The fascinating world of “Kanzake”

The fascinating world of “Kanzake”

Kanzake, which is the Japanese word meaning warmed sake, gives us a nice and warm feeling as we enjoy its taste. The sweet taste of rice and the soft and nice smell of grain fills your heart with a gentle feeling.

The taste of Kanzake differs in which type of sake you warm up, but when you have Kanzake during the cold seasons, every type will will make you feel warm. Take one sip, and you will feel warm and comfortable. The gentle taste makes you feel cozy in a slow pace, unlike other strong alcohol. It is kind to your stomach since it is only stimulate it slightly.

Another good part about Kanzake is, that it matches the taste of any food. Without any special preparation. Anything that goes well with rice, goes well with Kanzake too, since Kanzake is made by rice. A side dish of boiled vegetables, grilled fish, fries or stewed food. Anything goes, even a cup of miso soup will make a perfect match. If you have some pickles remaining in your refrigerator, pull them out and have it with Kanzake. How easy is that? So, why not you try it today?

The History of Kanzake

How did people start drinking warm sake? There are various views on how it started, such as it was first used to warm the body during the winter season, or it started as a way to keep the body warm based on oriental medicine. The theory of Kanzake first appears in a governmental document called “Engishiki” which was written during the Heian period which is around the year 900. This shows how old and long the history of Kanzake is.

During these times, people warmed sake by putting it in to a bronze pot over a fire. During Edo period, a tableware, which is specialized to warm sake, a “Tokkuri” becomes popular among people, and sake was warmed by pouring it into the Tokkuri and then warming the Tokkuri with hot water. Japanese people were familiar with Kanzake for a very long time.

[References: “Nishonshu Hyakumi Hyakusen” Takeo Koizumi (Shibata Shoten)]