The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-21
THE NATIONAL DRINK
OF THE JAPANESE,
saI<i, or Rice Brandy and How 1t Is
BreVved and Served.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.

From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Saki, or rice brandy, is made every
where in Japan; it is distilled from rice
and somewhat resembles the Chinese
samshu. 1t looks like the weakest
sherry. and as it is usually heated be-
fore being drunk, it has an exceedingly
flat and unpleasant taste to one who
is not accustomed to it.
1t seems very mild and inoffensive,
but there is plenty of alcohol in it.
Although the Japanese apparently
drink but little on account of the small
size Of their porcelain and lacquer cups
they manage by frequent reflling to
imbtbe pints.
The coolies are not quarrelsome
when they have had too much; it
seems only to make them light-headed
and limber-tongued, and their faces
and bodies become a flaming red.
Wherever one goes in the Island EN-
pire one may find saki stands or
booths, the usual sign being a pyramid
CT straw-covered saki tubs.
Curiously enough, it is a liquor that
does not improve with age: the newly
made is the best. 1t is kept in wooden
tubs closed with spigots and drawn off
into open-mouthed porcelain or glass
bottles.
these bottles and jugs the Japanese
artist eXpends great ingenuity and skill.
The bottles, straight, curved or bent at
an angle, are always set on little dais of
blackwood or other material.
Some of the bottles are grotesque in
shape and decoration. done with a
whimsicality that is amusing. A bot
tie and cup made by a native artist
have for their motive a monkey and
seashell. The monkey bottle is
carved out Of a solid piece of wood,
! cryptomeria, with great fidelity to ma
ture; every feature is perfect to the
last ceiail, and the absurd artist fitted
! this Clotesque creature with a pink
| tinted seashell for a cup.
The imperial sak cups used by the
Emperor at his Japanese banquets are
fine eggshell porcelain, decorated with
the 16-petaled chrysanthemums and
4 broken diaper patterns in gold.
In olden times the guests were al
lowed to take these home with them
as souvenirs Of the occasion.
At the native feasts or dinners the
drinking of saki is accompanied by an
| astonishing elaboration of ceremony.
One of the accomplishments of the
daughter of the house is to be skillful
in filling and passing the saki cups.
! This is, of course, when there are no
| geishas present; in that case the duty
devolves upon them. The geisha's at
traction lies far more in her manner of
telling stories and offering delicate at
! tentions at table than in her dancing
The best saki in Japan is made from
! Osaka rice, and the tourist is told that
| the best geishas, that is, the most ac-
| ccmplished ones, live in that quaint
| old-time capital.
Great quantities of saki are drunk at
wedding feasts. The bride and bride
| groom drink, or rather seem to drink
| but do not in reality three times out
Of each of three wine cups of different
sizes, making nine drinks in all. Then
n two-spouted cup OF saki is presented
TO the bride and bridegroom alternate
| ly. This drinking from one cup SYM
bolizes the sharing of all things by the
/ newly married couple.
The Japanese New Year Is a time
when everybody drinks saki. II is
| heated in a silver or pewter jug upon
which are engraved the Chinese char
acters that stand for happiness, long
| life and many children. This bottle or
| jug. like the wedding bottle is kept for
the special occasion for which II is in
! tended.
Curious lacquer clippers are used for
dipping the sak from the tub into the
| bottle, one specimen might hold a
small teacup full. while another, the
half of a gourd cup longitudinally and
| lacquered. holds just a saki cup full.
when the collie leaves his home and
| goes abroad. far or near, he always
carries a sak gourd or cup. These
gourds are OF different sizes, but never
very large the little drinking cup Of
lacquer or porcelain Is tied with a silk
cord around the small part Of the
gourd and the cup is thrust through
/ the girdle IN tho same manner as he
carries his pipe and pin-case.
There is as great variety OF sak
cups as there is OF teacups. A set
/ commonly seen IN the shops consists
| Of seven. each one being decorated
with the figure OF one or the seven gods
/ OF luck.
The cups are used with a variety
' of Haucers. none 81 them. however. be-
Ing of the same material AZ the cup.
They are holders rather than saucers,