Sake-making in Japan has joined the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, with special mention for its oft-forgotten ingredient, koji.

Joining a list that includes beer culture in Belgium, Cuban light rum masters and Georgian qvevri winemaking, Japan’s sake-making tradition has been inscribed by UNESCO as an example of intangible cultural heritage. The official wording – ‘Traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold in Japan’ – was added to the register on 4 December at the nineteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee, hosted in Asunción, Paraguay.

To qualify for inclusion, a practice must meet four key descriptors: inclusive; representative; community-based; and traditional, contemporary and living at the same time. In meeting these criteria, Japanese sake-making joins 22 other Japanese practices on the list, including kabuki theatre and washi paper-crafting.

The designation, according to UNESCO’s 2003 convention, aims to safeguard the tradition, ensure respect for it and raise awareness. This builds on existing protections for sake-making; the Japanese government inscribed it as a national intangible cultural property in 2021.

Koji uniting Japanese products

To the international community, sake is commonly known as a fermented beverage made from rice. However, in Japan, the term can refer to any alcoholic beverage. The UNESCO designation of sake-making with koji mold therefore covers Japanese sake (that fermented product), shochu, awamori and mirin.

“Even within Japan, many people are unaware that koji mold is used not only in Japanese sake but also in honkaku shochu and awamori production,” says Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS). “Communicating that these beverages, closely tied to Japanese life and culture, are crafted with koji mold is of immense value.”

Koji has been used in Japan for more than a thousand years. It is first documented in the Harima no Fudoki, an 8th Century text, which summarises its use in beverage production. It has long been essential owing to the raw materials Japanese producers use for their beverages.

Whether rice (used for Japanese sake, a type of shochu, awamori, and mirin) or sweet potatoes or barley (used for different types of shochu), most of the raw materials for Japanese beverages do not contain natural sugars. Therefore, as with malting in beer or whisky production, a process is needed to release fermentable sugars.

That is the role of koji. It is cultivated by sprinkling steamed rice (or other raw materials) with koji spores. They produce enzymes such as amylase over approximately 48 hours, which convert starches into sugars, available for alcoholic fermentation.

A diverse tradition

High-quality koji is essential for high-quality production, and cultivating it is demanding. It requires meticulous humidity and temperature control as well as careful sensory evaluation by the team.

Moreover, different regional and category-based methods have evolved in response to the diversity of Japan’s beverage industry. The UNESCO registration is set to draw attention to both that expertise and that diversity.

For Utsunomiya, koji acts as a cornerstone of Japanese beverage production, lending products a distinctive character. “Koji enhances the umami of sake,” he explains.

“In Japanese sake, enzymes from koji break down rice proteins into amino acids, which contribute to its rich flavor and complement the aroma and taste of food. While amino acids are not directly present in distilled beverages like honkaku shochu and awamori, koji gives these drinks their distinctive smoothness without requiring extended ageing.”
One organisation that firmly agrees is Hishiroku Co., the Kyoto-based company that has produced koji spores for more than 300 years. Akihiko Sukeno, its president, commented: “I hope this recognition further enhances global interest in Japanese alcoholic beverages. The phrase ‘with koji’ perfectly captures its essence!”

Protecting generations of expertise

The UNESCO registration also recognises the systems in place to preserve sake-making traditions. These have changed over centuries, but cumulatively have ensured expertise in communities across Japan.

For around 400 years, since beverage production moved beyond the domestic, sake-making has been largely managed by guild-like organisations. Each is led by a toji, or master brewer, who heads up a team of brewers, or kurabito. Through these guilds, traditions and techniques have passed down through generations.

Tatsuya Ishikawa, chair of the Japan Toji Guild Association, remarks: “It is awe-inspiring and humbling to realize that, in an era when the existence of microorganisms was unknown, our predecessors developed techniques that are flawless even by today’s standards.”

“Furthermore,” he continues, “these techniques are not merely technological achievements. They reflect a culture that embodies Japan’s spirit of coexistence with nature. It is the toji who have continuously passed down this technical expertise and spiritual heritage to the present day.”

Another history that the UNESCO registration will safeguard is the intertwined relationship of brewers and growers. There is a long tradition of rice growers working for breweries in the off-season. More recently, there has also been a trend for breweries to cultivate their own raw materials.

This reciprocal relationship embeds koji-based production in the community. With growers, brewers and consumers in close contact, the industry can more easily preserve the landscape and traditions of sake-making.

“Traditional brewing requires pristine environments, abundant water resources, and collaboration with local farmers and craftsmen,” says Shinuemon Konishi, chair of the Preservation Society of Japanese Koji-based Sake Making Craftmanship. “This network extends to those who craft brewing tools and vessels, as well as to culinary traditions that pair with sake.”

Looking forwards

There are, in the modern world, threats to this finely balanced relationship. “The number of practitioners involved in traditional brewing with koji has been declining due to lifestyle changes and ageing demographics,” says Konishi. “In addition, securing new practitioners, maintaining the natural environment and sourcing raw materials within local communities are major challenges for passing this heritage to the next generation.”

Yet the JSS, Japan Toji Guild Association and Preservation Society of Japanese Koji-based Sake Making Craftmanship remain excited. The UNESCO registration offers further opportunities to preserve this living tradition and to build its profile on the international stage.

“I hope that the registration as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inspires pride in local communities,” says Konishi, “and fosters deeper dialogue among stakeholders to protect and sustain ‘traditional brewing’ practices.”

by Michael Huband

Credits: The Drink Business