Japanese Sake : All Japan News,Inc

A sake brewing plant equipped to produce sake year-round is called “all-season sake brewing,” or “all season sake brewery.” Also, the production of sake year-round during all four seasons is also referred to as “all season sake brewing”. Currently, all major sake manufacturers produce sake in plants equipped with these facilities. Since the mid-to-late Edo Era (1603 ~ 1868), sake was mostly produced during the winter season, ever since the custom of “traditional sake brewed only in the winter” was established in Itami and Nada. This is because the temperature to ferment mash and the suppression of bacteria from proliferation was more easily managed during the winter season.         
Traditional sake production still practiced in various sake breweries to this day is brewed using sake-brewing methods applied during the winter sake production season. However, as sake production became rapidly modernized during the Meiji Era (1868 ~ 1912), research started to continue stable sake production throughout all four seasons. Attempt to produce all-season sake brewing started towards the end of the Taisho Era (1912 ~ 1926), and already made practical in Hawaii, even before the war. However, all-season sake brewing during this era was done using traditional brewing methods as is, with sake production possible only four or five times a year. 
Major developments towards all-season sake brewing started after World War II, when various devices started to be introduced into the sake production process.       
As sake-brewing facilities became more mechanized, the need to increase both the mechanical operational rate and productivity became apparent. Therefore, automated all-season sake brewing with mechanized brewing process became urgent; and year-round, large-scale sake production started in 1965. During the midst of a high economic growth period from 1955 to 1965, many breweries started to significantly mechanize their brewing facilities. Major sake manufacturers competed to construct all-season sake brewing, drastically increasing production capabilities.    
To make all-season sake brewing possible, the same sake production environment as the winter season that is operational year-round must be constructed within the plant. These plants are equipped with air conditioning facilities that use freezers to maintain low-temperatures suitable for sake production. During the summer season, with high temperatures and humidity, dehumidifying the air, eliminating bacteria, and sterilization is necessary in addition to cooling the temperature due to concern for contamination from the outside air. All-season sake brewing is possible in much greater volumes, and labor is also made more efficient. Especially in recent years, automated operations advanced to management controlled by computers, enabling sake production without master sake brewers or other skilled sake production workers, eliminating the tasks handled by overnight and holiday workers.         
 

四季醸造とは

年間を通じて酒造りをできるように設備された酒造工場のことを、「四季醸造」または「四季醸造蔵」（略して「四季蔵」とも）という。また、四季を通じて酒の醸造を行なうことも、同じく四季醸造という。現在、大手酒造メーカーはすべて、この設備を擁する工場で生産を行なっている。 江戸時代の中期から後期にかけて、当時の酒の主生産地であった伊丹、灘で「寒造り」が完成されて以来、日本酒の醸造時期はずっと冬季が主体だった。冬の寒い時期のほうがもろみの温度管理がしやすいし、雑菌の繁殖も抑えやすい。現在も各地の酒蔵で続いている伝統的な酒造りは、すべて寒造りの酒造法で行なわれているといってよい。しかし、明治に入って日本酒造りが急速に近代化するとともに、四季を通じて安定した酒造りを可能にするための研究が行なわれるようになった。 四季醸造の試みは大正の未頃から始められ、ハワイでは戦前から実用化されていた。しかし、この時代の四季醸造は伝統的な醸造方法のままで、 年に４、５回ほど酒造りが行なえるというだけの程度でしかなかった。

本格的な四季醸造に向けての動きが始まったのは、酒造工程にさまざまな機械が導入されるようになった戦後のことである。 

酒造工場の機械化が進むにつれて、機械の稼働率を高め生産性を上げる必要が出てきた。そのため、製造工程を機械によって自動化した四季醸造の実現が急務になり、昭和３５年に初の本格的な四季醸造蔵が誕生した。３０年代後半から４０年にかけては高度経済成長期の真っ只中であり、多くの酒蔵で設備の機械化が大幅に進んだ時代である。大手酒造メーカーは競って四季醸造蔵の建設を進め、生産能カは飛躍的に増大した。 四季醸造を可能にするためには、まず年間を通して工場内に冬季と同様の環境をつくり出さなければならない。酒造りに適した低温を保つため、このような工場では冷凍機を用いた空調設備を備えているが、高温多湿の夏季には外気からの雑菌混入の恐れがあるから、冷却すると同時に、空気の除湿、除菌・滅菌も行なう必要がある。 四季醸造は大幅な増産を可能にしただけでなく、労働面での合理化にも大きく寄与した。とくに近年はコンピューター制御による自動化が進み、杜氏など熟練酒造技術者なしでの酒造りや、夜間・休日の人手による業務の廃止などを実現している。

By Kosuke Kuji

Every sake brewery prepares sake mash in January, the best season to brew sake. Unfortunately, sake breweries destroyed by a shindo (seismic intensity) 7 (MJMA7.6, Mw7.5) earthquake on the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Seismic Intensity Scale were left with no means to preserve their sake mash. 
Sake mash contains live microorganisms. Shata Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Shiraishi city, Ishikawa prefecture), producer of “Tengumai” sake, was also evacuated due to the earthquake, yet led a mission to recover sake mash in Noto Peninsula to preserve and squeeze the sake mash in another brewery of Ishikawa prefecture. Shata Shuzo was also evacuated, although the damage sustained was not as serious compared to the destruction in Noto Peninsula. Still, the conviction and willingness of one sake brewery to help another sake brewery in times of distress, and the tight bond shared between sake breweries in the Hokuriku region were deeply moving to witness and filled my heart with enormous respect for everyone involved in the recovery effort.     
Despite the serious risks associated with entering a destroyed brewery, such risks were disregarded to recover as much sake mash as possible, relocate the mash to a brewery with minor damage, and squeeze the sake mash to brew sake. 
Special tax provisions for natural disasters were filed immediately with both public and private support to recover as much sake mash as possible from Noto Peninsula. 
The miracle sake mash that survived the earthquake and the miracle sake brewed from this miraculously saved sake mash will no doubt play a vital role in future reconstruction efforts.    
 
 
酒豪大陸「能登半島沖地震と酒蔵③」

1月の酒蔵でもろみの無い蔵などありません。それほど酒造りに最高の季節なのです。そこに震度7の地震がおきて、建物が倒壊したら、もうもろみはどうする事も出来ません。

もろみは生きています。このもろみを何とか救出して同じ石川県内の蔵でしぼれないか、同じく被災している石川県白山市の天狗舞さんを中心に、能登の蔵のもろみ救出作戦がはじまりました。被害の深刻さは能登ほどでは無いにせよ、それでも同じ被災者の蔵元です。それなのに人の蔵のために動ける北陸の蔵の絆と強い心と魂に心から敬意を持ちました。

倒壊した蔵に入るのはとても危ないのに、その危険を顧みず、救えるもろみを出来るだけ救い出して、被害の少ない蔵に移動してしぼり酒にする。

災害の特例でなければ出来ない税務上の処置もすぐに出て、官民で支援して、能登の蔵のもろみは全部ではありませんが救われたものも多くありました。

震災から生き残った奇跡のもろみ、奇跡の酒。これが、この後の復興に大きな力をくれるはずです。

 

 

日本酒は黄麹菌を使って作ります。

造りかたは、 最重要点、一麹、二元（酒母）、三造り

1：原料処理　玄米を精米し、寝かし、洗米、浸漬

2：製麹　 麹（こうじ）をつくること。

3：酒母 （しゅぼ）日本酒の醸造のために、蒸した米・麹・水を用いて優良な酵母を培養したもの

4：醪(もろみ)造り、 水・蒸米・麹米を、三段に分けて仕込む（3段仕込み）

5：発酵（熟成もろみ）

6：上槽(じょうそう)　熟成したもろみを搾る。酒粕が残る

7：滓引き（新酒）滓を沈殿させ澄んだ部分を取る

8：濾過、火入れ（殺菌と、品質劣化を防ぐため酒を加熱）

9：貯蔵、調合、割水（仕込み水を加え、酒を調合する）

10：瓶詰め

日本酒造りは微生物の働きを利用して造られるバイオテクノロジーで、蔵人たちの経験と技が生きている。

By Ryuji Takahashi

Shinbashi is a renowned business district where many shops line the streets, reminiscent of the Showa era (1926-1989). One venue familiar to many is the New Shinbashi Building, a large multi-tenant shopping mall on the Hibiyaguchi side of Shinbashi Station, occupied from the first basement floor to the fourth floor by many restaurants, a ticket broker, massage parlors, and shops targeting businessmen. Some call it a mall for old men. The Shinbashi Station west exit started as a black market after World War II and evolved until the current New Shinbashi Building was constructed in 1971.             
The interior of the retro, chaotic mall is long cherished as a mecca for businessmen. Many new commercial buildings were constructed recently to lease retail space to swanky shops featured on TV. The New Shinbashi Building built over fifty years ago offers a heartwarming nostalgic ambiance of the Showa Era, not felt in new stylish buildings. The basement of the New Shinbashi Building is home to many restaurants that serve alcohol during business hours on weekdays. Since I had a day off during the week with nowhere to go on my day off, I walked many rounds inside the basement floor of the New Shinbashi Building like a migratory fish.    
I saw “fans of alcoholic beverages” here and there partaking early in the day. I started to ponder ordering a glass of beer when a female restaurant worker greeted me and said, “We’re serving alcohol right now.” I quickly accepted the invitation and entered the restaurant “Jinsei Sakaba.” What a suitable restaurant name for me, I thought. The worker said, “If you want to enjoy more than one drink, all-you-can-drink is a better deal.” I quickly agreed and selected the 1 hour all-you-can-drink option for 980 JPY. First, I ordered draft beer. 
The cold beer was delicious after walking around inside the mall.       
The food menu listed Chinese style izakaya menu items. I ordered a chilled wakame seaweed salad. My appetite switched on as soon as I took the first bite. I ordered another glass of draft beer, then fried gyoza, Japanese-style omelet with spicy Pollack roe, and fried rice. All menu items were delicious, and the food was served quickly. I got into a lively conversation with the restaurant staff as I ate, and the first hour passed quickly. Of course, I exceeded my time limit and ordered several green tea highballs and shochu highballs. 
Two hours of fun passed quickly before I realized it. The food was delicious, the restaurant was comfortable, and the price was economical at this wonderful restaurant. The New Shinbashi Building is home to this excellent restaurant, currently under consideration for redevelopment due to deterioration. Although it would be sad to see this retro and chaotic ambiance close their doors, changes in the local landscape are inevitable in any era, surely, “all that remains of a warriors’ dream.”  
 
 
東京地酒散歩（ニュー新橋ビル人生酒場）  

サラリーマンの街として有名な新橋には、昭和の雰囲気を色濃く残した場所が数多くある。誰もが思いつく場所のひとつがニュー新橋ビルだろう。ニュー新橋ビルは新橋駅の日比谷口側にある大規模な雑居ビルで地下1階から4階までは飲食店や金券ショップやマッサージ店などサラリーマンをターゲットとした店が数多く存在している。その為、おやじビルなどと言われることもあるらしい。新橋西口は戦後のヤミ市から発展して現在のニュー新橋ビルが１９７１年に建った。レトロでカオスなビル内はサラリーマンの聖地として長く愛されている。最近は大規模な商業ビルが新しく建って、そこに入るオシャレなお店がテレビなどで取り上げられているが、建設から５０年以上経っているニュー新橋ビルには新しいオシャレなビルでは決して感じる事の出来ない気取る事のない昭和の安心感がある。そんなニュー新橋ビルの地下には平日の昼間から酒が飲める店が沢山ある。平日休みの私はある休日に当てもなく、ニュー新橋ビルの地下１階を回遊魚の様にグルグル回っていた。昼間ながら既に酒を飲んでいる兵（つわもの）達をちらほら見受けることが出来た。その姿を見て、私もビール１杯でも飲もうかなと思い始めた時、一人の女性店員に「お酒飲めますよ」と声をかけられ、いとも簡単にその誘いに乗って店内に入った。店の名前は【人生酒場】。今の私にちょうど良い屋号じゃないかとか考えながら「もし、何杯か飲むなら飲み放題がお得ですよ」と言われ素直に１時間９８０円の飲み放題をセレクト。そしてまず生ビールを注文。ビル内を歩き回っていたので冷えた生ビールが最高に美味い。メニューを見ると中華料理ベースの居酒屋という感じだ。軽くわかめの冷菜を頼み口に入れた瞬間スイッチが入った。おかわりのビールを頼み、焼き餃子や明太子入りの玉子焼きや炒飯と次々に注文。何を食べても美味いし提供スピードも速い。途中、お店の方とも話が弾み、あっという間に１時間が終了。しかし当然延長戦に突入。途中から緑茶ハイや酎ハイを何杯呑んだだろう。あっという間に楽しい２時間が過ぎてしまった。料理が美味い、居心地が良い、何といっても安い。三拍子揃っている素晴らしい店だった。そんな素晴らしい店があるニュー新橋ビルは老朽化の為、再開発の話があるらしい。レトロでカオスな雰囲気が無くなる寂しさもあるが、風景の移り変わりはいつの時代も付き物である。まさに「兵（つわもの）どもが夢の後」とはこのことなのだろう。

 

Non-glutinous Japonica rice is used to brew sake, also consumed as a staple. Many rice varieties are grown in Japan, all suitable to brew sake. Rice most suitable to brew sake is referred to as “rice suitable for sake-brewing.” 
The variety of rice suitable for sake-brewing must satisfy three conditions: Large grain size, white core, and low protein content.  
The most representative brands of “rice suitable for sake-brewing” are “Yamadanishiki,” “Gohyakumangoku,” “Miyamanishiki,” “Omachi,” etc. However, the production volume is nowhere close to the volume in demand to brew sake. Rice suitable for sake-brewing is difficult to grow compared to common rice. For example, “Omachi” rice is large in grain size and an excellent variety of rice large in grain size. However, long rice stalks fall over while harvesting, making it difficult to harvest by machine. Therefore, the crop acreage does not increase, with some varieties like Omachi rice decreasing in production volume year by year, which raises the cost. Thus, a significant volume of common rice is also used as sake rice.   
The grain size of brown rice varies by variety. The grain weight of 1,000 grains of brown rice uniform in grain size is referred to as “1,000 grain weight.” Rice with grain weight of 25 g or greater is notably referred to as “large grain size” compared to common brown rice with grain weight between 20~22 g. While rice, large in grain size, with a white core in the center and a moist appearance is referred to as “large white core rice.” The white core consists of coarse grains of starch. If this core is large, koji mold propagates easily, which grows koji easily in the white core, an important aspect of koji preparation.  
Also, water penetrates easily into the core of large white rice grains. Steaming rice hardens the outer grain and softens the inside, which makes the preparation of yeast starter and fermenting-mash easier.     
Also, rice contains protein and fat. These components are required to brew sake (for example, umami flavor unique to sake is derived from amino acids created by koji mold breaking down protein). However, an excess amount of these components will compromise the flavor and aroma. Many of these components are contained in the surface layer of rice grains that get polished to brew sake.    
 
 

日本酒の味の基本を決める酒造好適米とは？  

日本酒の原料として使用される米は、主食用の米（飯米）と同じジャポニカ系統の水稲うるち米に属する。わが国では多くの品種の米が栽培されており、そのうちのどの品種の米を使っても日本酒を造ることはできるが、なかでも酒造りに適した米は「酒造好適米」と呼ばれる。

 酒造好適米は、一般の飯米に比べて粒が大きく（大粒米）、白い芯の部分（心白）も大きいうえに、たんぱく質含有量が少ないという３つの条件を満たした品種である。

 代表的な品種は、「山田錦」、「五百万石」、「美山錦」、「雄町」などだが、その生産量はすべての酒造需要をまかなうにはとても及ばない。酒造好適米は、一般の飯米に比べて栽培がむずかしいということもある。たとえば、大粒米のなかでも「雄町」は米粒が大きく優秀な品種だが、茎が長いため結実期に倒伏し、機械での刈り取りがしにくいという欠点がある。したが って、作付け面積はなかなか増えず、雄町のように年々減少している品種もあり、価格も高い。そのため、一般の飯米もかなりの量が酒米として使われているのが現状といわれる。 

玄米の粒の大きさは品種によって違う。粒の揃った玄米1000粒の重量を千粒重というが、 一般の飯米の玄米が20～22ｇであるのに対して、25ｇ以上のものを特に「大粒米」または「大粒種」と呼ぶ。そして、 大粒種のなかでも、粒の中心部（心白）が白くうるんで見えるものを「大粒心白米」という。心白はでんぶん粒が粗い部分で、これが大きいと麹カビが繁殖しやすく、麹造りの重要なポイントの１つである破精込みが容易になる。酒造好適米の検査基準では、心白の発現率は80％以上である。

 その他、大粒心白米は吸水も早く、蒸すと粒の外側が硬く内側が柔らかい、いわゆる外硬内軟でさばけのよい蒸米になりやすく、酒母やもろみ中での消化性がよい、などの特徴も有する。 

また、米にはたんぱく質や脂質、灰分が含まれている。これらの成分は酒造りに必要（たとえば、日本酒独特の旨みは、麹カビがたんぱく質を分解してつくるアミノ酸に由来する）だが、多すぎるとかえって、味や香りを損なってしまう。これらの成分の多くは米の表層部に含まれているため、 酒造りでは必ず米を精白するわけだが、米の内部にも少ないほうが酒の質への影響がより小さくなるわけである。 

 

By Kosuke Kuji

The damage became apparent as the morning dawned on January 2. A tsunami hit Suzu city, Noto Peninsula. The morning market in Wajima, a renowned tourist spot, burned up in flames.
The footage showed fire damage, eerily reminiscent of fires in the coastal region of Miyagi prefecture, hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. 
Noto Peninsula is home to eleven sake breweries, all “partially or completely destroyed.”    
The sake brewery of a junior classmate from college was “partially destroyed.” Nearly eighty percent of the facility was destroyed, far worse than “partially destroyed.” However, the “completely destroyed” sake breweries had hardly anything left. 
Water was cut off with no electricity or gas. 
The frigid winter in the Hokuriku region in January hit the evacuees hard.     
Further, many people had returned home to celebrate the New Year on January 1, which means the capacity of the evacuation center could be exceeded. 
Sake distilleries store both mash and koji mold on site during the best time of the year to prepare for sake-brewing. All the damage to the mash and koji mold could not be prevented in this situation.  
 

酒豪大陸「能登半島沖地震と酒蔵②」  

1月2日、一夜明けて被害の状況がわかってきます。能登半島の珠洲市には津波が到来。有名な観光地の輪島の朝市は全て炎上。その映像は、東日本大震災の時の宮城県沿岸部の火災や、阪神大震災の火災を思い起こさせるような大火でした。

能登の酒蔵は11蔵。その全部が「全壊」もしくは「半壊」という甚大な被害に見舞われました。

私の大学時代の後輩の蔵は「半壊」でしたが、8割近く建物は倒壊しており、とても「半壊」の状況では無いと思いました。しかし、それほど「全壊」の蔵は、もう何もなくなるくらいの状況という事です。

断水、電気も来ない、ガスもダメ。

そして北陸の1月。とてつもない寒さが避難者を襲います。

さらに、1月1日ですから、正月の帰省で帰ってきている人も多く、避難所がキャパオーバーしてしまうという事態になります。

酒蔵にはもろみも、麹もある。仕込みの一番良い時期です。それら全てがどうにもならない状態になっています。

 

By Ryuji Takahashi  

I visited Shibamata Taishakuten Nichiren-shu Buddhist Temple early in the New Year. It’s been thirty years since I moved to Tokyo, yet I’ve never visited the temple once. Since I’ve never seen the film series, “It’s Tough Being a Man,” I was convinced I had no reason to visit. I was proven wrong however. Shibamata Taishakuten is a reputable Nichiren Buddhist Temple built by two monks during the Edo Period (1603-1868) in 1629 (the current building was built after the Meiji Period (1868-1912)). The official temple name is “Hyoei-zan Daikyoji,” yet often referred to locally as “Taishakuten.”     

The temple is mentioned in literary works such as “To the Spring Equinox and Beyond” by author Soseki Natsume. More recently, the temple is most renowned due to the Japanese film series, “It’s Tough Being a Man.” Therefore, a statue of the main character, Tora-san, stands in front of the Shibamata Station. I rode the train to the Keisei-takasago Station and took the Keisei Kanamachi Line to the Shibamata Station. Since the wait time to switch trains was fifteen minutes, and the walking distance from Keisei-takasago Station was also fifteen minutes, I started walking towards Shibamata Station.     

The pathway to the shrine starts in front of the station. Passengers deboarded the train and immediately started taking photos standing next to the statue of Tora-san. Several restaurants stood in front of the railroad station. It seemed many restaurants served yakisoba, perhaps a local specialty. Walking on the bustling pathway to the shrine, I encountered many pedestrians with skewered mugwort dumplings and sweet sake in hand as they passed by. I regretted not visiting this bustling pathway to the shrine for the past thirty years.    

A newcomer to Taishakuten, I eyed the restaurant Freshwater Fish Cuisine, where a long line of guests stood at the front waiting for the eatery to open, and the rice cracker shop, as I passed by without stopping. I thought to first visit the shrine and headed towards Taishaku-do, where a long line of worshippers stood at the Nitenmon entrance. Surprisingly, I quickly reached the front of the Taishakuten and visited the shrine. I drew a fortune slip before returning to the pathway to the shrine just after noon. More visitors have come since I arrived, and the pathway to the shrine was bustling more than before.       

Long lines formed in front of shops selling skewered mugwort dumplings and rice crackers. Since I came a long way to Shibamata, I bought mugwort dumplings at the shop “Toraya” on my way back to the railroad station. I ate as I strolled until I entered the izakaya restaurant “Haru,” once featured on a TV program that explores pubs. I saw no local patrons inside, perhaps due to soaring prices around the New Year that targets tourists. At first, I was the only customer, which made me nervous. However, groups came in afterwards and the restaurant was soon packed to capacity.     

Afterwards, I strolled along the railroad tracks towards Keisei Kanamachi Station in the opposite direction from where I came, enjoying the chilly breeze along the way to sober up. I enjoyed another drink at the Kanamachi Station and headed to Nippori Station, where I enjoyed hot sake at a standing bar in the Yanaka Ginza shopping district before I returned home. I realized during this visit that I should visit other renowned hot spots in Tokyo, a great start to the new year.    

 

 

東京地酒散歩（柴又帝釈天）

　年明けに柴又帝釈天に行ってきた。東京に住み始めて３０年になるが、一度も行ったことが無く、何故か映画「男はつらいよ」シリーズを観てもいないのに行く場所ではないと勝手に思い込んでいた。しかし、決してそんな場所ではなく、江戸時代初期、寛永６年に２名の僧によって建立されたで由緒ある日連宗寺院である。（現在の建物は明治時代以降に建てられたもの）正式には経栄山題経寺だが、地元では帝釈天と呼ばれることが多い。夏目漱石の「彼岸過迄」など多くの文芸作品に出てくるお寺で、近年では「男はつらいよ」シリーズが一番有名の為、柴又駅前には主人公の寅さん像が設置してある。私は京成高砂駅まで電車で向い、そこから京成金町線で柴又駅まで行く予定だったが、電車乗り換え待ち時間が１５分有り、京成高砂駅から歩いても１５分とのことだったので、歩いて柴又駅を目指した。駅前からすぐ参道が始まるのだが、電車から降りてきた人々は先ず寅さん像と記念撮影をしていた。駅前には飲食店が数件あり、名物なのか焼きそばを出す店が多いと感じた。そこから賑やかな参道に入ると皆、草団子や甘酒を片手に歩いている風景に出くわす。こんなに参道が賑わい楽しい場所にも拘らず３０年来ていなかった事を悔やんだ。開店待ちで行列が出来ている川魚料理店や煎餅屋などを横目に帝釈天新参者の私は寄り道をせず、まずはお参りが先だろうと参拝客が列をなしている帝釈堂を目指す。入口の二天門前から行列が出来ていたが、案外すんなり帝釈堂までたどり着きお参りを済ますことが出来た。そして、おみくじを引いて参道に戻るがちょうどお昼を過ぎたくらいだったので、来た時よりも人が増えていてより一層参道が賑わっていた。草団子屋や煎餅屋なども行列が出来ていたが折角、柴又に来たのだからと駅まで戻る途中の「とらや」で草団子を買い、食べながら歩き、某BS放送の酒場探訪の番組にも出たことがある駅前の居酒屋「春」に入店。どうやらお正月＆観光地価格で値段がこの時期は高い為か、地元の人は飲みに来ていない感じで、最初は私以外他の客がいなかった為一瞬不安になったが、のちに団体客などが入り満席になっていった。その後、酔いを覚ます為、冷たい風を浴びながら来た方向とは反対の京成金町駅まで線路沿いを散歩しながら歩き、金町駅でさらに１杯呑み、JRで日暮里まで行き、谷中銀座の角打ちで熱燗を呑み帰宅した。まだ行ったことのない他の東京の有名スポットにも行ってみるべきだなと思わされる良い年始となった。

The most traditional and prestigious sake contest held today is “The Annual Japan Sake Awards,” organized by the National Tax Agency. The first sake contest was held in the spring of 1911, held annually (currently in May) excluding 1945, when the contest was canceled due to wartime damage. The venue of the sake contest is The National Research Organization located on Takinogawa street in Kita ward, Tokyo.   

The Gold and Silver prize is selected from new sake brewed that brewery year, delivered from sake manufacturers nationwide for assessment. The total number of exhibition sake entries exceeded 1,000 at one point. However, entries are now limited to only one per sake manufacturer. Exhibition sake entries are narrowed down to approximately 700~800 and assessed, from which approximately 100 sake selections are awarded the Gold prize. After the assessment, the awarded sake selections are announced. Sake brewers, wholesalers, sellers, and beverage shop owners visit to taste the recognized sake selections, an event celebrated with great success each year. Approximately twenty members of the judging panel consist of technical officials and official appraisers of the National Tax Agency.   

Furthermore, the test facility was renamed as The National Research Institute of Brewing in 1995 and relocated to a new facility in Higashi-Hiroshima city. The first sake contest in Japan was titled “The First Japan Sake Awards,” held at the same National Research Organization, Ministry of Finance, in October 1911. The sake contest was organized by the Brewing Society (predecessor entity of the Brewing Society of Japan), formed by sake manufacturers nationwide and associated government officials of the Ministry of Finance. This sake competition is the “Fall Sake Competition,” held in the fall when sake ages, while “The Annual Japan Sake Awards” organized by the government is referred to as the “Spring contest.” Approximately 8,000 sake manufacturers were active in Japan at the time, with 2,137 entries submitted for the first contest.    

This sake contest evolved with each passing year, since organized every other year. For the fifteenth contest held in 1937, 4,991 sake entries were received. The award ceremony was held at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater. In 1939 however, the control of sake production started, and the contest was canceled. After World War II ended, in 1949, the Brewing Society of Japan renamed and revived the sake contest as “Japan Sake Contest.” However, the contest was held only three more times until it ended in 1951. In 1961, Tokyo University of Agriculture organized the “Japan Sake Food Contest” and held the contest fifteen times until 1976.   

So many sake entries were submitted to this contest because the recognition received at this contest was honorable and effective for advertising. Not only has this sake contest contributed to improve sake quality, but the reputation of quality sake brewed in Nada and Fushimi districts – both historically renowned sake brewing districts since the Edo period (1603-1868) - brought recognition to an unknown regional sake brand, a major by-product of this sake contest.  

 

 

Sake bottles normally display two labels. 

The large front label often displays the “sake brand” in the center of the bottle, while the right or left side shows the special sake designation (such as Junmai Daiginjo, etc.). 

The production year, month, and date indicated is the sake bottling date. The label also lists the alcohol content, volume of the bottle, and the names of the brewery and master sake brewer.  

The back label lists important information such as the sake meter value - a positive or negative value that indicates the sake is sweet or dry. Generally, the greater the negative value, the sweeter the flavor; and the greater the positive value, the dryer the flavor. This positive or negative sake meter value is determined by the sugar content in sake. The higher the sugar content, the greater the negative number; and the lower the sugar content, the greater the positive sake meter value. Sake with a positive sake meter value that is lighter in relative density than water is lower in sugar content, etc., while sake with a negative sake meter value that is heavy in relative density is higher in sugar content, etc. 

Generally, sake with scary names such as oni, kujira, otoko, etc., tend to be dry in flavor. 

Approximately sixty-five percent of all sake produced is standard sake. As sales of Ginjo and Junmai Ginji increase however, the overall sales of sake is also increasing.  

 

 

By Ryuji Takahashi

 

Three sake breweries were invited to organize the 2023 year-end sales event at Kanemasu Brewery (Shibata city, Niigata prefecture). Thursday, December 28 felt like a half-day workday, yet many visitors arrived to purchase nigori sake “Hatsuyuki,” a popular nigori sake of this brewery. Some customers purchased sake in bulk since Kanemasu Brewery offers few bottled sake products. The sake products featured by Kanemasu Brewery were Junmai Daiginjo “Hatsuhana,” stored at freezing temperatures for two years; and “Kanemasu 36-year-old sake.”      

The container of “Kanemasu 36-year-old sake,” aged for thirty-six years since 1986, is eye-catching. The 360 ml titanium custom-made double wall tumbler was made by the renowned Horie Titanium Co., based in the Tsubame-Sanjo area. After the aged sake is finished, the uneven interior of the tumbler ensures silky froth beer foam. The 360 ml aged sake is priced at approximately 40000 JPY. Explaining the value of this aged sake to customers was very challenging.   

The sales event on December 29 featured “Nagatorogura” by Hakuro Brewery (Nagaoka city, Niigata prefecture) and new sake by both the Hakuro Brewery and Fujisaki Sobe Shoten (Nagatoro city, Saitama prefecture) of the same group. Hakuro Brewery featured their new sake, Junmai-Daiginjo Nigori Sake, and “Sanzui Junmai-Daiginjo Non-filtered Unprocessed Sake,” bottled in low volumes. New sake by Nagatorogura is unprocessed, non-filtered Junmai Ginjo sake with a flavor like fresh green apple juice. Customers came out in droves to the shopping district this day after completing their work for the year to prepare for New Year’s eve and New Year’s day. Many customers purchased fresh sake available only this time of the year. 

Nihonsakari was featured the next day, soon to become a classic sake featured during the sales event on December 30. The special set packaged in the Jinkichi bag (handbag made of durable canvas fabric used to transport sake from the sake shop) consisted of the Ginjo with gold leaf, Daiginjo with gold leaf, and “Souhana Junmai Ginjo,” also used when the Emperor ascended the throne, all products that suit the New Year ambiance. Sales personnel at Nihonsakari taught me the basics of selling sake before my shop opened. For the first time in over a decade, we teamed up so I could learn how to sell sake from a seller of a national sake brand, which is different from how local sake is sold. 

On the final day of New Year’s eve on December 31, two part-time workers were invited to sell out the rest of the inventory of the year. High-end sake sold out in no time, along with various new sake and New Year’s sake products that all sold out and concluded the year by 21:00. 

It is truly unusual to see this much sake sold at other times of the year. The phenomenon of high sake sales raises the question if domestic sake consumption is declining in Japan. If sake sales of this volume are consistent year-round, it would be safe to say the Japanese sake industry has a bright future ahead. 

*Jinkichi bag: handbag made of durable canvas fabric used to transport sake from the sake shop