All About Japanese SAKE-2

“SUGIDAMA”as a Sign of Dedication.

 

In recent years, when November comes increasing numbers of Japanese take
tours to Christmas market in European cities.
As a liquor lover, Vienna’s Heuriger, the annual festival for new wine
that will be presented on November 11th. comes to my mind.

It is said that this festival began in 18th century
when the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II (who is brother of Marie Antoinette)
first licensed farmers to sell homemade wine.

As a mark of Heuriger, branches of coniferous trees such as fir are hung
from the eaves of the wine brewery, and people know the arrival of new wine.

In fact, also in Japan there is a similar symbol, called “Sugidama,”
When the brewery dedicates new sake to MIWA Shrine,
Sugidama is given as a sign of dedication.

At the beginning, Sugidama is just like the Heuriger evergreens, the cedar branches
were simply hung.
It became a soccer ball-sized round object, not just bundled.

As a sign of dedication,
there is a cedar board with the word “OSHIRUSHI” that is the Proof under the cedar ball.

I was intrigued at the idea that similar customs developed in Austria and Japan,
which are halfway around the earth from each other, and at about the same time,
too. I was impressed by the similar ideas of humankind in both the east and west.

by HAKUU