Understanding sake requires a full immersion into one of the great little mysteries of Japanese culture. The mystery lies in the alchemy that allows the creation of koji rice, a variety obtained by inoculating a natural mold into the rice.
From kojirice, sake is then obtained by fermentation. Its organoleptic properties vary considerably depending on the production area and the specific quality of the basic raw materials. The temperature at which sake should be served depends precisely on these elements, so that each quality of sake has its own serving temperature, which is why in the restaurants and on special occasions there is always an expert whose sole task is to determine and obtain the right temperature that will enhance the specific features of each sake.
Because of its delicately sweet and savory flavor profile,sake perfectly matches with food without adding acidity to its taste: mild sake is a great complement to delicate dishes, whereas for structured foods the recommendation is to go for a sake with more thickness and body. Like many other aspects of the Japanese food culture, sake is a veritable ritual to be experienced in everyday life as well as on special celebrations.
Izakayais the name of the classic sake bar that the Japanese traditionally head to after work to enjoy sake accompanied by snacks and small bites, but lately even restaurants have taken to reviving and deepening the ancient art of sake.
Here’s where to enjoy the sake ritual in Tokyo in different styles.
Nihonshu Stand Moto (Shinjuku)
5-17-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Close to Shinjuku Golden Gai and Hanazono temple, plenty of sake qualities to try sitting at the huge U-shaped counter side by side with the many sumo wrestlers that love to come here.