Kanazawa Stroll

A sugidama, or sakabayashi, is an object of Japanese origin made by shaping sugi (Cryptomeria) leaves into a ball. Green sugidama are hung from the eaves of sake breweries to indicate that new sake is ready.
The sugidama are usually displayed from February to March, which is the season for new sake production, and are used as a sign that "new sake has been made this year, too." The freshly hung sugidama are still verdant, but they eventually wither and turn brown. The green color from February to June indicates the season for new sake, the light green color from the early summer indicates natsuzake (summer sake), and the withered brown color from fall indicates hiyaoroshi (winter sake aged over the summer). Like this, the color of the sugidama is in sync with the sake brewing season, and the changing color of the balls tells people how the new sake has maturedRead more