Nihonshu

In Japan sake actually refers to all alcoholic beverages, the proper term for sake is nihonshu. I have had sake on occasionally and generally enjoy it, though it seems to be the drink of choice for old men. It can be served cold or warm but I prefer it warm. Apparently the practice of warming sake began during world war two when quality ingredients were scarce because the warming process tends to mask harsh tastes. In Tsugawa there are two very famous sake breweries Kirin and Kirinzan. These sakes are famous throughout Japan and we had the opportunity to tour the Kirinzan factory the day of the festival.

Kirinzan sake.

The building is very small and unremarkable, I regularly drive by it and would never had known it was a sake brewery. The tour was in Japanese though I had my trusty interpreters (Minori and Aiko) who kept calling carbohydrates hydro carbons. It was a pretty boring tour because it was quite in depth into the science of the fermentation. The building was not that impressive inside and it is difficult to imagine how this small factory makes so much sake.
In the room pictures below they spread the rice on the table, kneed in sake bacteria and allow it to ferment.


Each tank holds sake that during this stage of fermentation is constantly bubbling and releasing some kind of gases. Apparently if you fell in the tank you would die from lack of oxygen due to these gases.

The unassuming entrance to the sake factory. Above our heads is a green straw ball that indicates new sake. If you are in need of a liquor shop in Japan look for a brown straw ball hanging above a door.