Natsumatsuri 2025 Lecture, Sake tasting & bottles to go at the summer festival of the Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne

As every year in July, the Japanese Cultural Institute Cologne invites you to celebrate on a warm summer's day. Come along with your family, friends, or acquaintances and experience the atmosphere of a Japanese summer festival, a Natsumatsuri, as it is called in Japan. There are Japanese courses, calligraphy etc. to experience and Japanese food and delicious sake for purchase. Admission is free.

Program in the hall

11:15 Film screening

The Genealogy of Sake

一献の系譜 Ikkon no keifu

Director: ISHII Kaori, 103 min, 2015, OmeU

13:30

Lecture

Sake & (Hi)Stories

by Sake Samurai Yoshiko Ueno-Müller

The Japanese national drink sake has a history of around 2000 years and reflects the landscape, culture and history of the region. This shared history, however, is made up of countless personal stories of the many individuals involved in sake production, from brewery workers to owners. The author of the award-winning book "SAKE - Mythos. Craft. Pleasure." Yoshiko Ueno-Müller presents some of the stories from her book.

Tasting & Sale Outdoors

Yoshiko & Jörg from UENO GOURMET offer tastings and sales of premium sake. Refreshing sparkling sake, traditional barrel-aged sake, and fruity yuzu sake are included. 

Flight of 4 different sake incl. Kikichoko cup for 10 €