Bandai Jozo to produce Edo-era sake

[thomas]

On 19 April, Izu-based sake brewery Bandai Jozo launched a new sake based on brewing techniques dating back to the early 17th century. Their 'Egawashu' (江川酒) is described as fruity and sweet.

Egawashu was passed down in the Egawa family, a prestigious family dating back to the Heian Period (794-1185). Egawa family members served as daikan local governors in Nirayama, now the city of Izunokuni, Shizuoka, for generations. The drink was named by Hojo Soun, the first head of the later Hojo clan, and enjoyed by many warlords including Oda Nobunaga, according to Takayuki Hashimoto, 68, curator at Egawa Bunko, a foundation that manages the Egawa Residence, a national important cultural property, and the national historical site of the former Nirayama daikan office. Egawashu was even served at a massive cherry blossom-viewing party held in Kyoto in 1598 by warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi after he reunified Japan. But the production of Egawashu stopped in 1698 with the daikan system reforms. The long-lost drink was revived after Hashimoto discovered in May last year a document listing the production steps for Egawashu among more than 100,000 historical materials at the Egawa Residence. He spent some three months translating it into modern-day Japanese and brought it to Bandai Jozo.

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家康称賛の「江川酒」復活　果実の甘み、信長も酔う？―３２０年前の方法で・静岡：時事ドットコム

数々の戦国大名がたしなみ、徳川家康が「養老の酒」と称賛したとされる日本酒がよみがえった。約３２０年前の醸造方法で再現された「江川酒」は、果実のような香りと甘みが特長。幻の銘酒を復活させた酒蔵「万大醸造」（静岡県伊豆市）の杜氏（とうじ）、伊奈静夫さん（７４）は「こんなにおいしい酒ができるとは思わなかった。家康の気分で味わってほしい」と顔をほころばせた。

www.jiji.com

Bandai Jozo Co., Ltd. (万大醸造合資会社):​

万大醸造合資会社

万大醸造は、日本酒　焼酎　リキュールを醸造している伊豆で唯一の地酒蔵元です。 Sake Brewery Banndai-jozo

izu-bandai.com