“Fermentation is Alchemy & the Philosophy of Shirokimono”
Ryo Shirai is a serial entrepreneur and artist who was born in Niigata in 1980. He has been involved in many bio tech projects and formed Nozomi Japan Inc. following his own battles with depression and illness and his firm belief in the power and art of Japanese fermentation which cured him. His company is composed of a group of creatives who want to create value (and hope) from traditional Japanese practises and spread them throughout the world. They literally aim to Hakko (ferment) the world to create harmony, express the art of fermentation and transform the world into a better place.
This initial project, making a delicious, bubbly, naturally fermented sake to compete in the same market as champagne was started in 2022 in Niigata and Shirokimono (which can be interpreted as white object or “purity”) was initially released in France to much acclaim from Michelin starred restaurants and sommeliers. In August 2023 a wider release in Japan and Australia became possible and this sparkling sake is now featuring on the menu of premium restaurants in Japan.
This project uses ‘fabless’ technology where Nozomi Japan Inc. is attempting to digitise all the individual steps in production of the sake so that ultimately, one day, it might be possible to produce this sparkling sake again on a larger scale in a different location as they aspire to compete in the global champagne market and ensure sustainability of sake production in the future.
