High-grade Sake Produced in Villages
2022-09-28

In the Yuryaku Records of the “Kojiki” (Records of Ancient Matters), the villages listed include Takaichi of Wa, Karunoichi of Yamato, and Ekanoichi of Kawaschi.
Also, the “Nihonshoki” (the Chronicles of Japan) included descriptions about high-grade sake from Ekanoichi and Kibi, also consumed among commoners by the end of the 5th century.
According to records, “Sumizuke” is approximately 2.4 times the price of rice, while “Kozake” is 1.4 times the price of rice, and both “Nigorizake” and “Shirozake” were the same price as rice.
Also, sake breweries in Ukyo, Sakyo, Nanihatsu, and Yamazakinotsu were closed due to water damage in 806, when sake production and sales were prohibited.

Sake of the Imperial court
According to the “Ryounogige” (A Commentary on the Code of Discipline), sake produced in the Imperial court was brewed in a public office for sake production, restricted to 75 workers under the chief and 185 vendors in the Yamato-kawachi region.
Of the sake produced there, “Sumizake” is sake was produced by filtering fermentation-mash through a cloth, mainly served during official banquets in the Imperial court and as offering from high-ranking officials, while lower-ranking officials and laborers were served lower-grade sake such as “Nigorizake,” etc.
For example, if an administrative official overseeing a region is served 60 oz. of “Sumizake,” their attendants are served 18~24 oz. of “Nigorizake.”


市の旨酒(うまざけ)
「古事記」雄略紀には古代の市として、倭(わ)の高市(たかいち)・大和の軽市・河内の餌香市(えかいち)が現われました。
また「日本書紀」には餌香市の旨酒や吉備の旨酒の記述があり、5世紀末には当時の庶民も、市の旨酒を飲んだものと思われます。
記録によりますと、「浄酒(すみずけ)」は、米の約2.4倍の値で、「古酒(こざけ)」は1.4、「粉酒(こざけ:濁酒系の酒)」、「白酒(しろざけ)」は共に1.0倍の値とあります。
また、大同1年(806) には水害のため、右京・左京・難波津・山崎津の酒屋の甕を封じて、濁酒の製造、販売を禁止しました。

宮中の酒
「令義解(りょうぎのげ)」によれば宮中の酒造りは、造酒司(さけのつかさ)で行われ、その長官造酒正(さけのかみ)以下75名で、大和・河内の酒戸(さかべ)185戸の出身者に限られていました。
造酒司で造られた酒の内「清酒(すみざけ)」・「浄酒(すみざけ)」等は、上澄した酒又は醪を布でろ過した酒で,主に宮中の公式宴会用や上級役人の給与酒として用いられ、下級官人や役夫へは「濁酒」「古酒」「粉酒」「白酒」等が支給されました。
例えば、国司が「清酒(すみざけ)」一升ならば、その随行者には「粉酒」3~4合となりました。