How to Drink Sake Like a Pro
If you’ve ever had to order sake and had no idea what you were ordering, we’ll tell you the basics you need to know. What’s the difference between sweet and dry sake, how’s it made, and what should you look out for when you’re buying sake. We’ll taste a few sakes as well and compare the differences.
Here’s a full playlist on our Aizu Wakamatsu adventures!
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We’ve got some more info on sake in our blog:
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We also shot with our friend John, Only in Japan!
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Here’s the brewery we went to:
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Check out Aizu Wakamatsu yourself!
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Cherry Blossom Street of Shinjo Village,Okayama 岡山県新庄村のがいせん桜
5/11/2011
Shinjō (新庄村 Shinjō-son?) is a village located in Maniwa District, Okayama, Japan.
In 2003 the village had an estimated population of 1,047 and a density of 15.6 persons per km². The total area is 67.1 km².
This village is known for the cherry trees along its main street, which is called Triumphal return Cherry Blossom Street (がいせん桜通り Gaisen sakura dōri?). These trees were planted to celebrate the Japanese victory over the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905.
There are many old buildings along Victory Cherry Blossom Street. Many of these buildings used to be hotels that were built to accommodate the sankin kōtai annual mandatory processions of feudal lords from their domains to the capital and back. It is also said that Emperor Go-Toba passed this way in exile on his way to an island in the Sea of Japan where he died.
Shinjō grows a variety of rice called hime no mochi. This rice is used to make the mochi rice cakes for which this town is also known. The hime no mochi factory is a major employer in Shinjō.
Shukuba (宿場?) were post stations during the Edo period in Japan, generally located on one of the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. They were also called shukueki (宿駅). These post stations (or post towns) were places where travelers could rest on their journey around the nation. They were created based on policies for the transportation of goods by horseback that were developed during the Nara and Heian periods.
Honjin (本陣?) is the Japanese word for an inn for government officials, generally located in post stations (shukuba) during the later part of the Edo period.
Originally, honjin were places from which generals directed battles and, therefore, were fleeting in nature. However, as commanders began to transform the honjin into temporary lodgings during battle and travel, honjin came to be places where daimyō and other representatives of the shogunate, including hatamoto, monzeki, etc., were allowed to stay during their travels. Many of the honjin were actually personal residences of village and town leaders. As such, they received official designations from the government and expanded their residences to include walls, gates and other features. Because of their cooperation, the owners of the honjin also gained various special rights. General travelers, regardless of status or money, were not able to stay at honjin.
Waki-honjin (脇本陣), also referred to as sub-honjin, are similar in structure and operation to, but generally smaller than, honjin. The rules of operation were also are slightly different. When two official traveling parties are staying in the same post station, the more powerful of the two stayed in the main honjin. The major difference, though, is that general travelers were able to stay at the waki-honjin, if they had enough status or money.
新庄村（しんじょうそん）は、岡山県の北西部に位置し、鳥取県と境を接する村で県内では西粟倉村と共に2つある村の1つ。また人口は県内自治体中、最小である。出雲街道の本陣・宿場町として栄えた。