A01=Eric C. Rath
alcohol
Author_Eric C. Rath
brewing
Category=WBN
Category=WBXD
eq_bestseller
eq_food-drink
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
fermentation
Japan
Japanese drinks
Japanese food
Koji
Product details
- ISBN 9781836391159
- Dimensions: 156 x 208mm
- Publication Date: 01 Oct 2025
- Publisher: Reaktion Books
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Hardback
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Sake, Japan’s iconic rice-based alcoholic drink, has been central to Japanese culture for over 1,300 years. Traditionally made with rice, water and kōji mould, it was consumed in early brewpubs and was vital to samurai rituals and festivals. Sake’s story includes homebrewers like clan matriarchs, ancient princes and modern political activists who defied laws to keep homebrewing alive. Temples refined sake-making techniques, laying the foundation for a thriving industry that became a major economic force for shoguns and the modern state.
Kanpai is the first history of sake in English, exploring its evolution from homebrew to flavoured varieties, its cultural significance and global rise, including its growing popularity and production in North America and Europe. The book also shows how sake has shaped Japanese food, society and traditions.
Eric C. Rath is Professor of History at the University of Kansas. His books include Oishii: The History of Sushi (Reaktion Books, 2021).
