Every winter and spring for the last 10 years, Philip Harper reckons he has had no more than a few nights of uninterrupted sleep, but he's more than willing to sacrifice some shut-eye in pursuit of the perfect glass of sake.
The only foreign brewer of Japan's unique nihonshu, Harper has learned his trade at the traditionally run Ume no Yado brewery in Shinjo, Nara Prefecture. But, despite his 10 years in the business, he's still got another decade to go before becoming a master brewer, and from next year he will be continuing his education at another brewery.
Still, he readily accepts that he has an awful lot more to learn.