A glimpse of the world of sake at Fuji Takasago Sake Brewery

I had my first taste of sake at Kats-san’s birthday celebration a few years ago. I couldn’t remember its exact taste but I am positive that I did not dislike it. Perhaps if I had drunk more that time, I would have had a solid opinion about it.

Which I definitely have now. In our trip to Shizuoka for JENESYS 2.0, we toured the Fuji Takasago Sake Brewery where I tasted not just one but four flavors of sake. Now I can say that I like sake especially the green tea and the yogurt flavored ones. My favorite things in a bottle, what’s there not to like? 🙂

(Left) Shizuoka green tea extract blended to Takasago’s popular plum wine, a choice souvenir from Shizuoka (Photo credit: Joyce Bea)

Yogurt sake (Photo credit: Joyce Bea)

Joyce and I with the sake barrels at Fuji Takasago Sake Brewery store entrance (Photo credit: Song Dimacale)

Sake is a fermented beverage made primarily from rice. It is brewed using a microorganism called koji and yeast. It is an exceptional alcoholic drink as it can be enjoyed either chilled or warm. It is also used in preparation or seasoning not only in Japanese cooking but also in Western cooking.

The type of rice and the quality of water greatly affect the taste and quality of sake. Founded in 1831, the Fuji Takasago Sake Brewery uses Fujisan’s groundwater. Here is an overview of their sake brewing process:

You can learn more about the world of Japanese sake here.