Sake Makers Hope for UNESCO Listing
2024-11-21
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1The Japanese rice wine called sake is made using ancient brewing methods.
2They date back more than a thousand years.
3Junichiro Ozawa, the 18th-generation leader of Ozawa Brewery, founded in 1702, hopes sake-brewing will win recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
4Officials of the UN agency are expected to decide on the nomination next month.
5"We always think about the people who're enjoying our sake when we make it. I'm now so excited, imagining the faces of all the people around the world," he told reporters during a visit to the brewery on the edge of Tokyo.
6Sake was the drink of choice of the nobility represented in Japan's most celebrated work of writing, The Tale of Genji.
7Sake has been growing in popularity in recent years, helped by an increasing international interest in Japanese cooking and food.
8Sake exports from Japan total more than $265 million a year, with the U.S. and China as the two biggest buyers.
9That information comes from the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.
10Sake exports have almost doubled in value since 2018.
11But exports still make up a very small amount of overall sake production in Japan.
12Brazil, Mexico and Southeast Asia, as well as France and the rest of Europe, all places where Japanese restaurants are gaining popularity, are starting to take a liking to sake.
13The main elements in sake are rice and water.
14The production process takes about two months and includes fermentation and pressing.
15For a product to be named Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese.
16The relatively soft quality of freshwater in Japan, like that provided by the two wells at Ozawa Brewery, is also important.
17Among Ozawa's sake choices is the Junmai Daiginjo, one of the top offerings, with 15 percent alcohol content and costing about $23 for 720 milliliters.
18Another, Karakuti Nigorizake, is unrefined sake.
19The liquid is not as clear as usual sake.
20It has 17 percent alcohol content and sells for $16 for 1,800 milliliters.
21In Japan, sake is used to purify and to celebrate.
22Small tastes of sake from a cup show the confirmation of a marriage, for example.
23"Sake is not just an alcoholic beverage. It is Japanese culture itself," said Hitoshi Utsunomiya of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.
24The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation can be awarded to practices passed down for generations.
25These practices include spoken traditions, performing arts, and food making.
26The UNESCO designation is not meant to be used for commercial purposes.
27But industry officials are open about their hope that such recognition will increase international sales.
28They believe the designation could help the tradition stay alive amid competition from beer, grape-based wine and other drinks.
29One reason for sake's growing popularity around the world is that its smooth flavor goes well with a number of foods.
30These foods include sushi, spicy Asian and Western dishes, says Max Del Vita, a sake wine expert and co-founder of The Sake Company, an import and distribution business in Singapore.
31Del Vita told The Associated Press.
32"Sake is more than a drink. It is a living embodiment of Japan's seasonal rhythms, community values and artistic heritage."
33I'm John Russell.
1The Japanese rice wine called sake is made using ancient brewing methods. They date back more than a thousand years. 2Junichiro Ozawa, the 18th-generation leader of Ozawa Brewery, founded in 1702, hopes sake-brewing will win recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Officials of the UN agency are expected to decide on the nomination next month. 3"We always think about the people who're enjoying our sake when we make it. I'm now so excited, imagining the faces of all the people around the world," he told reporters during a visit to the brewery on the edge of Tokyo. 4Sake was the drink of choice of the nobility represented in Japan's most celebrated work of writing, The Tale of Genji. Sake has been growing in popularity in recent years, helped by an increasing international interest in Japanese cooking and food. 5Sake exports from Japan total more than $265 million a year, with the U.S. and China as the two biggest buyers. That information comes from the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. 6Sake exports have almost doubled in value since 2018. But exports still make up a very small amount of overall sake production in Japan. Brazil, Mexico and Southeast Asia, as well as France and the rest of Europe, all places where Japanese restaurants are gaining popularity, are starting to take a liking to sake. 7The main elements in sake are rice and water. The production process takes about two months and includes fermentation and pressing. 8For a product to be named Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. The relatively soft quality of freshwater in Japan, like that provided by the two wells at Ozawa Brewery, is also important. 9Among Ozawa's sake choices is the Junmai Daiginjo, one of the top offerings, with 15 percent alcohol content and costing about $23 for 720 milliliters. 10Another, Karakuti Nigorizake, is unrefined sake. The liquid is not as clear as usual sake. It has 17 percent alcohol content and sells for $16 for 1,800 milliliters. 11In Japan, sake is used to purify and to celebrate. Small tastes of sake from a cup show the confirmation of a marriage, for example. 12"Sake is not just an alcoholic beverage. It is Japanese culture itself," said Hitoshi Utsunomiya of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association. 13The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation can be awarded to practices passed down for generations. These practices include spoken traditions, performing arts, and food making. 14The UNESCO designation is not meant to be used for commercial purposes. But industry officials are open about their hope that such recognition will increase international sales. They believe the designation could help the tradition stay alive amid competition from beer, grape-based wine and other drinks. 15One reason for sake's growing popularity around the world is that its smooth flavor goes well with a number of foods. These foods include sushi, spicy Asian and Western dishes, says Max Del Vita, a sake wine expert and co-founder of The Sake Company, an import and distribution business in Singapore. 16Del Vita told The Associated Press. "Sake is more than a drink. It is a living embodiment of Japan's seasonal rhythms, community values and artistic heritage." 17I'm John Russell. 18Yuri Kageyama reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 19_______________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21brew - v. to prepare (sake, beer, etc.) by boiling and fermentation 22fermentation - n. the breakdown of an energy-rich compound (such as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol) by the action of microorganisms (such as bacteria or yeast) 23beverage - n. a drinkable liquid 24designation - n. a distinguishing name or title 25practice - n. a custom; a repeated or customary action