Nara: Sake Brewing Using Ancient Method Begins at Birthplace Temple

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:39 JST, January 24, 2026&

NARA — The brewing of refined sake using an ancient method began at Shoryakuji temple in the city of Nara in early January. The temple, located along mountains on the outskirts of Japan’s ancient capital, is considered the birthplace of refined sake.

While there are multiple theories about the origin of refined sake, one suggests brewing refined sake began at the temple in the mid-15th century. Until then, sake was typically a cloudy beverage, the temple said. Other temples across the region are also said to have been actively producing sake at that time, using it as an important source of income.

The ancient sake making method called Bodaimoto involves brewing sake using water in which raw rice has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria. According to Shoryakuji temple, it produced high-quality, clear sake until around the 17th century, but production ceased with the temple’s decline.

In 1999, a research group formed by breweries and others in Nara Prefecture revived the Bodaimoto method based on descriptions from documents over 500 years old. Since then, brewing using the method has been conducted annually around early January.

On Jan. 6, about 15 employees from seven sake breweries in the prefecture began the work under a cold sky. They washed about 370 kilograms of rice produced in the prefecture with spring water from the temple grounds and added lactic acid bacteria discovered at the temple and yeast in a large tank. They mixed these ingredients to create the fermented liquid used in sake brewing.

“We have a mission to preserve Japan’s sake brewing for future generations,” said head priest Koshin Ohara. “We want to continue making sake, which is indispensable to Japanese food culture.”