April 30, 2013

A Trip to Yuzawa, Part III-II/湯沢への旅、パート3の2

This is Koshi no Muro in Ponshukan, where you can taste five of the brands from ALL sake breweries, 95 in total, in Niigata prefecture for 500 yen.
ここはぽんしゅ館の中の「越の室」です。新潟県にある全ての酒蔵(全部で95)の銘柄のうち5銘柄を500円で試飲できるところです。
Is the English clear to you?
この英語が分かりますか?
Popularity ranking 2012:
2012年の人気ランキング:
And, ranking this year:
今年のランキング:


First, you pay 500 yen to the cashier, and get five coins and one o-choko (small cup for drinking sake).
まず、レジで500円払い、コインを5枚とお猪口を一個もらいます。

This is the o-choko. Be sure to return the o-choko when you are finished.
これがお猪口です。飲み終わったら、お猪口は返却してください。
Coins:
コイン:
(I had already used two.)
(すでに2枚使いました。)

Select a brand of your preference.
好みの銘柄を選びます。

Feel free to these 90 types of salt.
90種類の塩を自由に試せます。
and some types of miso.
味噌も数種類あります。
I first selected this tokubetsu junmai shu (rather dry).
First place your o-choko at the right position (within the circle), put in one coin, and press the yellow button, and you will get the sake in your o-choko.
まずはこの特別純米酒(やや辛口)を選びました。
まずお猪口を正しい位置(円の中)に置き、コインを一枚入れ、黄色いボタンを押します。お酒が出てきて、お猪口に入ります。
My second choice: Junmai shu (mild):
次は:純米酒(甘口(あまくち)):
I tried the yuzu shio (jio).
ゆず塩(しお、じお)を試しました。
Third: Namazake (unpasteurized sake) from Takachiyo Shuzo (a brewery in the Shiozawa area of Minami Uonuma city):
3番目:高千代酒造(南魚沼市の塩沢地域にある酒蔵)の生酒:
Fourth: Koshi no Kanbai:
4番目:越乃寒梅:
I tried this: "salt produced from soy sauce":
「醤油からできた塩」を試しました:
You can drink cold water here.
冷水はここで飲めます。
Last one: Jozen Mizuno Gotoshi from Shirataki Shuzo:
最後:白瀧酒造の上善如水:
All the brands were good in their own way. If I had to choose two, I'd select the first and the last ones. The namazake had a very distinctive flavor, which was too much for me.
どの銘柄もよかったですが、二つ選ぶとすれば、最初のと最後のです。生酒は独特な味で、私にはきつかったです。

(To be continued.)
(続く。)

10 comments:

Ruminating Roy said...

I'm very jealous, that looks like it would be a great way to find out which ones to buy!

I'm curious how much you liked the tokubetsu junmai shu - the very dry sake are usually the ones my wife and I prefer.

Hiroyuki said...

Ruminating Roy:
>how much...

I liked it very much. The best of the five I tasted. I'd say smooth and drinkable.

Sissi said...

Have you managed to be sober afterwards? Haha! I'm sure I wouldn't... The soy sauce salt sounds also incredible.

Hiroyuki said...

Sissi: I had more sake when I got home. Sadly, I gained 1 kg because of my trip...

Soy sauce salt tasted exactly soy sauce + salt (laugh).

Adam said...

You asked about the English on that sign...

It is not good English, and it is difficult to understand, but I think I can guess what the meaning is supposed to be.

I would have written it more like this:

"Five sampler cups of sake for 500 yen. Please pay at the register." "You will get five tokens for your 500 yen" "Not available for drivers and minors" "Our store supports the Declaration for Banishing Drunk Driving"

Sissi said...

Hiroyuki, I think of many interesting ways to use soy sauce salt (when one wants salt and soy sauce taste, but no liquid...).
I'm sorry to hear that, but maybe it's only water not real weight gain?

Hiroyuki said...

Adam Helps: Brabo! I think you should contact Ponshukan, telling them that the English on the sign is not very good and should be corrected. You will deserve a translation fee or something (as much sake as you can drink?)!

Sissi: I had just a lot of free samples, so probably half real gain and half water. Anyway, it will take two or three days to lose this extra weight.

Fräulein Trude said...

Concerning the english signs for the sake tasting units: I managed to understand somehow. My english is way far from beiing good (had my latest english lesson in school 36 years ago). It is easier to talk as to write.
I often watch this funny youtube channel and this playlist http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF71F8C4AE0724C15

Therefore it is good enough (laugh) no offends. As long as people understand everything is fine.

Hiroyuki said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hiroyuki said...

Kiki: Thanks for the link. Yes, examples of Japanized English are everywhere in Japan.

Imaizumi Hakubutsukan, a local museum here in Minami Uouma city, is one of few exceptions. The English on the sign was almost perfect, and I asked the staff who wrote the English. They said the General Director wrote it and an IUJ (International University of Japan) student proofread it.