Food / Drink

As well known worldwide, sake, also called "nihon-shu", is the typical Japanese alcohol beverage.
Because it's high in alcohol content, middle-aged and old men tend to like it.

Today, sake is widely available at bars, izakaya (Japanese-style-bars), supermarkets, liquor stores, and convinience stores in Japan.
sake barrels

>> Kinds of Sake

There are different kinds of sake because of its basic ingredient.

Ginjo-shu	Sake made from white rice which has been milled so that 60% or less of the grain remains. It's characterized by fruity, clear, and crisp flavor.
Jummai-shu	Sake made from only white rice, rice koji, and water. It tends to be mellow, rich, and smooth.
Honjozo-shu	Sake made from white rice which has been milled so that 70% or less of the grain remains. It's characterized by fruity, clear, and crisp flavor.
Futsu-shu	All types of sake other than the three above. It has a variety of tastes with different flavors which characterize each brewery.

>> Brands of Sake

<< Popular >>
- Kubota (Manju / Senju)
- Hakkaisan
- Secchubai
- Koshinokanbai

>> How to Drink Sake

Sake is regarded as unique drink because it's both good to be heated up and to be cooled down in drinking. It's said that 35~50°C (95~122°F) is the best temperature for sake.
Also, there are several kinds of special containers only used for sake. They are usually so small that you can enjoy sake slowly. Please relax and savor sake!