Events
Sunday 24th September 2023
The Dojima Sake Festival
14:00 – 21:00
Annual Sake Festival at Fordham Abbey, Cambridgeshire, home of the Dojima Sake Brewery will be held on Sunday 24th September this year, a week before ‘the International Sake Day’, to celebrate the start of a new sake brewing season in style.
The Festival will kick off at 2pm with the sound and performance of Taiko Drumming by Taiko Meantime.
Followed by the Barrel Breaking Ceremony and a fresh glass of sake for everyone for toast.
We are very exited to welcome a comedian Katsura Sunshine from Canada, who is performing the art of 400 year old tradition of Japanese Rakugo Comedy in English!
There will be displays of Martial Arts, tea ceremony and Origami workshop.
Sake Masterclass by Kumiko Hashimoto and Sake kasu workshop by Megumi & Kumiko.
Also, there is a Kimono competition, so please turn up in kimono! A Prize for best turned up!!
Calligraphy competition, judged by a Japanese professional sensei.
Plus Free Brewery Tour for 30 people x 2 sessions – register on the day
Variety of Yatai foods and craft stalls. Cafe and bar will be open.
An admission ticket to include a Yatai food of your choice and sake for toast (soft drink for under age guests) is £45 per person for advanced booking £50 on the day
Admission only tickets available at £35 per ticket (£40 on the day) – sake for toast included
Children under 12 years old are free, but you may need to order extra yatai food.
Choice of Yatai foods (food stall) are; Sushi, Katsu curry, Wagyu beef Don, onigiri, Yakisoba, and more.
Afternoon/evening of entertainment, food and drink to experience and enjoy the Japanese culture in the English country Estate of Fordham Abbey where the Japanese true value meets the West, and where the sake called “Kakehashi” meaning ‘bridge’ brings the two different cultures together!
Free parking
● Rakugo by Katsura Sunshine
● Taiko by Taiko Meantime
● Barrel Breaking Ceremony
● Free Brewery Tour
● Demonstration of Martial Arts
● Kanpai/toast with a fresh glass of sake (include in the ticket)
● Craft stalls
● Various Yatai Food Stalls to chose from (included in the ticket)
● Sake kasu workshop by Megumi & Kumiko £25 each, kasu to take home (max 30 people – booking required )
● Sake Masterclass by Kumiko Hashimoto at £50 per place 3 types of sake to taste (max 24 people – booking required)
● Chado, tea ceremony (15 x 3 sessions – at £6 each -booking recommended)
● Kimono competition – free entry / present for all entries /an exciting prize for the best dressed
Friday 14th July 2023
Open Garden – Summer Garden Party in the kitchen garden surrounded by summer flowers and vegetables, live music and Japanese Wagyu BBQ by our Wagyu chef AND pottery exhibition by renowned Japanese potters.
Explore our summer gardens; English borders, tranquil Japanese garden, greenhouse full of vines, etc.
Why not arrive early to see the works of the potters, Mr Masatake Fukumori and Mr Morimitsu Hosokawa and speak to them. They will take you to their workshop and show you how they work.
We also have Mr Sho Kishino, renowned sculptor who is staying at Fordham Abbey with the potters in July. He will be displaying some of his works too. They will be joining the party.
Wagyu beef is from Japan (sponsored by Zennoh London) and BBQ’ed in front of the guests by Chef Saito from London, one of a very few Kobe beef certified chef. He has a restaurant in Spain as well.
Wagyu beef and vegetables, salad, fruits and sake kasu dessert will be served in buffet style.
Dojima Sake brewed here at Fordham Abbey, Japanese rice beer and various alcohol drinks will be available. Our Master brewer will be joining the party too, so it is a rare opportunity to ask questions about sake making, if you are interested.
Enjoy live music while you have Wagyu BBQ in the pretty summer kitchen garden or in the quiet Japanese garden if you prefer. Relax, unwind and enjoy the start of a weekend!!
Entry from 17:30 BBQ from 18:30
Entry & Wagyu BBQ buffet style – £70 per person, £30 per child under 12
Potters & sculptor
Masatake Fukumori, 80 years old, is 7th generation head potter of Doraku-kiln, located in the renowned home of Iga-yaki, known for its irregular shape and distorted rustic appearance. Iga-yaki reflects wabi-sabi aesthetic of Japan and has been adored by tea ceremoney practitioners since early time
The Hosokawa family has been synonymous with extraordinary samurai warriers, famous poets, scholars and artists dedicating their passion to the Noh theatre and Chanoyu.
Born as the 19th head of the notable clan, Morimitsu Hosokawa has become an artist himself. After studying pottery under Masatake Fukumori, Morimitsu Hosokawa set up his own kiln in his family’s old domain, Kumamoto.
Sho Kishino was born in Kyoto as the third son of Sumi-e artist. As a sculptor, Kishino uses natural materials which he finds in the mountains and riverbeds as well as reclaimed of old shrine and temples. He carves away until the wooden material reveals the true essence of existence.
Saturday 20th May 2023
Open Garden for Irises, a lecture on Japanese Garden, Art Exhibition, Brewery Tour & tasting and Ramen lunch
10:00 – 16:00
January 202Entry
Entry Ticket – £10 per person, children under 5 free
Brewery Tour & tasting – £30 per person, Brewery tour starts at 11:00am (inc. Sake tasting & kasu) (FULLY BOOKED)
Lecture on Japanese Garden by *Robert Ketchell – £8 per person, starts 12:00 in the visitor centre (FULLY BOOKED),
Ramen Noodles – Pork £20 each / Vegan £18 each in the Brewery Restaurant from 12:00
Sushi bento, cakes, tea, coffee, cold drinks will be available on the day in the Kitchen Garden Cafe, from 10am
Art Exhibition by Sachiko Purser specialize in Nature and Print making.
Also we are very privileged to be able to exhibit some of Amanda Markel’s bronze works. Amanda is from Montana, USA and her works have never travelled to UK before. https://www.montanagallery.net/amanda-markel
* Robert Ketchell, the garden designer was conferred with the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese ambassador Mr Koji Tsuruoka in 2018, in recognition of the contribution made to the promotion of the Japanese garden culture in the UK.
Saturday 7th January
● Brewery Tour (am)and Lunch
Sunday 29th January
● Brewery Tour (am) and Lunch / Brewery Tour fully booked
Brewery tour
February 2023
Sunday 5th February
● Brewery Tour (am)and Lunch
You are welcome to explore the gardens before or after tour/lunch!
Sunday 12th February
● Brewery Tour (am) and Lunch
You are welcome to explore the gardens before or after lunch!
Sunday 19th February
● Garden Open for Snowdrops + Ramen Noodle Lunch
Pre-booked admission only
March 2023
Sunday 5th March 2023
● Brewery tour and Hinamatsuri Celebration Lunch – Girls Day/Doll Festival
You are welcome to explore the gardens before and after the lunch/tour
Sunday 19th March 2023
● Brewery Tour and Mother’s Day Lunch (Wagyu special)
<<Mother’s Day Lunch >>
You are welcome to explore the gardens before and after the lunch/tour
April 2023
Sunday 2nd April 2023
● Hanami – Cherry Blossom Viewing & Sake, tea ceremony, canape in the Japanese garden &
Wagyu Sukiyaki Lunch
<<Hanami>>
<<Wagyu Sukiyaki>>
Sunday 16th April 2023 (Postponed / New date will be published soon)
● Members’ Exclusive Dining Experience in the House
Saturday 8th April 2023
● Brewery Tour (PM) & Lunch
Brewery tour
Sunday 23rd April 2023
● Brewery Tour (AM) & Lunch (Cancelled due to Planned Power Cut)
Saturday 22nd April 2023
● Brewery Tour (AM) & Lunch (Alternative to Sunday 23rd April)
11:00 – Brewery Tour
12:45 – Lunch
Sunday 30th April 2023
● Brewery Tour (AM) & Lunch (Alternative to Sunday 23rd April)
11:00 – Brewery Tour
12:45 – Lunch
May 2023
Saturday 20th May 2023
●Garden Open – Iris’s + Lecture on Japanese Garden by Robert Ketchell, Art Exhibition & Ramen Lunch
June 2023
No public events, we are busy with private events and guests from Japan
July 2023
Friday 7th July 2023 – Members Reception (Evening)
Friday 14th July 2023 from 18:00 (gates open at 17:30) – Summer Evening event – Open Garden for Summer Border, and Pottery Exhibition and workshop by renowned Japanese potters + Wagyu BBQ
August 2023
● Private events only
September 2023
● Sunday 24th September 2023
Sake Festival – Sake tasting, Rakugo Comedy by Katsura Sunshine, Taiko Drum, Yatai Food and much more