Domoshuzoki (a technical book on sake brewing) (童蒙酒造記)
Domoshuzoki is a representative technical book on sake brewing in Japan, which was written in the early Edo period.
Among same kind of books in existence, this is the best of the Edo period both in quality and quantity. Domo' means 'children and fools,' which gives us an image of the writer as a maniac like 'a demon of sake brewing' because of the fulsome condescension that he put such a word at the beginning of the title. Writer unknown.
Establishing period
The period of establishment is unknown. However, due to the detailed analysis of the prices of rice and sake in 1686, it is certain that it was written after 1686 and also because the year was probably not particular for rice cropping, it is not logical that it was written long after the year. Therefore, it is assumed so far that it was established in 1687.
There are some duplicate copies. Also many reprints were published since the late Meiji Period.
Author
Author is also unknown, but he wrote about himself from the 'Konoike school' and seemed to have a flair for business, therefore it is assumed that he was one of the Kuramoto (sake brewer) of Konoike school.
Contents
It's no exaggeration to say that it was written all about sake brewing at the time, because the technical book on sake brewing is best of the Edo Period in quality and quantity.
It consist of 5 volumes.
The first volume
General theory about sake
History
Types
Instructions
Terminology and equipments
There were some quotations from other technical books on sake brewing that had been written in earlier times, which means that there had been such kind of books before "Domoshuzoki," but none of those have been found and it is totally unknown what book they were.
The second volume
The process of making nanto-morohaku
Especially about bodaimoto and nimoto (manufacturing process of yeast mash)
The third volume
The process of making of the Konoike school
The brewing method of Konoike school has been lost already, therefore the descriptions in the book are valuable.
The fourth volume
The process of making Nara style sake, Itami sake, Kohama style sake, shochu (distilled spirit), mirin (sweet cooking rice wine), Asoshu, Lonicera Sake, Nerizake (antique term for shirozake, or white sake), unfiltered sake.
The fifth volume
The details about making yeast mash of sake
Criteria for judgement, fermentation degree, how to adjust and so on. This volume is also a supplement of the third volume.