HISTORY OF SAKÉ

Saké (pronounced sa-kay), or rice wine, is a clear alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice which has been brewed and enjoyed in Japan for centuries. According to Shinto legend, the emergence of saké is credited to the gods as told in the legend of Susunoomiko. The brother of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Susunoomiko saved Princess Kushinada by enticing the Great Serpent of Yamato Lake to drink saké he brewed, and then slew the serpent with his sword.

The first evidence of saké in Japan was a saké-like substance called kuchikami-no-saké or "saké which is chewed in the mouth," which appeared in the third century. Kuchikami-no-saké was made by chewing the rice or other grain, spitting it out into a container and allowing the enzymes in the saliva to ferment the grain for several days. This form of brewing was one of the early Shinto rituals traditionally performed at religious festivals. Although saké has evolved greatly since these ancient times, it is still offered to the gods and consumed as part of many Shinto rituals and celebrations including present-day Japanese wedding ceremonies.

More sophisticated brewing techniques came to Japan from China around the seventh century, allowing it to be refined into a clear liquid more like the saké we drink today. During the Heian period (794-1195) saké-brewing techniques continued to improve, and with the emergence of a popular culture, for the first time saké became a social drink. Sophisticated brewing techniques brought from the West during the Meiji period (1868-1912) further advanced the industry, making mass production possible. Today there are more than 10,000 brands of saké on the market.

While saké is best known as a drink, it is also used in cooking, as a polish for pinewood and as a skin conditioner.