Make a wish along the path of Shoshuu Tori and enjoy fun Japanese festival games
IPPINKAN by the time sommelier pop-up store opens,
Bringing in town the first ever sake vending machines
This fall, from now until November 8, Miss SAKE Hong Kong joins forces with LCX Harbour City, for the debut of an indoor Japanese festival experience – “Once Upon a Reiwa Autumn” Festival. With installations that are seen in traditional Japanese festivals and many other picture-worthy sites, local patrons are in luck to be surrounded by all things Japanese, right here in Hong Kong. Japanese and sake cultures take center stage, with the festival filled with fun games with prizes, workshops, and among all, a new pop-up store IPPINKAN by the time sommelier, which specializes in Japanese lifestyle products.
The “Once Upon a Reiwa Autumn” Festival is divided into four sections, each unveils a different facet of Japanese culture. Begin your journey along the “Shoshuu Tori”, with a selfie in front of the Aki Shrine’s torii. Inside the “Once Upon a Reiwa Autumn” Festival goodie bag, there’s a wishing coin for you to pop into the saisenabko and make a wish. Get your stamp there and make your way to the next section, probably the most exhilarating of all, where the Daruma Otoshi stands tall and proud. Knock down the stacking pieces one by one with a wooden mallet. Redeem amazing prizes with the stamps collected as rewards for your perseverance and luck.
Get crafty at Masu-making Workshop and bring home your very own wooden masu, which doubles as a mini humidifier too. Your Japanese festival experience wouldn’t be complete without some fun games at the Amusement Booths, where your aiming skills and memory are put to the test!
IPPINKAN by the time sommelier is a three-month pop-up store by LCX and The Time Sommelier, a lifestyle concept store that is all about Japanese aesthetics. The pop-up store features household accessories and fine collectibles from different prefectures in Japan. Its extensive catalogue encompasses everything from furniture, kitchenware, a selection of beverages – such as Japanese teas, Japanese roasted coffee beans, sakes, and Japanese wines that are rarely seen elsewhere in Hong Kong.
You’d be remiss not to stop by The SAKABA dedicated in the pop-up store. It is Hong Kong’s first-ever sake museum, with vending machines filled with sakes produced by different Japanese breweries. The vending machines are flown in for the occasion, from one of the most popular sights in Niigata – the Ponshukan Sake Museum, located in the JR stations in the prefecture. Sommeliers and sake neophytes alike are bound to learn more about sake culture and how it captures the hearts of our Japanese counterparts.
IPPINKAN by the time sommelier is here to recreate this Instagram-worthy spot, so you can “check in” to the sake paradise without having to fly over for a pilgrimage. More than 50 selected sakes will be available, all elegantly presented in the vending machines. (The SAKABA will be open to the public from October 23.)
Besides the sake vending machines, a breadth of food and beverage merchandises are here to showcase the craftsmanship and passion of Japanese sake makers. Some of the items not to miss out on include: Highlanderinn Chichibu X Waplus Roasters Barrel Aged Coffee, GEN Hojicha Sets, and Whisky Barrel Smoked Mixed Nuts. Kitchenware created by Yamaheigamga, a time-honored homegrown name that is known for its Arita ware ceramics from Saga, among other fashion and lifestyle gems, such as Nishijin-ori bowties, are also available, to remind us of the charming Japanese essences that we all relish.
