The old way of making Japanese sake is finally getting its due.
This week, UNESCO officially added the Japanese rice wine to its list of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” More specifically, UNESCO added the “traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold in Japan.”
“Sake is an alcoholic beverage made from grains and water that is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Craftspeople use koji mold to convert the starch in the ingredients into sugar. They oversee the process to make sure the mold grows in optimal conditions, adjusting the temperature and humidity as needed,” UNESCO explained in its new listing about the drink that is estimated to be 2,500 years old. “Their work determines the quality of the sake.”
As UNESCO noted, sake is viewed as a “sacred gift from deities” and has been poured at festivals, weddings, and other key cultural moments for centuries. And although you can find the product being mass-produced today, there are still people who continue to uphold tradition — and it’s those people and practices that UNESCO wants to recognize and protect.
Those sake makers are known as “toji,” who lead the work inside sake breweries and teach younger generations through hands-on apprenticeships. “Since sake-making requires many hands and strong teamwork, the practice promotes social ties among the craftspeople,” UNESCO added. “It also unites them with local residents, including the farmers who provide the ingredients, thus contributing to social cohesion.”
While the process of making sake — which includes rice, water, yeast, and the koji rice mold — is now recognized by UNESCO, so should the rice. As the Associated Press noted, in order for a product to be categorized as Japanese sake, the rice must be grown and produced in Japan. It’s also a rather laborious process making sake, as it takes constant supervision and constant stirring of ingredients for days, weeks, and possibly months, all in a perfect balance to ensure what you get in your glass is perfection.
“It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” Takehiro Kano, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, shared in a statement. “This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.”
And, as the director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association shared with the AP, they hope this recognition “will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture,” after many moved to drinking imported beers and other alcohols. “I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like.” If you’ve never tried it, or are looking for a new sake to taste, just check out our list of the best canned, cupped, and boxed sakes to try right now.
