Osake in the old days...

I know i know...I didn't write a post yesterday.  Well my excuse is that I had my midterm today.  ahhh! Yeah I still forget sometimes I'm here meeting new people seeing amazing things and straight up having fun for the sake of my school education. haha.  But yes I was being a good little student and studied for a bulk of the day.  I was really tired and went to bed...plus I felt like it really wasnt that exciting of a day to write about haha.  I mean I do have one piece of good news.  I got to meet my new parter, Moto yesterday at an "English Island Party."  No we didn't travel to an exotic island or anything.  The English Island is a building on the Shoin Campus which is called such because it is the only building on campus where english MUST be spoken.  NO japanese allowed! haha..hence it is an island within Shoin.  I thought it was kind of a cool concept.  (the picture show me, Misaki, and Moto)

Anyways...Moto.  Yes she is wonderful.  Her english is quite good too!  She, like Misaki (my first partner) have been to Delaware for the study abroad program.  So...yah!  I totally lucked out.  Like I definitely speak as much Japanese to them as I can but there are some things I just don't know so....yeah I know I can learn a lot from her.  :)

ok..on to today
Yes so as some of you may have heard I went to the Sawanotsuru Sake Museum.  This place was absolutely beautiful.  A true historical landmark within Kobe.  It was a large open museum with barrels and sake making tools lining the sides of the walls.  We were first invited to watch a video about how Sake was made in the old days...yes that was the exact title.  It was a terribly dubbed version of the original Japanese version.  It was pretty neat though...and an awfully long looong process!

Ok first sake...is pronounced (SAA-KEH) sometimes it will be reffered to as "Osaake" the "O" is an honerific "O" and is said in respect.  Either is acceptable.  DO NOT say the usual American way (Sakie) so if any of you at home even want a chance at trying some that I bring home you all had better get it right!  (im totally serious by the way haha)

Sake is made from rice grains which are washed (Senmai)and then steamed (Mushimai).  The many rivers and streams from the Rokko mountains made it possible for large quantities of rice to be prepared making the area famous for its sake.  Also something about the cold air that comes down from the mountains apparently makes it better too...shrug. haha.  Anyways so after its steamed it is allow to ferment in gigantic barrels called Ohoke.  These vats allow the mix of yeast, malt, rice, and water to go through the process known as Moromi-jikomi, or fermentation.  There is also a special room upstairs (Muro) where the rice is malted.

Afterwards the rice is pressed (Shibori) and the sake is allowed to drip out of funnels at the bottom.  The sake is collected and allowed to sit for about 2 weeks before being sold for consumption.  Yep that's the brief version of how Osake was brewed.  Oh and I forgot to tell you, Sake was only brewed once a year...autum I believe after the harvesting of the rice :)

Afterwards I went out with a bunch of friends and some of our Shoin language partners to Sannomiya for some drinks and fun.  We had a wonderous time at nomihodai and tabehodai.  A ton of fun!! and unexpectedly Moto was there too!! ;)

New food of the day:
Roast Steak
This was as delicious as it looks :)

Thats's all for today!