The event which is known as a “Jichinsai” is a traditional Shinto ceremony undertaken to purify the building site prior to laying the foundations and to pray for the safety of the people involved in the construction.

The build is expected to take nine months to complete, with the first production of sake available in October 2017. Once the build has finished, the Dojima sake brewery aim to make 10,000 bottles in their first trading year.

His Excellency Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka attended the event and commented: “Although this is a ceremony that happens in Japan when a new building is being constructed, it has never happened in the UK and I was very happy to be a part of it. The ceremony showed the respect that the two countries have for the tradition and it is through appreciation of these historical and cultural treasures that the two countries are bound very strongly together.”

Lucy Frazer, MP for South East Cambridgeshire said “The ceremony was fascinating and shows what a diverse area we are in. It’s great to have a new and interesting business establishing itself in the region and it will bring a great deal to the constituency in financial terms, as well as culturally.”