NARA is also
known as the birthplace of refined sake. Just like how popes used to make
wines, here at Nara’s Sakurai City, the Buddhist priests were believed to have
made rice wine to dedicate them to the deities. Kita Shuzo (www.miyokiku.com) was founded in 1718 in
Kashihara, Nara, and supplies the sacred sake used at the Kashihara Shrine.
Till today, one can still find the humble ninth generation President, Hitoshi
Kita, working in the brewery. He also personally takes visitors on a tour of
the brewery, explaining each step of the sake-making is different from the ones
we eat, and that at least 30 percent of the grain surface needs to be shaved
off, up to 60 percent, where the finest wine can be made from the purest centre
of the grains.
“To retain the quality of our sake, we still maintain
washing the rice by hands!” says Kita. After washing, it is critical to weigh
the rice, as the amount (and also temperatures) of water absorbed by the rice
is measured up to a decimal point. The key to sake-brewing is that the rice is
then used to make sake. Next up, the acrobatics-where you are encouraged to
climb up a wooden ladder to reach the top of a huge barrel, so a s to
experiences stirring – or rather “paddling in”, due to the large and weighty
wooden stirrer – the rice wine that is in its initial stage. Of course, when
the hard work is done, everyone gets to taste the different grades of sake
produced, where the finest would be obvious even to the teetotaler with its
crystal-clear sweet taste, versus the second and third grade ones with slight
tinges of sour notes.
Such is the sweetness of tasting success from hard work, so
get ready for lots of hands-on activities in Nara, where you can truly
experiences and understand the cultures of Japan for yourself.
Other Activities
Available in Nara Serving Up Next Learn how to prepare and serve the green
tea formally through a process called Cha-no-yu at the Jikoin Temple, which is
famous for its tea ceremony. Western Nara. www.1.kcn.ne./jp/-jikoin/english/english-top/html
Colour Me Indigo Bring home your
very own hand-dyed indigo handkerchief with a traditional lesson from the
artisans. Western Nara www.hakomoto.com/english/english.htm
Fresh Pickings The Asuka Rubies are
Nara’s prized strawberries found in the Asuka Village. Here, visitors get to
pick, eat and bring home some of the freshest strawberries at the farm from
January to may. Eastern Nara. www.asukadeasobo.jp/asukaichigo/ichigomap
Cultural Dressing Rent a kimono for
a day and be styled from head to toe in true traditional Japanese fashion. Kimono
rental shops are located along Nara’s historical street Naramachi. Northern Nara.
Here are a couple of them: Kimono Asobi Nikkori, tel: +81 (0)74 225 0029; Sara,
tel: +81 (0)74 224 1302 (two days’ advance booking required). Dear Deer learn to gather a herd of
deer from various parts of Nara Park with the blow of a horn. You’ll have to
book a course from the Foundation for the Protection of Deer in Nara Park in
advance to get this close to the deer. Nara’s sacred messengers of god. Northern
Nara. Tel : 0742-22-2388. Getting to
Nara : From Kansai Airport Take the
Nankai limited Express (30 min) to Namba, followed by the Kintetsu Rapid
Express (40min) to Kintetsu Nara Station. Or, take the Jr Limited Express (30
min) to Osaka-Abenobashi, followed by the Kintetsu Limited Express (45 min).
