Everyday Sake

“A must-have, whether you are a sake beginner or a person with more koji knowledge. Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori cover everything you want to know about sake and break it down so that it is easy to digest and fun to read! I will return to Everyday Sake again and again.”—Kenta Goto, owner of Bar Goto and Bar Goto Niban “Everyday Sake is the guide I wish everyone had when discovering sake for the first time—warm, clear, and refreshingly unpretentious. Yoko and Kayoko bring both expertise and genuine joy to every page, breaking down technique and tradition in a way that feels effortless. This book doesn’t just teach; it welcomes you, invites you to linger, to pour, to taste, and to be grateful for the everyday moments that Japanese sake makes brighter.”—Julia Momosé, chef and creative director at Kumiko and author of The Way of the Cocktail “Kayoko and Yoko have created the definitive road map for readers of all experience levels to learn about sake of all types for every conceivable venue in concise, accessible, easy-to-reference illustrated chapters that provide the technical vocabulary and critical framework to select the ideal sake for your next gathering.”—Jim Meehan, author of Meehan’s Bartender Manual “Yoko and Kayoko have distilled the complexity of sake into pure joy—Everyday Sake is as refreshing and illuminating as the drink itself. Their passion and clarity remind me that mastery begins with curiosity, shared over a well-chosen glass.”—Aldo Sohm, sommelier and author of Wine Simple and Wine Simple: Perfect Pairings “Yoko and Kayoko have a remarkable talent for making sake approachable for everyone. To have access to their aesthetic and knowledge in print makes this colorful book such a fun teaching tool and reference book all in one.”—Tanya Holland, award-winning chef and author of California Soul “This is an absolutely definitive guide to the wide and wonderful world of sake! Covering process and production, art and science, this book makes sake accessible and enjoyable with colorful imagery and new ways to pair and serve. As fun as it is informative, Everyday Sake demystifies one of the greatest and most misunderstood beverages.”—Kyle Connaughton, chef/owner of Michelin three-star restaurant SingleThread“Not surprisingly Yoko and Kayoko’s book is as fun, approachable, and wise as they and their shop are. They define and organize this beautiful, historic drink while allowing it to remain magic and untamed.”—Thad Vogler, founder of Bar Agricole“What wine did for terroir, this book does for koji. You’ll never look at rice, yeast, or water the same way again.”—André Mack, somm-at-large“Yoko and Kayoko are two of the great ambassadors of Japanese culture. They’ve brought their playful, energetic, and curious sensibility to explaining the opaque world of Japanese sake. This is an essential guide.”—Sylvan Mishima Brackett, chef/owner of Rintaro

Yoko Kumano and Kayoko Akabori are the founders of Umami Mart, a Japanese drinks store in Oakland, California. Childhood friends from Cupertino, they started a food blog called Umami Mart in 2007 as a way to stay in touch (and deflect boredom) from their cubicle jobs in Tokyo and New York. After moving back to the Bay Area, they opened their shop in downtown Oakland in 2012. Umami Mart started as a barware and kitchen tools store before expanding to sake and spirits, and it now focuses on sake education through classes and a monthly club. The shop has been featured in The New York Times, Wirecutter, and New York magazine, and the owners are frequent guests on various drinks podcasts.