Deep in rural Japan, centuries-old breweries blend samurai-era tradition with modern technology, revealing the craftsmanship, history and passion behind sake’s global revivalEyal Appelbaum|My romance with the world of sake began 12 years ago. I was working as a waiter at Thai House in Tel Aviv when I first tasted the Japanese “rice wine” produced by Shirataki Sake Brewery. It was love at first sight, or more accurately, at first sip.There was something intoxicating about the combination of an exotic drink from the other side of the world, elegant flavors and fruity and floral aromas. It blew my mind. It was as far removed as possible from the grain of rice I had known until then.So when an official invitation arrived from Japan’s Agriculture Ministry to join a group of restaurateurs on a journey through producers and breweries in the northern prefectures of Niigata and Gunma, I did not hesitate.That was especially true when I learned that our first stop would be Shirataki, the very brewery that had introduced me to sake. It was also one of the breweries behind the major transformation that elevated sake from a cheap, simple and everyday drink to one served in some of the world’s finest restaurants.Shirataki Sake Brewery (Photo: hijiri_sake)First, what exactly is sake?