TRIVIA: SAKE
Sake is the traditional rice wine of Japan. It comes
in several different varieties, and was first made at
least 2,000 years ago. Since then, sake has played an
important role in Japanese culture and history. From
its origins as the "drink of the Gods" to
its current status as one of the most popular drinks
in the country, the history of sake is steeped in tradition,
innovation, and custom.
Sake was first brewed in Japan after the practice of
wet rice cultivation was introduced in  that
country around 300 B.C. Though the origins of sake can
be traced in China as far back as 4,000 B.C., it was
the Japanese who began mass production of this simple
but delicious rice concoction. The basic process of
making sake involves "polishing" or milling
the rice kernels, which were then cooked in good, clean
water and made into a mash. The earliest "polishing"
was done by a whole village: each person would chew
rice and nuts and then spit the mixture into a communal
tub - the sake produced was called "kuchikami no
sake," which is Japanese for "chewing the
mouth sake." The chewing process introduced the
enzymes necessary for fermentation. Although it was
part of a Shinto religious ceremony, this practice was
discontinued when it was learned that Koji (a mold enzyme)
and yeast could be added to the rice to start the fermentation
process.
At first, sake was produced for private consumption
by individual families or villages. While this practice
continued, sake rice also became a large scale agricultural
product. The largest production area was centered around
Nada, near the present-day city of Kobe. Although more
sake was being made, it was mostly consumed by the upper
classes. Sake was used for many different purposes in
the Shinto religion, including as an offering to the
Gods and to purify the temple. The bride and groom each
consume sake in a Shinto wedding ceremony in a process
known as Sansankudo. There were many other uses for
sake in Shinto, most of which are still in practice
today.
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