Japan’s sake brewers hope UNESCO heritage listing can boost rice wine’s appeal

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Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. nobility / noʊˈbɪl ɪ ti / (n.) – the group of people with high social rank, often because of their family or title
    Example:

    In history, the nobility played a key role in politics, but their influence has reduced over time in most places.


  2. take a liking to (something) / teɪk ə ˈlaɪ kɪŋ tu / (idiom) – to begin to enjoy or like something
    Example:

    They designed the product hoping customers would take a liking to it.


  3. fermentation / ˌfɜr mɛnˈteɪ ʃən / (n.) – a process where bacteria change food materials like sugar into a different form, often producing gas or alcohol
    Example:

    Many traditional foods, like kimchi and natto, are made through fermentation, in which bacteria help preserve them.


  4. connotation / ˌkɒn əˈteɪ ʃən / (n.) – the extra meaning or feeling a word carries, besides its basic definition
    Example:

    The word “home” has a positive connotation of comfort and family.


  5. signify / ˈsɪg nəˌfaɪ / (v.) – to show or mean something, usually by using words, signs, or actions
    Example:

    The handshake between the two leaders signifies the start of their new agreement.


Article

Read the text below.

Deep in a dark warehouse, the sake sleeps, stored in rows of giant tanks, each holding more than 10,000 liters (2,640 gallons) of the Japanese rice wine that is the product of brewing techniques dating back more than 1,000 years.


Junichiro Ozawa, the 18th-generation head of Ozawa Brewery, founded in 1702, hoped sake-brewing would win recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage when the decision was made earlier this month.


Sake, the drink of choice for the nobility in “The Tale of Genji”—Japan’s most celebrated work of literature—has been widening its appeal, boosted by the growing international popularity of Japanese cuisine.


Sake exports from Japan total more than 41 billion yen ($265 million) a year, with the biggest destinations being the U.S., according to the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.


That’s up from about 22 billion yen in 2018. Brazil, Mexico, 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.


What’s key to sake-making, which takes about two months, including fermentation and pressing, are the rice and the water.


For a product to be categorized as Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. The relatively soft quality of freshwater in Japan, like the supplies provided by the two wells at Ozawa Brewery, is also critical.


The religious connotations of sake are evident at the brewery. The big cedar-leaves ball hanging under the eaves is a symbol of a shrine for the god of sake-making. In Japan, sake is used to purify and to celebrate. Sips from a cup signify the sealing of a marriage.


“Sake is not just an alcoholic beverage. It is Japanese culture itself,” said Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.


The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation is given to not just historical monuments but also practices passed down generations, such as oral traditions, performing arts, rituals, and festivals.


It’s not meant to be used for commercial purposes. But sake officials make no secret of their hope that it will boost global sales, helping the tradition stay alive amid competition from beer, wine, and other modern beverages.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation is not meant to be used for commercial purposes. But sake officials make no secret of their hope that it will boost global sales. What do you think is the main purpose of such a designation? How do you think being named a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage helps preserve traditions such as sake-brewing? Discuss.
  • Why do you think sake is becoming popular in places like the U.S. and Europe (ex. because of the popularity of Japanese cuisine, because of its unique taste)? How does the international popularity of a product affect its cultural roots? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Hitoshi Utsunomiya said that sake is not just an alcoholic beverage. It is Japanese culture itself. What do you think he meant by this? Why do you think sake is considered “Japanese culture itself”? Discuss.
  • How do you think trying drinks like sake helps people understand Japanese culture better? Have you ever tried a traditional drink from another culture? How was the experience? Discuss.