What is monkey sake? A detailed explanation of the medicinal liquor introduced by Sugae Masumi in Yukidewamichi [Akita Prefecture]

"Yuki Dewa-do," Sugae Masumi , a Japanese classical scholar and travel writer from the late Edo period , writes that monkey sake was made at the home of Shimada Gensuke, a family who had lived in Tashiro Village (now Yamauchi Village) for generations, and that it was effective against stomach aches.

In this article, we will explain in detail about Saruzake, a legendary sake

Reference: National Diet Library Digital Collection "Akita Series Volume 7 Yukidehado"

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to make monkey sake ?

Takenori , who served as the commander-in-chief of the Kiyohara clan during the Zenkunen no En (Forty-Nine Years' War) that took place between 1051 and 1062

The Yukidewa-do describes how to make monkey sake as follows:

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• Capture three monkeys and remove their skin and muscles
• Soak the liver and back meat in cold water for 30 days
• Dry in the sun, soak in fine sake, and then dry again under the scorching sun of June
• Soak it in salt water, place it in a jar, put the lid on and seal it for three years, and then it's done

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Once the monkey sake is complete, if you drink one spoonful and then replenish it with the same amount of water and salt, it is said to be able to cure illnesses in the same way for 1,000 years

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About the jar used to hold monkey sake

The recipe for making Saru Sake states that it should be placed in an earthenware jar and sealed, but what kind of jar is this?

In "Yuki Dewa Do," there is a picture of a jar for making sake for monkeys, drawn by Sugae Masumi, titled "Monkey Sake Brewing Jar."

The dimensions are 1 shaku 8 sun 5 bu (70.1 cm) in height, 7 sun (26.5 cm) in diameter, and 3 shaku 8 sun 5 bu (145.8 cm) in circumference, so it is clear that it is a fairly large jar

The picture shows that the surface of the jar is slightly dirty and that the rope tying the top is slightly frayed, suggesting that the jar was quite old even at the time Sugae Masumi saw it

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Saruzake featured in the Akita Sakigake Newspaper

The Akita Sakigake Shimpo newspaper dated May 30, 1933, carried an article about Saruzake under the headline "Saruzake from the Sugae Masumi Era Still Exists."

The article states that Saruzake, which Sugae Masumi wrote about as a miracle medicine in the Yukidewa-do, is being carefully kept as a family heirloom at a farm in Tashiro Village, Hirakata County, where the descendants of Shimada Gensuke live

The monkey sake jar was kept in a secure location by Shimada Gensuke's descendants and carefully placed in a wooden box along with four bowls for pouring the sake. The article states that the jar's dimensions were exactly the same as those described in "Yukidehado": height 1 shaku 8 sun 5 bu, diameter 7 sun, and circumference 3 shaku 8 sun 5 bu

There is also an explanation about the four accompanying bowls, which are four large and four small wooden bowls stacked on top of each other, the largest of which has a diameter of 5 sun (18.9 cm) and holds 2 go 5 shaku (0.45 l), and it is written that in order to pour monkey sake from the 7 sun diameter jar, one must grasp the edge of the wooden bowl with the thumb, middle finger, and ring finger and lift it up, which would be quite a difficult task

At the end of the article, it goes on to say that when the monkey sake is poured out of the jar, it makes an eerie metallic sound, even though it is a liquid, and the woman feels afraid of the jar, seeing it as a ghost

No matter how carefully the descendants of Shimada Gensuke have preserved this item for generations, it must have been quite frightening to have an old jar in their home that is said to have been made using the meat of three monkeys

However, the article conveys what monkey sake is like because generations of people have reached into it to draw it, and replenish it with water and salt, and it was also confirmed that the dimensions matched Sugae Masumi's valuable records

It is not known whether the monkey sake jar still exists today, but I'm sure there are many people who hope that it is being treasured somewhere in Akita Prefecture

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summary

Saruzake is a medicinal liquor with healing powers that was created during the reign of Kiyohara Takenori, who served as the commander-in-chief of the Kiyohara clan during the Zenkunen no En (Forty-Nine Years' War) that took place between 1051 and 1062

If you take a look at Sugae Masumi's Yukidewa Do, be sure to also read the article about monkey sake

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