What do you think of when you think of Kyoto? Temples and shrines? Maiko? Or cafes? Bread?
Kyoto is a city with a surprisingly wide variety of things to see. Let us introduce you to a Kyoto you may not know.
1. Sasaki Sake Brewery and Yasunari Kawabata
Sasaki Sake Brewery is famous for the actor Kuranosuke Sasaki, but did you know that they actually have a sake that was praised by the great writer Yasunari Kawabata? Kawabata Yasunari is famous for "Yukiguni" (Snow Country), but he is also famous for "Ancient Capital," which is based on Kyoto.
The sake "Ancient Capital" bears the name of the "Ancient Capital". Yasunari Kawabata was known as a gourmand, and he said, "This is the taste of Kyoto.
The text on the label is said to have been written by Yasunari Kawabata, who was so impressed by the sake. But why is Sasaki Shuzo's sake so delicious? The reason lies in the water.
2.The relationship between Kyoto water and Kyoto sake
Originally, Kyoto was rich in underground water, and originally there were many sake breweries in what are now Kamigyo and Nakagyo wards. Kinshi Masamune, now located in Fushimi Ward, originally originated in Nakagyo Ward. The name "Demizu" still remains in the area where the Sasaki Sake Brewery is located. The center of Heian-kyo was originally located around the current Sasaki Brewery. The area from further north of the Sasaki Brewery to the Sasaki Brewery is called Nishijin. The area is famous for its brightly colored Nishijin textiles, but water is also needed for dyeing.
And the water of Kyoto is called the water that Sen no Rikyu loved for making tea during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The legend of Sen no Rikyu can be found in several wells in the city. The water used for tea is preferred to be mild and low in minerals.
In fact, this water is quite the opposite of the water used in Nada, Hyogo Prefecture, another sake brewing region in the Kansai region. Sake made with water with high mineral content has a strong flavor, but it also contains impurities. The overall taste of the sake is strong, and it was called "Otoko (male) sake" in the old days.
There is a waka expression "masura buri," which has a similar image. Think of it as a rather rough and powerful taste of sake.
On the other hand, sake from Kyoto, including Fushimi, is basically called "jyoshu. This is an expression of its light flavor. It is lighter in flavor than sake from Hyogo and Nada, but rather refers to the light flavors of Kyoto's representative courtly and yushoku cuisine.
In waka expression, the image is similar to that of "tataoyamaburi," a delicate and graceful taste of sake.
The water used by the Sasaki Sake Brewery is called "Ginmeisui," which was especially favored by Sen no Rikyu. Sake made with the water favored by that era even made the great writers of the Showa period gasp in admiration.
3.History of Sasaki Sake Brewery and Kyoto
By the way, you can buy almost all the sake handled by Sasaki Shuzo at the Sasaki Shuzo Honten. Although it is not possible to buy summer sake in winter, collaboration products and original amazake are also available. The name of the original amazake is "Ginmeisui," which means "Silver Meisui! It has the same name as the water loved by Rikyu.
Of course, you can also buy "Ancient Capital" loved by Yasunari Kawabata. And if you are lucky, you may even meet the brewery's cat employees.
How about visiting once?
