VOA文化艺术2024--Sake Makers Hope for UNESCO Listing

The Japanese rice wine called sake is made using ancient brewing² methods. They date back more than a thousand years.

Junichiro Ozawa, the 18th-generation leader of Ozawa Brewery³, founded in 1702, hopes sake-brewing will win recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Officials of the UN agency are expected to decide on the nomination⁴ next month.

"We always think about the people who're enjoying our sake when we make it. I'm now so excited, imagining the faces of all the people around the world," he told reporters during a visit to the brewery on the edge of Tokyo.

Sake was the drink of choice of the nobility represented in Japan's most celebrated⁵ work of writing, The Tale of Genji. Sake has been growing in popularity in recent years, helped by an increasing international interest in Japanese cooking and food.

Sake exports from Japan total more than $265 million a year, with the U.S. and China as the two biggest buyers. That information comes from the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers⁶ Association.

Sake exports have almost doubled in value since 2018. But exports still make up a very small amount of overall sake production in Japan. Brazil, Mexico and Southeast Asia, as well as France and the rest of Europe, all places where Japanese restaurants are gaining popularity, are starting to take a liking⁷ to sake.

The main elements in sake are rice and water. The production process takes about two months and includes fermentation and pressing.

For a product to be named Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. The relatively⁸ soft quality of freshwater in Japan, like that provided by the two wells at Ozawa Brewery, is also important.

Among Ozawa's sake choices is the Junmai Daiginjo, one of the top offerings, with 15 percent alcohol content and costing about $23 for 720 milliliters.

Another, Karakuti Nigorizake, is unrefined sake. The liquid is not as clear as usual sake. It has 17 percent alcohol content and sells for $16 for 1,800 milliliters.

In Japan, sake is used to purify and to celebrate. Small tastes of sake from a cup show the confirmation⁹ of a marriage, for example.

"Sake is not just an alcoholic¹⁰ beverage¹¹. It is Japanese culture itself," said Hitoshi Utsunomiya of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.

The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage designation can be awarded to practices passed down for generations. These practices include spoken traditions, performing arts, and food making.

The UNESCO designation is not meant to be used for commercial purposes. But industry officials are open about their hope that such recognition will increase international sales. They believe the designation could help the tradition stay alive amid competition from beer, grape-based wine and other drinks.

One reason for sake's growing popularity around the world is that its smooth flavor goes well with a number of foods. These foods include sushi, spicy¹² Asian and Western dishes, says Max Del Vita, a sake wine expert and co-founder of The Sake Company, an import and distribution business in Singapore.

Del Vita told The Associated Press. "Sake is more than a drink. It is a living embodiment of Japan's seasonal¹³ rhythms, community values and artistic¹⁴ heritage."

Words in This Story

brew¹ - v. to prepare (sake, beer, etc.) by boiling and fermentation

fermentation - n. the breakdown¹⁵ of an energy-rich compound (such as a carbohydrate¹⁶ to carbon dioxide and alcohol) by the action of microorganisms (such as bacteria or yeast)

beverage - n. a drinkable liquid

designation - n. a distinguishing name or title

practice - n. a custom; a repeated or customary action

 

•  

1 brew   

v.酿造，调制

参考例句：

• Let's brew up some more tea.咱们沏些茶吧。
• The policeman dispelled the crowd lest they should brew trouble.警察驱散人群，因恐他们酿祸。

2 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

3 brewery   

n.啤酒厂

参考例句：

• The brewery had 25 heavy horses delivering beer in London.啤酒厂有25匹高头大马在伦敦城中运送啤酒。
• When business was good,the brewery employed 20 people.在生意好的时候，这家酿造厂曾经雇佣过20人。

4 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

5 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

6 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 liking   

n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢

参考例句：

• The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
• I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

9 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

10 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

11 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

12 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

13 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

14 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

15 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

16 carbohydrate   

n.碳水化合物；糖类；(plural)淀粉质或糖类

参考例句：

• You should not have too much carbohydrate in your diet.你日常饮食中不该有过多碳水化合物。
• Cashew nuts are rich in carbohydrate.腰果含丰富碳水化合物。