The Sweet Secret of Traditional Japan since 1496

Amazake, literally translated: 'sweet sake', is the result of the first alcohol free stage of sake production. Natural enzymes convert the complex carbohydrates of rice into simple sugars. Further fermentation results in products like sake and rice vinegar.
Amazake is related to traditional Japanese soy sauce (shoyu), miso, mirin, rice vinegar and sake. All these products have as a common base koji culture in different combinations.
Al these products have as a common base koji culture in different combinations.
Traditionally food in Japan used to be primarily vegetarian because the mountainous landscape didn't allow cattle breeding. For this reason a large variety of good quality vegetarian products and culinary dishes were developed

Buddhist monasteries contributed to this development considerably. It is not surprising that amazake had been developed and became popular in Japan.

The first known reference to Amazake can be found in the Ekiribon Setsuyoshu, a Japanese dictionary that was written between 1496 and 1503. It is likely that the recipe originated in China and later travelled to Japan.
Nowadays, five centuries later amazake drink is still on the menu in Japanese teahouses.
In winter time warm amazake drink is served with a bit of fresh gingerjuice.
Amazake sorbets as a cooling dessert are on the menu in traditional restaurants.

We were surprised to discover its many qualities and started Amazake Basic Dessert for the European market and chose the Japanese name RYORIDO for our company which literally means "the art of cooking".

Since 1981 RYORIDO produces organic traditional Amazake in the Netherlands.