashi, president and head brewer of Akita Brewery. In order to appeal to urbanites, the Next 5 sake is sold mainly in Tokyo, and Kobayashi hopes it reaches not only sake enthusiasts but also fans of Murakami’s art.
Although Murakami laughs away his contribution – 'I didn’t do anything but printed the flowers on the bottle' – he is assured of Next 5’s potential and success. 'I’ve heard that Next 5 is now a menace to the whole sake industry. I don’t really know much about sake tastes, but am glad to hear that everyone, including those who do, says it tastes great.'
Partly because of the burdensome brewing process, the sake is released in a limited quantity, so you best go look for it right now. It's currently on sale at select stores, and from July 2 at Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki collective-run Bar Zingaro (Nakano Broadway, 2F).
