Salon du Saké: a 2025 edition in the colors of FUKUSHIMA celebrating the international recognition of the famous Japanese drink
Sake, Japan's emblematic beverage, is gaining recognition on the international scene. Now that its koji-based production method has been listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage site, the Salon européen du Saké et des boissons japonaises, to be held in Paris from October 4 to 6, 2025, will explore and question this new era.
Far from being just a meeting place for connoisseurs, the event is aimed at all food and beverage professionals, as well as curious amateurs, eager to understand the place of these beverages on our contemporary tables.
Surprising food and beverage pairings
Often mistakenly regarded as a digestive, or even a simple rice alcohol, sake is not a spirit, nor is it distilled. In fact, it's a fermented beverage of great complexity, just like wine. Its aromatic profiles, with floral, vegetal, mineral, spicy and sometimes cereal notes, make it an excellent match for our Western cuisines. Its low acidity and moderate alcohol content make it particularly well-suited to the subtle flavors of seafood, vegetables or cheeses. For chefs and sommeliers, it's an opportunity to discover new harmonies and explore new possibilities for culinary pairings, especially as sake can come to the rescue of wine, when it's in difficulty with bitter vegetables, for example, or vinegary dishes, and so on..
Although the show focuses on sake, it does not stop there. It also showcases a wide range of other Japanese beverages, including shochu,umeshu, yuzushu and other liqueurs, beers, whiskies and even the booming Japanese gins, not forgetting the archipelago's famous green teas.
With over 500 beverages on offer for tasting, the show offers a complete panorama of Japanese know-how, taking visitors on a veritable sensory and cultural voyage.
Fukushima, the guest of honor at an expertly organized event
This year's show will feature the Fukushima prefecture, with a delegation of producers personally travelling from Japan. These artisans will be presenting a wide variety of sakes from their region. To mark this exceptional presence, a daily master class will be devoted to Fukushima prefecture, and a food-sake tasting workshop will be led by two Michelin-starred chefs, exploring exclusive pairings with sakes from the region.
The theme of the 2025 edition, "Sake, a new recognition?", finds a particular echo in this highlight. The event program features some thirty educational and cultural encounters, presenting sakes from all over the archipelago through tasting-workshops, master classes, tastings and other events.gustation workshops, master classes, conferences and round tables, to deepen knowledge of regional styles and production techniques, the history of Japanese beverages and their place in the world of catering.
Practical information
- Dates : Saturday, October 4 to Monday, October 6, 2025
- Saturday and Sunday: 10.30 a.m. - 7.30 p.m
- Monday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Venue: New Cap Event Center, 3 Quai de Grenelle, Paris 15ᵉ.
- Access by public
- Professionals: Free per accreditation request for all 3 days at www.salon-du-sake.fr
- Individuals: €30 per day (Saturday and Sunday only).
