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The recognition of Japanese sake as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO will be a significant milestone, not only for the sake brewing industry but also for Japanese culture in general. Beyond its material value, sake also possesses profound spiritual significance, deeply intertwined with Japanese rituals, festivals, and customs.
If recognized, sake would stand alongside other world-renowned culinary cultural icons such as Georgian wine, Belgian beer, or Cuban rum, contributing to promoting the image of the Land of the Rising Sun to the international community.
UNESCO is considering recognizing Japan's sake brewing techniques as an intangible cultural heritage.
The art of Japanese sake brewing is a unique cultural heritage, considered one-of-a-kind in the world, and unmatched by any other country. From the selection of rice and koji mold to the fermentation and aging process, each step is meticulously and delicately executed, bearing the distinct mark of the Japanese people. The harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, of science and art, has created diverse and refined sake flavors that cannot be found in any other rice wine in the world.
The Japanese possess a unique and exclusive sake brewing formula and technique, unaffected by the culture, economy, or politics of any other country. Using basic ingredients such as Japanese rice, koji mold, yeast, and water, achieving the optimal result in Nihonshu requires numerous meticulous steps performed by the skilled hands of experienced sake masters.
Sake is considered a traditional alcoholic beverage of Japan and has become a distinctive cultural feature of the country.
In the Japanese sake brewing industry, the entire process is carried out with extreme rigor, from selecting the rice variety to the brewing stage, which takes 6-12 weeks and is divided into 8 steps.
The technique of cultivating Koji mold is considered key to creating the distinctive flavor of traditional Japanese sake. Furthermore, sake also utilizes a rare "multiple parallel fermentation" method, allowing Koji mold to convert the starch in the raw materials into sugar, which is then fermented to produce alcohol.
Sake is a type of alcoholic beverage that originated in Japan a long time ago, but modern sake brewing techniques began to be developed in the 14th century by monks at temples near Nara, Kyoto, and Osaka.
Sake is an indispensable product in traditional Japanese ceremonies and festivals, as well as in daily culinary life in the Land of the Rising Sun, and is becoming increasingly popular worldwide, having been exported to 75 countries/regions.
According to data from Japan's Ministry of Finance, Japan's sake exports in 2023 reached 41.1 billion yen (approximately over $270 million), a slight decrease from 2022 but still 1.7 times higher than in 2020. The United States was the largest importer of sake with approximately 6,500 liters, followed by China and South Korea.
In 2021, the Japanese government recognized the traditional sake brewing technique as a national intangible cultural heritage and submitted a proposal to UNESCO a year later. According to plan, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee will meet in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, from December 2-7. If recognized by UNESCO, the sake brewing technique would become the world's 23rd intangible cultural heritage.
