Hanami-zake (花見酒) - sake with viewing cherry blossom

It has been a long time since I enjoyed Hanami (viewing sakura) last time.
Thanks to Gardens by the Bay who imported cherry blossoms to Singapore, I could enjoy sakura viewing even in Singapore during Blossom Beats which was a limited-time only floral display happening at the Flower Dome. The temperature of the dome were 100% controlled to bloom during the event.

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“Hanami (or Sakura, the cherry blossom, viewing)” is the Japanese traditional custom that has continued relatively unchanged since about the eighth century. Friends and family get together under sakura trees in city parks for parties to enjoy the view.

 “Hanami at night (or Sakura viewing at night)” is called “Yozakura” and it’s a unique practice cherry. The pale pink blossoms shining in the darkness at night is also beautiful.

 ​Sake drinking with Hanami is called “Hanami-zake”. People in any era since the 8th century have enjoyed sake while view sakura. It might be an original landscape that was deeply imprinted in the hearts of Japanese. Enjoy your favorite sake with beautiful cherry blossoms.

Unfortunately, we could not drink sake in the Flower Dome, but hopefully we can do hanami-zake some day even in Singapore!

Shirosake(白酒) for Hinamatsuri

March 3 is Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival or Girl’s Festival), when people prays the happiness and healthy grows of girls. Families with girls display dolls in the house together with peach blossoms. They offer rice crackers and other food to the dolls. On Hina Matsuri, sweet sake is drunken and chirashi sushi is eaten.

 

 

The sweet sake is called Shirosak(白酒)- low alcohol (around 10%) for adults or Amazake(甘酒) – less than 1% or non-alcoholic beverage for children. It is thick, and looks a bit like yoghurt, though the texture and thickness can vary.

This year, I celebrated Hinamatsuri with home-made chirashi sushi and Tengumai Nigorizake instead of shirosake. (Although the color is white, nigorizake is different from Shirosake.)

Enjoy!

 

Tengumai Yamahai Nigorizake

天狗舞　山廃にごり酒

Kurumada Shuzo (Ishikawa Prefecture)

車多酒造(石川県)

 

Limited seasonal product (Winter only)

SMV: -15

Acid Level: 1.2

Seimaibuai: 65%

Alcoholic degree: 13%

Price: JPY945/720ml (in Japan)

 

Tasting Notes:

It has a subtle sweetness originated  from rice, silky taxture, and rich flavor with full of umami due to yamahai jikomi, but has a refreshing aftertaste which you never feel heavy. It is sweet in SMV (-15), but I would say drier than other nigorizake. It can be enjoy with majority of Japanese dishes. 

Nanakusagayu(七草粥) - Rice porridge with 7 herbs

There is a custom to eat Nanakusagayu on 7th  January in Japan.

Nanakusagayu is a rice porridge with 7 spring herbs, i.e. seri, nazuna, gyou, hakobera, hotokenoza, suzuna, suzushiro. It is said the tradition to eat nanakusagayu started during Heian period (around the 8th century) with a wish of good health. It is also eaten to rest stomach after a big meal during the New Year’s celebration.

 

 

 

Nowadays, there is a packet of 7 herbs for nanakusagayu that is easily purchased at any supermarket in Japan. Some supermarkets, e.g. Isetan or Meidiya, in Singapore also sell it, but I couldn’t get it this year because it was all sold out. It is surprising because eating nanakusagayu is also a traditional event which is lesser and lesser popular in a present day in Japan. Are Japanese staying overseas more traditional than ones in Japan???

Wishing you good health!!!

Toso(屠蘇) - sake for the New Year's Day

A Happy New Year 2016!

 

How do you celebrate the New Year's Day?

I usually have a small celebration with my family at home with a traditional Japanese new year dishes called 'Osechi(お節)' and a sake. This year, I specially made and had a traditional New Year's sake called “Toso (屠蘇)”.

Toso is considered to be medicinal sake and the origin of liqueur in Japan. It is drunk during the three days after the New Year’s Day with the belief that eliminate evil and the wish of longevity and good luck. The tradition to drink Toso in the New Year's Day is an important culture and custom in Japan continuing from the Heian period (around the 8th century) after it was introduced from China. Toso is made by soaking 5-10 kinds of herbs and spices which prevent sickness during the cold seasons in sake and/or mirin(sake for seasoning). Nowadays, there is blended powder called toso-san (屠蘇散)  for Toso that is easily purchased.

However, the custom to make and drink Toso is lesser and lesser popular in Japan, especially for younger generation. In a modern era, a sake labelled ‘Omiki’ is sold for the New Year’s Day and it is much popular. In fact, this is the first time for even me to make/drink Toso for the New Year’s Day!!!

May this year brings you all happiness! Kanpai!!!

 

Banshaku (晩酌)

“Banshaku(晩酌)” is Japanese word which means drinking alcohole at home from evening to night time such as dinner time, or a habit of drinking sake at these time.

My father of 75 years old  has had “banshaku” every night for more than 50 years. He seldom goes out for drinking or dinner because he really enjoy his own “banshaku” with his favorite sake (in this case, sake means alcoholic beverages in general) and small meals that are specially prepared to match with sake. I do remember that his “banshaku” meals looked very yummy and I alway wished I could eat it when I was a child. As he is getting old, he can’t drink a lot now, but I can still see him enjoy the habit. “Banshaku” is a great food culture in Japan and my sweet family memories. 

 

With that, I also like "Banshaku". My "Banshaku" is drink sake (in this case, sake means alcoholic beverages in general) with dinner in weekdays, so I usually chose the best sake which is matching today's dinner. 

 

My today’s banshaku. Imo shochu mixed with hot water and deep-fried chicken with flavored leek source. The fregrant sauce is well matching to Imo shochu’s toasty sweet-potate flavor. Kanpai!

 

 

 

Kabuki performance in Singapore - シンガポールで歌舞伎鑑賞

Do you know Kabuki (歌舞伎)? It is a traditional Japanese form of dance drama with roots tracing back to the Edo Period (the 17th century). It is recognized as one of Japan's three major classical dance drama along with noh and bunraku, and has been named as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

 

Kabuki actors are all male even for female roles. They wear elaborately designed costumes with eye-catching make-up and outlandish wigs, and arguably most importantly, the exaggerated actions performed by the actors. An old-fashioned form of Japanese is tipically used for the performance, which is difficult even for Japanese people like me to fully understand.

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc

 

Today, I enjoyed ”Kabuki” perforemance by Ebizo Ichikawa XI, scion of Japan’s oldest kabuki family, in Singapore.  

He played 3 dramas, "Uwanari 嫐(うわなり)"、" and "Mimasu Kuruwa no Kasauri  三升曲輪傘売（みますくるわのかさうり）" and the other.  While the latter is a brand new piece createdspecially for the Singaporean performance, Uwanari has not been performed in a hundred years, andits debut on the 17th October in Singapore marks a significant moment in kabuki history. 

Although I worried if I could understand, but all stories were very easy to understand even for foreigners who don't understand Japanese.