What is Nihonshu Lab?
Nihonshu Lab is a small cultural studio based in Japan, focused on one thing: the silent beauty around sake. Not only the bottles, ratings, and specs—but the spaces where sake is quietly present.
We work like a research lab: slowly, carefully, and with long-term archives in mind. Instead of loud promotion, we collect:
- 4K film sequences of breweries in winter light
- Environmental sound from fermentation tanks and old wooden buildings
- Photo essays about one-person and two-person sake nights
- Minimalist digital books for overseas readers
Everything we create is available as digital editions and membership content for an international audience of sake lovers, creators, and quiet spaces.
We archive moments, not just labels.
Many websites list sake specs. We leave that to others. Nihonshu Lab focuses on the atmosphere around sake:
- A single lamp above a small counter
- Snow outside a brewery window at night
- The sound of water and steam in a still room
- Two glasses, one conversation, almost no words
Our work is designed to feel like sitting in a quiet bar in Japan, even if you are on the other side of the world.
For people who drink slowly
For solo drinkers at home
If you enjoy ending the day with a single glass of sake, a notebook, or a book, our films and soundscapes are made to sit quietly in the background—never pushing, never shouting.
- Slow 4K brewery scenes for your TV
- Headphone-friendly fermentation audio
- Short essays you can finish with one drink
For couples and close friends
Some nights are not for parties, but for small conversations. Our “Quiet Sake Room” ambience turns a living room table into a calm, intimate space.
- Soft environmental sound instead of playlists
- Visual loops that won't steal attention
- Stories you can read together, or in silence
For people discovering sake
If you are just starting your journey with sake, we offer minimalist guides that explain types, temperature, and etiquette without overwhelming jargon.
- Beginner-friendly “Quiet Sake Guide” (EN)
- Visual maps of styles and seasons
- Stories from small breweries and bars
Digital Editions & Quiet Sake Library
All products are designed for overseas customers. Prices are shown in USD, delivered as digital downloads. No shipping, no noise—just quiet sake content on your screen and in your headphones.
A calm visual book about Japanese sake and silence. Winter breweries, small bars, home counters, and tiny stories behind each glass—captured in photographs and short English texts.
- High-resolution photo spreads
- Short essays you can read in 3–5 minutes
- English only, with key Japanese words preserved
Get Quiet Sake Book – Vol.1 →
Downloadable PDF. Ideal for tablets and large screens.
A curated selection of fermentation and brewery ambience: tanks breathing, water running, quiet footsteps on wet stone, distant voices from the inn.
- 10–15 tracks (3–10 minutes each)
- Perfect for headphone listening and creative use
- For personal listening and non-commercial projects
Get Fermentation Sound Archive →
Extended licenses for commercial spaces available on request.
A full-night ambience track for your living room, bar, or study. Soft lighting on a counter, a bottle and two glasses, distant winter sounds outside.
- 8-hour 4K video loop (H.264)
- Gentle environmental sound, no spoken words
- Ideal for TVs, projectors, and quiet bars
Get Silent Sake Room Loop →
Commercial ambience license available for bars, cafes, and hotels.
A minimalist collection of sake and seasonal light: snow, rain, early summer, and autumn nights. Designed as visual material for inspiration, moodboards, and personal projects.
- 30–40 curated images
- subtitled captions in English
- For personal and creative non-commercial use
Get Sake & Seasons Collection →
Custom commercial image sets available for brands and media.
Join the Lab Membership
For those who would like to follow Nihonshu Lab over time, we offer a simple membership. Think of it as a quiet digital shelf that slowly fills with new sake content each month.
Nihonshu Lab – Member Plan
US$9 / month
- Access to all current digital editions while subscribed
- New micro-edition every month (film, sound, or PDF)
- Members-only newsletter on quiet sake culture
- Occasional behind-the-scenes notes from Japan
Join the Lab Membership →
Cancel anytime. Membership is billed monthly in USD via a secure payment
provider.
The membership is intentionally small-scale. We are not trying to build a giant platform. Instead, we are building a niche archive for people who care about the slower side of Japan and sake.
If you prefer to support one-time projects only, you can simply purchase the editions that speak to you and ignore the membership. Both paths are welcome.
If you are a bar, hotel, or space that would like to include membership benefits in your subscription services, feel free to contact us. We can design a custom plan for your guests or customers.
For bars, cafes, hotels & creators
Nihonshu Lab is also a quiet resource for international creators and spaces who need authentic Japanese ambience without resorting to stock footage or generic background tracks.
Our loops, sound libraries, and photo collections can be licensed for:
- In-store ambience and TV backgrounds
- Quiet B-roll for documentaries and interviews
- Background visuals for livestreams and long-form content
- Concept art and moodboards for film & game projects
Simple, human licensing—by email.
We do not hide licensing behind complex dashboards. Instead, we listen to what you need and propose a clear, human agreement.
Tell us about your space or project: bar, cafe, hotel, YouTube channel, film, or game.
We suggest suitable packs (loops, sound, photos) and a licensing fee based on scale and usage.
Once agreed, you receive download links and a simple written license you can keep for your records.
Contact us about licensing →
We respond in English or Japanese.
Questions, answered quietly
Is this a sake brand or a media project?
Nihonshu Lab does not produce or sell alcohol. We are a cultural and media studio focused on the atmosphere around Japanese sake. All offerings are digital: films, sound, and reading materials.
Do I need to know Japanese to enjoy the content?
No. All products are created primarily in English, with key Japanese terms kept when they add nuance. You do not need to read Japanese to understand or enjoy our work.
Can I use the audio and video on my YouTube or Twitch channel?
For personal, non-monetized channels, many uses are fine with a standard license. For monetized channels or long-term use, we recommend contacting us for a custom license so that everything is clear and safe for you.
Can I resell or redistribute the files?
No. Files are for your personal use (and licensed commercial use, if agreed) only. Reselling, re-uploading as standalone products, or including them in resale bundles is not allowed.
Is this project connected to any official sake association?
Nihonshu Lab is an independent studio. We may collaborate with breweries, bars, and regional organizations, but our role is to document and share, not to act as an official body.
I represent a brewery or region. Can we work together?
Yes. We are open to quiet, long-term collaborations where we can document your space with care. Please see the “For Creators & Spaces” section above and contact us with details about your idea.
Contact Nihonshu Lab
For purchase questions, licensing, collaborations, or press, feel free to reach out in English or Japanese. We read every message carefully, even if we reply slowly.
Email: info@nihonshu-lab.com
Please include your country and a short description of how you plan to use our work. This helps us respond with clear options in one or two emails instead of a long chain.
Nihonshu Lab is run as a quiet, small-scale studio. We do not try to answer everything in a hurry. If you are contacting us, it probably means you enjoy a slower rhythm too—thank you for that.
Somewhere in Japan, a tank is quietly fermenting, and a bar is setting out two glasses for the night. Our job is simply to record that atmosphere, and share a little piece of it with you.