07. Japanese Sake

Introduction

There is a tradition of drinking sake on new year’s in the hope of a long and healthy life. This is an important custom in Japan that dates back to the Heian Period. In the past, Japanese pepper, mole crickets, red beans, bellflower petals, and other medicinal herbs were mixed with the sake to prevent and relieve colds and other illnesses. These days, such herbal medicines are easy to buy. They are often mixed with the sake and drunk at home to wish for everyone’s health in the new year.

1. The beginnings of sake

The first alcoholic drinks discovered in Japan was not sake. In fact, it was wine. The birth of liquor in Japan is thought to date back to the B.C. era, when pottery was born. The advent of pottery made it possible to boil and store food. It is thought that pottery was also used to store crushed mountain grapes, which naturally fermented into wine, creating the first alcoholic beverage in Japan. The brewing of sake is thought to have occurred with the introduction of rice cultivation from mainland China around 500 to 1000 B.C. Malt rice, which is essential for brewing sake, is said to have been introduced from China during the Nara Period. Even before that, there are records that sake was brewing in Japan using mold that grew in food.

2. The Nara and Heian Periods

Brewing of sake began in earnest around the 8th century when malt rice was introduced to Japan from China. During this time, Shinto rituals and politics were deeply interrelated, and there was even a government office for making sake used in court events. A sake a brewing system for the Imperial Court was established and brewing techniques were advanced further.

Sake requires advanced skills to brew properly, but in the 9th century, during the Heian Period, even monks began brewing sake in the temples. Eventually, the sake for the gods would spread to people and be consumed by the general public. The typical sake brewed by monks are ones like Amano Sake, brewed in Wakayama Prefecture, and Bodaisen, brewed in Nara Prefecture. Some say that Bodaisen is the first sake brewed in Japan.

Sake continued to spread among the general population. As cities developed during the Heian Period and commerce flourished, sake began to command the same commercial value as rice. In the 12th century, in the Kamakura Period, commercial brewing of sake by the private sector became widespread. Many breweries were born, especially in Kyoto. However, as alcohol became more prevalent, so did problems associated with it. Some samurai would get drunk and commit murder, or even drown in sake. Sake was prohibited in 1252, and brewing became restricted.

3. Muromachi Period

When the administration changed to the Muromachi Shogunate in the 15th century, the brewing and sale of sake was once again allowed, and even encouraged. Demand exploded. Even the most common people were now able to enjoy sake. The government considered alcohol to be a powerful source of revenue. Instead of giving special protections to sake vendors, it started collecting taxes on alcohol. Breweries that grew during this time were mainly centered around Kyoto. It is said that the number of breweries there reached 342 in 1425. Breweries with capital assets were able to play the financial markets and accumulate even more economic power.

4. Sengoku Period

In the latter half of the Muromachi Period, the Muromachi Shogunate lost its power and was essentially nonfunctional as a government. For a time, Japan entered the Sengoku Period, when many states fought many wars for power in Japan. It is well known that Francis Xavier came to Japan from Portugal during the Sengoku Period to spread Christianity in Japan. Many missionaries, including Xavier, wrote about the Japanese sake culture in their writings. They wrote to their brethren back home, ‘Japanese sake is made from rice. There is no other liquor. The amount is small, and the price is high.’ And, ‘In Japan, liquor is warmed, and then drunk.’

5. Edo Period

After victory in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu Tokugawa took control and moved the center of politics from Kyoto to Edo, in what is now Tokyo. The population grew rapidly, and so did the sale of sake. Sterilization using heat became commonplace during the Edo period and the quality of the sake could be maintained year-round. This allowed sake to be brewed in winter, known as ‘Kanzukuri’, or ‘making in cold.’ Winter is actually a best time of year to brew sake. In addition, adding alcohol to prevent spoilage also started around this time. Distilled liquor was already being produced at this time and shochu made from sweet potatoes was used. Since sake was brewed in winter, farmers could now work the fields growing rice from spring to autumn, and go to work making sake in the winter. Originally, sake brewing was done by women. But as brewing, which requires lots of physical labor, became mainstream as an industry, it became the domain of men. In addition, as men left their homes in the winter to work in the breweries, and they had constant access to alcohol, it became common to prohibit women from working or entering the facilities to prevent crimes such as rape.

6. Meiji Period

In the 19th century, the Meiji government considered increasing taxes in order to implement the ‘Enrich the Country, Strengthen the Army’ Policy. The Sake Tax was at the top of the list. The government allowed anyone with the proper skills to freely brew sake, thereby increasing the taxable population. Today, the Liquor Tax brings in about 3% of total tax revenue. In 1900, when Japan was at war with China and Russia, it accounted for 30% of all tax revenue. The Liquor Tax was an important financial resource the influenced the health of the nation.

Some evidence suggests that sake was traded with Southeast Asian and East Indies companies during the Edo Period. However, official records indicate that sake was exported overseas only after it was exhibited at the Austrian World’s Fair in 1872. This was the first time sake was put up for sale in Europe as an international product endorsed by the government. In the 20th century, western microbiology was applied to sake brewing. The government established the National Brewing Research Institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance in 1904. The aim was to improve and stabilize the quality of sake. As mentioned earlier, sake was an important source of revenue, accounting for 30% of all tax collected. With the dramatically improved brewing method, high-quality sake could be reliably brewed at all times.

7. World War II

In the Showa Period, technology progressed even further, and many new, higher quality sakes were constantly being produced. However, the outbreak of World War II had a major impact on the sake industry. In order the meet the enormous cost of war, new taxes were levied on sake. At the same time, in order to ensure that all taxes due were collected, licenses to sell liquor were introduced. As conditions of the war deteriorated, many breweries merged, and many more shutdown. The number of breweries in the nation decreased from 8,000 to about 4,000.

8. Postwar ~ Modern Japan

After World War II, Japan entered a period of rapid economic and population growth. For roughly 20 years between 1955 and 1973, real economic growth rate averaged an incredibly high 10%. The consumption of sake followed suit. However, sake consumption decreased after reaching a peak in the 1970s, and now is at about 1/3 of the peak. Several factors such as health concerns, and younger generation’s desire for foreign beers and wines may have contributed to this decline.

9. Present day Japan

These days, sake is making a comeback. The delightfulness of sake has been rediscovered, and the popularity of sake has also increased abroad. A new sake boom has started at home and abroad. Brewing of sake is also taking place around the globe. Brewers in places like France and Australia are using local ingredients to brew sake that matches local cuisines. There are also breweries in Korea and China that were built when Japan occupied these counties. When the war ended, many of these facilities were inherited, and some are in operation even today. Sake is also brewed in other places, such as Vietnam, Thailand, and US, and Norway.