Sake for the Nonogawa Rice Harvest Festival to Inari

Sake by Linector

Sake is brewed by the Nagashima Brewery based in central Nonogawa, in the Tatsuse district. The first batch from the rice of the new harvest is put in special wooden barrels and set aside for the festival the next year, as a way to say thanks for the harvest that allows them to make the sake. The company's brewmaster is the best in Western Japan. Over the last 50 years, they've made extra large batches of the peach flavor for the Rice Harvest Festival to Inari.

At the festival, the brewery asks the local priests to bless the sake, then opens the casks with a wooden mallet, and serves it from square wood cups with salt on the edge to passers by and the float attendants. The salt enhances the already excellent flavor.

Manufacturing process

Sake Bottle by photo3idea_studio

First the rice is polished, washed, and steamed. Then the koji fungus is cultivated to create the fermentation enzyme. Yeast and water are added to make a mash. This is then pressed and filtered and the sediment removed. Finally the liquid is pasturized, put into casks, and aged for a year.¹ Testing is done by the brewmaster at every point of the process. And he verifies the final product before it's blessed by the priest and released. Then a celebration with a bonus from last year's profits and the employees getting to taste the sake along side the public.

100 Year Old Sake Cup

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Significance

Cultural and religious

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Current Location

Nonogawa

Rarity

Made only in Nonogawa.