Will Unesco listing protect traditional sake production from current ‘major’ challenges?

Last month, Japanese Sake-Making with Koji Mould was officially recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, the fourth alcoholic beverage tradition ever to do so.

Despite the terminology, the protection actually applies to all Japanese alcoholic beverages made with koji, including Awamori, a distilled rice spirit indigenous to Okinawa, and Honkaku Shochu, a single-distillation Shochu that can be made from a large number of base ingredients.

The news comes at a crucial moment in time for traditional Japanese beverage production which has long relied on toji/master brewer guilds and deep connections with local communities.

"The number of practitioners involved in traditional brewing with koji has been declining due to lifestyle changes and aging demographics,” said Shinuemon Konishi, Chairman of the Preservation Society of Japanese Koji-based Sake Making Craftmanship.

“In addition to securing new practitioners, maintaining the natural environment and sourcing raw materials within local communities are major challenges for passing this heritage to the next generation.”

Director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association Hitoshi Utsunomiya believes that appreciation of the importance of koji mould in Japanese culture is currently lacking.

Utsunomiya said, "even within Japan, many people are unaware that koji mould is used not only in Japanese sake but also in honkaku shochu and awamori production. Communicating that these beverages, closely tied to Japanese life and culture, are crafted with koji mould is of immense value."

The race to preserve the koji mould production method is considered especially important due to its long history, having been integral to Japanese alcohol production for over a millennium. Its first documented use in brewing dates back to the 8th-century, where the Harima-no-Kuni Fudoki described the use of koji in brewing Japanese sake for religious offerings.

In addition to sake, shochu and awamori, koji is also a crucial ingredient for the production of mirin, a Japanese rice-based liqueur. The common thread that links each of these beverages is an absence of natural sugars in their primary ingredients. By producing an enzyme called amylase, koji mould converts starches into glucose, allowing alcoholic fermentation to occur. This function is akin to the role malt plays in brewing beer and distilling whisk(e)y.

“In addition to amylase, koji produces other enzymes that break down proteins into the amino acids that create the umami of Japanese alcoholic beverages,” said Utsunomiya.

“Umami contributes to the richness of Japanese sake and enhances its power to elevate the aroma and flavour of food. While honkaku shochu and awamori do not derive their characteristics directly from amino acids due to distillation, koji gives these drinks their distinctive smoothness without requiring prolonged aging."

Tatsuya Ishikawa, Chairman of the Japan Toji Guild Association, adds that it is “awe-inspiring and humbling” that the use of koji mould for alcoholic beverages was developed “in an era when the existence of microorganisms was unknown.

“These techniques are not merely technological achievements; they reflect a culture that embodies Japan's spirit of coexistence with nature,” he continued.

“It is the toji who have continuously passed down this technical expertise and spiritual heritage to the present day."

Traditional Knowledge and Skills of Sake-Making with Koji Mold in Japan joins Georgia's traditional winemaking methods, Belgium's beer culture, and Cuba's rum blending techniques as the four alcoholic beverage traditions registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritages.

Konishi said, “I hope that the registration as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inspires pride in local communities and fosters deeper dialogue among stakeholders to protect and sustain 'traditional brewing' practices."

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