Deep in a dark warehouse, the sake sleeps, stored in rows of giant tanks. They hail from brewing techniques dating back more than 1,000 years. Junichiro Ozawa, who heads Ozawa Brewery, founded in 1702, hopes sake-brewing will win recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, when the decision is made next month.
Junichiro Ozawa, head of Ozawa Sake Brewery, speaks during a media tour at the brewery in Ome, on the western outskirts of Tokyo, Japan , Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. A worker for Ozawa Sake Brewery opens a lid of a tank to show sake being fermented during a media tour at the brewery in Ome, on the western outskirts of Tokyo, Japan , Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
Sake exports from Japan total more than 41 billion yen a year, with the biggest destinations being the U.S. and China, according to the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. The relatively soft quality of freshwater in Japan, like the supplies provided by the two wells at Ozawa Brewery, is also critical.
The religious connotations of sake are evident at the brewery. The big cedar-leaves ball hanging under the eaves is a symbol of a shrine for the god of sake-making. In Japan, sake is used to purify and to celebrate. Sips from a cup signify the sealing of a marriage. It’s not meant to be used for commercial purposes. But sake officials make no secret of their hope that it will boost global sales, helping the tradition stay alive amid competition from beer, wine and other modern beverages.
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