Wednesday Lessons #29: Kurajo- Women Toji
WEDNESDAY LESSONS #29: KURAJO- WOMEN TOJI 3/6/2024
SAKE 1
MORIKI SHUZO Tae no Hana “Challenge 90” Bottle (720ml): $40
Mie, Japan Rice: Yamadanishiki (org, domaine) Polishing: 90% Yeast: ambient, SMV: +8, ABV 17% Rumiko Moriki (toji 1992, 1998-2020) Rie Toyomoto (toji since 2020)
I think that sake reflects the mindset and character of the person who makes it...Sake-brewing used to be a male-only world, and makers were forced to follow strict standards in order to keep uniform quality. Women were excluded for a long time, and for that reason, when they started sake-making they weren’t boxed into methods and ideas, and were more free to express unconventional ideas. -As successors to sake-brewing continues to decline, people who used to be on the margins of sake- making are entering the playing field – that includes women and other members of the community who volunteer to keep the tradition alive. Because of the labor-intensive work involved in sake-making, it was a big hurdle for women to participate. But now due to the mechanization of certain tasks, the working environment is more forgiving for all types of people. Because of these advancements, I think that the percentage of women who make sake is on the rise.
I’m inspired by the following women for their strength and bravery: Lady Nou, wife of Lord Oda Nobunaga (16th century), author Ayako Miura, female tojis Kuniko Mukai, Shigeri Shiraki, and Rie Toyomoto.
SAKE 2
FUKUCHO Tokubetsu Junmai “Forgotten Fortune” Bottle (720ml): $36
Hiroshima, Japan Rice: Hattanso, Akitakada (local) Polishing: 60-70% Yeast: Hiroshima yeast SMV: +3, ABV: 15.5% Miho Imada: toji since 2000
“There is a lot of potential for women in sake-making. It is very important to have a female staff member who is not conservative and tries new things. Accepting new tastes and trying out new techniques will broaden the enjoyment of the world of sake. -My inspiration? There are many junior high school teachers and important friends, but when I was little I loved Pippi Longstocking. I learned that just being a good girl is boring! -“I drank a lot of good sake in Tokyo, and I realized that to succeed as a business we would have to compete on quality. I had no idea how long it would take to convince my father and the head brewer to change their approach. So it seemed the best option was simply to do it myself.”
SAKE 3
GOZENSHU Junmai Bodaimoto “1859” Bottle (500ml): $44
Okayama, Japan Rice: Omachi (Okayama) Polishing: 60% Yeast: #9 ABV: 15% Maiko Tsuji: toji since 2007
“When you grow up in the countryside, you become very curious about the outside world, foreign countries. That’s why I pursued a career in international relations. But the more I studied about the outside world, the more I became interested in my own roots, realizing exactly how precious my family business and the craft of sake is.” -“Bodaimoto sake made from Bizen Omachi is my life’s work...This project started 30 years ago, but we are still revising this method every year as it is a work in progress. I want to express a modern version of bodaimoto that is easy to drink.” -“The personality of the person making sake is represented in the final product. So, when only men are making sake, though they have different styles and personalities, they create a certain flavor. When we, as women, create sake, our personalities come out as well. Now that women are making sake, we can create more diverse flavor profiles.”
BONUS: SAKE 4
MUKAI SHUZO Kyo no Haru Junmai Nigori Bottle (720ml): [sold out]
Kyoto, Japan Rice: Iwai (Kyoto) Polishing: 60% Yeast: #10. SMV: 1.0, acidity 1.0 ABV: 17% Kuniko Mukai: toji since 1998
“The important thing about sake is that you can only use rice and water. So you have to think about the breadth of flavor you can bring to sake with only rice and water.” “I think it’s good if the areas that don’t need human input get easier and easier. I need to put my mind to making koji or shubo. If I can automate the parts that don’t need to be managed, then I can put more energy into managing the important parts.” “I became toji the very year shochu overtook sake. It was one of the toughest years for the industry. That year, hundreds of breweries went under. We couldn’t afford to pay for 24h live-in workers, which meant workers would have to commute -and work from 8-8. They were about to quit. So I started coming in at 3:30 AM and doing all the prep myself. That’s how I earned their trust.”
SAKE 5
ASAHI SHUZO Jujiasahi Omachi 2021 BY Bottle (720ml): $49
Shimane, Japan Rice: Omachi (Kairyo) Polishing: 70% Yeast: #7, ABV: 18% Light pasteurization Eriko Terada: toji since
“I think that being flexibility with ideas is important to bring out the fun and possibilities of fermentation. Since women are not locked into stereotypes in the sake-making world, they are likely to confront new challenges and ideas.” -“Fresh, fruity sake is easy to drink and easy to serve. If it’s chilled in the fridge and served in a clean glass, it tastes the same whether it’s poured by a part-time worker or the owner. On the other hand, it’s a bit of a hassle to tell people how good hot or aged sake is, because you have to match it with food or heat it up. But we still want people to understand that the joy of sake is richer because of these pleasures. I just wish it was a bit easier to get this message through.”
SAKE 6
SHIBATA Junmai Ginjo “Flask” Mini Bottle (200ml): $10
Aichi, Japan Ginpu rice, 60% polish Shizuka Ito: toji since 2008 A fresh, delightful sake flask from Shizuka Ito in Aichi, working with Hokkaido Ginpu rice and the exceptionally soft kanzuri, god’s water.
Sunflower Sake is a retail shop, tasting room, and educational center in Portland, Oregon, focusing on craft sake from around the world. Sunflower ships year-round and offers affordable, biweekly Wednesday sake classes. Thank you so much for joining us tonight!
Printed on the sheet as #29; sequenced here by date.
