Sake, like Japanese fashion, anime or even sushi, can be an acquired taste. Just like those other cultural exports from Japan, sake comes in a wide variety of different styles and flavors, and while your first taste may not be precisely what you're looking for, it can be rewarding for those who keep an open mind and are willing to explore.

Helping to spread the love for sake and gain new fans around the world are the ambitious goals of a new government-sponsored international effort called the Enjoy Japanese Kokushu Project. ("Kokushu" refers to sake and shochu, Japan's distinctive "national drinks.") In early September, The Japan Times spoke with Shigeyuki Shinohara, the chairman of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, about the background behind the project and Japan's efforts to promote sake around the world.

"Because the population of Japan is gradually getting smaller, the sake industry must think about ways to expand beyond its borders," Shinohara said in his office above the Sake Plaza information center in the Shinbashi district of Tokyo. "Right now, there is a booming interest in sushi and other Japanese foods all over the world, so there's an opportunity to take advantage of that interest. Sake is the natural match for Japanese cuisine — it's not an after-dinner drink, or a drink you have at a bar — it's meant to accompany meals, especially fish and other Japanese foods."