Nukegake-ho (layered rice steaming method)

Nukegake-ho is a special technique for steaming rice in the sake brewing process. In this method, polished rice is layered little by little inside a koshi, the traditional steaming vessel. A small amount of polished rice is first laid flat, and once steam is confirmed to be passing right through it, further rice is added in precisely measured amounts. This is repeated layer by layer. Because the steam reaches all of the rice evenly, the rice is steamed uniformly, which supports high-quality sake brewing. In this way, nukegake-ho is one of the important steps that greatly influences the flavor and aroma of sake.