Before 2-4 “Be Careful Not to Drink Too Much”

Before we go on a journey with Tabina into the world of Japanese sake, here are some simple facts about drinking alcohol.

In Health Japan 21 (from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare), a moderate and sensible amount of drinking is said to be about 20 g of pure alcohol per day. This is roughly the amount of pure alcohol in about 500 ml of beer, one “go” (180 ml) of sake, or about two glasses of wine. It also says that if a person drinks on average 40 g or more for men and 20 g or more for women per day, the risk of lifestyle-related diseases becomes higher. There are individual differences in these numbers, but in general, women have a higher health risk from alcohol.

Drinking a lot of alcohol over a long period of time can harm many organs, including the brain. Alcohol is absorbed quickly in the small intestine rather than in the stomach. If you drink on an empty stomach, the alcohol reaches the small intestine very quickly, and as a result, the alcohol level in your blood rises sharply.

Most of the alcohol is broken down by enzymes in the liver and becomes acetaldehyde. This causes the face to turn red and can cause headaches, and it is strongly toxic. Then another enzyme in the liver breaks down the acetaldehyde. Because of differences in the strength of these two enzymes, some people “cannot drink,” some people “can drink,” and some people “can drink but are actually weak.” We will skip the detailed explanation here, but you should not trust only what you see just because someone does not look drunk. Even if a person has “learned” to drink more, the risks that come from their natural body type still remain. And we must never force someone to drink if they have a body type that cannot handle alcohol.

Alcohol has been drunk all over the world since ancient times and has been part of human history. Even today, it helps people connect with one another. Let us avoid drinking too much and drinking very often, and spend our time with a moderate amount of alcohol and enjoyable moments.

Finally, the World Health Organization (WHO) says that drinking alcohol increases the risk of certain types of cancer. Please enjoy alcohol only after the age of twenty, and only after understanding both its risks and its good points.

Reference book: Nihonshu-gaku Kōza (First Edition), Chapter 7 “Japanese Sake and Health,” Niigata University Sakeology

Center 

Reference website: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Health Japan 21 Action Support System – Health Promotion Support Net – Drinking

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2-4 Be Careful Not to Drink Too Much

Coming Home with My First Bottle of Sake

I put the first bottle of sake I had ever bought into my tote bag and walked back to my apartment.

It has been five years since I started living here alone.

I never thought I would come back to this room together with a bottle of sake.

Using what I had in my refrigerator, I made yaki-udon and a salad. After I finished dinner, I sat at my desk and turned on my mobile phone.

Oh right, I should try the sake I bought.

The Red-Crowned Crane on the Label

I went to the kitchen and brought the sake I had put in the refrigerator as soon as I got home, and a clear tumbler. I put them on my desk.

On the label there was a picture of a red-crowned crane with its head buried in its wings.

That is how it looked to me. It did not say anything.

Under the crane were the words:“Senkin Nature 2025 Nouveau 2024 Rice Vintage.”

“Mr. Red-Crowned Crane, what kind of sake are you?”

At that moment, it felt as if the red head of the crane was about to speak.

Remembering the Shop Owner’s Advice

“When you drink sake, please always eat something with it.

If you drink the same amount of water as the sake, you won’t feel so sick.”

I remembered the kind words of the gentle shopkeeper.

I hurried to the kitchen, filled a mug full of water, and placed it on the desk.

“I don’t have anything to eat with it, but I just finished dinner, so it should be fine… right?”

The crane on the label stayed silent.

The bottle was covered with condensation, and the top of the desk was getting wet.

I placed my phone on the side table and opened the bottle.

My First Taste of Sake

I poured about one centimeter of sake into the tumbler.

A sweet and slightly sour smell, like fruit, rose up.

Carefully, I took a small sip.

“It’s delicious.”

“The gentle acidity and sweetness make me feel happy.”

“The aftertaste is very nice too.”

I drank all the sake in the tumbler.

Is all sake this delicious?

The crane on the label looked as if it was pleased.

Searching for Words I Don’t Understand

I typed “日本酒” (nihonshu / sake) into the computer on my desk. Many pages about sake and sake shops appeared at once.

Next, I typed “生酒” (namazake). Many websites explaining namazake were listed.

Holding the tumbler in one hand, I read several explanations.

I learned that namazake is “sake that has never been heated.

”But I did not know what “heating” meant.

When I looked up “heating,” I found the words yeast and enzymes. This was much more difficult. If I did not read carefully, nothing would stay in my mind.

Then I came across “shubo,” and inside that explanation I found the word “kimoto.” This is written on the back label of the bottle I am drinking now.

“Mr. Red-Crowned Crane, now it’s finally your story.”

“But I’m tired, and my head is starting to spin, hahaha.”

A Message Tone and a Sudden Fall

I added more sake to the tumbler and raised it to my mouth.

Just then, I heard the sound of a message arriving on my mobile phone on the side table.

I reached out to pick it up, but my leaning body slipped and fell from the chair.

“Eh? Why? Why?”

My body slowly rolled onto the floor, and a loud sound filled the room. Nothing hurt anywhere.

Still holding my phone tightly, I saw a message from my best friend, Matsuri.

Lying on my back, I replied without reading it:

“My body feels strange. I fell onto the floor.”

Talking to Matsuri While Drunk

My phone rang. It was Matsuri.

“Hello, Tabina? Are you okay? Where are you and what are you doing?”

“I’m at home, drinking sake and looking up information about sake.”

“How much did you drink?”

I looked at the bottle on the desk. It was almost empty.

So… I am drunk.

I could hear my blood pulsing inside my body. My head was spinning a little.

“Matsuri… I’m drunk. Hahahaha—”

“Tabina, are you really okay? Are you drinking alone? How much did you drink? Since when?”

Her quick questions confused me.

When I looked at the clock, about an hour had passed.

“Haha, I finished a whole bottle of sake in about an hour.”

“That’s not funny! I’ve never seen you drunk. I’m going to come and see this.”

Whenever something happens to me, Matsuri always says, “I’m coming to see you now.”

“I’m okay. My heart is calming down. Today I properly drank sake for the first time. Sake is really, really delicious.”

“Are you sure? Please go to sleep. Next time, let’s drink that delicious sake together at my place. If you get drunk, I’ll take care of you.”

“Yes, let’s do that. Thank you. Good night.”

I somehow felt happy.

The Next Morning

The next day, I woke up earlier than usual.

My body hurt a little because I had slept on the floor, but my head felt clear.

When I turned on my phone, I saw Matsuri’s message from yesterday:

“Do you want to go to a sake pairing event?”