Every nation has its own type of spirits invented by its people. One kind that has become particularly popular through the world is sake from Japan. This deeply flavorful inheritance from the ancestors is still maintained today as one of the most beloved symbols of Japanese culture.

Mr. Kubota, the executive director of Shushinkan, a sake brewery in Nada, Kobe, states that, "While many people are familiar with 'sado', the ceremonies where tea is enjoyed with uniquely Japanese techniques, most don't know that was also 'shudo', a similar ceremony using sake." Nada, where Shushinkan has been in operation since 1751, produces about 30 percent of all sake made domestically in Japan and is known as the nation's main brewing center.

Sake is made of rice, water, and malt only, with all the subtle differences in flavor originating from the way these ingredients are combined. "Hyogo Prefecture, where Nada is located, is the home of a high grade brewer's rice called 'Yamadanishiki'. You also have mineral-rich water from Mt. Rokko, which is famous as some of the best water in Japan. Having the best ingredients like these on hand makes it possible to brew dry sake with a rice flavor that goes well with even the richest of cuisine."

Fukuju (literally, "lucky temple"), Shushinkan's most well known brand, was so named in the hopes that it will bring luck to those who drink it. Many visitors arrive daily from all over Japan and the rest of the world in search of this sake.

"Recently we have received more requests from abroad, with 150 percent increase this year over the previous one. We're most likely seeing a simultaneous increase in both the number of Japanese restaurants opening worldwide and the number of people who understand and enjoy sake. People are drinking it in European nations like England, France, and Holland, in America, and all over Asia. It even appears on wine lists in some French restaurants. The principal ingredient is rice, but the brewing process is the same, so it has been an unexpected hit with wine lovers," states Mr. Kubota.

In 1945 the region was subject to aerial bombardment during the Pacific War, during which all of Shushinkan's brewing facilities were burnt down. The wooden storehouses were then completely destroyed again in 1995 during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. Much of the traditional scenery Nada' with its beautiful sake breweries was lost, with many smaller breweries going out of business after recovery was deemed impossible. Despite this, Shushinkan rebounded as one of the few establishments in Japan to use quake-absorbent structures capable of withstanding up to level 8 magnitudes.

Still, while the facilities may feature the latest technologies, nothing has changed about the way the sake is brewed by hand. The most important part of the process is said to be the making of the "kouji", or malt, which requires detailed management of the temperature, humidity, and amount of bacteria, and is thus one area of the industry where mechanization is on the rise. However, as Mr. Kubota puts it, "Since we're dealing with microbes the making of the malt is an extremely delicate process based on sense. Here at Shushinkan all of our malt is still made by the hands of craftsmen who have sharpened their senses over years of experience. It may take a bit more labor, but it's our mission to uphold and spread the traditional culture of our trade."