According to the Nihon Shoki, the first liquor in Japan is said to be "Amanotamusuke". The first Goddess to make Tenshishu was the goddess "Kana Hana Sakuya Hime."
According to the Japanese calligraphy, one day A god called Nigino Mikoto will visit the place where Sakiya Kibana lives, and at a glance you will love the beauty of Saki Kibana. The two are immediately united and Saki Kibana becomes pregnant. However, he cannot believe that he was pregnant overnight, and curses Princess Kihana Saki. Saki Kibana ignites her own house to prove herself as a child of God and gives birth in the fire. It is said that Sakiya Kibana, who proved her innocence, made sake with her father, Oyama Matsumikami, to celebrate the birth of a child.
The sake that is made here is "Amanotamusuke". It is said to be the origin of "Japanese sake", the prototype of "Amazake".
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Amazake history
According to Chinese books, around the first century, the Japanese were drinking. The XNUMXrd century history book "Weishi Yajin Biography" written after that said that there is a custom of drinking alcohol at funerals, and the existence of alcohol is known.
In the 3rd year of ownership (689), a sake brewer (Sasuke Tsukasa) was appointed as a government official, and the nation began to manage liquor.
A wooden strip (wooden paper) on which the type of liquor was written was also excavated, and it is known that there was liquor made from rice at least around this time. In addition, the word "Fudoki" in various places begins to mention that the sake is made from rice.
In the first place, sake brewing has been like fruit liquor since the Jomon period, and Japanese people have possessed the brewing technique itself since ancient times. However, it seems to be unknown at the moment when it was switched to rice. Generally, it is said that rice cultivation has become stable.
Amazake is made from rice, malted rice and water. Koji rice is a product of koji mold on rice, and its history is directly related to the history of sake. Yeast eats sugar and refines alcohol to make sake, but when starchy plants such as rice are used as raw materials, starch must be broken down and converted to sugar that yeast can use.
Since ancient times in Japan, saliva enzymes have been used to obtain sugars that can be used by this yeast from rice starch.700It is written as "Kuchimino Sake" in the "Okuma National Fudoki" written around (XNUMX). In recent years, it has become known to many people as it appeared in the animation film "Kimi no Naha". In addition, it was written in "Harima Kokufudoki" that "rice cooked to the god shelf got wet and had mold, so I brewed sake and gave it to God to hold a feast." You can read the beginning of sake brewing.
Nara period (700Sake lees amazake appeared in winter season as "Kasuyu liquor" in "Poverty Question Answer" in "Manyoshu" (around XNUMX). Muromachi Period(1400(Around) "Kojigen" as "Sake"6It is said that it was made from March to the end of July. Edo Period(1840(Around XNUMX), the encyclopedia "Morishadaman manu" was said to have been popular with the citizens as "amazake" as a nourishing tonic for midsummer, and amazake is still treated as a summer season word. At the time, it was widely known as a health food familiar to citizens as the Edo Shogunate set the price of amazake to protect the health of the people.
Amazake and sake production process
The relationship between amazake and sake can be seen by looking at the manufacturing process.
- Fermented with rice and malt * If made with sake lees, it becomes amazake with alcohol
- Amazake can be made (alcohol is almost free)
- Add yeast to amazake and ferment over time (alcohol content goes up)
- After filtering, sake becomes sake and the rest becomes sake lees. * If not filtered, the so-called "duboku"
In this way, amazake is always made during the production process of sake. In other words, the history of sake is the history of amazake.
And now, with the health boom, amazake has come to the spotlight again as a "drip drip."
Not only as a health food, but amazake has always been the shrine's first shrine visit. The sight of warm amazake to worshipers on a cold day is also a New Year's tradition. Sake at Shinto shrine is called "Omiki", but amazake is also made from rice. Rice is a grain closely related to God, and amazake and sacred sake made from rice are sacred.
Rice is a blessing given by God, so even now, thanks to the harvested rice, farmers can see the events of making amazake and offering it throughout the country.
Distributing amazake or sacred sake to worshipers means celebrating the New Year with God and becoming one with God.
Since ancient times, Japan has a custom that eating the same thing becomes one with the other person, and this may be a remnant.
In addition, “Otoso”, which is drunk in the New Year, is also a drink that is auspicious, but it has the same meaning. Since slaughtered sake is medicinal sake, it is difficult to drink and contains alcohol, but amazake made from koji can be enjoyed by children and men and women of all ages.
For this reason, there is a deep relationship between amazake and shrines, such as the amazake festival and offering of amazake at shrines all over the country other than the first year of the New Year.
In Kansai, there are ozoni made from sake lees, but this is also a traditional food culture that uses sake lees made from sake sake dedicated to the shrine for the new year, which led to auspicious meals and co-eating with God. I will.
A shrine that manufactures sake
In medieval Europe, Christianity was the center of history. Christianity is always involved in politics, and Christianity is deeply involved in people's lives. Wine has been regarded as "the blood of Christ" and has been considered sacred and precious. Since churches and monasteries at that time also played roles such as schools and research institutes, we focused on winemaking by clearing vineyards and improving winemaking technology.
There is such a movement,17Around the XNUMXth century, wines with "bottled and cork stoppers" that were similar to the current wine sales form appeared, and winemaking developed.
Even in Japan, Shinto shrines always have sake, and sake is essential for Shinto rituals. There are also shrines that brew sake, and there are four shrines nationwide that have acquired the “Gokamishu Sake Brewing License Shrine”: Ise Shrine, Izumo Taisha Shrine, Okazaki Hachimangu Shrine, and Mogoshiyama Shrine. Other There are about XNUMX shrines that have acquired a brewing license for "Doburoku". Along with the shrines that make unlicensed amazake, a large number of shrines are making sake.
It was prized in ancient times so much that it was said that "liquor is the head of a hundred medicines." Amazake and strained sake lees are also known to have a very high nutritional value, and shrines, like monasteries in medieval Europe, not only contributed to the spiritual bases of the people, but also contributed to a healthy life both physically and mentally. Isn't it?
God of sake that appears in Japanese mythology
In addition to brewing shrines, there are many shrines dedicated to the sake god.
Ogami Shrine
Ogami Shrine (Miwa, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture), which is said to be the oldest shrine in Japan, is known throughout Japan as a god of sake brewing, and has earned the deep faith of brewers. It enshrines Omononushi no Okami, the two major gods of sake, and Sukuna Hikonanokami, and at the Ikuhi Shrine on the north side of the main shrine Takahashi Ikuhi, which is said to be the ancestor, is enshrined.In addition, It is a shrine that originated from "Sugitama".
At Ogami Shrine, every year11Month14At the time of the day, we have decorated cedar balls with the wish of "making delicious sake." The custom spread from the early Edo period to sake breweries throughout Japan, and now cedar balls can be seen in various places.
Cedar is a tree that grows abundantly on Mt. Miwa where Ojin Shrine is located, and since the cedar on Mt. Miwa is considered sacred, it is said that cedar balls using this cedar were made. Originally, it was customary to decorate cedar balls made of Miwayama cedar as a sign for a liquor store, but nowadays, sake breweries around the world may make their own or ask a vendor to make them. is. Also, Miwa is said to be the etymology of "Miki."
Matsuo Taisha
Matsuo Taisha Shrine (Arashiyama Miyamachi, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto3) Is the Christian era by Mr. Hata who ruled the western part of the Kyoto basin701It is the oldest shrine in Kyoto, which was built in the XNUMXst year (Daiho first year). Many of the migrant craftsmen were Mr. Hata, and from around the end of the Muromachi period he was worshiped as the "first brewery of sake brewing."
The festival god Oyama Himekami is known as the god who protects Mt. Hiei, and is also known as "Yamasue no Onushi no Kami". ) ”Is said to be the father god. Nakatsushima Himemitsu is "Ichikishima Himenomikoto" of the three goddesses of Munakata, and is one of the gods born from the oath of Amaterasu Okami and Susano Onomikoto.
Matsuo Taisha is famous for its belief as a sake god. Every year11The "Kamiu Matsuri" that takes place around the beginning of the month's sake preparation4It is also famous for offering famous sake from sake breweries all over the country at the "Rooster Festival", which is held when the sake is finished on the moon.
In "Origin from Sake" at Matsuo Taisha Shrine, steam rice from Yamada (Arashiyama) to make sake and entertain it in a vessel made by passing it in order to entertain eight million gods in the old days of Kamidai. It is recorded that it did.
In addition, there is a "liquor museum" in the precincts.
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Umemiya Taisha (Umemiya Taisha)
Umemiya Taisha Shrine is a shrine that enshrines sake gods whose main deities are Sake-to-nokami and Sake-toko, and is located on the north side of Shijo-dori, east of Katsura River in Ukyo-ku, Kyoto. Umezu Fukeno-cho, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto30). Originally, it is said that the god of Mr. Tachibana, who was in Ide-machi, Tsuzuki-gun in the southern part of Kyoto Prefecture, was moved to the present place together with the Heian capital. Similar to Matsuo Taisha11On the day of the month of the month of the month, "Prayer for the brewing safety and prosperity,"4The "Sake Donation Report Festival" (Naka-toro Festival) is held on the day of the Rooster in the middle of the month, and people involved in brewing are worshiping.
The festival gods are all the gods peculiar to this shrine, and the liquor god is the child of Sakiya Kibana (she is also counted as a liquor god).
The above three companies are known as "The Three Great Sake Shrines of Japan" and attract the faith of Mori and sake companies all over the country.
Bacchus (Dionysus) of Roman mythology and Soma of Indian mythology are known as liquor gods in the world, but there are many liquor gods in Japan as the word "XNUMX million gods" represents. Is.
Types of amazake
There are two types of amazake using koji and sake lees.
Koji amazake is non-alcoholic, but sake lees amazake is made using sake lees, so it contains alcohol. For sake lees8.8%It contains a certain amount of alcohol, but by heating it, the alcohol content of sake lees1%Less than
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In addition, both contain abundant nutrients as a health drink, but Koji Amazake and sake lees Amazake have slightly different effects. Koji Amazake contains a lot of glucose and vitamins produced by Aspergillus oryzae and is effective for relieving fatigue, so it is said to be a “drip drip”. On the other hand, sake lees amazake has the effect of koji and sake lees, and is said to be a "drinking beauty liquid" that contains many amino acids and dietary fiber in addition to the ingredients of koji amazake. Koji amazake has a natural sweetness due to fermentation of koji, but sake lees amazake adds sugar to produce sweetness.
When it comes to the history of amazake, I think of the Edo period when it was popular with the general public, but it has been used as an essential ingredient for health since a long time ago.
Manyoshu has a song "I drank it after melting it with sake lees because it was cold", and in the ancient tax book, there is a description that "the sake lees were distributed to the junior officers of the sick".
Since ancient times, Japan has a festival culture of praying to God for a good harvest in the spring and thanking the harvest in the autumn. As an indispensable part of the festival, offerings to the god "Okami(Ginseng)Is mentioned. A special item in this sacred meal is rice and its processed products. Mochi and sacred sake are typical examples of processed rice products.(Sake)And there is amazake.
Rice is a crop that God had grown in heaven, and it came to be offered as an offering because it was sent to grow on earth.
Since amazake is an indispensable part of the shrine, there are many amazake festivals and amazake shrines throughout Japan. A wide variety of festivals are held all over Japan, such as giving amazake as a thank you for praying for good harvest, praying for amazake, praying for epidemic sickness and disease-free disaster by multiplying amazake, and fortune telling whether it is a good harvest or bad harvest depending on the quality of amazake .
One of the characteristics of Japanese festivals is that "god and person eat together"(Shinkyo)There is a culture. This derives from the meaning that when a person eats something offered to God, God gains faith and a person receives blessing from God.
At the festival, this kind of custom of distributing food and alcohol is called "Direct Meeting".(Hey)You can drink amazake at festivals and shrines that use amazake.
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Festivals derived from amazake
Most of the amazake served at worshipers at shrines uses sake lees, but this time we will introduce a festival where you can drink amazake made from rice malt.
Awashima Shrine Amazake Festival
Awashima Shrine in Kata, Wakayama City is the head office of Awashima Shrine, Awashima Shrine, and Awashima Shrine all over Japan, and the main deities are Shoko Meishin Shrine, Daikoku Shrine, and Empress Shinko. Known for its doll memorial service, it was dedicated to the entire precinct of Japan2There are millions of dolls lined up.
The beginning of this shrine was the time of Empress Jingu,200Age (3It's about the century. When Empress Jingu, at the crossroads of the Korean soldiers, prayed to God when he met a storm in the Seto Inland Sea, he said, "Leave the ship to the ocean current and proceed." And the island that arrived is Kamishima(Tomegashima: Awaji Island and Wakayama Prefecture(Kada)He arrived at a small island located on Okinoshima in the sea between and said that he gave a gift of gratitude to Ohikonagami and the great lord who were enshrined here. Then Emperor Nintoku, the grandson of Empress Shinko(16代)However, the history of the present Awajishima Shrine was transferred to Kada.
Minority Hinajin(Sukunahikona)And the great lord of Japan played an active part as a nation-building god. Both the enshrined Saiko Hinakami and the great lords are said to be brewers.
103Big festival held on the day(Amazake festival)Then, we will use the Shokoshin God as the sake brewing god, prepare the amazake made from new rice in the shrine, and pray for the sickness and worship of worshipers. It seems that you can take home the rice bean malt liquor that behaves if you bring a water bottle or a plastic bottle.
Hachiman Shrine Amazake Festival
The Amazake Festival at Hachiman Shrine in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture was originally1521From year1528), Mr. Kuwayama, a descendant of Bitogen Nogeyoshi, who built Mitsui Shigeyoshi Castle on the left bank of the Aoki River.8Month15It is the year-end festival (a festival that prays for a good harvest of agricultural products) that was held every day. Meiji30Around this year, Mr. Kuwayama donated Kanda (Senden), which had been exempt as a sweet sake field, to the village, and it is said that it became a festival for the entire village.10The first of the month4It is held on Sunday and is designated as an intangible folk cultural property of the city. Amazake and strong rice (Yakomoto), which is decided by the god's intention, is made with koji made from rice harvested in Kanda the day before the festival.
On the day of the festival, Amazake behaves in the morning at Shigeyoshi Hongo Community Center. a.m.10At that time, when the drums ringing to inform that amazake was made, the villagers gathered at the community center to drink amazake, talk with each other, and thank the abundance. Therefore, amazake is also called "Japanese nagomi liquor".
After the Shinto ritual, naked men who have purified themselves from the temple run to the precincts of worshipers with the vat of amazake and strong rice that they had offered, and scatter it. This means celebrating a good harvest and sharing the joy of grass and trees all around the precincts, and it is said that this will help avoid evil diseases and disasters.
Makino Sanshosha Amazake Festival
Located in Nakamura Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi PrefectureMakino Sanshosha is a long-established company of Makino Shinmeisha, Tsubaki Shinmeisha, and Itsukushima Shrine.3Refers to the company. Shinmeisha(Shinmeisha)Is a shrine that enshrines the inner and outer shrines of Ise Shrine. Makino Shinmeisha and Tsubaki Shinmeisha are shrines resembling the inner and outer shrines of Ise Jingu, and the main deity is Makino Shinmeisha.(Uchinomiya)Amaterasu Omikami and Tsubaki Shinmeisha(Geku)The god of euphoria is enshrined in. Itsukushima shrine is enshrined in Ichikijima Himemei, which has three statues of Munakata as one pillar, and is said to be the end of the precincts of Tsubakijinmeisha.
この3Company every year10Month15Day and16Amazake Festival and Annual Festival are held every day. this3The company's amazake festival has a common origin. The origin of the Amazake Festival is Tsubakinomori(Makino Shinmeisha)On the side of the Oze River in the precincts, there was a large wisteria tree that blooms beautiful flowers. It was a problem that the spectators who gather there trampled the nearby fields. There, the local people felled wisteria trees, and the plague spread that year. The wisdom of the village told us, "Use the shreds of the wisteria tree that you cut down to bring sake to each house and give it to God." Since it is difficult to make sake, I decided to make amazake instead.
Ozegawa(Oisegawa)Made amazake using pure flowing water(Uchinomiya)And Tsubaki Shinmeisha(Geku)When he gave the remaining amazake to the sick, the illness healed and calmness returned.
Then every year, the lunar calendar9Month15Day(Current10Month15Day)I prepared amazake brewed from the water of the Kasasegawa and presented it to Makino Shinmeisha and Tsubaki Shinmeisha, and Itsukushima, Susanoo, and Inaho Makino Gosha, and thanked God for their protection. It has been passed down to today as a festival to pray for happiness and safety.
Makino Shinmeisha
Makino Shinmeisha is a shrine resembling the inner shrine of Ise Shrine, and the main deity is Amaterasu Omikami. Showa20Years3The shrine disappeared due to an air raid on the moon, Showa27Was rebuilt in the year.
At Makino Shinmeisha10Month15Day and16Amazake Festival is held on both days. The ceremony by the priest16The festival is held from the morning of the big festival day, and festival music goes around the town.15There are no ceremonies at the Amazake Festival on the day, only the sacred sake is offered to the gods and the amazake is distributed to worshipers. Kinmochi (small mochi) is used for amazake served at Makino Shinmeisha2It is characteristic that it contains one.
Tsubaki Shinmeisha
Tsubakijinmeisha is a shrine resembling the outer shrine of Ise Jingu, and the main deity is the Touukiki Bishojin. Showa20During the year's air raid, the main shrine remains unburned.
At Tsubaki Shinmeisha10Month15Amazake festival on a day,16An annual festival is held every day. The ceremony is the same as Makino Shinmeisha16It is the morning of the day, but there is no amazake entertainment on this day. 15There are no ceremonies at the Amazake Festival in the day, only the sacred sake is offered to the gods and the amazake is distributed to worshipers.
Next to the offering box in the main shrine of the shrine, there is a blue pot with the word "Amazake", which was used to dedicate Amazake made at home, as mentioned in the origin story. It is a tub. There used to be a wooden pail.
Itsukushima shrine
Itsukushima Shrine is the outermost shrine of Tsubaki Shinmei Shrine, and the main deity is Ichikishima Himemei. As with Tsubaki Shinmeisha, there is a blue pot, Amazakeke, next to the offering box at the main shrine of the shrine. In the old days, there was a koji shop in the neighborhood, and I bought large plate-shaped koji and made amazake in a pot and served amazake to worshipers not only for old children. In addition, the amazake made by each family is put in a bottle for the sake, and it is added to Makino Shinmeisha, Tsubakijinmeisha, and Itsukushimasha.(Kaminotama no chew)Visit Makino Gosha, which includes the Inaho Shrine, which enshrines the god, and the Susanoo Shrine, which enshrines the priestess,5It seems that they have devoted themselves equally.
Aso Shrine
Aso Shrine in Ichinomiya Town, Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture450At the head office of Aso Shrine, the main deity of god is Kenryu Ryumei(Take Watatsu)And their family God. Kenban Ryuumei(Take Watatsu)Is a grandson of the first Emperor Jimmu and was the god who pioneered the Aso area.
From New Year's Day at Aso Shrine3Until the day3The rice malt amazake is served every day. Shinto priests and shrine maidens make amazake at the Shinsen place where the offerings to God are cooked. Mixing freshly cooked glutinous rice and rice koji using a bamboo stick creates a sticky, slightly sweet aroma. Amazake for about XNUMX people1It seems that it will take weeks to prepare. Also from the New Year's Day at the roadside station Aso near Aso Shrine3Until the day3First come, first served100As the name suggests, there is "a behavior of amazake" made by local rice farmers.
Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine
Gion Boat Shinto is a boat made of Aokaya, which is held at the Tomioka Hachimangu annual festival in Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa.1It is a Shinto ritual that entrusts you with years' worth of sins and nuisances and sends them offshore.800It is a traditional event that has been held for more than a year, and is designated as the first intangible folk cultural property in Yokohama City, and it represents the summer of Yokohama.
Gion Boat Shinto rituals are held all over Japan, including the Gion Festival in Kyoto.6Just like the Chino Wakuguri, which is held in the moon over the summer, it is an old-fashioned Shinto ritual that warms the mind and body and warms up.
At Gionfune Shinto in Tomioka Hachimangu, it has been an old tradition to use amazake brewed with malted rice. However, in recent years, since it is difficult to obtain barley malt, rice malt is being used instead. It is also held in the fall, and it is a Shinto ritual that also provides the first-eared wheat to the sea god and appreciates the abundant harvest of five grains and the abundance of seafood.
Tomioka Hachimangu1191Year (taken2It started from the year XNUMX) when Minamoto no Yoritomo enshrined Ebisu in Settsu and Nishinomiya to protect the town. afterwards1227In the year of the XNUMXst year of Ansada, the Hachiman Okami was enshrined and the company name changed to Hachimangu. And it seems that it is written in the lucky book that remains in Tomioka Hachimangu from ancient times.
"One day, a priest in a village visited one house in the village, but there was no food in the house. So the landlord did not have food to give, but today he gave me sake because it was a festival. Yes, the priest slurped the liquor with thatched leaf, and I was actually the Hachiman Okami.If you worship me from today, you will protect the villagers and tell you to ward off evil, and then you will disappear. is".
The Kanazawa district where Tomioka Hachimangu has been prospering as a fisherman town for a long time, and the area of the paddy fields is limited due to the terrain surrounded by mountains, and there are many people who make wheat in the fields. It can be said that the traditional custom of using offerings using wheat for Gion Boat Shinto ritual has been passed down to the present.
On a certain day in July, the priest gives a congratulatory song by sprinkling amazake brewed with malted rice on the rice dumplings on the Gion boat (currently, it is difficult to obtain malted rice. Use Amazake). After a series of worshipers, the Gion boat is carried by the young people to the beach of the boat pool.
On the beach, there are "Hachiman Maru" and "Yaesaka Maru"2A Japanese boat is available on the shore. When a Japanese boat carrying a Gion boat arrives offshore amidst the sound of gagaku, the Gion boat is released into the sea. Entrusted to Gion boat1In order to escape from the sin and apologize for years, the Hachiman Maru and Yae Maru2The limbs aim for the shore while rowing. It is a spectacular sight that young people dressed in white costumes rowing Japanese boats in line with a big shout and compete in a good manner, and it will be a dynamic Shinto ritual that attracts not only local people but also many spectators.
Summary
Koji, which has been indispensable to Japanese life since ancient times, and rice that has been popular as a staple food for Japanese people since the birth of rice cultivation2Koji Amazake, which was created by Tsutomu, has a long history as well, and is closely related not only to the health of the Japanese but also to their spirituality, and has been closely involved in the belief in the gods and traditional culture. Amazake, which is used at festivals at Hatsumode and shrines, seems to be the same thing, but in fact, the characteristics of each and every ingredient appear in the way it is made and the ingredients used to make it. It also leads to learning the meaning of Shinto rituals and practices.
Amazake has attracted attention for its health promotion and beauty effects due to its abundant nutrients, but it has a long history and profound charm that is not just a nutrition food. Unraveling the historical and sometimes mysterious story of amazake, which was born because of the blessings of nature, may stimulate intellectual curiosity and expand our imagination richly.
