Ararezake - Ararezake

A sake specializing in Nara City. It is also called mizorezake (sleet sake). It is made by floating rice malt in the sake, and is said to have been invented during the Keicho era (1596-1615) by Nara-based doctor Itoya Sosen (some say he was a sake brewer called Asada) who saw hail falling on the surface of Sarusawa pond. It is made by chopping up noshi mochi (rice cakes) into small pieces, soaking them in shochu (distilled alcoholic beverage), drying them, and repeating this process until the hail-like pieces are added to the sake. It is still famous as a souvenir from Nara, and is a winter seasonal word in haiku poetry.

[Toshihiko Uda]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良市特産の酒。霙酒(みぞれざけ)ともいう。酒のなかに糯米(もちごめ)の麹(こうじ)を浮かしたもので、慶長(けいちょう)年間（1596～1615）に、奈良在住の町医者糸屋宗仙（一説には酒造家浅田某という）が、猿沢(さるさわ)の池面にあられが降るようすを見て創案したという。製法は、のし餅(もち)を細かく刻み、それを焼酎(しょうちゅう)に浸し漬けては乾燥させ、これを繰り返してできるあられ様のものを酒に加える。いまでも奈良土産(みやげ)として名高く、俳諧(はいかい)では冬の季語とする。

［宇田敏彦］

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