UNESCO and Japan’s Heritage: The Cultural Significance of Traditional Japanese Sake Brewing Techniques
On November 5, Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs announced that the UNESCO evaluation body has recommended “Traditional Japanese Sake Brewing” for inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. This designation includes techniques for making sake, shochu, and awamori. The final decision is expected to be made at the Intergovernmental Committee meeting scheduled for December 2 in Paraguay.
Traditional sake brewing involves the use of koji mold to create sake, shochu, and awamori. If listed, this will be Japan’s 23rd Intangible Cultural Heritage item, following the registration of “Furyu Odori” (traditional folk dancing) in 2022.
According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, traditional sake brewing refers to the techniques using traditional koji mold, developed through accumulated knowledge and manual craftsmanship before the establishment of modern science. This brewing tradition, handed down across Japan in diverse forms suited to each region’s unique climate and conditions, is considered essential to Japanese rituals, festivals, and various other aspects of daily life. It forms the cultural foundation for the creation of sake, a beverage closely tied to many aspects of Japanese culture.
Traditional Sake: A Symbol of Japan’s Rice Culture and Spiritual Heritage
Traditional sake, particularly rice-based sake, is a symbol of Japan’s rice culture. It’s a beverage loved by foreign visitors, many of whom enjoy tasting sake when traveling in Japan. Sake also has strong ties to Shinto, seen in omiki, the sake offerings at shrines and in sacred spaces, and is an indispensable part of festivals held across Japan.
Here is the list of Japan’s Intangible Cultural Heritage items already registered with UNESCO:
UNESCO-Registered Intangible Cultural Heritage of Japan
2008: Nohgaku Theatre
2008: Kabuki theatre
2009: Ojiya-chijimi, Echigo-jofu: techniques of making ramie fabric in Uonuma region, Niigata Prefecture
2009: Oku-noto no Aenokoto
2009: Hayachine Kagura
2009: Akihō no Taue-Odori
2009: Dainichido Bugaku
2009: Daimokutate
2009: Traditional Ainu dance
2011: Mibu no Hana Taue, ritual of transplanting rice in Mibu, Hiroshima
2012: Nachi no Dengaku, a religious performing art held at the Nachi fire festival
2013: Washoku, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese, notably for the celebration of New Year
2014: Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper
2018: Raiho-shin, ritual visits of deities in masks and costumes
2022: Furyu-odori, ritual dances imbued with people’s hopes and prayers
Source: UNESCO, Agency for Cultural Affairs
Connecting with Japan’s Cultural Heritage: UNESCO-Recognized Experiences in Our Tours
Many of the “Authentic Traditional Cultural Experiences” we offer are closely connected to these UNESCO-registered Intangible Cultural Heritage items. Our Yarai Noh Theater Experience Tour (Nohgaku Theatre), Washoku (Japanese Food) Cooking Class (Washoku), Ukiyo-e Woodblock Printing Studio (Washi), and Kigumi (Wood Joinery) Museum Tour (Traditional skills and techniques for wooden architecture) are just a few examples.
Discover Hakutaka Sake in Historic Kagurazaka: A Journey Through Traditional Izakayas
If “Traditional Sake Brewing” is listed, it will also be relevant to our Izakaya Hopping Tour in Kagurazaka. Kagurazaka is home to Masumoto, a liquor distributor founded in the Tenmei era (1781-1789), which specializes in sake and serves Hakutaka sake as the only sacred sake of Ise Grand Shrine. Kihei Masumoto (the first Masumoto Kihei) discovered Hakutaka sake and promoted it nationwide, especially to Kagurazaka’s ryotei restaurants.
One izakaya in Kagurazaka even serves only Hakutaka sake: Iseto. With an atmosphere that remains unchanged since the samurai era of Edo, a visit to this izakaya is like stepping back in time. Please note, however, that photography is prohibited inside. Additionally, Shimakin, the eel restaurant where we host our geisha banquet tours, primarily serves Hakutaka sake as well.
In this way, Kagurazaka has long had strong ties to “Traditional Sake Brewing.” Why not enjoy our Izakaya Hopping Tour in Kagurazaka and learn more about Japanese culture with our guides? While savoring sake and reflecting on Japan’s samurai era and rice culture, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Japan’s heritage—all without leaving the comfort of an izakaya. We’re confident that you’ll feel like a true Japan expert by the end of the experience.
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How to Access Kagurazaka
The Kagurazaka area is conveniently located within 30 minutes from any major station in Tokyo. This is because Kagurazaka is situated in the heart of Tokyo, at the center of the Yamanote Line. Please come and visit this convenient and charming Kagurazaka.
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