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February 21, 2008 |
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Dear Everyone,
The cold days still continue, but we are headed for spring!
Looking at the trees, you can see that buds have appeared.
I don't want to end their possibilities as buds. I want to make the flowers bloom.
When I hear "bud" I unconsciously think of sake.
I heard this poem for the first time last year, but I think it is interesting.
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Sake has drinkers, flowers have buds
Sake today, sake, sake tomorrow too
Sake can mean "to bloom" in Japanese.
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I will take care of the buds and look forward to a spring full of blooming flowers.
Let's make a toast with sake!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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January 1, 2008 |
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HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2008 !
I am praying from the bottom of my heart that this coming year will be a good one.
On January 1st and 2nd Mochi-vation (a mochi-making event) will be held in front of The Club, so stop by to get some mochi and amazake (sweet sake). Also please enjoy New Year’s calligraphy. I plan on writing "Ocean." At the end of the year I tried scuba diving for the first time and was amazed at a marvelous unknown world.
Shinshu has become a beautiful winter wonderland. So wrap up in a warm blanket or enjoy the season by skiing or going to the hot springs and make a toast with some hot sake. Keep warm and enjoy the winter.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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November 8, 2007 |
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Dear Everyone,
How are you?
This fall the guest house Masuichi Kyakuden opened.
It opened on 9/2 (9/2 = kuni = country) aiming towards building the country anew.
We hope to be able to welcome you as special guests to our company which studies the good old traditions of Japan and walks towards a bright new future.
Please come to Obuse and enjoy the night scenery with Masuichi. Cheers!
Also for the year's-end gift, the “Okurimasu”
(sake and chestnut confections) set is popular. Please order yours soon.
Also I recommend the simple Hakkin this year.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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September 3, 2007 |
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Take Your Time and Enjoy Obuse
The season of chestnuts has finally arrived; is everyone enjoying themselves?
The
Masuichi Kyakuden finally opens on September 2nd (Sunday).
We are now accepting reservations.
The season of chestnuts has arrived.
Also now the sake is in the middle of aging, so please take your time, enjoy the culture of Obuse, and refresh yourselves.
Please come stay in Obuse.
We'll be waiting.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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July 7, 2007 |
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Hand-held Fireworks
The hand-made fireworks shoot up into the sky in an impressive sparkling moment of beauty.
Summer is short in Obuse, but let's treasure the moments we can spend together with that special someone.
It's now the midsummer "ochugen" season, so by all means take sake in your hands and give it to someone special.
Let's enjoy the sparkling summer nights!
Cheers!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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June 8, 2007 |
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Announcing a New Product!
As the spring brings new green to Shinshu, the frogs can be heard in the rice paddies, singing their songs.
Listen to the frogs
Ribbit rabbit rabbit
They all sing
This month at Masuichi things are changing. We have a very happy announcement. The popular mochi-rice sake "Shu" used to only be available in a 1.8 liter bottle, but is now finally being sold in 500ml bottles as well. A smaller amount, easier to order and easier to drink!
Please try some by all means.
Also we have begun sales of 5-year aged “Hakkin” koshu in 500ml bottles.
Made with Kinmon Nishiki rice from Nagano Prefecture, “Hakkin” is suitable for aging.
Please try this new addition as well.
We will also sing from the bottom of our hearts,
So get, get, get some sake
And drink with us! Cheers!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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May 15, 2007 |
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Dance Dengaku and Give Thanks to the Gods
The month of May was once known as “Soezuki” or “Satsuki” in the old Japanese calendar. It is a season of restless work for the farmers in north Shinano.
Dancing Dengaku and giving thanks to the gods while planting rice is an important part of the culture. When people thank the gods they put their hands together.
By the way, if you turn the character for “together” (合) upside down it looks like Square One (□) being poured into a sake cup. Afterwards is of course a party. And of course sake plays the main role. The most beautiful part of Japan is its rural landscapes. Sake is made with rice harvested from those fields, so enjoying sake with your meal helps preserve this pRICEless scenery.
So let us give thanks and make a toast! Cheers!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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April 8, 2007 |
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April "Hanashibori" Sales
We have now opened sales for the 800-bottle limited "Hanashibori".
Hanashibori is the first sake made this year. So by all means enjoy the lively flavor of the first sake brewed.
As far as I can survey this is a wonderful season. Daffodils are blooming in the garden, so how about enjoying a glass of sake while watching the flowers?
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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March 4, 2007 |
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San San Kudos
One by one the spring buds are emerging.
The title comes from a traditional Japanese custom called "San San Kudo." The word "kudos" can mean the same as "congratulations."
This March is full of happy events.
On the 3rd, one of the young Bunkajigyobu staff members had his wedding, and I was able to give a toast.
I thought that I really wanted to present traditional culture given a new form, drinking in three small amounts rather than all at once. I wonder how people felt when they did that in the past.
The first is to give thanks to your ancestors.
The second is to give thanks to the people alive today.
The third is to wish the best for the future yet to come.
Spring is here. Cheers!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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February 17, 2007 |
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The Crocuses are Blooming!
When I left my house the other day I was surprised to see crocuses blooming. I felt that it was spring already.
In Europe when the crocuses push up through the snow it begins to feel like spring. It’s kind of like the butterbur sprouts in Japan.
It’s still cold in Obuse, but seeing this puts me in a warm mood. Cheers to spring!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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February 2, 2007 |
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HAPPY VALENTINE's DAY!
I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day this year.
Don't feel obligated to give chocolate, instead give some sake from the heart and enjoy a wonderful day.
The bottom of the sake glass looks like a target for Cupid to aim for. Maybe you'll get shot through the heart this Valentine's Day. Cheers!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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January 14, 2007 |
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Flower
This year I wrote the character for "flower" as my New Year calligraphy. When I wrote it the top part of the character looked like "plus plus," and the bottom part like the character for "become," so I believe that this year things will progress in a good direction. There is also the beautiful song "Flower" by Shokichi Kina, which represents the spring. I believe I want to make another flower bloom.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful year.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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December 18, 2006 |
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Merry Christmas and a Happy Drunken New Year!
The brick chimney on the Masuichi brewery is definitely big enough for Santa to fit. Because of this, the president still secretly believed in Santa even after entering junior high. The brightly illuminated orange bricks of the chimney stand out against the dark night sky and fill the place with the Christmas spirit.
Also at sunset on the 28th, the brewery will be decorated in preparation for New Year's day, and all the grounds will soon change to a purely Japanese atmosphere. On the New Year there will also be mochi-making, and the rhythmic sound will only add to that atmosphere.
So for the end of the old year and the start of the new, let's not worry about driving and instead eat good food and drink good sake.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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November 18, 2006 |
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Giving Thanks to You!
The apples have turned red, the persimmons have turned orange, and the town is beautiful with autumn leaves. It's like nature has rolled out a red carpet of fallen leaves. I'm so grateful for the wonder of nature, the beauty of the mountains, and the cleanness of the air. It always gives me a happy feeling to see the results of our cultivation during the harvest season. Since the leaves are so beautiful this time of year, let's go take a look!
November 23rd is Thanksgiving. In Japan it is a day to give thanks to all the workers. So please enjoy some delicious sake and delicious seasonal food.
For a year-end gift expressing your feelings of thanks, how about a combination of chestnut confections and sake?
I recommend Masuichi's special "Okurimasu" set.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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October 8, 2006 |
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The Pluses of October
Did you know that October 1st is "Sake Day?" It seems that under the old lunar calendar October was the month of the bird. The kanji used looks exactly like a sake bottle, and because sake is brewed during the winter then let rest for half a year, and is ready to drink in October, the month became the month of sake.
10.01 also looks like "Ⅰ□. □Ⅰ" which could be read as "one masu of Masuichi." So by all means, have a glass of Masuichi sake.
This month as we were remodeling an old house, a kite (tobi, in Japanese) flew by. Since they aren't seen that often in Obuse, I was really ex-KITE-ed. It definitely seemed like a good omen.
Tobi or not Tobi (I looked up the word in the dictionary and found it could be written either Tobi or Tonbi). Anyway, since the rare kite appeared, I'm sure something good will happen this month.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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September 21, 2006 |
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Country
Hi, it's Sarah. How is everyone doing?
It's September now, and I've been thinking about kanji.
The old character for Country, 國, was a representation of a samurai drinking sake inside a castle.
The sake is actually represented by characters meaning Masuichi (□)!
Let's make a toast to the challenge towards newly rebuilding the country!
Also, September 23rd is Hokusai’s birthday, so everyone ordering food from one of the three restaurants will receive a free glass of Hekiiken sake. Please enjoy!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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September 3, 2006 |
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Try some of September's Chrysanthemum Sake!
A fall that never seems to fall weary will arrive. In the day it's still warm out, but when going for a walk at night it is cold, and I can see the fall stars of Shinshu beautifully shining in the sky.
The time of Choyo on September 9th is traditionally a time for chrysanthemum sake and chestnut rice. Since "9/9" has the biggest digit possible in the one's place, it was considered a day of good omen in China, and then carried to Japan and drinking chrysanthemum sake was not just fashionable, but also had the meaning of praying for long life. Let's restore this fashionable sake all across the country. It's very easy to make, so soon the recipe will be uploaded to the website.
On September 9th at every store (Obusedo Honten, The Club, San Poo Loh) will be giving out free chrysanthemum sake with meal orders, so please enjoy!
Let’s make a toast to long life and good health with a glass of sake!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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August 10, 2006 |
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2006 A toast to summer!
Summer has finally arrived!
It’s very hot out. Even so, I think the cool nights in Shinshu make it a very livable place. Now you can begin to hear the chirping of cicadas. Hearing the overture of cicadas (semi in Japanese), I feel like summer is "semi-over."
The answer to the question "Is the glass half full or half empty?" asked for a long time in philosophy is that it depends on how you look at it.
So everyone, please fill your cups all the way and enjoy the last of the summer to the fullest.
And may the summer of 2006 remain in our memories...
Lets go Natsu! Cheers!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings |
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July 30, 2006 |
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OTSUKARE SUMMER!!!
The summer has finally gotten hot, but now is "ochugen," the time to convey your precious warm feelings. There's still time!
Now that it's the middle of summer, our "Okurimasu" set (chestnut confections from Obusedo and sake from Masuichi) is becoming popular.
Also I recommend the Oke-brewed Yamahai pure rice sake "Hakkin" for a special "Oke-sion."
Summer sure is nice. For a memorable summer, let's go natsu!
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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July 24, 2006 |
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This week is about packaged sake lees
During the Edo Period, sake lees were called "Sakabone" (literally, sake bones).
It has become customary to discard the lees, but Masuichi considers the “bones” the most important part, and has begun selling them under the name "Sakabone."
We will prepare 4 kilogram amounts that has been favorably reviewed for the local area, and the popular 1 kilogram amounts for the cities. The packaging features a column made of Masuichi logos, which looks like a spine.
This product is only available in the summer, so please act soon.
It will be packaged on July 26 and 27. Now in "Mina-san's Recipes" there is a recipe for pickling with sake lees, so why don’t you give it a try?
An interesting note is that the "bone" part of "sakabone" has the exact same spelling as the English word. Maybe there is a connection between the languages.
Best regards,
Sarah Marie Cummings
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June 25, 2006 |
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To You!
Enjoying the rainy season (tsuyu).
It's finally the rainy season! The fresh rain truly feels good. The crops will also grow well, so I am happy.
We will make pickled plums again this year. Pickling plums becomes a way to pass on tradition to young people with "Mina-san's Recipes." After picking the plums, you can pickle them and later use them to make plum wine. It's really fun. It's still in the experimental stages, but if you make anything good, we'd like it if you could share it with Mina-san.
One enjoyable thing in the rainy season is to share an umbrella and walk down the Chestnut Lane. How about it?
Sarah Marie Cummings
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