When sake breweries produce new sake, we display cedar ball(called "sugidama") at the store.
At first, it is green, but as time passes, the color changes to brown, so some people say that ``the color of sugidama indicates the progress of aging of sake.''
Cedar was originally essential for sake brewing, and there are many things made using cedar, such as tools for making koji, rooms for making koji, and as tunk for moromi.
Cedar has deodorizing, humidity control, heat storage, and sterilizing effects, so it seems that it has been used favorably for these reasons.
When we handle steamed rice in the koji room, we are always be surprised at the humidity control ability of cedar.
We can visually see how it absorbs the large amount of steam produced by steamed rice and releases it to the outside, keeping the room at an appropriate temperature.
The cedar is used to make ``sugidama'', which is the symbol of sake brewery, and our company used to purchase ``sugidama'' from vendors every year.
This year as well, I purchased it as usual and was preparing to display it at the same time as the new sake was released.
When I brought it out of the shade to decorate it,
Sugidama is not green.
Hmm?
It's already brown! ?
The color of cedar ball is not green.
When I received it, it was green, but after a week it turned mottled brown, and I think it will turn all brown in no time.
If it's not green at least during the winter, we feel not good cus we want to display it all year long!
That's what I thought, so I contacted the company.
Then,
``Due to the abnormal weather in November, the cedar balls we delivered discolor quickly.''
"Nothing can be done"
I said, "Okay," and hung up.
・・・
Then make it yourself! ! ! (Anger)
So, I decided to make Sugidama by myself.
I wanted to display the cedar balls that I bought until they were completed, but I didn't want to use cedar balls that weren't green, so I had no choice but to spray them green.
Then the color will look like this...(°▽°)
It might look like a Christmas tree, but the colors are unnatural...
Moreover, right after I decorated it, some old customer came to the store to shop and said,
"Is this colored? (・∀・)"
OMG immediately found out!!!
Now, please take a look at the process of making sugidama, which I made in between brewing sake while suffering from tendonitis.
First of all, I started dismantling the cedar balls that were displayed last year.
After removing all the cedar leaves, a round net will appear.
With this, all I have to do is collect cedar leaves.
I asked a gardener to collect cedar leaves that grow on the premises of brewery, and let's make cedar balls.
(This would not have been possible without the cooperation of the gardener. I think collecting the leaves is the hardest part before making it.)
Insert or cut cedar leaves...
There's still a gap, but I've managed to make it, so I just need to cut around it.
However, my hands hurt so much & I don't have much free time, so I can't get a clean shave.
Completed in one day and displayed at the store!
Sugidama and Me ( ^ω^ )
I couldn't make it perfectly round (due to lack of tools and tendonitis), but no matter how you look at it, it's green! 💚
I didn't cut the tips of the leaves too much, so you can enjoy the green color for a relatively long time...
So, this year's cedar ball has a cute shape that looks like casual hair, but it is a beloved piece made by myself.
Next year I would like to get the right tools and make it more beautiful than this year.
If it hadn't happened like this, I would never have thought of making sugidama by myself, so I was relieved that I had a good opportunity.
The new sake is currently on sale, and a dry unfiltered unprocessed sake will be released in December.
When you come to the store, please take a look at the lovely cedar ball.