Japanese Rice Wine

Modern Japan: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Nationalism,

Sake (Rice "Wine") by Stephen R. Smith

• Sake - Alcoholic beverage made from rice.  It is a generic term for alcoholic beverages in Japan.
• It is a symbol of social life in modern Japan.
• It is considered to be Japan's national beverage.
• It is considered as a Shinto Sacrament.
• It is often used as an offering to the kami spirits.
• It is believed to be able to purify the profane.
• The proof that Sake is highly praised in Japan is in the names they have for it.
• Nihonsu - Japanese Liquor
• Osake - Honorable Liquor
• Both of these terms are used for Sake in Japan

In this article Stephen Smith argues that Sake is an important symbol for life in Japan.  His evidence for this is that it is used as a sacrament for the Shinto religion, that it's considered Japan's national beverage, and that the terms used to describe it are "Japanese Liquor" and "Honorable Liquor". The Shinto Sacrament piece is culturally significant, because Shinto is a very important religion in Japan.  This is pretty reasonable evidence to back up the fact that the culture in Japan is affected by Sake.  Stephen R. Smith is successful in getting his points across in this piece.