Japanese Culture

Japanese Culture

Before Brewing Sake, We Set a Boundary

A Small Japanese Ritual Called SetsubunBefore brewing sake, there is something we do in Japan that may seem strange at f...
Japanese Culture

Title: A Soul in Silk: Discovering the Haunting Beauty of Jusaburo Dolls in Japan

The Gaze That Pierces the SoulYesterday, I had a rare and breathtaking experience at theJusaburo Tsujimura Doll Museumin...
Japanese Culture

Where Sake Begins: Rice Polishing

Where Sake Begins: Rice PolishingBefore yeast ferments and before koji transforms starch into sugar, sake is already tak...
Japanese Culture

Edo Tenpō I-sui (江戸天保井水)

In Japan, every sake brewery relies on its own unique brewing water (shikomi-mizu).The mineral balance of this water—sof...
Japanese Culture

Why Sake Labels Look Like Art (And Sometimes Are)

The First Thing You Notice Is the LabelWhen you pick up a bottle of sake,you probably don’t read the words first.You loo...
Japanese Culture

Sake for Absolute Beginners

A Gentle Introduction from a Quiet Town in JapanWhat Is Sake, Really?Many people think sake is just “Japanese wine.”It’s...