A Small Journey That Began with a Glass of Water

Brown spherical sugidama hanging from a wooden building, with white paper strips and a bell.

Reflections from a Charity Dinner Guest

Sometimes, a single glass of water can become the starting point for a small journey.

Its soft, clear taste invites a quiet question: “Where does this water come from?”

At HOPE’s Charity Dinner, we begin not with wine, but with a toast of pure water. This moment is meant to share the importance of safe water and to let participants experience HOPE’s guiding belief: from Water to Self-reliance.

At last year’s dinner, we raised our glasses with brewing water generously provided by Tonoike Shuzoten, a sake brewery located in Mashiko Town, Tochigi Prefecture. Brewing water is the foundation of sake making, shaping both its flavor and character. Its gentle taste left a lasting impression on many in attendance.

What follows is a travel essay from a guest who, inspired by that single glass of water and a silent auction held at the dinner, went on to visit Mashiko in person.

We invite you to read about the connection that led to this small journey.

Mashiko Visit

Kevin McAuliffe

Last September, my wife and I attended HOPE International Japan's annual Charity Dinner in Tokyo. In the silent auction, we were fortunate enough to win a stay in Mashiko, a town in Tochigi Prefecture famous for its pottery. Our package included one night at the luxurious Mashikokan Resort Hotel and a private tour of the Tonoike Sake Brewery - one of Japan's top sake producers with a 100-year history. The Charity Dinner opened with a toast for a better future using water sourced from Tonoike. Tasting the soft water, along with the sake served at the event, inspired us to learn more about their brewing techniques. We booked our trip for mid-January.

Brown sphere wrapped in rope hanging from a wooden beam under a roof.

Our Mashiko experience began with an afternoon visit to the Tonoike Sake Brewery. The private tour started with a traditional sake barrel-opening ceremony, followed by a walk through the brewery, and concluded with a tasting of several sake varieties paired with complementary foods and cheeses. Learning how the four main ingredients (rice, water, koji, and yeast) shape flavor added a fascinating educational dimension.

We checked into Mashikokan in time to unwind in the resort's spacious indoor and outdoor hot spring baths before enjoying a beautifully presented multi-course dinner. The next morning, we had a pottery lesson at one of the town's many studios. We learned how to "throw" pottery and had plenty of time to create bowls, cups, and vases. After choosing the glazes for each piece, we were told the finished works would be delivered in about five months.

Tochigi Prefecture is Japan's leading strawberry producer, so we capped our trip with all-you-can-eat strawberry picking at a nearby farm. Though we packed several activities into our short stay, we left Mashiko with a strong desire to return - and next time, to linger a little longer.