Sakeology Center received a grant “Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, through the Japan Arts Council, Fiscal Year 2022,” and created visually appealing videos to convey sake brewing and the culture and history of sake in an easy-to-understand way.

The created four videos include “Sake as depicted classical literature, from the ‘Illustrated Scroll of the Sake and Rice Debate’ owned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs,” featuring the late Muromachi period (early 16th century)’s illustrated scroll “Shuhanron Emaki” in an enjoyable animation style; and “Sake brewing microworld tour,” in which USHIKI Tatsuo, M.D., Ph.D., President of Niigata University, and NISHIDA Ikuhisa, Ph.D., Specially Appointed Assistant Professor, Sakeology Center appeared, with illustrations by President USHIKI Tatsuo.

These fascinating videos are now available in Japanese and English (with subtitles or narration) on Sakeology Center’s official YouTube channel.
Please take a look.

 

【Details of the video contents】

1. Niigata: A haven of ryotei and sake brewing town_360° VR
This 360° VR video takes you to ryotei (*) (Nabejaya and Ikinariya) in the Furumachi area of Niigata City and the Settaya area of Nagaoka City, known as sake brewing town, to experience them as if you had actually visited them.

* ryotei :
Traditional Japanese restaurant that serves traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine, while enjoying geisha performances which is mainly Japanese traditional dance. It is also a place where Japanese culture is compiled, and you can enjoy orthodox Japanese culture such as tableware, Sukiya-zukuri, Japanese gardens, artworks, and furnishings.

 

2. Sake as Depicted in Classical Literature, from the “Illustrated Scroll of the Sake and Rice Debate” owned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs
“Shuhanron Emaki” (Illustrated Scroll of the Sake and Rice Debate) was created in the late Muromachi Period (early 16th century). This video briefly explains the scenes of eating, drinking, and meal preparation, and introduces sake culture in those days through the scroll now owned by the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
You can enjoy just looking at the video in which the characters move, eat, and drink.

 

3. Sake brewing microworld tour
This video brings you a microworld experience of sake brewing. The illustrations in the video were drawn by USHIKI Tatsuo, M.D., Ph.D., President of Niigata University. It provides a fun way to learn about the science of sake brewing.

 

4. Sake and Rice
The video explains rice cultivation, which is the beginning of sake production, from the viewpoint of fertilizers and their effects on rice yield, quality, and sake quality.
It is additional video content to the “Introduction to Sakeology” created in FY2020.

 

“Sake brewing microworld tour”
Illustrated by USHIKI Tatsuo, M.D., Ph.D., President of Niigata University

 

*This topic is also introduced on the Niigata University official website.

*Related Article:　Sakeology Center has been adopted for “Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, through the Japan Arts Council, Fiscal Year 2022”

 

Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan,
through the Japan Arts Council, Fiscal Year 2022