Various Japanese Sake Drinking Wares for Different Temperature Conditions

I’d like to continue the same topic “about Japanese Sake” a little more. I’m showing some typical Sake drinking wares in the photo below. As you can see various materials are used for the wares. The reason is not only for different occasions but also for drinking temperatures. Since old times Japanese have enjoyed Sake with varied temperatures.

Nowadays most restaurants and bars are ready to serve only two or three kinds of temperatures of Sake, such as “Atsu-kan(hot)”, “Reishu(cold)” and sometimes “Nuru-kan(warm)”. However, traditionally there had been much more variety for the temperatures to drink Sake. 

Apparently with different temperature the taste and the flavor of the same Sake would be slightly changed, thus people of old times named each temperature condition at almost every 5℃ and enjoyed those. 

According to the information from Sake breweries, each condition has some feature like below.

・Higher than 55℃( 131 ) : Tobikiri-Kan (Extra-Hot)  The flavor becomes stronger, the taste becomes dry.

・Around 50℃( 122F ) : Atsu-Kan(Hot)  The flavor becomes sharp.

・Around 45℃( 113F ) : Jou-Kan(Good Heat) The flavor and taste becomes crisp.

・Around 40℃( 104F ): Nuru-Kan(Warm) The flavor blooms.

・Around 35℃( 95F ) : Hitohada-Kan(Body Heat) Can enjoy good rice flavor, the taste becomes light.

・Around 30℃( 86F ) : Hinata-Kan(Sunshine Temp) The taste becomes smooth and the flavor becomes prominent.

・Around 20℃( 68F ) : Sitsuon(Room Temp) The flavor becomes mild and the taste becomes soft.

・Around 15℃( 59F ) : Suzu-Hie(Cool) The flavor becomes colorful and the taste becomes thick.

・Around 10℃( 50F ) : Hana-Bie(Flowery Cold) The flavor gets settlement and the taste becomes delicate.

・Around 5℃( 41F ): Yuki-Bie(Snowy Cold) The taste becomes dry and crisp, the flavor becomes light.

It is sad but there wouldn't be any restaurants or bars which can take those delicate orders even in Japan, so If you are interested in those please try at home!

Photos of Yatsugatake-Mountains and Mt.Fuji, Taken from Hokuto-City, Yamanashi Prefecture

There is a group of mountains called “Yatsugatake” in Yamanashi prefecture and I’m showing it on the left hand photo . The name “Yatsugatake” means “Eight Mountains” because in fact it consists of eight mountains within a small area.
Yamanashi prefecture is famous for the location of Mt.Fuji. Thus Mt.Fuji can be seen beautifully from the “Yatsugatake” area as in the photo on the right. Actually there is an old tale about Yatsugatake and Mt.Fuji, which is…
     Long long ago, the eight mountains, which are now called “Yatsugatake”, was originally one huge mountain. The mountain was so proud of his height then he started to tell other mountains that he must be taller than the famed mountain, Mt.Fuji. Eventually the rumor what he was telling to other mountains reached Mt.Fuji, and it made Mt.Fuji so angry. Mt Fuji said “What a swelled-headed mountain he is!” and smashed the mountain. The blow was extremely strong so that the mountain was split into eight lower mountains, then other mountains started to call the eight “Yatsugatake”...

It sounds like Mt.Fuji had an irritable character back then. You may think it is unlike its beautiful appearance in the photo below, but since Mt.Fuji is a volcano she can be a capricious beauty. She? Yes, Mt.Fuji is generally worshiped as a goddess. With its graceful appearance I think it would have been natural to call it a goddess.