Japanese Sake, Jizake
Sake is to Japan as wine is to France, and sake has nearly an equally long history. It is said that even the ancient gods themselves imbibed this delicious brew. And even today sake still retains its religious place. Marriage ceremonies include ritual sake drinking; sake is placed on the family altar for the enjoyment and pleasure of both the gods and the dead. Many of the annual festivals also include sake drinking.
Literary references to this ancient brew are first seen in the Fudoki, Japan's first chronology, said to have been completed in 712. Many great changes in brewing methods have occurred, and stories about sake have been told since ancient times.
It is still the national beverage of Japan and is quickly gaining a foothold in the USA and other countries. Sake sales are among the fastest growing categories in today's markets.