What you are looking at is the “Kandoko” or classic sake warmer.
When and if you visit Japan, you will have many opportunities to experience Japanese culture, both old and new. Some experiences will be attainable, while others will come through pure luck and timing. In this post, I will introduce the old ways of drinking in Japan.
This copper box you see with what appears to be bacon is being slow cooked over petrified wood barks. Adjacent to that grill is a tiny compartment with what appears to be a white container. That container is full of Japanese sake - rice alcohol. One heating element - wood - heating both the bacon and the sake. Maybe you can imagine the smell of sweet sake and bacon in the air - with a hint of wood! This is classic.
Classical delicacies like baked tofu, sardines, and and wild mushrooms slow smoking in a beautiful chilly Autumn afternoon.
And then, there is the big boy himself taking it all in. You simply have to see and experience this part of Japan next time you come. Don’t pass up the “ old way” experience.
