History of sake
It is not known exactly when sake was born in Japan. However, written evidence suggests that sake originated in the early 8th century.
According to 大隅国風土記 (Osumi no Kuni Fudoki), people chewed rice, then they spat it out. The enzyme in the spit fermented the rice and people consumed its liquid. It was called mouth-chewed sake.
In another example by 播磨国風土記 (Harima no Kuni Fudoki, written c.715, the Nara era), dried rice, which was once cooked, got wet and mould started to grow. This moulding process produced liquid, a form of sake, and people consumed it. Around the same time, sake making became apparent in China. Chinese put rice, malt and water altogether in a wooden barrel and let it ferment for 10 days.
It is not known exactly when sake was born in Japan. However, written evidence suggests that sake originated in the early 8th century.
According to 大隅国風土記 (Osumi no Kuni Fudoki), people chewed rice, then they spat it out. The enzyme in the spit fermented the rice and people consumed its liquid. It was called mouth-chewed sake.
In another example by 播磨国風土記 (Harima no Kuni Fudoki, written c.715, the Nara era), dried rice, which was once cooked, got wet and mould started to grow. This moulding process produced liquid, a form of sake, and people consumed it. Around the same time, sake making became apparent in China. Chinese put rice, malt and water altogether in a wooden barrel and let it ferment for 10 days.
Over 100 years, the Chinese knowledge and techniques gradually spread in Japan. These became the fundamental methods of Japanese sake making. Sake was mainly brewed at temples by monks. They were producing ‘nigori sake’, which looked like milk. The monk sake gained fame by consumers and became an income source for the temples. Of those, a temple in Nara prefecture brewed sake that was not like milk but was clear.
Sake making by citizens as a family business occurred in the Kamakura era (1185-1333). They were still producing both milky and clear sake. By the Edo era (1603-1867), people were mostly brewing clear sake, which was close to the current sake style and type. The sake industry started to form.
Since the middle of the 17th century, sake making required a business licence. There are still many generational sake brewers all over Japan.
Since the middle of the 17th century, sake making required a business licence. There are still many generational sake brewers all over Japan.