Photo/Illutration A worker stirs "moromi" fermented mash at Nabedana, a sake brewery in Kozaki, Chiba Prefecture, on Nov. 1. (Shota Tomonaga)

A preliminary review of Japan's UNESCO proposal to elevate its craft of sake brewing to Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity status earned a recommendation from the evaluation body. 

The proposed “Traditional knowledge and skills of sake making with 'koji' mold in Japan” specifically recognizes the manual techniques of "toji" (master brewers), "kurabito" (brewers) and other craftspeople at sake breweries who utilize koji in the rice fermentation process.  

The Agency for Cultural Affairs said during its Nov. 5 announcement that there has never been a case where a recommended registration of a Japanese proposal has been overturned. 

The official decision is expected to be announced at an intergovernmental committee meeting to be held in Paraguay in early December.

The Intangible Cultural Heritage distinction includes performing arts, festivals, social customs and traditional craft techniques.

Alongside “World Heritage,” which covers relics and nature, and “Memory of the World,” comprising documents and paintings, the Intangible Cultural Heritage category is regarded as UNESCO’s representative heritage project.

Currently, there are 611 Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in the world.

Of those, 22 are registered in Japan and include Kabuki, traditional Japanese food and washi paper.

According to the proposal outline, the prototype of the technology for sake brewing using koji bacteria was established more than 500 years ago during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573).

It has developed based on the climate of Japan's various regions and has been passed down through the production of sake, shochu, the Okinawan spirit "awamori," sweet "mirin" sake and other products.

Sake plays an essential role in Japanese culture through rituals and festivals, and traditional sake brewing is regarded as the technology that underlies this. The Japanese government named "traditional sake making" a national intangible cultural property in 2021. 

Beyond Japan, other aspects of humanity's culture and technology imbued with alcohol are already designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage elements. Belgium's beer culture and the ancient method of making traditional Georgian wine with "qvevri" pots are both on the list.

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