Japan History and Culture

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.

It was in the 1300s that mass production of sake allowed it to become Japan’s most important drink. In the years that followed the production process was improved, and sake breweries popped up throughout the nation. All of the early variations of sake were cloudy until a seventeenth century brewery worker thought to use ashes to settle the cloudy particles in the sake. The story has become somewhat of a legend, because the employee was apparently disgruntled, and was trying to destroy the batch; instead, his actions refined the sake and earned him a place in history. Japan’s Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century introduced automation and machinery into the brewing process, making this popular drink even more available.

In the twentieth century, a press replaced the traditional canvas bags for squeezing the liquid out of the rice mash, yeast, and koji mixture, although some sake is still brewed the old-fashioned way. Shortages of rice in World War Two also caused changes in the brewing process: glucose and pure alcohol were added to the rice mash in order to increase the production yield and brewing time. Although borne of necessity, this process

Hanami is translated literally as “flower blooming”, but for the Japanese, it entails mainly the viewing of cherry blossoms. No matter the specific species of cherry trees, they are normally organized and clustered together in parks, temples, shrines, and other viewing areas. Doing so allows for a greater enhancement of cherry blossom viewing and festival activities. All across Japan, there are numerous parks and recreational areas that have cherry trees just for the festival. A majority of these parks are free to enter and activities to do inside the recreational areas are about the only costs involved with the viewing. This allows for the enjoyment of the Hanami by all walks of life.

During the festival, Japanese people will have a picnic under the blooming cherry blossoms. Hanami has been carried out for centuries and has become extremely popular. Overcrowding can become a problem in the best locations of cherry blossoms. Therefore, reservations are not uncommon during the Hanami festival. These are made well in advance of the festival and people must arrive early in the morning on the days of the festival just to guarantee a decent spot.

One of the interesting aspects of the Hanami festival is the cherry trees themselves. In all, there are over one hundred species of trees and vary by the number of pedals, color of the blossoms, leaves, time of blooming, and tree formation. Just as varied as the species are for the trees, opinions and reasons for the Hanami vary for every person in Japan.

The festival is extremely unique to Japan as other countries do not enjoy the cherry blossoms in manner as the Japanese.  For some Japanese, the festival represents an opportunity to see friends and family.  For others, it stands for relaxation or a chance to sip a few drinks.  Interestingly enough, it is not illegal for people to drink alcohol in the parks during the Hanami festival

Green tea (ryokucha) is so ubiquitous in Japan that it is more commonly known simply as “tea” (ocha) and even as “Japanese tea” (nihoncha) although it was first used in China during the Song Dynasty, and brought to Japan by My ōan Eisai, a Japanese Buddhist priest who also introduced the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Types of tea are commonly graded depending on the quality and the parts of the plant used as well as how they are processed. There are large variations in both price and quality within these broad categories, and there are many specialty green teas that fall outside this spectrum. The best Japanese green tea is said to be that from the Yame region of Fukuoka Prefecture and the Uji region of Kyoto. Shizuoka Prefecture) crops 40% of raw tea leaf.

Gyokuro (Jade Dew) The highest grade Japanese green tea cu ltivated in special way. Gyokuro’s name refers to the pale green color of the infusion. The leaves are grown in the shade before harvest, which alters their flavor. Gyokuro has a high caffeine content (Generally 0.16% in infusion), but the significant L-Theanine content of Gyokuro slows down and counteracts the caffeine assimilation, and also the amount ingested is very small (Generally 10ml - 60ml).

Matcha (rubbed tea) A fine ground Ten-cha (has very similar cultivation process as Gyokuro) used primarily in the tea ceremony. Matcha is also a popular flavor of ice cream and other sweets in Japan.

Sencha (broiled tea) The first and second flush of green tea, which is the most common green tea in Japan made from leaves that are exposed directly to sunlight. The first flush is also called Shin-cha ( a new tea)

Genmaicha (Brown-Rice tea) is the Japanese name for green tea combined with roasted brown rice. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as “popcorn tea” because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process and resemble popcorn. This type of tea was originally drunk by poor Japanese, as the rice served as a filler and reduced the price of the tea; today it is consumed by all segments of society.Tea steeped from these tea leaves has a light yellow hue. Its flavor is mild and combines the fresh grassy flavor of green tea with the aroma of the roasted rice.The water to steep this tea should be about 80-85°C (175-185°F). A steeping time of 3-5 minutes is recommended, depending on desired strength. Genmaicha is also sold with matcha (powdered green tea) added to it. This product is called Matcha-iri genmaicha (lit. Genmaicha with added powdered tea). Matcha-iri genmaicha has a similar flavor to plain genmaicha but the flavor is often stronger and the color more green than light yellow.

Kabusecha (covered tea) kabusecha is sencha tea, the leaves of which have grown in the shade prior to harvest, although not for as long as Gyokuro. It has a more delicate flavor than Sencha.

Bancha (common tea) Sencha harvested as a third or fourth flush tea between summer and autumn.

Aki-Bancha (autumn Bancha) is not made from entire leaves, but from the trimmed unnecessary twigs of the tea plant.

Hōjicha (pan fried tea) is made from Bancha (”common tea”), tea from the last harvest of the season and considered a somewhat lower grade of green tea than sencha, and Kukicha, tea made from the twigs of the tea plant rather than the leaves. Hōjicha infusions have a light-to reddish-brown appearance, and are less astringent due to losing catechin during the high temperature roasting process. The roasting replaces the vegetative tones of standard green tea with a toasty, slightly caramel-like flavour. As both Bancha and Kukicha are low in caffeine, Hōjicha is a popular tea to drink before going to sleep. It is also frequently found at sushi restaurants, particularly kaitenzushi.

Kukicha (stalk tea) A tea made from stalks produced by harvesting one bud and three leaves.

Tamaryokucha is a fine Japanese green tea that has a tangy, berry-like taste, with a long almondy aftertaste and a deep aroma with tones of citrus, grass, and berries. It can be processed in one of two ways to destroy the enzymes: pan fried, or steamed. Many believe that steaming preserves the vitamins and antioxidants better than pan-frying. The taste varies between the two as well. The pan-fried version has more of an aroma of cooked vegetables.
It is produced in the Kyūshū area. The tea is golden yellow and it should be steeped at 70°C for about 2 minutes. The caffeine level is normal for green tea and it can be drunk throughout the day. It can be reinfused, with a slightly different taste.

Okinawan Famous Japanese green tea with Chinese influence, essence of jasmine

Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice. In Japanese, the word sake not exclusively apply to this specific single beverage; instead, the word Nihonshu (literally, “Japanese alcoholic beverage”) is used to distinguish it from other beverages. In English, the word sake never refers to anything other than Nihonshu. This article uses the word “sake” as it is used in English.

Sake is also commonly referred to in English as “rice wine”, but the characterisation implied is not accurate. Wine is made from the single fermentation of plant juices (Other than sparkling wine, which can be a double fermentation to create the carbonation.). Sake is produced by multiple fermentation of rice, which is more similar to how beer is produced. Also, outside Japan there exist other beverages known as “rice wine” that are significantly different from Nihonshu.