The nation's largest sake celebration takes place at the Honolulu Academy of Arts on Friday, with 270 sakes to taste and appetizers from 14 restaurants to pair with the drinks.

The 2009 U.S. National Sake Appraisal Gold and Silver Award winners will be among the featured sakes.

While there's more sakes than one person can taste, some might want to try the same sake more than once because for the third time, Dorothy Feibleman's elegant translucent nerikomi cups will be used to show tasters how sake can take on a different flavor depending on the cup used. Feibleman, an American, is the only foreigner to have taken top awards for her sake cups in Japan.

Joy of Sake is 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. Buy tickets at www.honoluluacademy.org in advance for $70 or pay $80 at the door. Proceeds help support academy programs. Information: 532-6099.