Drink Sake in Kyoto, Japan

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First made in Japan about 2,000 years ago, sake (callednihonshuin Japan) is a drink rich in history. Many of the early batches of sake were first made by communities and enjoyed mostly by the upper class. Over the years drinking sake has become an intrinsic part of Japanese culture. Besides being enjoyed with family and friends, it is also plays a role in the Shinto religion such as an offering to the Gods and a drink of sake is even consumed by a bride and groom during their wedding ceremony. Sake is a clear alcoholic beverage made of rice and water that has about 10 to 20 percent alcohol content. Some of the clearest water in Japan can be found in Kyoto, which is imperative for making good sake. No wonder sake companies leave barrels of it as an offering of thanks to the Gods at the Matsuo-taisha and Umemiya-taisha shrines in Kyoto. Sake can always be found at festivals held in Kyoto. In particular at the thanksgiving festival held in April. If you can’t make it to one of the festivals the best place to drink sake in Kyoto is in a Japanese-style bar called an izakaya. Sake is served hot (astsukan) or cold (hiyazake) in a tokkuri and poured into an ochoko. It’s meant to be drunk with family or friends so never fill your own ochoko with sake instead lift it up so the person you are drinking with can refill it and do the same for them.

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