Things I Learned From the Internets Today: Kuchikamizake

To prove a friend's point*, I have decided to finally watch Your Name. It made headlines a few months back on how it was beautifully made. The story is a different take on the body switch theme and it was impressive IMHO. The visuals and story telling is superb!

Anyways, being the setting is in a rural town it is not far to imagine that they'd put in ceremonies and cultural stuff we non-Japanese not aware of. One of which is the concept of Kuchikamizake. Simply put, it's the act of virgins of chewing rice and spitting it allowing the rice to naturally ferment and in turn become sake. Yes, in our time the knowledge of germs and hygiene comes into play in declaring this as disgusting but don't fret, it's not practiced anymore (plus if you don't drink sake there's no point in worrying anyway).

Although who might have thought of this first must have questionable ideas, there is actually a long list of "who made it first" this doesn't seem too far off. Now, if in the future I do find myself being offered sake from a temple it might be a good practice to ask on how the pot was fermented.

*Photo not mine.

See link: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/776633068433973248/I7_Jq6Ke.jpg

*If which is better: Your Name or The Girl Who Leapt Through Time