Summary of the Previous Story

Yasaku's was very successful as an entrepreneur. He started soy sauce business, created Japanese traditional garden and invested to various projects in Sakhalin Islands. He left Sake business to his first son Mitsuo in 1931, and retired to the Japanese garden.
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【Innovation of Sake - in early Showa Era】

Mitsuo's age was a kind of innovative period for Japanese Sake, mainly in a sense of brewing tools. He adopted many of these and tried to make the better Sake.

Firstly he introduced enameled tank. Until then all the tank was made of wood, and their maintenance to keep then clean required a lot of work. Kura guys (brewers) were freed from all of these works.

Also this change was revolutionary in a sense of Sake's quality. Wooden scent, one of the most distinctive character of Japanese Sake, has become controllable. Because of this we have become to be able to brew clearer Sake in color and flavor.

Other innovation was the introduction of motor pump. Before that brewers had to bring rice up to the top of the tank by their own, had to pump up water by hand from well for many times in a day... You may easily find that should be really hard. Instead of these physical labor, brewers had more time to study brewing techniques, and to party maybe.

【Life of the master】

Don't you want to know what Mitsuo's life was like? In this part we will focus on his nightlife.

Historically in Sake business, it is necessary to buy huge amount of rice in cash. Therefore brewers are often originally from richer class, such as landloads or merchants. Many of the masters are called "danna-sama", and partied a lot. So was Mitsuo. He loved Sake and women so much, and every night he went to Tendo Onsen spa area by T-Ford taxi.

After the party's over, he always went back home by two Rikisha. Why two? That is because at Mitsuo's party it is a custom for a Geisha to see him off to his home. After sending him to his home safely, his wife Masa (see picture right) used to pass the Geisha some money saying "Thank you for entertaining my husband his safe return.". Wow... The times they are a changing!

>> To Be Continued (November 2001)