he Nada area produces the best sake in the country. The Nada area covers eastern part of Kobe city, and extends to the Imazu area of Nishinomiya city. This area is generally split into 5 sake-brewing areas, which are called gogo, meaning “five districts.” Let’s find out what makes sake from this area the best in the country!
There are 5 main reasons why Nada sake is considered to be the very best
The Nada Gogo area produces a special type of water called miyamizu, which is perfect for brewing sake. Miyamizu springs from shallow well in the Nishinomiya area, and it’s a hard water that is low in iron, and rich in calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is still unclear why this water makes such great sake, and it is said that it is impossible to create miyamizu even with today’s science.
Nada sake uses Yamada-nishiki rice, a type of rice specifically grown for sake. The special quality gives sake made from Yamada-Nishiki a pure, clear taste.
A professional group of sake brewers from the Tamba region, called Toji, use their refined skills and years of knowledge to create the finest sake.
Cold winds coming down the slopes of Rokko Mountains, called Rokko oroshi, hit the mild climate of the Seto Inland Sea, creating the perfect climate for sake brewing.
Located along the coast, sake was easily distributed to the city of Edo, the central part of Japan in the Edo period, by ships. This also helped the growth of Nada sake.
When visiting the sake brewery during winter, you’ll see a big, round, ball like object. This is a sakabayashi, or sugitama. It is used to inform everyone that new sake has been made. A sugitama is made from fresh pine leaves, and as the sugitama dries and changes color, it lets people know how much the sake has been matured.
Although the main ingredients for sake and wine differ, they are both alcohol made by fermentation. The process of adding yeast then fermenting it is the same for both alcohols.
It is a well known fact that Toji sake brewers’ hands are very smooth. This is because yeast from sake keeps the hands moisturized. Recently, many sake brewers from Hyogo have started creating a cosmetics line up, and it is increasingly becoming popular wth women.
- Sake Brewery Tour http://www.nadagogo.ne.jp/kura/kura.html （Japanese）
- Nada Sake http://www.nadagogo.ne.jp/siryo/e_siryo.html（English）
