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Tatenokawa Collabs With Foo Fighters For Limited-Edition Sake

by Rudy Sanchez on 02/09/2021 | 2 Minute Read

American rock band Foo Fighters have been rocking to venues full of fans since 1994, started by frontman Dave Grohl following the dissolution of Nirvana after Kurt Cobain’s suicide. The group has since experienced plenty of critical and fan acclaim, selling out arenas and picking up 12 Grammy awards in the process. As part of their 10th studio release, Medicine at Midnight, the fighters foo teamed-up with sake brewer Tatenokawa for a special release inspired by the band.

Editorial photograph
Editorial photograph

Tatenokawa x Foo Fighters’ sakes are both junmai daiginjo, regarded as the highest grade. Hanyoi Ao, or blue midnight, is said to be inspired by Foo Fighter’s pop side with a “gentle mouthfeel and sweetness that heals daily fatigue that permeates your entire body" and gets bottled in a bright blue bottle with a white label. The front comes emblazoned with the band’s name written in Asian-style ideograms, but with Latin characters. Diamond-shaped geometric patterns in the bottle’s color also have an Asian flair and are composed of the letter F, for Foo Fighters.

Editorial photograph

A sake said to be inspired by the rock side of the band, Hanshogin, or midnight silver, gets described as having a firm body, sharp aftertaste, and promises of “vitality for tomorrow.” The label is similar to blue midnight’s and comes packaged in a silver bottle. A gift box features the same F pattern as well, decorated in the same colors as the album cover for Medicine at Midnight. The gift set includes a bottle of each sake and cups with the band’s name in the same script as the labels.

Editorial photograph

Using Asian-styled typefaces in the west is controversial; at first blush, one could dismiss the Foo Fighters x Tatenokawa label as another instance of a “Chop Suey” type exploitation. But the collaboration seems authentic, and the sake was made available for sale in Japan only, with no apparent attempt at marketing the joint venture in the west or even outside of the country. The sakes also sold out quickly, despite Tatenokawa having produced additional bottles.