This Week in Tokyo – 5 July 2022

Welcome to ‘This Week in Tokyo’, a review of the Maction Planet week that was and a look ahead to what’s coming up in the city. Hosted by Mac, our Founder and Lead Guide, you can check out photos from our tours and read insights into our explorations as we get under the skin of the World’s Greatest Metropolis, and beyond! This week: Back in Maction; TW Proud Voices; Iki Shochu Day; Soft Serve Ice Cream Day and Kanosuke 2022 Limited Edition.

Featured image – Back in Maction: This weekend I guided my first non-resident tour guests in 28 months. Ethan is a former Maction Planet Tokyo Private Tour guest who toured with me in 2018. He and Caitlin were here on business and wanted to maximise their downtime.

We covered the length and breadth of the city focusing on the backstreets of Tokyo and the incredible food and drink options therein!

Although they told me that they loved our time together, it was unclear from my side who was enjoying themselves more! To be back in my ikigai zone, sharing my passion for the World’s Greatest Metropolis, was a feeling I cannot describe.

If you or your colleagues are here in Tokyo on business and want to take your trip to the next level, get in touch!

TW Proud Voices: I was honoured to be invited to Tokyo Weekender’s Proud Voices event –  a one-night-only celebration of individuality and diversity held in collaboration with the charity Housing First which hopes to raise awareness and help members of the LGBT community in Japan find a safe place to call home. The event featured performances by Haus von Schwarz – Haus father and mother Verik and Nattamara are pictured – and Aisho Nakajima. A fantastic evening for a great cause.

Iki Shochu Day: 1 July is Iki Shochu Day!

Stunning Iki Island is considered the birthplace of Mugi (Barley) Shochu. There are 7 Shochu distilleries on the island, all making the drink. In fact, Iki has its own GI protection, just like Champagne! Between them, they make a whopping 107 bottlings!

I didn’t sample all 107 during the travel and drinks consulting work I did there last November, but I gave it a good go! It was my job after all, as you can see from the photo in which I’m sampling and assessing a representative shochu from each of the seven distilleries along with food pairings created by superstar chef Eri Matsumoto!

If you want to know more about Mugi Shochu, click here.

Kanpai!

Soft Serve Ice Cream Day: Another notable day in Japan – 3 July is Soft Serve Ice Cream Day! To celebrate, here’s a Sweet Potato Shochu flavour soft serve from Sengan-en in Kagoshima!

Kanosuke 2022 Limited Edition: Kanpai Planet is proud to present one of the world’s first reviews of Single Malt Kanosuke 2022 Limited Edition. This year’s Kanosuke Limited Edition uses sherry as the ‘key malt’. How does it compare to the highly regarded 2021 First Edition and Second Editions, which clinched Silver and Gold respectively at the 2022 World Whiskies Awards? Find out by watching the definitive guide to one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2022. As per the usual, expect lots of historic tidbits and other edutainment in true Kanpai Planet fashion.

The star of my Kanosuke 2022 Limited Edition review was TEN the Duck! He stole the show despite appearing for only 48 frames! Join 800 other viewers (!) and check him and me out in the review.

For all the Kanpai Planet Kanosuke reviews, check out this Kanosuke playlist.

Maction Planet runs bespoke Private Tours and Experiences in Tokyo, and beyond. To book yours, or to purchase a gift card, contact us at info@mactionplanet.com

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