Tracing the History of Sake Through Historical Records — From Ancient Origins to the Modern Era

Hello, I’m Mana.
In this article, I’ll organize the history of sake not as a vague “it’s been around forever” story, but by using historical sources as clues.

When was sake born?
In truth, we can’t answer that question in a single sentence. The world of myth and the real development of brewing technology gradually overlap and connect to the present.

In this article, we’ll trace sake’s journey through sources, following this flow:

• Mythology and the eras of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
• State-managed sake (Nara and Heian periods)
• The medieval period: temples and technological innovation
• Edo: mass production and a distribution revolution
• Modern times: the rise of science

That’s the roadmap—let’s walk through it step by step.

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1. Sake in Myth: the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki

When we talk about the origins of sake, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki always appear.

In the Kojiki, there is a story about defeating the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi by making it drink a strong sake and getting it drunk.
The “sake” in this story is different from today’s clear sake (seishu), but it shows that alcohol was already portrayed as something special.

The sake of this era is often considered to have been a primitive fermented drink, similar to kuchikami-zake (a traditional style made by chewing rice to start fermentation).
In other words, at the mythological stage, sake was a sacred drink connected to the gods.

This is the first “position” in sake history.
At the beginning, sake was closely tied to religion.

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2. Nara & Heian Periods: Sake Managed by the State

After the era of myth, sake appears as an actual institution in the Nara and Heian periods.

A key historical source here is the Engishiki.

The Engishiki records that the imperial court had an office called Miki-no-Tsukasa, responsible for brewing sake.
In other words, sake was an important product managed by the state.

In this period, sake was mainly used for court ceremonies and religious rites.
While it kept a sacred role, sake also began to connect with state finance and administration.

The key point is this: sake shifted from “ritual” to “system.”

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3. The Medieval Period: Temples Refine the Technology

Sake technology made major progress in the medieval period.

Especially important is temple-brewed sake, known as sōbōshu.
In Nara’s temples, advanced brewing techniques developed, including a style called Nanto Morohaku.

What was innovative here included early foundations of techniques linked to modern sake, such as:

• more advanced use of koji
• refinements in rice polishing
• the use of lactic acid (and methods that support stable fermentation)

From this time, sake started to move beyond purely religious use and gained a stronger commercial side.

In many ways, technological progress emerged from temples—centers of knowledge and organized production.

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4. Muromachi to Azuchi–Momoyama: Toward the Prototype of Seishu

In the Muromachi period, we begin to see forms closer to today’s clear sake.

During this era, progress accelerated in areas such as:

• early forms of multi-stage additions (a prototype of sandanjikomi)
• wider use of pasteurization (hiire)
• improved rice-polishing techniques

Pasteurization dramatically improved shelf stability.
It is often considered a technique that developed uniquely in Japan, and it later enabled large-scale distribution.

In this period, sake gradually moved away from control by religion and temples, becoming a product traded in towns and markets.

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5. The Edo Period: A Distribution Revolution and the Rise of Nada

The biggest turning point in sake history is the Edo period.

As Edo’s population grew, demand for sake exploded.
This drove the development of kudari-zake—sake shipped from Itami and Nada down to Edo.

With mass transport by barrel ships established, Nada grew into a major production region.

Key factors behind Nada’s success included:

• Miyamizu, high-quality local water
• the establishment of winter brewing (kanzukuri)
• the refinement of kimoto-style starters

At this stage, sake was fully established as a commercial product.

Religion → State → Temples → Commerce.
Sake evolved alongside changes in Japan’s social structure.

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6. Modern Times: Science Enters Brewing and Yeast Is Identified

In the Meiji era, sake brewing entered an age of science.

Sake tax became a major pillar of national finance, and stable quality was strongly demanded.

In 1904, the Brewing Experimental Station (today’s National Research Institute of Brewing) was established,
and distribution of “Kyokai yeast” began.

As a result, brewing evolved beyond experience and intuition, becoming a reproducible process supported by science.

This is where sake entered an era driven by two wheels: “tradition” and “science.”

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7. Postwar to Today: Shifting Values

In the postwar era of rice shortages, sanbai-zōjōshu (mass-extended sake) became mainstream.

But after the high-growth period, a “return to junmai” trend gradually emerged.

From the 1980s onward, the local-sake boom revalued regional character and individuality.

Today, the world of sake continues to expand in many directions, including:

• a junmai-oriented mindset
• the revival of kimoto methods
• low-alcohol styles
• global expansion

History doesn’t move in a straight line—it advances while repeating cycles and reversals.

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Summary: History Reflects Society

Looking back at sake history, alcohol has always been connected to:

• religion
• the state
• taxation
• technology
• distribution

Sake is not just a luxury drink.
It’s a mirror that reflects the social structure and the level of technology of each era.

The glass we enjoy today exists because of a long path—beginning in myth, refined in temples, expanded in Edo, and supported by modern science.

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Next article: Now that we’ve grasped the historical flow, let’s look at regional differences.

Nada is known for powerful, structured sake, while Niigata is famous for a clean, dry style.
Why did these regions develop such distinct identities? We’ll organize the reasons simply, from the perspective of environment and brewing techniques.

Comparing Nada and Niigata