Top Pour: Japan's Annual Sake Festival

January 6, 2010 By: Meagan Drillinger

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The city of Niigata, Japan is saying bottoms up from March 13 to 14 in celebration of the country's national tipple: sake.

This two-day event, Sake-no-Jin, is devoted to showcasing over 500 labels of Niigata's sake, as well as unveiling their sake of the year. The different varieties are coupled with the region's fresh seafood dishes to enhance the experience.

Each year around 70,000 attendees make the journey to the event, and this year expectations are no different. But if you happen to miss the event, Niigata's breweries are open for public viewing year round and some offer brewery tours for foreign visitors.