As is well known, the Japanese style of whiskey has a distinct handwriting. The main reason for this is that, unlike Scottish distilleries and blending companies, which trade their very different whiskey characteristics for the needs of their blends, each Japanese producer produces the styles he needs. In order to obtain the necessary distillates for its blended whiskeys, the Yamazaki distillery must have many different types of distillation equipment and technology.

Mashing and fermentation

The must is fermented in two different styles of fermenters. One is a modern stainless steel and the other is a traditional, made Douglas fir. The Yamazaki use two strains of their own yeast. One is a typical distillation yeast, which gives a pure and ester distillate, and the other is ale yeast, which adds sharp fruit and cream notes.

Distillation

Traditionally, as in the production of Scotch malt whiskey, distillation consists of two stages, in two pots "wash stills" and "spirit stills". The Yamazaki distillery has six pairs of distillation pots. Some of them are imported from Scotland, while others are made in Japan. Each of them has a different shape and size. Straight-walled pots give a distillate with a denser and creamier character, while those with rounded walls are much lighter. Directly heated pots give the distillates a more toasted character and rich aroma, while indirect heating with steam gives a much lighter profile. The various condensation systems for alcohol vapors also contribute to the variety of distillates. The distillery uses both methods: spirals and capacitors. The first is from the team of whiskeys with heavy aromatic profiles, and the second from those with light and colorful characteristics.

Aging

Вhiskeys are aged in five types of oak barrels of different shapes and sizes. This variety includes 180 liter ex bourbon barrels, 230 liter (hogsheads) barrels made from disassembled American barrels, 480 liter high and short punches manufactured locally by Suntory, and thin-walled sherry bats and Japanese oak barrels, which also hold 480 liters of whiskey.

Japanese fine art has its roots in the 3rd century BC, when images with everyday and other subjects appeared on bronze products (dotaku) and mirrors.

In the 3rd - 5th century funerary clay statuettes of haniva were created - images of people and animals. Art related to Buddhism has been developing since the 4th century - monumental cult statues and murals. It flourished in the 9th - 11th century. In the 8th - 11th century the Yamato-e painting school developed - landscapes and scenes from the life of the aristocracy, the animalistic and satirical painting (9th - 12th century) and the realistic portrait appeared. Since the 14th century, Chinese ink art has influenced Japanese painting. In the 17th - 19th century the democratic art school ukiyo-e was formed with plots from the city life, figures of dancers, theater stages and others. It is mainly a color engraving on wood. Prominent representatives of the ukiyo-e school are the artists Kiyonobu, Utamaro, Hokusai and others. European painting genres have been adopted since the end of the 19th century. Oil painting develops in 2 directions:

-national - nihonga;
-Western European - yoga.

In the 20th century, some formalist currents spread, and a realistic movement with revolutionary themes in graphics, painting and sculpture was formed. Progressive artists in the spirit of folk traditions are Sori, Maruki, and Western European - Akamatsu, Toshitsugu, Fumio.

Decorative and household art reached a great flowering: artistic processing of metal, varnish, ceramics and porcelain, miniature woodcarving, bone carving, artistic fabrics and more. (from the end of the 17th century).

A traditional Japanese house (minka) in modern Japan is represented by only a few museums. However, these buildings, although in fact a thing of the past, are an integral part of the architecture and culture of this country. 

History:

Traditional houses are simple one- or two-storey frame buildings made of wood, paper, straw, clay, bamboo. The higher the status of a resident of the country, the more expensive materials are used, the brighter the facade is decorated. It is the elements of rich houses and temples that make the Japanese style in architecture recognizable.

Frame construction technology has long been used in earthquake-prone Japan. The buildings built along it are characterized by increased stability, gave a chance to survive during the collapse, could be quickly restored.

In traditional Japanese houses, there is only one empty wall, where the space between the supports is filled with grass covered with clay. The rest are sliding or replaceable panels made of a light wooden frame covered with rice paper. The frame did not suffer from their removal, the integrity of the structure is not violated. At the same time, the house is well lit by the sun, the boundary between it and nature is blurred.

Characteristics of the design of houses:

Japanese corpses, which were built decades and centuries ago, are very different from modern houses. The following characteristics are characteristic of them:

-The frame of the house is a system of supports and beams connected without nails. Instead, they used sophisticated technology to cut logs, logs.
-In the center of the building is a pillar resistant to vibration.
-The roof is two- or four-pitched. It protrudes beyond the outer walls at a distance of one meter. This protects the facade from the effects of rain and sunlight.
-Erected at half a meter from the ground floor level, this is done in order to provide ventilation of the lower layer of the building to retain heat in the cold season. For Japanese people who sleep on a mattress instead of a regular bed, this is important.

Traditional Japanese homes are far ahead of their time. The main ideas of their construction are the basis of modern framework technologies. One of them is naturally called "Japanese".

The interior of a traditional house:

There is no clear division of rooms in traditional Japanese houses. The maximum free, open space could be transformed at will with the help of light fuzum screens. So, a large room that received guests during the day is divided into bedroom screens and a cabinet using screens.

With such mobility, we are not talking about complete, heavy furniture. Instead of cabinets for storing clothes and household items used:

-niches covered all the same screens;
-baskets;
-chest;
-wicker boxes;
-low cabinets with drawers.

The sleeping place is a mattress. futon, and the floors are covered with hard straw mats - tatami.

In the immediate vicinity of a large clay stove are equipped the dining room, kitchen, service rooms.

The finishing materials are: thick white paper, wooden boards, plaster. The twilight of the rooms slightly diluted the lamp in a paper lampshade called oxyadone.

Hakama is part of the samurai's clothing. In the past, when samurai were horsemen, it was part of riding clothing. Finally, the samurai start walking, but continue to wear the hakama to distinguish themselves from other soldiers. Today, in the oldest martial arts styles in Japan - kobudo, practicing hakama, a symbol of the samurai caste, because their standard clothing is part of everyday clothing worn under outer clothing, ie. underwear. In some schools all wear hakama, in others high-ranking self-owners. In the last school, women put hakama in front of men to hide them. Hakama, a tradition left by O'Sensei, can also be used in aikido.

In addition to the hakama symbolizing samurai status, the seven pleats of the hakama (5 front and 2 back) - part of the Japanese beauty break in asymmetry - symbolize the seven virtues of bushido - the Way of the Warrior.

Yamaoka Tesshu is a remarkable figure from the turbulent era that marked the beginning of modern Japan. He attained profound enlightenment at the age of forty-five and became aware of the hidden laws of martial arts with sword, zen, and calligraphy. Yamaoka Tesshu is an extremely versatile and prolific master: an incomparable sword fighter who founded the Swordless School; a wise and compassionate Zen teacher in the Tekisui tradition; an unsurpassed calligrapher who connects everything earthly and divine in his brush. Even today, nearly a century after his death, Tesshu's incredible vitality can be seen in his works. If observed carefully, the remarkable transformation associated with Tesshu's enlightenment, as well as its deepening during the last eight years of his life, is clearly seen in his calligraphy. Musashi - the most prominent samurai - is perhaps the only other practitioner who has similarly managed to get into the essence of so many Paths. Unlike Musashi, whose true history is difficult to establish, there is much more information available about Tesshu. Thanks to it, one can get an accurate idea of ​​this person and his teachings.