SAKABAYASHI 酒林

What about this round ball?

As you walk through the old streets of Japan, you may find such round spheres hanging in the upper part of the front of the house.
This sphere is not an ordinary ball, but a mysterious ball that is a little fluffy and you do not know what it is made of.
Moreover, it is not attached to all homes.

What’s this?

This is what a liquor store hangs as a signboard or landmark, and is called a “Sakabayashi”.
If you write it in Kanji, it will be written as 酒林.
It is also called a 杉玉(cedar ball) because it is made of cedar, and it is made by bundling cedar leaves into a round ball shape.

What are you hanging for?

The purpose of hanging the “Sakabayashi” is to inform you of the maturity of sake and when to drink it.
The “Sakabayashi” is hung according to the time when new Sake is ready.
By doing so, we are informing others that we have a Freshly made sake.

Maturity of sake that can be seen by “Sakabayashi” color.

The “Sakabayashi” is new and has a deep green color at the beginning of hanging, but as time goes by, the leaves of the cedar also wither and turn brown.
By doing so, you can see how the new sake has progressed since it was made.
In other words, if it’s green, it’s about the time when new sake was made. You can enjoy new sake that can only be tasted in freshly squeezed brewery.

Why is it a cedar leaf?

Then why is it cedar?
Don’t you think other trees are fine?
In fact, there is a shrine in Nara prefecture called “Oomiwa Jinja”, which enshrines the god of sake.
A brewing safety prayer festival is held here every November. At that time, a big cedar ball can be changed. It seems that this culture has been transmitted to liquor stores nationwide.

If you come to Japan, try drinking Sake!

Please take a look at this “Sakabayashi” when you come to Japan.
And if you like sake, check out the colors of the “Sakabayashi” and visit the liquor store.
You can enjoy delicious sake.