Hello, this is Mana.
Have you heard of a sake called Risshun Asashibori (risshun asashibori)?
I did not know about it myself until quite recently. One day, while choosing sake at an izakaya, someone at the restaurant recommended Tsuki no I’s Risshun Asashibori to me, and that was the first time I learned about it.
Just from the name, it sounds like a slightly special kind of sake. But when I looked into it, I found that Risshun Asashibori is an auspicious sake linked to the beginning of a new spring. This time, I would like to introduce its background and characteristics.
What Is Risshun Asashibori?
Risshun Asashibori is not the name of one specific brand. It refers to sake that is pressed early in the morning on the day of Risshun and shipped out on that same day.
Sake is completed by pressing moromi (moromi), the fermented mash. This pressing stage is called joso (jousou), meaning the process in which the fermented mash is pressed and becomes sake in its finished form for the first time.
Risshun Asashibori is a very labor-intensive and special brewing process because this joso is timed to take place on the morning of Risshun.
Why is this particular day important? It is because Risshun is one of the twenty-four seasonal divisions in the traditional calendar and marks the “beginning of spring.”
In the old calendar, Risshun was also considered the start of the year. For that reason, many events and customs connected to welcoming new good fortune remain associated with this day.
Risshun Asashibori is enjoyed as an auspicious sake to drink on this day of a new beginning.
Why Is It Considered Auspicious?
Risshun, which comes the day after Setsubun, is easy to recognize as a seasonal turning point and a moment to reset one’s feelings. When that timing overlaps with a freshly pressed new sake made in the morning, its image as a lucky or auspicious item becomes even stronger.
In many cases, the freshly pressed sake is blessed at a shrine on that same day, with wishes such as good health and prosperous business offered for it.
It is then shipped right away, which gives it meaning for the person drinking it as well, as a sake that symbolically brings in good fortune.
Characteristics of Risshun Asashibori
Risshun Asashibori is a kind of shinshu, or newly brewed sake, so it often has the following characteristics.
- Fresh and lively
- Fruity aroma
- Light drinking feel
- A slightly sparkling, gassy sensation
One of the main attractions of Risshun Asashibori is that you can enjoy the youthful character that only just-pressed sake has.
Many of them are the kind described as “just pressed” or muroka nama-zake (muroka nama-zake), meaning unfiltered unpasteurized sake. That makes them especially appealing for people who enjoy very fresh styles of sake. If you would like to understand freshly pressed winter sake more broadly, it also helps to read the article on shinshu alongside this one.
Can You Buy It Anywhere?
In fact, Risshun Asashibori is not made by every brewery.
This is carried out as a project by an organization called the Nihon Meimon Shukai, and only participating breweries produce it.
Also, because it has to be shipped immediately after pressing, distribution and sales are limited.
If you really want to buy it, the most reliable way is to find a retailer and reserve it through the official Nihon Meimon Shukai website.
Recommended Ways to Enjoy It
Risshun Asashibori is best enjoyed as chilled sake, making the most of its freshness.
- Drink it on the same day
- Pair it with lighter dishes
- Enjoy it with family or friends
In particular, it goes well with sashimi and other clean, delicate dishes, so it fits naturally into the dining table around the time of Risshun.
If you want to compare the different types of sake enjoyed from winter into spring, it is also interesting to compare it with hatsushibori and nigori-zake. They may look similar at first, but their meanings and the ways people enjoy them are slightly different.
Summary: A Special Glass That Lets You Taste the Beginning of Spring
Risshun Asashibori is a special sake pressed on the morning of Risshun. It is enjoyed as an auspicious drink, and its taste is fresh and bright. That is part of the charm of this seasonal limited sake.
Sake has many pleasures that are closely connected to the seasons.
If you happen to see Risshun Asashibori around the time of Risshun, try it and let it mark the beginning of a new spring for you. Along with that, reading about shinshu, hatsushibori, and nigori-zake will make the differences among winter-to-spring sake styles even easier to understand.
