The story
Fiction and adapted settings written by Akitsora Gaming for this title, including invented dialogue and events. This is not a historical or folklore reference. The rules and specification tables define the gameplay and math.
Sake wa kome to mizu to, hito no te de dekiru.
— Sake is made of rice, water, and human hands.
I. Winter brewing
Sake is brewed in the coldest months. On a winter morning, before the sky is light, the steamed rice is already breathing white. Cedar vats line the walls, their bamboo hoops bound tight.
The master brewer lifts a handful of koji rice and studies it in the window light. He says nothing; beside him, his assistant kneels and squares the koji trays into rows.
II. Three-stage brewing
Sake is not made in one pour. Rice, koji and water go into the vat in three additions, and each must settle before the next.
A batch that turns out well is measured in the golden masu. The number on it is the weight of the batch (base game ×2 to ×20).
III. Opening the brewery
When 4 opening tags hang on the wall, the brewery doors open. Seals go onto the vats one by one, and each of the next 15 spins counts.
Once the brewery is open, the golden masu keep stacking (×2 to ×500) until the season's sake is done. 3 more tags add 5 more spins.
IV. The cedar ball
When the new sake is ready, a fresh cedar ball is hung under the eaves. It starts green and turns brown as the sake matures — a message the whole street can read: this year's sake is good.