Traditioneller japanischer Sake: Sasaki Shuzô

January 31, 2019

von Yuma Kishimoto, Masaharu Ishikawa und Yamato Okamoto

In der Brauerei Sasaki Shuzô wird japanischer Sake produziert, also traditioneller japanischer Reiswein. Diese Brauerei ist berühmt in Japan. Sie ist die einzig existierende Brauerei in Rakuchu, Kyoto, wo sie im Jahr 1893 von Jirokichi Sasaki im Elternhaus des japanischen Schauspielers Kuranosuke Sasaki gegründet wurde. Es ist interessant zu untersuchen, welche Art von Sake in dieser Brauerei hergestellt wird und welche Art von Geschichte es gibt.

Rakuchu ist der Name einer Gegend in Kyoto. Am meisten Sake wird in Kyoto in einer anderen Gegend produziert, und zwar in Fushimi. Aber da die Sasaki-Brauerei die einzige Brauerei in Rakuchu geblieben ist, hat sie eine besondere Bedeutung. Kyoto ist die Stadt in Japan mit der zweithöchsten Sakeproduktion. Dass hier so viel Reiswein produziert wurde, liegt daran, dass man im Japan der Muromachi-Zeit seine Steuern in Reis bezahlte. So entstand zu viel Reis, um alles zu essen. Also wurde der restliche Reis zur Produktion von Reiswein benutzt. Das ist der Grund, warum in Kyoto so viel Reiswein produziert wurde.

Ein Sake, der in der Sasaki-Brauerei produziert wird, ist der Sake „Jurakutei“. Auch Leute, die selbst nicht so gern japanischen Sake mögen, denken, dass dieser Sake einen guten Nachgeschmack hat und erfrischend ist. Daher kann man ihn auch Leuten empfehlen, die noch nie japanischen Sake getrunken haben oder normalerweise keinen Alkohol trinken. Der „Jurakutei“ kann bei der Sasaki-Brauerei bestellt werden. Dieser Reiswein kostet 2700 Yen (1,8 l).

 

Die Brauerei produziert pro Jahr 270.000 l Reiswein pro Jahr. Allerdings wird der Sake nur von Oktober bis April hergestellt, da die Produktion in den wärmeren Jahreszeiten nicht möglich ist. Im November ist der Höhepunkt der Produktion. Laut dem Brauereimeister kann der Sake auf allerlei Weisen getrunken werden. Die Brauerei ist immer einen Besuch wert.

 

Adresse: 727 Kitaiseya-cho, Higurashidori, Sawaragi-cho Kudaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8152

Google maps:https://goo.gl/maps/MnU9V7BVcw82

Öffnungszeiten: Mo-Sa von 10 bis 17 Uhr

Telefonnummer: 075-841-8106

Website:http://www.jurakudai.com/

Sake in Kyoto

by Suguru Takauji, Hanami Yanagi & Yuka Yamazaki

Japan has nice alcohol called sake, which a lot of people in both Japan and around the world enjoy drinking. Sake is a really interesting drink because the taste is different depending on the type of water and rice used. Also, there are many ways of enjoying sake. Let’s find out more…

What is Sake?

Sake is an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice or ‘rice-koji’. Koji is the fungus that is used in the process of fermentation. From a legal perspective, sake is also called seishu, in which the alcohol content is less than 22%. The main materials are rice, rice-koji, and water. The type of rice used to make sake is different from the kind people eat. It is called shuzo-koteki-mai, and the size of its grain bigger than that of normal rice. Also, it can be fermented more easily than normal rice.

Although water does not sound like a special ingredient, it does make up 80% of sake. Therefore, the quality of the water is very important for making a sake that tastes delicious. For this reason, all sake breweries are near to a source of good quality water. Water that contains low levels of minerals, like iron and manganese, is good for flavor. In addition, hard water can make a sharp-tasting sake.

In general, people tend to think of sake and other rice-based distilled spirits, like shochu, as Japanese sake. However, the manufacturing process is not the same. Sake is brewed through the fermentation of yeast, while shochu is distilled. Typically the alcoholic percentage of distilled spirits is 25%~30%. The alcoholic percentage of sake is under 22%, and most sake is around 15% alcohol content.

Sake can be drunk in various ways. For example, you can drink it at a wide range of temperatures. Cold sake has a fresh taste, while sake at room temperature is mild. And with hot sake, you can experience the sweet taste of rice.

Sake also contains a lot of amino acids, which can moisturize the skin. It is said that some geisha have used sake as a facial lotion before putting on their makeup. Moreover, sake improves blood circulation, so sake have a positive effect on a variety of different health conditions related to poor blood circulation. Therefore, elderly Japanese people often say sake is good for health. In fact, 60% of healthy Japanese centenarians drink a moderate amount of the sake every day. Drinking moderate amounts of sake is good, while drinking too much sake is not good for health.

The History of Sake

Sake is not the first alcoholic beverage in the world. Alcohol has been around since the dawn of civilization. The earliest form of alcohol probably came from naturally fermented fruit. Wine was first drunk by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia in 4,000 B.C. Beer is the second oldest, first appearing in Mesopotamia in 3,000 B.C. Finally, distilled spirits made their appearance in in Asia in 800 B.C., and later in ancient Greece.

As for sake, people started making it about 1,300 years ago in the Nara period (8th century). However, the people couldn’t drink it freely, but rather only during celebrations and festival rites. People prayed for a good harvest and good health. Also, people drank it to get rid of evil. They believed sake brought gods and people together. For this reason, even today Japanese people often offer sake before Buddhist and Shinto altars.

Tokkuri

The people in the Nara period drunk only cold sake because they thought sake was a holy thing. The custom of drinking hot sake didn’t begin until the Mid-Heian period (about 969-1089). In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), people started to drink sake privately, outside of festivals and religious settings. In the Muromachi period (1338-1573), the drinking of sake became even more common and generalized than before. Moreover, people began using a thin-necked bottle with a round bottom, called a tokkuri, when drinking sake. People also began to bottle sake and sell it for business.

In the Edo period(1603-1868), people started to also make sake during the winter. They discovered that making sake at low temperatures slows down the fermentation process, which results in a good taste and depth. Also, a brewing laboratory was founded in the last part of the Meiji Period(1868-1912) in order to develop faster brewing methods. Since then, Japanese people found science is essential to making sake.

Water

Clean and beautiful water is absolutely necessary for making good sake. Kyoto is called The City of Water because it has tons of water. There are some big rivers that run through the region: the Katsura River from the mountains in the west and north, the Uji River from Lake Biwa (Japan’s largest lake), and the Kizu River from Nara’s mountains in the east. These three water lines provide a great quantity of water to residents. But not only does water come from the rivers, but there is also plenty of water underground in Kyoto, around 20 billion cubic meters. That’s a lot of water, isn’t it? This is the why Kyoto is so famous for sake and has a lot of sake breweries. When you want to make sake, you need a lot of water. For example, to make two liters of sake requires forty liters of water. That is, you need twenty times the amount of water to make a single bottle of sake.

Famous Sake in Kyoto

Famous Sake in Fusimi

There are many kinds of sake in Kyoto, but the Fushimi area in the south of the region is the most renowned. This is mostly because Fushimi has been blessed with the best quality water, which comes from wells.

In Kyoto, the best quality sake is made from the Iwai variety of rice, which grows in the Kyoto region. Iwai is a premium variety of rice that is ideal for making sake. The taste is dry, but offers the taste and smell of rice. So you want to experience Kyoto-style sake, we recommend that you try a bottle made in Fushimi from Iwai rice.

As you can see, sake is a really interesting Japanese beverage. It has the long history and is very traditional. And as Kyoto is the center of ancient Japanese culture, it is the best place to learn about and experience the tradition of sake. Once you visit a Kyoto sake factory, you will undoubtedly by hooked on sake. Then, you will find your favorite one.

Kizakura Brewery

Kizakura Brewery

 

2015UA0266 Kanako Togami

2015UA0297 Yumi Nishidai

2015UA0301 Yuma Nishihara

 

Some hold the view that Kyoto has the oldest history of making sake, especially Fushimi, which is known as one of the most eminent brewing places in Japan. Fushimi is composed of plains along three rivers; Kamo river, Uji river and Katsura river and the peaks of the Higashiyama, including the Momoyama hills. Because of the geographical features of the land, Fushimi has a good quality of underground water and it gushes out from all over. The water is well-balanced with substances like potassium and calcium, therefore, it is an excellent water to make sake. The tradition of making sake flowered in Azuchi Momoyama Period. Since it started, the tradition has taken over for long time. Now, there are many breweries in Fushimi and many tasteful houses standing in a row. Everybody can enjoy tasting sake at many breweries. We introduce one of the famous breweries: Kizakura.

 

 

  • Kizakura CONCEPT

 

Kizakura provides a place that people can feel Japanese rice wine and they want everyone to deepen understanding of Kizakura products and sake cultures. Kizakura gets support from customers because they make TV commercials first and develop new products which not general idea. Their new products are liked by everyone, because they have a good taste and affordable prices. Making sake is a traditional occupation but this traditional culture depends not only on the manufactures. So they extend their activities for enjoying to drink sake to younger generations. Kizakura has made a facility which people can visit both making premium sake, made from rice polished to 60%, and making locally brewed beer. This brewery open to the public is located near a memorial hall with restaurant. It is called “Kizakura Kappa Country”. This is located in Fushimi Ward in Kyoto city. The best way is to take a train from Kyoto station. Take the Kintetsu Kyoto line to Momoyamagoryomae station and get off there. It takes 8-minutes walks from the Momoyamagoryomae station to the facility. If you take a car, it is OK because there is a parking lot. This is open every day besides the New Year. Moreover, there are English menu for foreign tourists and child menu for children so everyone can enjoy themselves without age and nationality. This is like a theme park of Japanese rice wine and locally brewed beer. So people can drink fresh sake there. Furthermore, the facility can be reserved for private parties. So people can enjoy a closed-door party with many people. Kizakura contributes to the region’s development and sticks to making sake and working on developing sake business.

 

 

  • PRODUCTS

 

Kizakura sells a lot of products. People think Kizakura sells only Japanese sake because Kizakura is the making alcoholic beverages. However, Kizakura makes somethings outside of Japanese sake. At first, I’ll introduce about Japanese sake.

 

1.

This is the Japanese sake of Kizakura. Japanese sake has many kinds of taste and rich in variety. Sake has a lot of ranks. For example, there is the top-quality sake brewed from rice grains milled to 50 percent or less of their weight. This is the top rank in the Japanese sake. At Kizakura, the rice for that top-of-the-line brew is used to make Japanese sake. The process of fermentation is changed every day. Therefore it is difficult to control and make Japanese sake. The experts who have years of experience working at Kizakura check and control the brewing process with scrupulous care day and night.

 

  1. Japanese sake is a relatively new product. This is the Japanese sake, too. And this is the like champagne. It has a good but mild taste. It has a pleasant aftertaste, which is softer than the aftertaste than Japanese sake. Therefore this product’s reputation is growing fast now. Sparkling sake is made from rice and koji ; malted rice. This is a little sweet and moderate sour. Japanese sparkling sake is popular among women.

 

  1. Outside Japanese sake. Kizakura makes and sells a lot of products. First is cosmetics. A professional of skincare say that water in which rice has been washed is very good for skin and has some good effects. Some of women wash their face with that. Therefore Kizakura made many cosmetics that is contained components of Japanese sake that take away alcohol.

Second is a sherbet. The flavors are strawberry and mango. A lot of fruit juice is used in the making of the sherberts. They are alcohol like a dessert. They also make shaved ice that only adults can eat, because they contain alcohol.

Third is resort-packed curry. This contains many vegetables grown in Japan. This taste has deep flavor and is a little sweet. There is no alcohol in the curry, so everyone from adults to children can enjoy eating it.

 

 

  • HISTORY

 

At first, Kizakura did not have a name. In 1925, the founder, Zhiichiro Matsumoto, became independent of his family business of the manufacturing industry of refined sake. He made Matsumoto Zhiichiro shopping district in Fushimi, and this was the beginning of Kizakura. This company has changed its name many times since its foundation.It became a joint-stock company in 1951 and was named Matsumoto Zhiichiro shopping district Co., Ltd. The name was Kizakura making alcoholic beverage Co., Ltd. in 1964 and then in 2006 he changed the name into Kizakura Co., Ltd. The reason of taking away “making alcoholic beverage Co., Ltd.” was to extend the range of their business. In other words, they make not only refined sake but also other kinds of sake. It is said that the company name of Kizakura is taken from the name of a flower. Kizakura is a kind of Satozakura that blooms with light greenish white flowers. Because Mr. Matsumoto loved the flower, he chose this name. Kizakura has the image of a kappa, a Japanese water imp, which they use as their own character on their website and in commercial messages. Why did they choose kappa? The reason was very simple. The second president-director, Shiro Matsumoto, read the comic “Kappatengoku” which is drawn by Kon Shimizu, and he liked it. Since he was so taken with the comic, Kizakura has been using the image of the kappa. After Mr. Shimizu died, Ko Kozhima who is a cartoonist, took over the design of the company’s trademark kappa character. Kizakura is trying to get attention to the culture of refined sake. Therefore, they made “Kappa Country”, which is the first restaurant in Kyoto that serves local beer and has a tour of “Fushimigura” so that people can see the process of making sake and beer at the same time. Kizakura has three wine cellars and makes sake there. And all of them got the gold prize in National New Sake Appraising and Deliberating Fair. Kizakura does not have long history in the manufacturing industry of refined sake, however it has been loved, because of many efforts.

 

Kizakura has a long history and many products, and has been loved for long time, not only by people who live in Kyoto Prefecture, but also tourists. The reason is that Kyoto is full of beautiful natural places. For example, beautiful rivers and mountains. Therefore, people can use pure water to make Japanese sake. Furthermore, Kizakura produces and sells not only Japanese sake but also cosmetics. Women can feel attached to Kizakura. Nowadays, there’s a Japanese sake boom in Japan. Therefore, everyone will drink it more in the future.

 

 

You feel like going to Kizakura, don’t you?

If so, LET’S TRY IT!!

The Sake of Matsuo Taisha Shrine

by Kana Kobashi, Kensuke Nagai & Motonari Iwamoto

Do you like Japanese sake? Japan makes many kinds of sake, but did you know that some of those sake types are connected to a certain place. This is especially true of certain shrines, especially in Kyoto. In this article, we will tell you about one of those shrines: Matshuo Taisha, otherwise known as God of Sake.

Sake in Kyoto

Before anything else, it is important to understand how sake in Kyoto is made. As you probably are aware, Japanese sake is Japan’s national liquor, and there are many types. Three of the most well-known types are Junmai-shu, Honjozou-shu, and Ginjou-shu. They have different brewing processes and different levels of rice polish.

Junmai-shu is made from rice, rice mold, and water. The rice polishing ratio is below 70%. Its requirements are good flavor and shine.

Honjo-shu is made from rice, rice mold, and distilled alcohol. The rice polishing ratio is below 70%. Its requirements are also good flavor and shine.

Ginjo-shu is made from rice, rice mold, and distilled alcohol. The rice polishing ration is below 60%. Its requirements are a peculiar flavor and good shine. Every percentage of rice mold is at least 15%.

Jizake. There are many kinds of Jizake in Japan. ‘Jizake’ means Japanese sake brewed using locally grown rice grains and water from local areas. Their uniqueness varies from region to region. Kyoto has many kinds of it. Kyoto’s sake is one of the most famous Japanese sake in the world. This is because Kyoto is blessed with abundant nature. Therefore, Kyoto’s water is pure and the level of rice polish is high.

Now we will introduce two famous sake brands from Kyoto.

Eikun sake is made in the Fushimi area of south Kyoto. It is made with fresh local water from and high-quality rice. For this reason, it is delicious and therefore has become famous in world.

Kokorono-miyako is the most famous sake in Kyoto. It is produced by the sake brewing company Tamano-hikari, which has been in business since 1673. Their sake has a smooth taste. They only use Iwai sake rice which is grown in Kyoto. On the bottle’s label is an image from Tale of Genji, so you can sense the feeling of traditional Japan while drinking the delicious sake.

Matsuo Taisha Shrine

Matsuo Taisha–Shrine is called Matsuo-san by neighbor it located Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto.  It about one third of Kyoto’s population serves residents Nishikyo-ku, Ukyoku, Shimogyo-ku and Minami-ku.  Unlike the others shrine, it features powerful gate with two guardian gods.

Tortoises have meant in China, Korea and Japan as emblems of good fortune, about long life and good health.  The water is said to be health, and the shrine is visited both by ordinary people to get good water.  Manufactures of miso paste and sake brewers who pray for the success of their enterprises.

We can see figures of tortoises in the precincts.  The most famous of which is called the Kame-no-i, Tortoise Well, near the entrance to the first garden.  Matsuo Taisha is specify for important cultural property, and have many god statues inside here.  Moreover, this shrine is known for better fortune, so many people come here from the other places.

History of Matsuo Taisha Shrine

A god is enshrined in the Matsuo Taisha who have a power for helping agricultural and farming.  The name is Ooyamakui-no-kami.  It is one of the big god in Japan from a very long time ago.  Hiyoshi Taisha in Shiga, which is headquarters to enshrine Ooyamakui-no-kami.  The near residents decided why locate at Nishikyo-ku.  Because a person has the honor toward guardian of living at the top of Matsuo mountain.  Agriculture developed concurrently with the other industry.  And then, how to make sake imported from Shin (the old China) in this place.  So, Matsuo is known for the first sake in Japan.  After the end of the World War 2, it was decided not to use the title of the government secretary Taisha, due to the abolition of state management.  So, in order to avoid confusion with the same name Shinto shrine was renamed Matsuo Taisha in Showa 25 and it has reached the present.

Connection between Matsuo Taisha Shrine and Sake

Matsuo Taisha shrine has a deep relationship with sake. There are two accounts of how it became the God of Sake.

The first was that in the 5th and 6th centuries, a man named Hatauji of the well-known Hata clan, a Chinese immigrant clan that came to Japan through Korea. Hatauji eventually went to Matsuo Taisha shrine and worshiped the God of Matsuo Taisha shrine. Also, Hatauji, like many of his clan member, was good at making sake using techniques from mainland Asia, so he taught Japanese people how to do it. Therefore, the God of Matsuo Taisha Shrine came to be known as the God of Sake. This account is written in the historical Nihon Shoki.

The other account is actually a myth. One day, the Gods nationwide gathered at Matsuo Taisha shrine and talked. The God of Matsuo wanted to hypnotize the other gods. Therefore, he made sake to make the other gods happy, using rice from the nearby Arashiyama district and water from the mountains of Kyoto. Because of that, he came to be called the God of Sake. The God of Matsuo Taisha Shrine is strongly followed by alcohol-related companies, who worship the God by making offerings of barrels of sake.

In addition, there is water in Matsuo Taisha, and it is said that the company will not go bankrupt if you make alcohol using that water. Besides, Matsuo Taisha shrine has rare things not found in other shrines. For example, there is barrel fortune telling. When you pay 300 yen, you receive two arrows and release an arrow in a barrel. After you have finished it you can get a talisman to take home with you.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many shrines in Kyoto, but Matsuo Taisha is the one famous for sake. Since the Muromachi period, the God of Matsuo Taisha Shrine was called the God of Sake, and from that time many tourists and worshipers have visited Matsuo Taisha. However, at present young people go to Matsuo Taisha for their annual New Year’s visit, but they do not fully understand that the God of Sake is enshrined at Matsuo Taisha. Since we researched Matsuo Taisha, we hope tourists will know more about its history and meaning.

Access

You can get to Matsuo Taisha by bus or train.

If you use the train, take the Arashiyama line of the Hankyu train. Get off the train at Matsuo Taisha Station, and walk for two or three minutes to get there.

If you take a bus, you have to take a Kyoto City bus using the Arashiyama Daikakuji or Kokedera lines. Gett off the bus at Mastuo Taishamae and walk for one or two minutes to get there. Arashiyama, Suzumushi temple, and Saihoji are nearby. These spots are famous in Kyoto, so if you have time, we recommend that you go visit them as well.

Fushimi: History and Tourist Attractions

by Hayato Tochimori and Yuta Sakurai

Recently the number of tourists from other countries to Kyoto has been increasing. There are many good tourist attractions in Kyoto, like The Golden Pavilion, Kiyomizu Temple, Arashiyama, and so on. However, have you ever heard a place called Fushimi? We can get to Fushimi by train within only 15 minutes from Kyoto station. It is mostly famous for the Fushimiinari Taisha shrine. However, Fushimi also has a very interesting history and a number of other tourist attractions worth visiting.

History of Fushimi

One of surprising facts about Fushimi is that it was a capital of Japan in the Azuchi Momoyama era, which was from 1573 to 1615. A top shogun, which means a leader in Japan at that time was Hideyoshi, and he made his castle in Fushimi. From Fushimi, it was possible to see Nara which is an ancient capital, Kyoto city, Osaka in which he has his private castle. It was very useful for him to check what was happening around the capital, and he loved this place.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimiinari Taisha shrine is chosen as the place where the tourists from other countries want to visit the most. This shrine is the head one of over 30,000 shrines related to this shrine.  This shrine was built in 711.  Inaritaizin, the god enshrined there, is the deity of fertility, business, and safety of family.  There are a lot of Shinto shrine gate called Torii. It is said that there are over 1,000 Torii in Fushimiinari Taisha shrine, and it is very famous scenery.  Actually, it is very popular spot in Kyoto.  I am going to introduce three more good tourist attractions and goods.

Nihonshu

The term nihonshu means Japanese alcohol, or sake. Fushimi is famous for its production of good quality sake. The reason is because of the superb water in Fushimi, which is near the point at which three big rivers in Kyoto meet: the Kamo river, the Uji river and the Katsura river. Also, spring water from Momoyama-Kyuryo, a mountain in Fushimi, is very clear. Excellent water is necessary for making a good nihonshu, and Fushimi has it. Therefore, the culture of nihonshu developed in Fushimi before the Azuchi-Momoyama era.  When Hideyoshi turned Fushimi into a castle town in the Azuchi-Momoyama era, the nihonshu industry began to develop further and flourish.  Moreover, in Edo period (1603~1867), Fushimi was center of traffic because it had nice roads and three rivers joined there.  Therefore, the demand of products including Nihonsyu increased so much at that time that the culture of Nihonsyu flourished more and more.

For this reason, there are many shuzou (sake breweries) in Fushimi. One of the most famous producers of nihonshu in Fushimi is Gekkeikan, which also has a sake museum. The museum was originally built in 1909. There, we can learn about the history and culture of nihonshu, as well as how to make it. Originally the museum building was a shuzou, but it was remodeled as the museum in 1987.

400 traditional tools to make nihonshu are exhibited in the museum, and we can also study the process of making nihonshu. Moreover, at the end of the museum tour, we can taste three different types of nihonshu made by Gekkeikan. The entrance fee is just 300 yen, so it is not expensive. If you like drinking sake, you should definitely pay the traditional Gekkeikan Sake Museum a visit.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%88%E6%A1%82%E5%86%A0%E5%A4%A7%E5%80%89%E8%A8%98%E5%BF%B5%E9%A4%A8

Gekkeikan Sake Museum


Access to Gekkeikan Sake Museum

Access to Gekkeikan Sake Museum

Access to Gekkeikan Sake Museum


Traditional Sweets

Fushimi is not only famous for its sake, but also its traditional sweets. One famous traditional sweet in Japan is called neri-yokan, which you can buy in just about any convenience store these days. What many people don’t know is that neri-yokan was originally made in a very traditional Japanese sweet shop in Fushimi, called Surugaya-Honpo, which was founded in 1461. Long ago,normal yokan  could not be preserved, so it could not develop in popularity. But Surugaya-Honpo improved this by using agar. The yokan made with an agar is called neri-yokan.

This sweets culture in Fushimi is also related to Hideyoshi. He held some meetings in Fushimi in the old days for a number of daimyo (regional leaders) from different places in Japan. Hideyoshi liked neri-yokan so much that he gave each daimyo neri-yokan as a present during the banquets or tea ceremonies. The daimyo took a liking to neri-yokan and eventually brought it back to their region and made it popular. If you have time, please visit Surugaya-Honpo and taste this traditional Japanese sweet.

http://www.pair-slope.co.jp/0-KYOTO/koto-meguri/kuimonya/kuimonya-1604.html

Surugaya-Honpo


Access to Surugaya-Honpo

Access to Surugaya honpo

Access to Surugaya honpo



Jonangu Shrine

Of course, everyone knows about the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine, but not as many people know about Jonangu Shrine, which is located to the west of the Kintetsu Takeda train station. This shrine was built to protect Kyoto when the capital of Japan was transferred to Kyoto  in 794. A deity of Hoyoke, which is protection from misfortunes coming from a certain destination, is enshrined in the shrine. Also, the deity of warding off evil is enshrined there. Today Japanese people visit Jonangu Shrine and pray for safe construction, travel, commuting, business or moving to a new house in Hoyoke.

For some people, these deities can provide road safety and safe travels. There was a port of Toba in the place of Jonan. The deity of this shrine had always kept an eye on people who travel by ship and Gissha (The oxen-drawn carriage). To this day, the place of Jonan is a point where arterial roads and motorways intersect.

People who hope for road safety visit Jonangu Shrine for purification and prayer. It is possible for you to receive purification of your car at the shrine. Japanese sweets and matcha (powdered green tea) are served at the tea ceremony room to prayers of Hoyoke warding off evil and purifying your car. How about praying for your safety during your trip to Kyoto or other places in Japan in this shrine?

There are five flower gardens related to the Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) in Jonangu Shrine. Approximately 80 kinds of flowers that are described in the tale are planted in the gardens. You can see drooping cherry blossoms and wisteria in the spring, Chinese lanterns and lotuses in the summer, boneset and maple leaves in the autumn, and camellia in the winter. The admission fee is 600 yen for adults and 400 yen for primary and secondary school students, so this is affordable. If you add 300 yen to the admission fee, Japanese sweets and matcha are served to you in the tea ceremony room. We recommend you visit the beautiful gardens.

Jonangu Shrine

Jonangu Shrine


Access to Jonangu Shrine

Access to Jonangu Shrine

Access to Jonangu Shrine


Conclusion

Of course, when most people hear the word Fushimi, they immediately think of the Fushimiinari Taisha shrine, which is truly amazing. However, it is not the only thing that the Fushimi district of Kyoto has to offer. As you can see, there are other wonderful tourist spots, sweets, and drinks to be experienced. Again, the entire region is only 15 minutes by train from Kyoto station. If you have an opportunity to visit Fushimi, please consider visiting it. You will not be disappointed.

The Taste from Pure Kyoto Water

Sasakishuzo’s Handmade Sake

By Akari Yamamoto Kaho Nishimura

 

IMGP0052

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyoto’s food culture, and the traditions and skills of saké making are the most important considerations for Sasakishuzou, a Japanese brewing company established in 1893. The company’s location, near Nijo Castle in Kyoto, is known for its very pure and rich water. It is is called Rakuchu. In 2014, Sasakishuzo’s brand of saké named Jurakudai Junmaidaiginnjo (聚楽第　純米大吟醸) was awarded the gold prize for Best Japanese Wine-Glass Saké in one section of the Daiginjoshu Contest. Sasakishuzo has earned respect from several chefs of authentic Kyoto cuisine because its sakés suit these foods very well. This match is very essential for Kyoto cuisine. Sasakishuzo is not only preserving, but passing down traditional Kyoto tastes.

 

Sasaki Akira

Sasaki Akira

 

 

In spite of the fact it was early morning Sasaki Akira took time from his busy schedule at Sasaki Shuzou to have an interview with us. He spoke in  Kansai dialect, so we could feel a close relationship with him and he gave us a very warm welcome. Sasaki always thinks of Kyoto cuisine culture  so we could feel his passion of Japanese saké. He was born in April 1st, 1970 in Kyoto. After working in a sales position for an industrial-machine distribution company, he started the job of saké making at age 25. Now, through events promoting Japanese saké, he is out  to increase the number of  Japanese saké fans. At the end of our interview, we could take this wonderful picture of him with a bottle of Sasakishuzo saké.

 

 

 

Interview

 

KAHO NISHIMURA: What is the characteristic of Sasakishuzou?

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SASAKI AKIRA: I believe the sake our company makes is the most suitable beverage for kyo-ryori (traditional Kyoto cuisine). When Kyoto chefs go to other prefectures to prepare Kyoto dishes they always take our saké with them.

 

 

 

 

IMGP0078AKARI YMAMOTO: We know you also make a non-alcohol Japanese saké. How do you produce this beverage? Why did you decide to make it?

Actually, it is completely different from regular Japanese saké. You know that non-alcohol beer tastes like beer, but our non-alcohol saké does not quite taste like Japanese saké. The reason why we decided to produce is related to our production schedule. We make sake during the fall and winter, so we are not so busy during the spring and summer months. We wanted to make a new beverage that used similar techniques to those of saké making. Therefore we decided to try and make a non-alcohol “saké” during spring and summer and sell it as a seasonal product.

 

 

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KAHO: Do you have any rivals? Which one makes the best saké?

There are many sake companies in Japan. Big companies make half of all saké in Japan and many small local companies make the other half. The smaller companies —like ours— compete on high quality. We always make an effort to brew the best saké we can, but it is a challenge to get customers to choose our product when there are so many other high-quality sakés. However, actually we do not have a bad relationship with other makers. We are actually good friends and give each other help, so our relationship is not like real rivals. We all consider ourselves part of a fraternity that preserves Japanese culture. We believe that we should not be satisfied with just making saké, but that we have a responsibility to educate others about the unique food culture of Kyoto through saké making.

AKARI: Who are the people who come to your shop?

In a single day, we have almost one hundred customers. They might be someone who is visiting from another prefecture for sightseeing, or students on a school trip, or local people. On average, the age of most of most of our customers is from thirty to forty.

KAHO:　We will write this article in English so various foreign people will see it. Do you ever think about selling your products overseas? What points about sake do you want to bring to attention to the people in the world?

I think in the future, we should introduce Japanese food culture with Japanese saké to the world. However, I hope to tell them that Japanese food is mostly very good because it has been refined by high techniques.

 

This candy is similar to a whisky bonbon, however it has Japanese sake inside. We can experience a new taste and texture.

Recently, Sasakishuzo is trying to make other special products with Kyoto food companies, a bakery and a traditional Japanese sweet shop. This new project uses thetechniques used to make saké. One technique is called 麹糖化技術 (converting rice with malt to make sugar). The two companies we are working with are Mangetsu and Shizuya. Both are very famous in Kyoto and some of their products are popular as souvenirs. Making sweets and bread that use saké ingredients with these companies is one very good way to expand the Kyoto’s food culture to other places. This candy is similar to a whisky bonbon, however it has Japanese saké inside. We can experience a new taste and texture.

 

 

Matsunoo Grand Shrine

by Maki Mizobata; Natsuki Mitsuya
Matsunoo Grand Shrine (also known as Matsuo Grand Shrine) is located at the west end of Shijo Street, beyond Matsuo Bridge. This shrine is the oldest shrine in Kyoto, and the divinity worshipped here is a god of brewing sake. Throughout the year, more than a thousand people who are engaged in brewing sake visit Matsunoo Grand Shrine. There is also a famous well, Kame-no-I, as well as three gardens, and the treasury and Honden have been designated as important cultural properties.

History

In ancient times, the people who settled in the area around this shrine orshipped a boulder on Mt. Matsuo called Iwakura as their guardian deity. In 5 AD, a lord of the Hata clan, who had emigrated from Korea, settled in the area and introduced agriculture and forestry. The Hata clan also chose the deity of Mt. Matsuo as its guardian deity. In 701, Hata-no-imikitori built the shrine. Because the Hata clan had a lot of power and money, they were involved in the relocation of the Imperial capital to Nagaoka-kyo (784) and later to Heian-kyo (794). Therefore, they won the Imperial court’s confidence, and Matsunoo Grand Shrine was honored by the Imperial house. Not only has this shrine long played a role in ensuring the peace of the nation and protecting the people who live around it, but the shrine also houses guardian deities of cultivation, flood control, and trade. Since the Hata clan introduced to Japan the method of brewing sake, brewers and makers of miso paste visit Matsunoo Grand Shrine to pray for the success of their endeavors.

Deities

Matsunoo Grand Shrine enshrines Oo-yamagui-no-kami and Nakatsu-shima-hime-no-mikoto. The former is a male deity who governs Mt. Hiei and Mt. Matsuo. The latter, otherwise known as Ichiki-shima-hime-no-mikoto, is a female deity who protects people during their travels.

Honden

Since the time the Hata clan founded the shrine, the Honden, or the main shrine building, has been through several reconstructions, and the present one was built in 1397 and repaired in 1542 during the Muromachi period. Because of its unique style of roof, which is called Matsuo-zukuri, or Matsuo style, the Honden has been designated as an important cultural property.

Shofu-en

Shofu-en has three famous gardens: Iwakura, Horai and Kyokusui. These gardens were designed by Mirei Shigemori during the Showa era. They are not so old but are among the greatest of the works made after the Meiji era. He designed them with a combination of rocks, and the opposite ideas of “stillness” and “movement” are harmonized well.

・Iwakura Garden(The ancient era style)

This garden was made to be the spiritual place for the god of Mt. Matsuo. Two main boulders symbolize the god and the goddess who are enshrined in this shrine. Other rocks around them represent dieties dependent on the main ones.

・Horai Garden (Kamakura era style)

The Kaiyu style, which you can enjoy by walking around the garden, is used here, and there are islands in the pond. In this garden, we can imagine a place where an unworldly man lives. It is said that this garden expresses Horai ideas, which include a longing for a world where people will not grow old and die.

・Kyokusui Garden (Heian era style)

The Heian era, when Matsunoo Grand Shrine was most prosperous, is the theme of this garden. Water channels its way along the foot of a hill, curving seven times, and there are many glaucous (light blue and green) rocks on the hill. The design is simple, but its color scheme is unique.

Kame-no-I (A well)

Near the waterfall Reiki-no-taki is a well of spring water, Kame-no-I, which is said to produce a mysterious effect. This water is famous for producing longevity and revival. Sake brewers put the water of Kame-no-I into their sake because not only do they adore the deities but also they believe the sake will not go bad.

Sake-no-Shiryokan (Museum of Sake)

Since Matsunoo Grand Shrine has housed a god of sake from ancient times, it is believed that sake brewed with water from here will bring people happiness and prosperity. In the Museum of Sake,we can see the tools used in brewing sake that were donated by sake brewers, and also we can learn about the tradition and history of sake.

Ichinoi River

There are about 3,000 Japanese rose bushes within the shrine’s precinct. The Japanese rose is most beautiful in April and May when it blooms. Especially, the harmony of the stone bridge, fresh green leaves, and Japanese rose bushes along the Ichinoi River is wonderful.

Festival

The Matsunoo Festival consists of two processions: Shinko-sai and Kanko-sai. Shinko-sai is held on the first Sunday after April 20th. Six mikoshi, or portable shrines, are carried and ferried across the Katsura River to the opposite side, and each mikoshi is placed in a shrine there. Three weeks later,the mikoshi are returned to Matsunoo Grand Shrine, and this procession is called Kanko-sai.

Access

  • By bus: Take Kyoto city bus No. 28 or Kyoto bus No. 73 from Kyoto Station to the “Matsuo-taisha-mae” bus stop.
  • By Hankyu Railway: Get off at “Matsuo” station.

Fees for Garden and Treasure House

  • Adult: 500 yen
  • Student: 400 yen
  • Child: 300 yen

*Admission to Sake-no-Shiryokan (Museum of Sake) is free.

Open

  • Garden: 9:00 – 16:00 (9:00 – 16:30 Sundays and holidays)
  • Museum of Sake: 9:00 – 16:00

Kyoto Sake

by Konishi Yuji






Konishi Yuji

LINKS:

Takimoto Meishu-kan

Matunoo Taisha

Noriko Fujimoto


La storia

Matsunoo Taisha, il Grande Santuario di Matsunoo, è il più antico santuario scintoista a Kyoto.
Nell’antichità gli abitanti di questa regione veneravano lo spirito del Monte Matsuo e lo consideravano il protettore della vita.

Lo scintoismo è la religione autoctona del Giappone, in cui si rispettano gli antenati e che ha come fondamento il rapporto con la terra e la natura.

Circa nel 5 secolo d.C., un uomo di nome Hata e la sua famiglia emigrarono in questa regione (Yamashiro, Tamba) dalla Corea, e qui prosperarono.
La famiglia di Hata e i nativi cominciarono ad adorare Matsuo come loro divinità.
Nel 701 fu costruito il santuario scintoista che esiste ancora oggi.
Oggi, Matsunoo Taisha è sostenuto
da circa 100.000 famiglie di fedeli a Kyoto.
In particolare, è famoso in tutto il Giappone
come sede della divinità che fa fermentare il sakè.
Il sakè, come è noto, è il tipico vino di riso giapponese.
In primavera, a Matsunoo Taisha ha luogo una bellissima fioritura di Yamabuki, fiori gialli.
È consigliabile visitarlo in aprile o maggio.

Il reliquiario principale


L’edificio che possiamo vedere adesso fu costruito nel 1397 e ampiamente restaurato nel 1542.
È famoso per il tetto in stile insolito. Questo stile peculiare è chiamato “Matsuo Dzukuri”(stile di Matsuo).
Il reliquiario è stato ufficialmente dichiarato importante patrimonio culturale.

Kame no I


“Kame no I” significa “pozzo della tartaruga (Kame)”.
La tartaruga è venerata in Cina, Corea e Giappone come simbolo di buona fortuna, e particolarmente di lunga vita e buona salute.
Si crede che chi beve l’acqua di questo pozzo vivrà a lungo e in salute.
Molti usano l’acqua per preparare il miso e fare fermentare il sakè.
Il miso è una pasta di soia fermentata anche oggi molto usata nella cucina giapponese.

Sakadaru


Il sakadaru è il barile per il sakè.
La ditte che producono sakè portano i barili a Matsunoo Taisha per impetrare il succeso negli affari.

Il portale a torretta


Si dice che questo portale fu costruito nei primi anni del periodo Edo (1603~1867).
A destra e a sinistra ci sono due statue, coperte da reti metalliche. I fedeli attaccano alle reti Shakushi votivi con scritti i loro desideri e le loro speranze, e si crede che la divinità li esaudiscano. Questa è una delle espressioni tipiche della fede popolare dei giapponesi.
Lo Shakushi è un utensile a forma di spatola di solito usato per riempire la ciotola del riso bollito.

Torii


I Torii sono i portali dei santuari scintoisti, e indicano un luogo sacro.
Sono solitamente costruiti in legno o pietra, e sono dipinti in un colore rosso caratteristico.
Matsunoo Taisha ha due Torii.

Il giardino

A Matsunoo Taisha si trova un giardino giapponese, molto interessante per la varietà degli stili che rappresenta.
Il giardino fu creato nel periodo Showa (nel 1975) e riproduce tre diversi stili dei giardini giapponesi tradizionali.
Il primo è lo stile antico; il secondo lo stile del periodo Heian (dalla fine dell’ottavo secolo alla fine del dodicesimo secolo); il terzo è lo stile del periodo Kamakura (dalla fine del dodicesimo secolo al 1333).

Le feste religiose

Le tre principali feste religiose a Kyoto sono Aoi Matsuri, Jidai Matsuri e Gion Matsuri.

Ma Matsunoo Taisha ha una propria festa religiosa, la festa chiamata Shinkosai (o Matsuo Matsuri), che si tiene in Aprile, la prima domenica dopo il 20.


Durante la festa sei grandi palanchini sacri riccamente ornati (Mikoshi), in cui siedono le divinità, sono portati in processione a spalla da un gruppo di uomini fino al fiume Katsura, che scorre nei pressi di Matunoo Taisha. Da qui vengono trasportati al di là del fiume su barche. Questo rito esprime la forza e l’energia vitale del popolo giapponese, e assistervi lasciandosi trasportare dal flusso dell’energia è un’esperienza entusiasmante.

21 giorni dopo Shinkosai si può vedere anche la festa chiamata Kankosai.

Heian-Schrein

by TSUDUKI Rina

Heian-Schrein

Im Jahre 794 verlegte der Kaiser Kanmu
die Hauptstadt von Nara nach Kyoto, und
nannte sie　„Heian-Kyo“. Der Schrein wurde
im Jahre 1895 zum Andenken an den 1100.
Jahrestag gebaut. Der Schrein ist den Seelen
der Kaiser Kanmu und Komei geweiht. Der
Kaiser Kanmu baute die Hauptstadt
„Heian-Kyo“ und der Kaiser Komei ist der letzte Kaiser, der in Kyoto wohnte. Außerdem gibt es im Schrein einen großen heiligen Garten, den „Shinen

－ Warum ist das Torii so weit vom Schrein entfernt? －

Die Entfernung zwischen dem Torii und dem Haupttor wirkt seltsam. Das Torii ist für jeden Schrein ein unentbehrliches Element. Das Torii bezeichnet einen Eingang zur heiligen Welt (Schreinbezirk). Aber das Torii des Heian-Schreins steht mitten auf einer öffentlichen Straße.

Ist die Straße heilig, die zwischen dem Torii und dem Schrein liegt? So ist es nicht. Auch der Platz gehörte bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg zum Schrein. Aber zum Beginn des Krieges machte der Schrein der Regierung mit dem Platz ein Geschenk. Darauf wurde die Straße gebaut.

－ Tiger und Drache －

Am Eingang des Schreinbezirks gibt es rechts und links ein Becken, an dem man sich vor dem Gebet den Mund und die Hände spült um die Seele zu reinigen. Auf jedem Becken steht eine Figur aus Stein, auf dem westlichen steht ein Tiger, auf dem östlichen ein Drache. Die Tiere sind nach altchinesischem Glauben Schutzgötter für je eine Himmelsrichtung.

Tiger

Drache

Norden － schwarze Schildkröte
Süden － roter Spatz
Osten － blauer Drache
Westen － weißer Tiger

－ Hochzeit im Schrein －

Man kann im „Kaguraden“ Hochzeit feiern. „Kagura“ bedeutet „die Musik, die Göttern dargebracht wird“. Bei einer Hochzeit im Schrein wird diese Musik intoniert. Manchmal sieht man in der Nähe vom Ausgang des heiligen Gartens Hochzeitsgesellschaften.

Eine Hochzeit

－ Drei Gebäude －

„Der Daigokuden“, der Hauptbau im Schrein, besteht aus drei Gebäuden: Der Gaihaiden steht allen Besuchern offen. Die übliche Andacht besteht aus 3 Teilen, auf Japanisch „Nirei, Nihaku, Ichirei“ － „zwei Verbeugungen, zwei mal Klatschen, eine Verbeugung“
Bedeutung:
zwei Verbeugungen: Dank an die Götter
zwei mal Klatschen: Die eigene Existenz den Göttern kundtun
eine Verbeugung: Die Bitte für künftige Wünsche

„Mit den Wölfen muss man heulen“. Komm, machen wir „Nirei, Nihaku, Ichirei“!

Naihaiden → Man kann nur eintreten, wenn man die Götter anruft.
Gohonden → Nur Schinto-Priester können eintreten. Dies ist der heiligste Bau, weil er den Seelen von Kaiser Kanmu und Kaiser Komei geweiht ist.

－ Lasst uns Sake mit Bier vergleichen!－

Im Heian-Schrein stehen ein Kirschbaum und ein
Tachibana-Baum (eine Art Mandarine), von dem
man jedes Jahr 100 kg Früchte erntet. Daraus
werden Süßigkeiten (Waffelkuchen mit Marmelade und Gelee) und Sake gemacht. Diese Waren kann man nur am Kiosk im Schrein kaufen, deshalb sind sie etwas ganz Besonderes. Der Tachibana-Sake ist wie ein süßer Wein. Außerdem hält man im Osten die Früchte für Ambrosia. Probieren Sie mal.

－ Eine andere Welt? －

Der Heian-Schrein liegt an der Straße, aber man kann eine heilige Ruhe erleben, wenn man in den Garten „Schinen“ eintritt. Zu jeder Jahreszeit sieht der Garten anders aus. Es gibt Tiere und Pflanzen, ein Paradies. Eine Brücke (Taiheikaku) führt über einen großen Teich und lädt dazu ein zu verweilen und die Geschöpfe im Teich zu betrachten.

So kommt man zumHeian-Schrein Vom Kyotobahnhofmit dem Bus Richtung Gion Nr. 206mit dem Bus Richtung Iwakura oder Ginkakuji-Tempel Nr. 5

und zu Fuß ca. 3 Minuten

※Steigen Sie aus an der Haltestelle „Kyoto-Kaikan Bijutsukan

mae” (Vor der Kunsthalle Kyoto)
Öffnungszeiten 6:00 - 18:00 Uhr
Ruhetag Nur am 22. Oktober am Nachmittag(Wegen eines großen Festes)
Eintrittsgebühr Kostenlos (der Eintritt zum Schinen kostet 600 Yen)