Masu is the square wooden or plastic-made cup serving Japanese Sake. Masu () is is a square Sake box. The typical one is made of wood, generally cedar or Hinoki. Sakazuki are ceremonial cups used most commonly at weddings and other special occasions such as tea ceremonies, but larger versions of sakazuki also exist. Over the years, masters have perfected the art of brewing, and sake is now a pride of Japan. When your host serves you your drink its not uncommon to be presented with a small wooden box.Sake from wooden box. The box is simply but impeccably crafted from cedarwood with dovetail joints at the corners. One was an old friend, a Japanese man, and the other, his acquaintance, a European woman who is here in Japan for a short stay and is very interesting in experiencing Japanese culture. The masu or sake box was traditionally used to measure rice and sake. Amazon.com | JapanBargain 2729x2, Sake Masu Sake Cup Hinoki Wood Just like tequila, you can drink sake with a bit of salt on the rim. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Regardless of size, the shape of the ochoko stays roughly similar. A professional tasting cup with snake eye pattern. Alcohol abuse is dangerous. The sake boxes are conventionally made of wood. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } The idea here reuses the overflowing hospitality principle above: as the top cup feeds the ones below, so does the host share his celebration and generosity with his guests. People have been using the masu for thousands of years, though in contemporary times, drinks from glass or even serving the sake in a glass in the masu has become more common. Salt adds saltiness. I could understand if they used a new one every time, but re-using a container made of wood? Sake is traditionally served in a small wooden box called a "masu" (), sometimes with a pinch of salt on the corner. 2. 180ml). Stores such as Tokyu Hands or Takashimaya often have many solid options for homeware and cooking goods. A small cedar wood box, from which sake . There is a rule regarding how to drink out of it, especially on celebratory occasions. In another option this way, you dont have to put the glass back in the Masu cup. To make a drink, the brewer crafts it in a unique way. Before a traditional toast, a host may even stack multiple masu, filling the first and letting it overflow to fill the boxes beneath. For the most current information, please check the homepage of the facility, product or campaign. Eat Natto Every Day; The Japanese Super Food Can Bring Natural Health & Beauty, How 5 Insider secrets of "Japanese HighBall" Brings You To Know Japanese Culture, Japanese Tea 101; Side Effects Of Barley Tea, Holy Cow! Place the pinch of salt on one of the corners of the Masu sake cup, lick it little by little and drink Sake. Everything in the shop is made from bamboo, including their bamboo cup and carafe sets. First, take a couple of sips so that you can raise the glass. Drink the Sake in the glass. When half of the glass is empty, pour the sake remaining inside the box or plate into the glass and sip on it. There are two ways to drink sake using a Masu cup- Masusake and Mokkiri styles. The server of a sake set is a flask called a tokkuri (). Furthermore, different cup styles accent different variations of sake in a variety of ways. If you get Hinoki Masu cup, please read this post next about how to take care of it before and after use. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Cleverly, most masu are made of hinoki or cedar wood, which have natural antibacterial properties to keep food and drink fresh. (Photo: Adobe). When a sports team is heading for a big match, for example, players may bulk up on bowls of Japanese-style pork cutlets over rice, a dish known as katsudon. Of course, a pair of ochoko is not complete without the accompanying tokkuri carafe, from which drinking partners pour. fill the glass cup until it overflows into the wooden masu box. Don't forget click something to share with family & friends. So come along and explore the rich history, art, and traditions of Japan with us! Producing Sake infographics, videos and photos. While sake can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, drinking it out of a small wooden box is the most traditional. Japanese Hinoki cypress has been deeply rooted in Japanese culture and soul. First, lift the sake glass and put your mouth on the glass to prevent sake from spilling. Masu were originally used to measure rice portions, and because they are made of wood with antibacterial properties, they preserve food and drinks for extended periods of time. Speaking of Hinoki cypress, Kiso Hinoki cypress is well-known as well as Aomori Hiba. The contrast between the white ceramic and blue paint makes it easy to spot even a faint tinge of colour. Sake Wooden Box - Etsy Sake and salt go well together.In the old days when there was not a variety of food snacks, people enjoyed sake with salt or miso. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". JapanBargain 2729x2, Sake Masu Sake Cup Hinoki Wood Japanese Cypress Sake Box Made in Japan, Fuku, 4 oz, Set of 2 . Wagyu Grades: Why A5 Wagyu is the Best Japanese Beef There Is, 5 Muslim-friendly and Halal Restaurants in Tokyo to Try. Even in a well-insulated ceramic cup, sake will slowly change temperature. Ordering a cup of cold nihonshu (sake) in any traditional Japanese izakaya pub, you will usually be served 1go of sake (180 ml) either poured into a wooden masu box or, more likely, an overflowing glass of sake placed inside a masu box, adding up to about the same amount. When picking up the traditional cool wooden sake set such as the Masu cup, a carafe, and cute little "Ochoko" cups, that you bought, you may get a little worried about how to use & clean them. Sip directly from a glass without taking it out of the Masu cup. Are Boxes a Good Idea for Packaging Beverage Products? Whatre the 10 Best Sake Cups Made of Mino Ware? Since Japanese Sake is made from rice, it contains rich savory elements; Sweetness, Bitterness, Sourness, and Umami. The masu sake cup is a square (made of wood or plastics) box used as a sake drinking culture. Initially These small boxes were a measure of about one meals worth. The ISO tasting glass was originally developed as a standardised instrument for wine tasting but works for sake as well. Conversely, its seen as slightly rude to serve yourself. Some shuki are made entirely of wood and have a drum-like appearance. The more often you can pour the drink, the more you can show your reverence and respect for your guest. Check out our wooden sake box selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our gift boxes shops. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Warm sake on the other hand is best enjoyed from a small but thick-walled ceramic cup. The box is simply but impeccably crafted from cedarwood with dovetail joints at the corners. $16.99 $ 16. We hope this guide has helped you understand why sake is often served in a small cup. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Japanese ceramics is an interesting topic in itself and each region has distinct styles. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. You first drink the sake from the glass (dont put it back in the masu) and then use the remaining sake from the box to refill (usually, the amount left will fit perfectly in your empty glass). Sushi boxes are popular among restaurants that serve sake. 1, Sip Sake in a glass transferring it a little by little into the Masu cup each time drinks. Why Sake Is Served In Small Cups? The Real Reason For this style of . Or, more intriguingly yet, you may be provided with a glass set inside a wooden box, in which case the sake will be poured so generously that it overflows the glass and spills into the box below.While this unique form of service certainly ups the fun factor, it does present a challenge: how in the world are you supposed to drink the sake? Now, you can step up if you know the Iki (chic, stylish in Japanese, ) way of how to drink Sake served with Mokkiri style and Masu sake. This makes the serving of Sake in a masu very easy if you are a guest. The box (called masu) was originally used as a measuring cup for rice, and is often used at festivals. They also carry a woodsy, clean scent as an added touch, and can be used as a container for the short glass or by itself as a cup. There are different types of Masu cups. There is no specified rule regarding how to drink Sake out of a Masu with a glass inside. We encourage guests to bring their cups home as souvenirs. Sake should be sipped slowly, like a wine. Details may have changed since the publication of this post. Enjoy the unique flavor with slow sips, as you would regular wine. Recently, Masu cups have become popular not only Sake ware for connoisseurs and ceremonies but also as interior decorations with a more modern and stylish design. After two years, Singapore's hawker culture has made it into the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Sakeis involved in almost every honored occasion in Japanese culture in some form or fashion. Why Do They Serve Sake In A Box? Please enjoy sake responsibly and respect your local liquor laws. They should . Hold the cup close to your face and take in the aroma of sake, which will be slightly tinged with the smell of fresh cedar. and surprised faces. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Most Japanese feel unconsciously being relaxed when smelling its scent. I am passionate about the art and science of mixology and I love sharing my knowledge and experience with others through Lipolounges blog. Formerly, sake was sold by volume in a wooden box measuring cup, known as a masu[7] which has a volume of one g (180ml, 6.3impfloz, 6.1USfloz) and was also used to drink. The tokkuri traditionally has a bulbous base with a narrow neck. How To Make A Sake Box | Lipo Lounge How to Drink Sake "Spillover" Style. The whole concept is revolting.That is not just the ranting of a hygiene freak; the sanitation concern is real, Hioki told me. On the other hand, if you dont like the scent of wood, the wooden Masu cup is not suitable. The first two started in Tampines in 1992 and in Jurong in 2008. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties. It's not recommended that delicate sake be served in these uncoated boxes, as the fragrant hinoki wood can impart or mask flavor. I have 7 years of bartending experience, and in my free time, I enjoy making drinks and experimenting with new cocktail recipes. One reason is that it can help to keep the sake chilled. Sip sake from the flat side, not corners. Some drink the glass down completely before turning to the overflow, while others tip it into the glass as soon as there is space.And while confirmed barflies will swear youre supposed to drink from the straight edge of the masu, with the mark facing towards you, Ive heard others say drinking from the corner is the only way to go. The sake flask is known as the tokkuri. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Smaller versions of these cups are popular in bars and as souvenirs at sake festivals and can also be bought in almost any home- or kitchenware-shop in Japan. 4. Drinking from a masu is part of the rituals and celebrations in Japanese culture, The masu is the perfect partner to the rich flavour of traditionally brewed sake, When drinking sake always let your host serve you, Your sake can be served in the wooden box in one of two ways, JapanBargain 3323, Small Wooden Masu Sake Cups Japanese Hinoki Wood Cypress Saki Cup Box Made in Japan, 2 ounce, Set of 2. Masu are now commonly made of lacquerware or even of ABS plastic. Sake has been brewed in the islands of Japan for at least 600 years, and it is likely that the brewing of this distinctive, dry rice wine goes back much further as it is described in ancient Japanese history. The flask and cups may be sold individually or as a set. You Go Japan has something for everyone. For chilled sake (like aromatic ginjo or daiginjo), the glass that brings out the aromas the best is also the one you most likely already have in your home: a tulip-shaped glass just like you would use for white wine. Like the events and rituals involving sake, traditional sake cups also have many forms. You'll be served a full glass of Sake inside a small wooden box, called "Masu". Indeed, there are two ways to serve Sake with a Masu cup- one is which Sake directly filled in the Masu cup, another is which a small glass placed in the Masu cup and Sake is filled and overflowed into a cup. It does not store any personal data. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. If the sake cup was too big, youd never have a chance to pour! Allow your host to lavish you with an overflowing masu of sake, pouring the drink until it fills the vessel and overflows. The blue rings also help the judges find any impurity or cloudiness. However, we will show you some chic drink ways performed by many Japanese Sake drinkers. Although the ochoko and tokkuri set may be the most iconic sake vessels, others have also been popular throughout history and have their place in various occasions. For a more contemporary look, serve your sake with a clay or glass sake cup inside the wooden box. The trick here is to smoothly spill sake from the glass into the Masu. Thanks to the narrow opening of the tokkuri, the heat stays trapped inside, even when its removed from the water.