Oyaoke (parent vessel)

Oyaoke (親桶, literally "parent vessel") refers to a large container used in the sake-brewing process. To make temperature control of the moromi (fermentation mash) easier, it is common not to load the moromi into a single large container but to divide it among several smaller ones. In this arrangement, the large container is called the oyaoke, and the smaller containers attached to it are called edaoke (枝桶, "branch vessels"). The oyaoke is used mainly to make temperature adjustment and management easier during fermentation, and it plays an important role in producing high-quality sake.