I receive New Year’s greetings and very elaborate New Year emails with images on my phone one after another. But at that moment, I was still in the evening of December 31st. I was in Vienna, where it was lightly snowing. I had come to Vienna to attend the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year Concert.

The reason I came is that, as will be announced soon, I received a request from the Austrian Federal Chamber of Commerce last spring, through the embassy, asking, "Would you consider making DASSAI, which represents the proud music of Austria, and presenting it at the Austrian Pavilion at the Osaka Expo?" It was a great honor. Of course, we agreed, and the plans began to move forward. In April, as part of the meeting and a greeting to the Yamaguchi Prefecture government, we had the pleasure of hosting the Austrian delegation, including President Harald Mahler of the Austrian Federal Chamber and Ambassador Elisabeth Bertagnoli, at the DASSAI brewery. At that event, I nervously asked, “I am a huge fan of the Vienna Philharmonic. I’ve watched the New Year’s concert on TV for many years, and I’ve always longed to experience it live. Would it be possible to get tickets?”

To my delight, President Mahler of the Austrian delegation replied, “It’s possible,” and that’s how this visit to Vienna came to be.

First, I went to Paris, visiting the restaurant "Le Izakaya DASSAI," which was a joint venture between Yannick Alléno and DASSAI, for two nights, before flying to Vienna via Air France.

Now, on the cold morning of January 1, 2025, at 11:15 a.m., an emotional and blissful time began. Even watching it on TV or DVD is amazing, but seeing the Vienna Philharmonic perform live in front of you was an incredible experience. For this once-a-year concert, people from around the world gather to fill the 1,700 seats, including standing room. Of course, you can’t get tickets unless you have connections. The price was printed as 1,200 euros, but those without connections likely bought resold tickets from brokers, possibly costing over 10,000 euros.

Moreover, this year marks the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss's birth, and rumors suggest this may be Riccardo Muti’s last year conducting the concert after more than 50 years with the Vienna Philharmonic. It was a special year, both for the audience and the performers.

As I listened to the orchestra, at first, I was simply moved by how wonderful it was, but soon I realized, "This is Austria’s treasure." The Vienna Philharmonic has endured through the times of Napoleon’s campaigns, World War I, and the horrors of World War II, maintaining its independent and autonomous management while continuing to shine as the world’s best. Their efforts and the resulting skill are extraordinary.

Many people often say, "Western countries are good. There is a culture of donations, and the state provides strong protection. Compared to Japan..." They speak without effort or creativity, simply making comparisons. I want to show these so-called music enthusiasts in Japan the example of this orchestra.

When I heard the second encore, "The Blue Danube," I felt something. It wasn’t just that this fantastic performance hadn’t been achieved overnight. It was more than that—this orchestra wasn’t just something that came together overnight or simply based on talent. It was the result of incredible, relentless effort that has made the Vienna Philharmonic what it is today. I want DASSAI to be like that, no, it must be like that. It must be a sake that can give this level of emotion to its customers.

When I heard about Japan's sake being registered as a UNESCO World Heritage, I felt something stuck in my throat. That achievement was a gift based on the hard work and ingenuity of past generations, but I can’t help but feel that there’s a commercial push behind it, using the UNESCO World Heritage title to sell sake that hasn’t been doing well recently. When compared to that, I could see how the Vienna Philharmonic’s excellence was not just about relying on tradition.

We too, must not rest on the efforts and ingenuity of those who came before us. We must continue to refine and innovate, striving to reach even greater heights, creating sake that gives even more emotion to our customers.

At the very least, DASSAI must do that.

This New Year’s experience has been an incredible one.

Thank you all.