A seasonal division in the Japanese year called Setsubun, one day before the start of spring, has now passed, and we are now entering a new year according to the lunar calendar.
With renewed enthusiasm, we look forward to sharing the enjoyment of matured sake with all of you.
The joy and pleasure of sake, a theme that has been celebrated in poetry since ancient times, continues to intrigue and inspire us with its cultural significance.
The Manyoshu (collection of Japanese short poems compiled sometime after AD 759) also contains songs about sake, and among them, Otomo no Tabito's thirteen "Songs Praising Alcohol" are well known.
My favorite is the first of these.
Shirushinaki mono wo omohazuha
hitotsuki no nigoreru sake wo nomubekuarushi
If I were to translate it freely,
it would go something like "Don't dwell on things that have no answers.
It's much better to have a cup of nigorizake (coarsely filtered / cloudy sake.)"
That's the general gist of it.
I feel this song takes a step towards praising sake. It's not just saying that it's good to take a break from useless thinking, but that it's good to try drinking sake first.
Of course, it could be taken as just another excuse to consume sake.
The taste of sake can change significantly depending on the sake vessel in which it is served.
I wonder what kind of cup, referred to in the poem as a hitotsuki, the traveler used to drink the nigorizake.
When it comes to matured sake, many brands taste even better when served at room temperature in a glass, or warmed and served in your favorite cup.
That is why, at the Jyuku to Kan (sake matured) in-store bar, customers can enjoy the unique color, aroma, and flavor of matured sake in specially made white porcelain cups.
In response to the many questions from customers asking whether they can buy them, we have decided to have an artist bake additional pieces and sell them online.
The white porcelain cups made by Tomohiro Uchida, like those of his master Taizo Kuroda, have an indescribable quality and pleasant feel on the palate and ‘bring out the charm of sake.’
Please give them a try.
White porcelain sake cup by Tomohiro Uchida
◇ ◇ Product name: Sake set of 2
Price: 2-piece set 8,000 yen (tax included)
*The cup stand in the photo is not included.