Learn and enjoy a traditional gastronomy lunch of local production for local consumption at Shoryakuji Temple, the birthplace of Japanese sake

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Shorakuji Temple, the birthplace of Japanese sake, is also known as ``Nishiki no Sato'' and is one of the best spots for autumn leaves in Nara Prefecture. Talk by Chief Priest Ohara, who was involved in the reproduction and revival of sake made from Japan's oldest sake base, Bodhimoto*1, and Mr. Dai...

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Pilgrimage to Japan's sacred places of food/NARA

We offer special experiential tours that allow travelers from all over the world visiting Japan, especially those who are interested in Japanese food, to experience and taste the roots of Japanese food culture. We were formed by a team of tourism-related businesses in Nara with the aim of introducing the charm of Nara and the roots of Japanese food that live in Nara. This is an activity recognized by the Japanese government's Tourism Agency. Japanese cuisine has become a world heritage site, and sake is also about to become a world heritage site. How did Japanese food come into being? Where are the roots of Japanese sake? A trip to Nara will satisfy that curiosity. In Nara, the culture from 1,300 years ago is not just a heritage, but is still alive today. The roots of Japanese cuisine and Japanese sake, as well as the temples where Japanese sake originated, still exist, and you can still enjoy these foods and sake even today. We will help you realize such a valuable experience. Please come and experience the tours we offer. You will experience a trip to Japan that no one around you in your country has ever experienced. Official site: https://exploring-nara.jp (Japanese) https://exploring-nara.jp/en/ (English)

Japan's oldest sake starter, Bodaimoto/Traditional gastronomy lunch of local production for local consumption, where you can learn and taste at Shoryakuji Temple, the birthplace of Japanese sake

Date and time: Thursday, November 30, 2023

Location: Shorakuji Temple (Nara City, Nara Prefecture)

Contents:

Volunteers from young brewers in Nara Prefecture gathered together to establish Bodhiken*2. Relying on old documents, the research group worked with Bodaizan Shorakuji Temple and the Nara Prefectural Industrial Technology Center (currently the Nara Prefectural Industrial Promotion Center) to reproduce and revive Japan's oldest sake base, Bodaimoto*1. . In 1998, Shoryaku-ji Temple was the only temple in Japan to be granted a license to brew sake, and temple brewing was revived. You can also listen to valuable stories about the history of sake told by Chief Priest Hironobu Ohara, who is still involved in sake brewing, as well as by Chairman Bodhiken.

For lunch, you can enjoy the seasonal tempura fried by a tempura master and the temple's vegetarian cuisine that has been passed down from generation to generation at Shorakuji Temple, along with the autumn leaves. The tempura is served in the authentic temple Buddhist cuisine style, without eggs and using kelp soup stock. For sake, we offer sake from various breweries made with Japan's oldest sake base, Bodhimoto*1, which was brewed at Shorakuji Temple. Even with the same sake base, Bodhimoto*1, sake with different flavors can be created depending on the brewing process in each brewery. This is a valuable opportunity to enjoy comparing drinks.

(reference)

・Shoryakuji Templehttp ://shoryakuji.jp/・Autumn leaves video of Shoryakuji Temple (by Koichi Yasuyama)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_caOs9Y7Hk

*1 *2 Bodhimoto and Nara Prefecture Bodhimoto Sake Production Research Group (Bodhiken): "Bodhimoto" is the oldest sake mash in Japan. A sake starter brewed at Bodaizan Shorakuji Temple, which played a central role in temple brewing in Nara during the Muromachi period. It was recreated and revived by the Nara Prefecture Bodhimoto Sake Production Research Group (Bodhiken). Details: Sake Manufacturing Research Group official website https://bodaimoto.org/bodaimoto/

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Pilgrimage to Japan's sacred places of food/NARA

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