Travel in Japan, Food & Sake Culture. You may have noticed, but that’s what we changed our subtitle to as of the last issue. Prior to that, and since our first issue, we had been using “Celebrating the World of Sake Culture”. But what does that mean? We had an evolving picture of that world, but what about our readers? We started to think about it…
“Culture” can be a vague word even though what it applies to typically consists of very specific, describable activities, rituals, celebrations, and even physical objects (material culture). Bowing is of course a widely known and easily recognized part of Japanese culture. Ditto for kimono, sumo and sushi. Drinking sake on New Year’s Eve is practiced across Japan. When somebody says “Japanese culture”, these are probably some of the things that readily come to mind. But if you get more granular–like with “Kyoto culture”–the term could strike you as vague. “Geisha” might pop into your head, but what else does that phrase mean? If you’re not familiar with the particulars of Kyoto (such as its finely nuanced social interactions), then the word “culture” attached to it might leave you scratching your head.
And that’s the problem with “sake culture”. It might not mean anything to a lot of people who are seeing the magazine for the first time. Does it mean pounding a table to drink a “sake bomb”? A large reason why we started this roughly five years ago was because so many people knew so little about sake (much less the ‘culture’ surrounding it), but wanted to know more. They didn’t know where to turn. That’s what we heard and what we still hear, too. It seemed like a considerable impediment to sake’s growth and greater appreciation. There needs to be a resource! Our goal with this magazine, then, is to describe sake and sake culture in detail so as to excite and educate readers.
Let’s try a quick exercise here. After you read this sentence, take a brief pause to see what you envision with the phrase “sake culture”. Okay, take that pause… Pause over. What came to mind? As I was writing this, I thought of sugidama, for example, the cedar balls hung outside breweries when the season’s first batch is pressed. I think it’s the time of year that brought this to mind. There’s a deep history behind these that touches on many other aspects of Japanese culture, including religion. I also thought of sake being enjoyed at New Years, as mentioned above. And how many retailers will pour a glass so that it overflows into the masu (square, wooden drinking vessel)? Everyone likes that custom of pouring. And the old, wooden interiors of the many kura (sake breweries) visited over the years floated to mind. The list goes on…
But as we looked back at what we’ve featured in the magazine to illustrate sake culture, two patterns became clear. We showcase a lot of food and for good reason. As we’ve explained in these pages, the evolution of sake and regional food has been inextricably intertwined. The flavors of each have influenced the other in symbiotic ways. Our regional sake writer, Haruo Matsuzaki, almost always touches on this. We usually enjoy sake with food; the two elevate each other. Unsurprisingly, perhaps, different regions have different pairing practices. Take sake overseas, and the great pairings just multiply.
While Japan’s major cities usually have a restaurant or two that specialize in a certain prefecture’s sake and food, you really have to travel to those locales to get a fully satisfying experience. And so we offer a lot of travel features, of course. Nothing beats traveling to a brewery (if it has a tasting room), staying in a locally owned lodge, and trying the local delicacies. It’s always an adventure because you can’t avoid the unexpected. You’ll discover much about Japan and its people on the road. With the right attitude, this will enrich your life.
Our new subtitle serves two purposes. It tells people who might not be aware of what “sake culture” means that they’ll at least find a lot about Japan travel and food in these pages–and who doesn’t like that? Yes, it’s partly a marketing ploy. But it also reaffirms our commitment to these quintessential topics. If we’re ‘celebrating’ the world of sake culture, then we’re usually doing it on the road and with great food. We hope you soon get the chance to do so, too. May this magazine simply be your first step.
