Want to Attend a Shigemasu Brewery Event? — The Members' Tasting, and How to Talk with the Brewery If You Can't Go

"I'd like to go to a Shigemasu brewery open day." Search for it and you'll notice the dates are hard to find. There's a reason for that.

The brewery gathering held by Takahashi Shoten — which brews Shigemasu in Motomachi, Yame City, Fukuoka, founded 1717 — is called the "Hizoshu wo Tanoshimu Kai" (roughly, "a gathering to enjoy the reserve sake"), held by invitation for members. It is different in character from an open-to-all brewery open day.

What the members' tasting is

It is a members' invitation gathering, announced in the news section of Takahashi Shoten's official website. The 28th edition was held in spring 2026 — a long-running occasion for people with a connection to the brewery.

The latest details and the form of the gathering can change. Check the news section of Takahashi Shoten's official website for anything definite.

How it differs from Fukuoka's "kurabiraki"

Across Fukuoka Prefecture, many breweries hold a "kurabiraki" — a brewery open day for the general public, mostly in spring. That's why a search for "Yame brewery open day" mixes invitation-only gatherings with public events.

The Shigemasu gathering is invitation-only. So every year there are people who "couldn't go" or "aren't members." That's where this gets to the point.

How those who can't attend can hear from the brewery

Not being able to attend doesn't mean you can't hear from the brewery. Takahashi Shoten runs an online chat officially approved by the brewery owner. How to choose a sake, about the brewery, about the town of Yame — answers come back based on the owner's first-hand information, any time of year.

To be clear about what it is: the chat is an AI. We state that openly, and the content is supervised by the owner. It is free. It can't replace the warmth of the event itself, but for "I want to hear it from someone at the brewery," it is the most direct window there is.