What is the origin of ”sake”? Despite various opinions, Harima no Kuni Fudoki is held to be the oldest piece with a description of the recipe for ”sake”. Written and edited in Nara Period, the book says that ”sake” was made using moldy rice. If the description is true, ”sake” originated in the Harima region.
In fact, ”sake” brewing has flourished in Harima. There is an old legend that the brew masters of Harima diffused ”sake” brewing throughout Japan. Honda Shoten has been committed to ”sake” brewing as the manager of brewmasters in Harima since the Genroku period. The great-grandfather of the current president was the brewmaster at Hakutsuru Sake Brewing.
The pursuit of the ”sake” as the best medicine
The first president named Honda Shoten’s premium label – Tatsuriki. He gotinspiration from Nagarjuna, the legendary high priest of Indian Buddhism who had lived several hundreds of years, acquiring divine power after ascetic training.
The name of Nagarjuna in ”kanji” includes the character for dragon. The first president combined the Chinese character meaning dragon (”tatsu”) with the one meaning power (”riki”) to name the product, intending to produce good sake that can serve as the best medicine. In addition, ”tatsu” is also linked with the name of the area Tatsuno. Honda Shoten produces ”sake” that has a glamorous aroma and body using locally grown Yamadanishiki rice. They have continued to make good ”sake” while carefully keeping the cultivated skills of ”sake” brewmasters. Their ”daiginjo premium sake”, ”Kome no Sasayaki” won a gold prize at the Zenkoku Shinshu Kampyoukai (national new sake tasting competition) in 2007.
