Sake Matsuri 2026

From a niche gathering of sake enthusiasts to Southeast Asia’s largest sake festival, Singapore-founded Sake Matsuri marks its 12th edition from 28 to 29 March 2026 with its biggest showcase yet. As cherry blossoms bloom across Japan this March, festival-goers in Singapore can join in the seasonal celebration of Japanese culture, craftsmanship and lifestyle at Sake Matsuri at the iconic F1 Pit Building. 

This year’s expanded edition will feature more than 500 labels of Japanese sake and spirits, spanning two fully air-conditioned halls — one dedicated entirely to sake, and the other spotlighting a curated spirits selection. A festival bar run by Japanese speakeasy Shin Gi Tai will serve up cocktails made with selected spirits, concocted by bartender-owner Anthony Zhong, who honed his skills in Ginza’s legendary Coffee Bar K. 

Sake Matsuri tickets start from $55 per person for a 3-hour free-flow tasting session. VIP all-day access passes are available at $128 per person or $248 a pair, providing priority access to masterclasses.

A wider celebration of Japanese craft and culture 

Deepening its cultural showcase, Sake Matsuri will introduce the Matsuri Vintage Market in collaboration with The Retro Factory. The market brings together more than 20 vendors presenting a distinctive mix of collectible and artisanal finds — from rare records with a focus on Japanese virgin vinyl to handcrafted jewellery, timepieces, bespoke millinery and retro fashion. A coffee pop-up by Oatly, presented in collaboration with Narrative Coffee, will also be part of the space. 

The Matsuri Vintage Market is located in an unticketed area and is open to the public. The first 200 visitors each day who follow the Instagram accounts of Sake Matsuri, Oatly and Narrative will receive a complimentary Oatly signature beverage.

Level 1 will also host a vibrant line-up of gourmet food and live entertainment, rounding out the festival atmosphere. Odem, The Oyster Cart, Fatt Choy Eating House, Yoppi, Tensei, Ye Olde Cow and Assumption Fine Foods will serve up festival-ready bites designed to pair seamlessly with sake, spirits and beer. Singapore indie rock band freereina! will perform original tracks live, while DJs Itch, Minimal Simplicity, and Hiddy keep the energy high throughout the weekend. 

New-to-Singapore labels and rare bottlings take centrestage 

Known as the festival to watch for new sake discoveries, Sake Matsuri will once again present exceptional sake selections not previously available in Singapore for free-flow tasting. Among the highlights is Yamamoto Honke, a Kyoto-based brewery from the historic Fushimi region — one of the city’s most prominent sake-producing areas due to its abundance of pristine underground water. Established in 1677 and currently helmed by the 11th generation of the Yamamoto family, the brewery uses “Shirakikusui”, a natural soft spring water known for its richness and clarity, to craft its refined sake expressions. 

At the festival, the debuting brewery will showcase its Gold Medal-winning sakes, including its flagship Shinsei Iwai Junmai Daiginjo and Matsu no Midori Junmai Daiginjo. Also available is Yuzu Omoi, a delicate blend of fresh yuzu and sake, offered in limited quantities due to scarce harvests in recent years. Yuzu Omoi can be enjoyed on its own or used as a versatile mixer — for instance, paired with champagne to create a refreshing spritzer perfectly suited for tropical weather. 

Another brewery to watch is Tonoike Shuzo, founded in 1937 by Itsugoro Tonoike, whose family began brewing sake in Tochigi Prefecture in 1829. The brewery ranked 4th in the world at the 2019 “World Sakagura Ranking”, which awards breweries based on their performance in major international sake competitions. 

The brewery’s Bo series reflects a focus on the Junmai style, with each expression produced as Muroka Genshu (unfiltered and undiluted) at 16% ABV. These sakes are characterised by firm acidity, clarity and structure, balanced by a rounded sweetness suited to food pairing. 

The Bo Junmai Daiginjo Omachi Muroka Nama Genshu is a premium sake brewed with Omachi rice, known for its pronounced umami and depth. Despite its concentration, careful temperature control during pasteurisation preserves freshness and lift. It shows layered aromatics and a long, savoury finish. 

In the spirits hall, pass-holders can taste Kozo Sweet Potato Shochu, making its Singapore debut at Sake Matsuri. Produced in Kushima, Miyazaki Prefecture, using Kogane Sengan sweet potatoes, Japanese rice, and natural spring water, this expression reflects the region’s long-standing shochu-making tradition. Fermented with black koji and matured in unglazed earthenware jars buried underground, it develops a deep, full-bodied profile with pronounced umami and aroma. It can be enjoyed on the rocks, with soda, or with hot water. 

Festival-goers who wish to dive deeper into sake can attend a series of masterclasses over the weekend, including two by Asia’s Sake Samurais – Adrian Goh, co-founder of Sake Matsuri and Director of Singapore’s Inter Rice Asia, and Elliot Faber, founding Beverage Director of Michelin-starred Yardbird Hong Kong. In line with the expanded focus on Japanese spirits, Chandrakant Mohanty, founder of spirits retailer Mizunara, will conduct a masterclass on Shochu. 

This year, the festival continues to partner BE WTR. As Sake Matsuri’s Water & Sustainability Partner, the B-Corp certified brand will present their locally bottled, premium still and sparkling water for hydration between sake tastings. The bottles are collected for reuse at the end of the event, creating a circular system with zero single-use waste. 

Tickets can be purchased from www.sakematsuri.sg.