Hello and welcome. My name is Virginie Sakai, I am the founder of Japan Water Sommelier Consulting. It’s been 30 years since I came to Japan. For Japanese people, French mineral water seems to be very attractive. This is because French mineral water is easy available anywhere in Japan.

French restaurants, as well as classic Japanese cuisine or soba noodles, use mineral water from various brands from France and Italy.

Then came Michelin, introducing the many facets Japanese cuisine and culture.

However, mineral water is still not a hot topic in Japan.

While Japanese Sake is now served in starred restaurants in France, your trip to Japan stops there !

Water in Japan is exceptionally pure, and Japanese hot springs, known for their unique qualities, have become a “fervor” for travelers.

How can we explain this enthusiasm for these thermal waters in Japan? The Japanese live long lives, and the tea ceremony translations symbolize purity, creating a deep attachment to water, emphasizing the importance of “making memories” with nature.

Workers, families, and the elderly go to hot spring as much as they like, as they appreciate refined cuisine, baths, massages, and purity.

Japanese mineral water is usually sold cheaply in Japan, even Coca-Cola is distributing Japanese mineral water. Swarovski also designed the world’s most expensive bottle for Japanese water !

For these reasons, I believe that this market is still untapped.

Therefore, as a water sommelier, I want Japanese people to know more about mineral water.