Kanpai

Eric C. Rath

ISBN 10: 1836391153 / ISBN 13: 9781836391159

Published by Reaktion Books, GB, 2025

About this Item

Sake, Japan's iconic rice-based alcoholic drink, has been central to Japanese culture for over 1,300 years. Traditionally made with rice, water and koji mould, it was consumed in early brewpubs and was vital to samurai rituals and festivals. Sake's story includes homebrewers like clan matriarchs, ancient princes and modern political activists who defied laws to keep homebrewing alive. Temples refined sake-making techniques, laying the foundation for a thriving industry that became a major economic force for shoguns and the modern state. Kanpai is the first history of sake in English, exploring its evolution from homebrew to flavoured varieties, its cultural significance and global rise, including its growing popularity and production in North America and Europe. The book also shows how sake has shaped Japanese food, society and traditions.

Seller Inventory # LU-9781836391159

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Kanpai
• Publisher: Reaktion Books, GB
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1836391153
• ISBN 13: 9781836391159
• Binding: Hardback
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

Lift a glass to the story of sake—from Japanese homebrew to global phenomenon.
 
Sake, Japan’s iconic rice-based alcoholic drink, has been central to Japanese culture for over 1,300 years. Traditionally made with rice, water, and koji mold, it was consumed in early brewpubs and was vital to samurai rituals and festivals. Sake’s story includes homebrewers like clan matriarchs, ancient princes, and modern political activists who defied laws to keep homebrewing alive. Temples refined sake-making techniques, laying the foundation for a thriving industry that became a major economic force for shoguns and the modern state.
 
Kanpai is the first history of sake in English, exploring its evolution from homebrew to flavored varieties, and its cultural significance and global rise—including its growing popularity and production in North America and Europe. The book also shows how sake has shaped Japanese food, society, and traditions.

About the Author

Eric C. Rath is professor of premodern Japanese history at the University of Kansas. He is the author of Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan.