Oregon’s SakéOne to Host 13th Annual Kura Blessing and Fundraiser for Japan
24 March, 2011
Forest Grove, Oregon- America’s premium saké company, SakéOne will hold its annual kura blessing, this Saturday, March 26th. The symbolic spring ceremony with ancient Shinto roots is designed to cleanse the brewery for the year to come. This year, the ceremony will serve as a fundraiser for Mercy Corps’ efforts in Japan for victims of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan’s Northern shores on March 11.
“After the tragic events that took place in Japan last month, we thought really long and hard about the best way possible we could contribute to relief efforts already working on the ground in Japan” said SakéOne Vice President of Marketing Dewey Weddington, “The annual kura blessing which we have celebrated for thirteen years, will be the first of several of our endeavors to bring our community together through compassion and cultural understanding to support the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan. It is crucial for us to support our friends and colleagues in Japan during this very tragic time.”
Admission to the kura blessing is free and will be open to the public. There will be a table with Mercy Corps information and a Mercy Corps representative will be on site to answer questions on their efforts in Japan. Guests can donate via cash, check or credit card and donations will go directly into the non-profit organization’s system. Additionally, the tasting room will donate 10% of sales over the weekend and will set up a “Fill the Sakétini Jar” in to encourage donations. Donors of $3 or more get a sakétini in appreciation for their support. The event is the first in a string of several humanitarian efforts the brewery is planning. For more information on contributing to relief efforts through SakéOne, please visit the Mercy Corps’ SakeOne community for Japan web site.
In addition to contributing to relief efforts, the community event has always served to raise awareness of Japanese culture in the local community. The Shinto ceremony will be presided over by the Reverend Koichi Barrish of the Tsubaki Grand Shrine of Granite Falls, Washington. Barrish will perform the traditional ceremony in both Japanese and English, tossing rice and splashing saké in the brewery’s corners to cleanse it of lingering evil spirits, in hopes that the offering of saké will allow them to leave happily. Following the ceremony, guests can enjoy sake, classic izakaya-style snacks from Miho Izakaya of north Portland and a thunderous taiko performance by Takohachi, a local Japanese drumming and dance group.
The event will be held at SakéOne’s brewery at 820 Elm Street in Forest Grove, Oregon. For more information please contact 1-800-550- SAKE.
To view video of 2010 kura blessing video, please click here.
About SakeOne
SakéOne is an importer of Japan’s finest sakés and is America's premium saké company. Founded in 1992, SakéOne has been crafting strictly junmai ginjo quality saké at its state-of-the-art kura (brewery) in the heart of the Willamette Valley: Oregon’s craft beer-brewing, spirits and winemaking mecca. In 2010, SakéOne’s Momokawa “Ruby” Junmai Ginjo earned a silver medal at the prestigious all-Japanese U.S. National Saké Appraisal, no small feat for an American saké producer. Though SakéOne undoubtedly honors tradition, their Oregonian pioneering spirit is constantly evolving and has truly defined Oregon craft saké. Insert SakeOne website link here.
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