What is “Jizake”?

“Jizake” has, up to now, been defined as “regional sake” or “sake brewed in a particular region” or “sake that can only be consumed in a particular region.” In recent years it has come to be called a “local brand.”

In contrast to jizake, “major producer’s sake” is that shipped all over the country, and is called a “national brand,” representative of which is Fushimi or Nada sake, known as “brands of major producing regions.” The total combined production of the major producers, which are concentrated in Kyoto and Hyogo Prefecture, amounts to 40% of all of Japan. Many brands of “jizake” have come to be sold in department stores and liquor stores in large cities. At the same time, “major producer’s sake” produced in particular regions is being consumed as that region’s sake. Consequently, it may be said that giving a precise definition of “jizake” is difficult.

Beginning of major production in Kyoto and Nara

First, the circumstances behind the spread of sake production techniques from the major producing regions to the whole country should be explained. The traditions of the royal court of the Heian Era (794-1191) are recorded in old texts, which write about sake production at an authorized location. Those sake production techniques were of a quite high level using complex methods. At the beginning of the Kamakura Era (1192-1332), those sake production techniques had been passed down from the court to the populace, and in regions with a concentrated population such as Kyoto and Nara, sake brewers appeared on the scene. In the middle of the Muramachi Era (1392-1603), there were remarkable advances in sake production in Kyoto, with the number of sites being approximately 300. In addition, temples and shrines also produced high-grade sake. These techniques used in Kyoto and Nara gave birth continually to production sites in areas with substantial rice harvests or harbors with easy access to raw materials, areas with plentiful water, castle towns with large populations or commercial trading centers.

Development of Fushimi and Nada sake

During the Genroku Era (1688-1704) sake produced in the Kansai (western) region started to be consumed in the political and economic center of Edo (the old name for Tokyo) and by the middle of the Edo Era (1600-1868) production of Nada sake increased tremendously. In this era, 70 to 90 percent of the sake consumed in Edo was Nada sake.

A jizake boom?

The major producers of Fushimi and Nada sake, using their history, practical results and accumulated experience were able to offer sake of uniform quality. However, within the country as a whole, sake was also produced by small- and mid-sized brewers who were unable to maintain such a uniform level of quality. It took countrywide advances in sake brewing techniques for sake brewers to produce sake that a majority of people could drink, and that could be easily drunk. The end result of this was that around 1970 the trend was for all sake to have a uniform taste, leaving consumers to seek out “jizake” that offered more complex flavors. It was just at that time that there was a boom in nostalgic feelings for the countryside, and along with that, interest in jizake increased greatly, with a steady increase in consumption of the amount of sake produced in places like Niigata and Akita. In the midst of this boom, producers of local brands boldly initiated aggressive public relations campaigns to sell jizake such as Ginzo, Junmai and Honjozo sake.

Taking further advantage of this jizake boom, rare and difficult to obtain sake known as “phantom brands” were marketed through special sales outlets.

A mistake regarding the major producers

In regards to jizake, small- and mid-sized producers cultivated the image of “sake brewed with integrity” and “traditional production by hand” of “Ginzo, Junmai and Honjozo sake, etc., specialty sake produced with an individual character.” Major producers advertised their products on television and radio, so they were known as “television brands,” and consequently “major producers brew huge quantities that are not delicious” and “small- and mid-sized producers use the money that major producers spend on advertising to improve quality” became ideas given credence. The image of jizake, which in the past was one of poor quality, improved and regional sake was given a closer look. On the other hand, the fact is that producers of jizake not only brewed specialty brands, but also a great deal of ordinary sake. And at the same time, major producers devoted years of research to developing techniques to produce Ginzo and Junmai sake of a quality greater than the jizake brewers.

Brewing techniques create quality sake

Sake uses rice as a light raw material, and brewing methods that utilize complicated fermenting processes, so that according to the quality of the rice in a certain, the process varies, and in years of poor harvests, good quality sake can be produced through superior techniques.

In regards to wine, harvests of grapes are crushed and the juice is immediately fermented as is, so good and bad harvests can have a big influence on the result. But sake brewing techniques have a great influence on the quality of the product. Consequently, producers using superior techniques can create good sake. In any event, sake is a marvelous gift that blends “water, rice and people” in a natural way.  Please try various kinds of sake for yourself. You will undoubtedly be filled with a feeling of wellbeing.