Catch the SAKE Breeze: Six Leading Houston Restaurants Celebrate Japanese Sake This October

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JFOODO

Sep 30, 2025, 20:20 ET


Launching on World Sake Day, the month-long campaign offers sake flights, cocktails, and curated pairings at top Houston restaurants.

HOUSTON, Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center (JFOODO), established by the Government of Japan, announces the launch of "Catch the SAKE Breeze", a month-long campaign in Houston from October 1st–31st, 2025. The initiative is designed to promote Japanese sake to Houstonians by showcasing its refreshing taste and distinctive, versatile flavors.

The campaign aims to highlight the refreshing qualities of Japanese sake under the tagline "Catch the SAKE Breeze." Six well regarded Houston restaurants will participate, with each restaurant's culinary talent creating limited-time menus tailored to its unique concept and clientele. These menus will feature sake flights, cocktails, and curated pairings with Japanese and Japanese fusion dishes for an experience designed to be shared with friends, family, and close companions.

"While Japanese cuisine has become widely available across Houston, opportunities to experience authentic Japanese sake remain limited," said Taiki Sawabe, Director of JFOODO Los Angeles. "Not limited to hot sake, Japanese sake offers a wide variety of ways to be enjoyed. By partnering with six outstanding restaurants across the city, we aim to create new opportunities for Houstonians to taste and enjoy Japanese sake in ways that highlight its refreshing and versatile qualities. October will be the perfect month to celebrate Japanese food and drink."

The campaign will officially commence on October 1, World Sake Day, with events hosted at Azumi, KAZZAN, IKTO, and ZEN. Each restaurant will offer a unique experience for guests to enjoy Japanese sake.

On October 9th, Christian Suzuki — a renowned bartender featured on Netflix's Drink Masters, nominated for Bartender of the Year by Tales of the Cocktail (2022 & 2023), and winner of the Rising Star Award from StarChefs Magazine (2022) will appear as a special guest bartender at Hando / Kanpai Club - SPRING BRANCH and KUU, offering innovative sake cocktails.

Restaurant details:

  • Azumi | 4444 Westheimer Rd Suite G130 Houston, TX | azumirestaurant.com
  • Special sake flight menu available throughout October.
  • World Sake Day Event: Wednesday, October 1st. Offering crispy rice tuna to customers who order off the special sake menu.

  • KAZZAN | 191 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007 | kazzanramenhtx.com
  • Special sake flights and a sake cocktail menu are available throughout October.
  • World Sake Day Event: Launch Event: Wednesday, October 1st. Offering small bites (chicken karaage, takoyaki, edamame, or fries) to customers who order off the special sake menu.

  • IKTO | 1221 W 11th St, Houston, TX 77008 | iktohtx.com
  • Special sake flight and sake pairing menu available throughout October.
  • World Sake Day Event: Wednesday, October 1st. Offering 2 Takoyaki to customers who order off the special sake menu.

  • ZEN |2015 S Shepherd Dr #700, Houston, TX 77019 | zenjapaneseizakaya.com
  • Special sake pairing menu available throughout October.
  • World Sake Day Event: Wednesday, October 1st. Offering small bites (kinpira gobo or lotus root with spicy cod roe) to customers who order off the special sake menu.

  • Hando / Kanpai Club | handohtx.com
  • Special sake flight with three small food plates, and a sake cocktail from a recipe by Christian Suzuki, available throughout October at two locations.
  • SPRING BRANCH | 8211 Long Point Rd, Suite C, Houston, TX 77055
  • HEIGHTS | 518 W 11th St, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77008
  • Guest Bartender Event at SPRING BRANCH: Thursday, October 9th, 8:30–11:00 PM. Bartender Christian Suzuki will be at the bar serving a sake cocktail — for one day only, making this a truly special experience.

  • KUU | 947 Gessner Rd, Houston, TX 770244 | kuurestaurant.com
  • Special sake flight and sake cocktails available, including a sake cocktail from a recipe by Christian Suzuki, available throughout October.
  • Guest Bartender Event: Thursday, October 9th, 5:00–7:30 PM. Bartender Christian Suzuki will be at the bar serving a sake cocktail — for one day only, making this a truly special experience.

Links:

ABOUT JFOODO

JFOODO (The Japan Food Product Overseas Promotion Center) was established in 2017 as part of JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization) to promote the export of Japanese agricultural, forestry, fishery, and food products. By branding and widely promoting Japanese food, JFOODO aims to increase awareness of Japanese cuisine and cultivate fans worldwide, contributing to the global spread of Japan's food culture.

Media Contact

Riki Yamaguchi, JFOODO, 1 (310)596-8045, [email protected], https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/jfoodo/

SOURCE JFOODO