SPOT4

This is the rice steaming room.

Once the rice has been processed through the milling machine, it is soaked in water and steamed in this room’s steaming vat.

Some of the steamed rice is then taken to the koji room to be used for koji-making. The rest is cooled down and taken to the sake tanks for fermentation.

The steamed rice transported to the koji room is kept at a controlled temperature of approximetly 30°C, allowing the koji mold to grow and turn into rice malt, also known as Koji.

Making Koji is the most crucial part of the sake-making process and is often compared to the importance of a vineyard for wine-making.

Next, we will cover the sake tanks, which are in the building across from here. Let’s go!