Sake Day in Japan (01/10)

«Campa-a-ay!» — you will certainly hear if you find yourself in the company of celebrating Japanese. «Campy» can be translated as «pay to the bottom» or «pay to dry», and this call is heard at all events before the first sip of sake, beer, wine, champagne and almost any other alcoholic drink.

Today, October 1, is Japanese Wine Day (Nihon-shu-no Hi) on the — calendar. For foreigners, a huge number of whom know about this drink firsthand, the name of the day can be simply and clearly translated as «Sake» Day.

I would like to make a reservation right away that Sake Day is neither a national holiday nor a national day off in Japan. For all their love for various types of sake, most Japanese, in general, do not know and will not remember such a day if speech inadvertently comes up.

Sake Day was established as a professional holiday by the Central Assembly of the Winemakers' Union of Japan in 1978. It is no coincidence that the day of October 1 was also chosen: by the beginning of October, a new rice harvest matures, and the winemakers begin a new year of winemaking. By tradition, most wineries and private winemakers begin making new wine on October 1, marking the beginning of the new year of winemaking on this day.

The process of making sake is very labor-intensive and long, despite the fact that many production facilities are now automated. The main crop on which sake is prepared is, of course, rice, which is fermented in a certain way using microorganisms (called koji) and yeast. Excellent water quality — is one of the most important factors for obtaining a quality drink. The percentage of alcohol in the resulting saka is usually between 13 and 16.

Almost every region in Japan has its own signature type of sake, « made using technology, the secret of which only we have» based on selected rice and water of excellent quality. Naturally, restaurants, pubs, and bars will always offer you a significant range of sake, which can be drunk either warm or chilled, depending on your preferences and time of year.

Almost every region in Japan has its own branded sake variety (Photo: NattapolStudiO, licensed from Shutterstock.com)

Although the professional holiday Sake Day is not a «red day of the » calendar in Japan, there is no doubt that the Japanese have many reasons to shout «Campai!» in the year and enjoy your favorite drink, usually poured into small cups of choko (30-40 ml) from a small bottle with a capacity of approximately 1 go (180 ml). And on frosty New Year's days, you will definitely be poured fresh sake into square wooden containers — masu.

At the end of the story about Sake Day —, several rules for «skillful and reasonable » use of sake:

1. Drink lightly and joyfully, with a smile. 2. Drink slowly, stick to your rhythm. 3. Get used to drinking while eating, making sure you eat. 4. Know your drinking norm. 5. At least 2 times a week arrange « days of rest for the liver». 6. Don't force anyone to drink. 7. Do not drink alcohol if you have just taken the medicine. 8. Don't drink «volme», don't force anyone to drink like that. 9. Finish drinking by 12 am at the latest. 10. Get a liver physical regularly.

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