Sake(Liquor) tinged with The Color of Inecho
Midoi Matsuzawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer
It's a sake that many people have never seen before. Unlike other kinds, which are almost colorless, this sake boasts a natural red tinge. Although its taste is fresh, some imbibers may prefer to temper its slightly acidic edge with a little ice.
This rose-winelike sake(liquor) was launched in May 2000 by a tiny brewery in this small coastal town. Within a few months nearly 5,000 liters had already been sold, promoted by word of mouth rather than through any particular sales campaign.
Perhaps Kuniko Mukai was the person most surprised by the sake's popularity. She developed the red-colored sake in her second brewing season as toji, or chief sake brewer, at the sake producing company without any expectation of the sales boom that would follow.
Named "Ine Mankai" (Ine in Full Bloom), the product has since been enjoying constant sales, becoming the most popular brand of Mukai Shuzo, the sake manufacturer her family has been running for about 250 years and currently the town's only sake brewery.
Now, the 27-year-old woman who has been serving as toji for the past five years can find her product attracting orders from Hokkaido to Okinawa Prefecture.
In making the unique sake, Mukai uses akamai, a red-colored rice believed to have been cultivated in ancient times. This grain today enjoys much attention for its rich nutritional value. Mukai uses the red rice cultivated by two local farmers.
Traditionally, sake brewing was dominated by men, and production sites were strictly off-limits to women. Even though such restrictions have become something of the past, today there appear to be only a handful of female toji in the nation's 2,000 sake producing companies.
Mukai studied fermentation processes and techniques at Tokyo University of Agriculture's Faculty of Applied Bioscience. She returned to her hometown straight after graduation in 1997. She spent one year as a brewery worker before assuming the position of head brewer at Mukai Shuzo--a company whose annual average production of about 54,000 liters places it at the bottom end of the industry in terms of size.
The idea of producing sake using red rice came from retired Prof. Masahisa Takeda, Mukai's supervisor at her alma mater. Even though he offered advice on the brewing process, the inexperienced toji sometimes was at a loss to come up with suitable brewing methods, given that different ones were required from those used to produce regular sake.
The original Ine Mankai "sold as a fun product" thanks to a good balance of flavors the toji "happened to" produce. "The sake turned out to be so delicious, just like juice," Mukai recalled. "Although it seemed to have fermented a little too much, I wondered how it could create such a delicious taste," she said.
In a sense, Mukai regards the "success" a result of her lack of experience as a toji. She believes she failed to control adequately the temperature of the sake mash, resulting in a temporary stoppage in fermentation. To compensate for this pause in the fermentation process, the toji then let the mash ferment for longer than usual. The ultimate result was good, she later concluded.
In her second brewing attempt, however, Mukai tried to follow a more conventional approach similar to those employed in producing regular sake--controlling the fermentation process by paying attention to proper temperature management.
The toji believed the process was "perfect" in terms of fermentation data. But the results turned out to be disappointing--the second season's products did not enjoy the balance of the previous year's sake, and had a much stronger acidic taste.
Consequently, sales dipped in the second year of production. "I've realized that if I am not convinced the flavor of a certain product is satisfying, that can directly reflect how it is sold," she said, noting that this realization could be both encouraging and a little frightening.
===
Vocational commitment
Mukai, an easygoing, cheerful woman who enjoys a good drink, seems to be enjoying her work as a novice toji. But when she was younger, Mukai did not think she would end up playing a role in her family business. Although her father Yoshihisa Mukai ordered her to attend university--he also studied there--she initially intended to join another company.
Two important encounters changed that.
During her fourth year of university, Mukai was allowed inside Takeda's laboratory, where she was impressed by his uncompromising attitude toward microbiology.
Mukai admitted that compared with other students she felt she had a lower academic level due to a lack of basic knowledge. "If I asked him one question, he would respond with 10 questions for me," she said. Although she often struggled to answer these questions, one day I realized he had helped me establish a fundamental knowledge of sake production."
The biggest lesson Mukai learned from the professor is one she makes use of constantly. "He emphasized the most important thing (in sake production) is a balance of flavors--so if you find the sake has become too sweet, you can make it drinkable by getting it to produce more acidity," she said.
Another important encounter was the one Mukai had during a two-week training session at a brewery in Saitama Prefecture in her final winter at university.
"The toji there was very handsome and firm," she said. As a trainee, she was impressed by the work of the toji and his fellow brewery workers. "The training period made me develop more of an interest in sake production," she added.
Mukai eventually returned home upon graduation after her father told her to help the family business while he made a bid to become mayor of the town.
In her first year working as an employee of the family business, she learned all about production methods at the brewery. During this time, she became more and more aware of the need to improve the temperature management of fermentation at her family's business.
Her father, who served both as president and toji, had been leaving almost all sake production work up to his employees because he was so busy managing the brewery while serving as a town assembly member.
After listening to her ideas, Mukai's father put her in charge of four other workers.
Mukai believed she had already established a sound relationship with her four colleagues during her first year of working at the brewery and expected no serious difficulties in bringing change to the production process.
However, this was not entirely the case.
"Things were quite different when I took on some authority," she said. "I think I focused too much on sake production, paying little attention to human relationships, and I think I may have hurt their feelings at times."
She realized that her fellow workers would not always listen to her. She wanted to use more blocks of ice around the vats than before--a move that was not welcomed by some of her colleagues. on one occasion when blocks of ice were delivered by a supplier, no one would help Mukai carry the blocks of ice inside.
"As I'm young, it is easy for those around me to have doubts about me," she admitted. "The only way I can gain their confidence and trust is by producing results that prove I'm right."
Without much experience to rely on, the top position in the sake production process must have been a lonely one at times. Luckily for her, Mukai now has connections with several veteran toji from other breweries who often give her advice and encouragement. They sometimes even visit her.
"I hang on each word they say because they are really persuasive," she said. "I feel so excited when I'm with them." Talking with these toji, she added, has enabled her to commit herself to sake production as a lifelong profession.
"It's easier to produce a new kind of sake because there is nothing before that we can compare it to," she said. "It's more difficult to take on board all the traditions, but I would like to be able to produce a sake similar to that brewed by the veteran toji I respect."
===
Kayaking tourist boom?
Mukai's hometown, which has a population of just over 3,000, is known for its boatshed-cum-houses built along the coastline of calm Ine Bay. These houses are called "funaya" or boathouses. The first floors of the funaya are open to the sea and can house very small fishing boats.
Mukai has recently come up with a novel way to enjoy the sight of the town's peculiar buildings--she views them from her kayak.
"The funaya look incredibly beautiful," she said, describing the buildings seen from the kayak. As someone whose business is based on the local community and its natural resources, Mukai wants to make kayaking something more than just a pastime during the non-brewing period. She plans to become a kayak guide so she can share the beauty of Ine Bay with visitors.
Although Inecho is promoting itself as a sightseeing spot by emphasizing the funaya, Mukai has noticed that some visitors feel there is not enough to see to bother spending a whole day there. Kayaking in the calm bay, however, would provide an extra activity for visitors to enjoy.
Mukai has other plans for attracting tourists.
"I hope to make part of our brewery into a space where visitors can enjoy samples of our products--hopefully we can make it into a restaurant so visitors can also get the chance to enjoy local dishes together with the sake," she said. "I'd also like to create an accommodation facility on our premises."
Mukai is aware that the business environment the brewery is operating in is not easy. But there are some reassuring factors for the future. Mukai's younger sister, Satoko, is now a fourth-year student at her alma mater, while her youngest sibling, Takahito, aims to attend the same institution--and both of them plan to help the family business.
"I'd like to stabilize our business management by the time Takahito returns home--that's my immediate goal," she said.
Midoi Matsuzawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer
It's a sake that many people have never seen before. Unlike other kinds, which are almost colorless, this sake boasts a natural red tinge. Although its taste is fresh, some imbibers may prefer to temper its slightly acidic edge with a little ice.
This rose-winelike sake(liquor) was launched in May 2000 by a tiny brewery in this small coastal town. Within a few months nearly 5,000 liters had already been sold, promoted by word of mouth rather than through any particular sales campaign.
Perhaps Kuniko Mukai was the person most surprised by the sake's popularity. She developed the red-colored sake in her second brewing season as toji, or chief sake brewer, at the sake producing company without any expectation of the sales boom that would follow.
Named "Ine Mankai" (Ine in Full Bloom), the product has since been enjoying constant sales, becoming the most popular brand of Mukai Shuzo, the sake manufacturer her family has been running for about 250 years and currently the town's only sake brewery.
Now, the 27-year-old woman who has been serving as toji for the past five years can find her product attracting orders from Hokkaido to Okinawa Prefecture.
In making the unique sake, Mukai uses akamai, a red-colored rice believed to have been cultivated in ancient times. This grain today enjoys much attention for its rich nutritional value. Mukai uses the red rice cultivated by two local farmers.
Traditionally, sake brewing was dominated by men, and production sites were strictly off-limits to women. Even though such restrictions have become something of the past, today there appear to be only a handful of female toji in the nation's 2,000 sake producing companies.
Mukai studied fermentation processes and techniques at Tokyo University of Agriculture's Faculty of Applied Bioscience. She returned to her hometown straight after graduation in 1997. She spent one year as a brewery worker before assuming the position of head brewer at Mukai Shuzo--a company whose annual average production of about 54,000 liters places it at the bottom end of the industry in terms of size.
The idea of producing sake using red rice came from retired Prof. Masahisa Takeda, Mukai's supervisor at her alma mater. Even though he offered advice on the brewing process, the inexperienced toji sometimes was at a loss to come up with suitable brewing methods, given that different ones were required from those used to produce regular sake.
The original Ine Mankai "sold as a fun product" thanks to a good balance of flavors the toji "happened to" produce. "The sake turned out to be so delicious, just like juice," Mukai recalled. "Although it seemed to have fermented a little too much, I wondered how it could create such a delicious taste," she said.
In a sense, Mukai regards the "success" a result of her lack of experience as a toji. She believes she failed to control adequately the temperature of the sake mash, resulting in a temporary stoppage in fermentation. To compensate for this pause in the fermentation process, the toji then let the mash ferment for longer than usual. The ultimate result was good, she later concluded.
In her second brewing attempt, however, Mukai tried to follow a more conventional approach similar to those employed in producing regular sake--controlling the fermentation process by paying attention to proper temperature management.
The toji believed the process was "perfect" in terms of fermentation data. But the results turned out to be disappointing--the second season's products did not enjoy the balance of the previous year's sake, and had a much stronger acidic taste.
Consequently, sales dipped in the second year of production. "I've realized that if I am not convinced the flavor of a certain product is satisfying, that can directly reflect how it is sold," she said, noting that this realization could be both encouraging and a little frightening.
===
Vocational commitment
Mukai, an easygoing, cheerful woman who enjoys a good drink, seems to be enjoying her work as a novice toji. But when she was younger, Mukai did not think she would end up playing a role in her family business. Although her father Yoshihisa Mukai ordered her to attend university--he also studied there--she initially intended to join another company.
Two important encounters changed that.
During her fourth year of university, Mukai was allowed inside Takeda's laboratory, where she was impressed by his uncompromising attitude toward microbiology.
Mukai admitted that compared with other students she felt she had a lower academic level due to a lack of basic knowledge. "If I asked him one question, he would respond with 10 questions for me," she said. Although she often struggled to answer these questions, one day I realized he had helped me establish a fundamental knowledge of sake production."
The biggest lesson Mukai learned from the professor is one she makes use of constantly. "He emphasized the most important thing (in sake production) is a balance of flavors--so if you find the sake has become too sweet, you can make it drinkable by getting it to produce more acidity," she said.
Another important encounter was the one Mukai had during a two-week training session at a brewery in Saitama Prefecture in her final winter at university.
"The toji there was very handsome and firm," she said. As a trainee, she was impressed by the work of the toji and his fellow brewery workers. "The training period made me develop more of an interest in sake production," she added.
Mukai eventually returned home upon graduation after her father told her to help the family business while he made a bid to become mayor of the town.
In her first year working as an employee of the family business, she learned all about production methods at the brewery. During this time, she became more and more aware of the need to improve the temperature management of fermentation at her family's business.
Her father, who served both as president and toji, had been leaving almost all sake production work up to his employees because he was so busy managing the brewery while serving as a town assembly member.
After listening to her ideas, Mukai's father put her in charge of four other workers.
Mukai believed she had already established a sound relationship with her four colleagues during her first year of working at the brewery and expected no serious difficulties in bringing change to the production process.
However, this was not entirely the case.
"Things were quite different when I took on some authority," she said. "I think I focused too much on sake production, paying little attention to human relationships, and I think I may have hurt their feelings at times."
She realized that her fellow workers would not always listen to her. She wanted to use more blocks of ice around the vats than before--a move that was not welcomed by some of her colleagues. on one occasion when blocks of ice were delivered by a supplier, no one would help Mukai carry the blocks of ice inside.
"As I'm young, it is easy for those around me to have doubts about me," she admitted. "The only way I can gain their confidence and trust is by producing results that prove I'm right."
Without much experience to rely on, the top position in the sake production process must have been a lonely one at times. Luckily for her, Mukai now has connections with several veteran toji from other breweries who often give her advice and encouragement. They sometimes even visit her.
"I hang on each word they say because they are really persuasive," she said. "I feel so excited when I'm with them." Talking with these toji, she added, has enabled her to commit herself to sake production as a lifelong profession.
"It's easier to produce a new kind of sake because there is nothing before that we can compare it to," she said. "It's more difficult to take on board all the traditions, but I would like to be able to produce a sake similar to that brewed by the veteran toji I respect."
===
Kayaking tourist boom?
Mukai's hometown, which has a population of just over 3,000, is known for its boatshed-cum-houses built along the coastline of calm Ine Bay. These houses are called "funaya" or boathouses. The first floors of the funaya are open to the sea and can house very small fishing boats.
Mukai has recently come up with a novel way to enjoy the sight of the town's peculiar buildings--she views them from her kayak.
"The funaya look incredibly beautiful," she said, describing the buildings seen from the kayak. As someone whose business is based on the local community and its natural resources, Mukai wants to make kayaking something more than just a pastime during the non-brewing period. She plans to become a kayak guide so she can share the beauty of Ine Bay with visitors.
Although Inecho is promoting itself as a sightseeing spot by emphasizing the funaya, Mukai has noticed that some visitors feel there is not enough to see to bother spending a whole day there. Kayaking in the calm bay, however, would provide an extra activity for visitors to enjoy.
Mukai has other plans for attracting tourists.
"I hope to make part of our brewery into a space where visitors can enjoy samples of our products--hopefully we can make it into a restaurant so visitors can also get the chance to enjoy local dishes together with the sake," she said. "I'd also like to create an accommodation facility on our premises."
Mukai is aware that the business environment the brewery is operating in is not easy. But there are some reassuring factors for the future. Mukai's younger sister, Satoko, is now a fourth-year student at her alma mater, while her youngest sibling, Takahito, aims to attend the same institution--and both of them plan to help the family business.
"I'd like to stabilize our business management by the time Takahito returns home--that's my immediate goal," she said.