外国人最想和你聊的文化话题：日本的和服和清酒

　Realize Kimono and Wine　认识和服和清酒
     1　和服的历史
     The kimono is a Japanese traditional garment worn by women, men and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear", has come to denote these full-length robes. The standard plural of the word kimono in English is kimonos, but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono is also sometimes used. Kimonos are T-shaped, straightlined robes worn so that the hem falls to the ankle, with attached collars and long, wide sleeves. Kimonos are wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right (except when dressing the dead for burial), and secured by a sash called an obi, which is tied at the back. Kimonos are generally worn with traditional footwear and split-toe socks.
     Today, kimonos are most often worn by women, and on special occasions. Traditionally, unmarried women wore a style of kimono called furisode, with almost floor-length sleeves, on special occasions. A few older women and even fewer men still wear the kimono on a daily basis. Men wear the kimono most often at weddings, tea ceremonies, and other very special or very formal occasions. Professional sumo wrestlers are often seen in the kimono because they are required to wear traditional Japanese dress whenever appearing in public.
     As the kimono has another name gofuku, the earliest kimonos were heavily influenced by traditional Han Chinese clothing, known today as hanfu, through Japanese embassies to China which resulted in extensive Chinese culture adoptions by Japan, as early as the fifth century.
     It was during the 8th century, however, when Chinese fashions came into style among the Japanese, and the overlapping collar became particularly a women's fashion. During Japan's Heian period (794-1192AD), the kimono became increasingly stylized, though one still wore a half-apron. During the Muromachi age (1392-1573 AD), the Kosode, a single kimono formerly considered as underwear, began to be worn without the hakama over it, and thus began to be held closed by an obi "belt". During the Edo period (1603-1867 AD), the sleeves began to grow in length, especially among unmarried women, and the Obi became wider, with various styles of tying coming into fashion.
     2　清酒的历史
     The history of Sake is very complicated and full of ceremonies. It is a part of many Japanese rituals, from sealing wedding vows to blessing a new home, to being used as an offering to the shrines of gods. There is physical evidence of fermented rice beverages dating back to 300BC. The type and style of Sake we are most familiar with today came into existence about the 16th century and did not see much change until the middle of the 20th century. Chilled Sake came about in the mid-20th century due to a better understanding of the complicated process of turning rice into a fermentable sugar. Traditionally, quality Sake was heated gently (not baked in a cask as is common in many American Japanese restaurants) to diminish bitterness and allow some of the musty lees character to vaporize, leaving fresh, clean flavors. Science and technology has shown the Sake masters, that many of the ancient traditions of making Sake are essential, but it has also shown them how to make clean and more intensely flavored Sake that does not need to be heated. Today, all quality Sake is enjoyed chilled.
     Despite what you may have heard, Sake is not a wine, nor is it a beer, although it is similar to beer in the fact that both are fermented from a type of grain. The difference is that in beer the enzymes needed to convert the starch into a fermentable sugar are created during malting, whereas in Sake the enzyme to convert the rice into a fermentable sugar is a special mold known as koji, which must be propagated and added. Also, during Sake production, saccharification (the conversion of starch into sugar), happens at the same time and in the same vessel as the fermentation (these are two separated stages in beer production). As the rice is being converted into sugar, the yeast is converting the sugar into alcohol. This is what makes Sake fermentation so difficult-if saccharification happens too slowly, the yeast will starve, and if it happens too fast, the yeast is overwhelmed and can't function so the sugar is not converted to alcohol. This process is known as "multiple parallel fermentation" and is the reason why Sake can ferment naturally to 20%~22% alcohol.
     和服和清酒是日本人推崇的两样东西，它们代表着日本人不同的气质。对于女人，能有一件上好的和服是她们的梦想，而对于男人，不论在什么情况下，都愿意一尝清酒的美味，而清酒的美味也一直为世人称道。去日本，不能错过的应该就是这两样了。
Part 2　Key words ＆ Sentences　关键词语全知道
     The kimono is Japan's national costume, which once got fashionable throughout the island.
     和服是日本的民族服装，曾经风靡日本全岛。As the kimono is so dear, people just wear it on important festivals.由于和服比较昂贵，人们一般只在重大节日才穿。
     The girls regard having a high-grade showily kimono as a great honor and their parents would try to fulfill their hopes.
     姑娘们以拥有一套高档华贵的和服为荣耀，父母们都尽量满足女儿的这一愿望。
     The kimono is not only produced complicatedly but also not easy to wear. The young people mainly couldn't wear it, if have to, they will ask for help.
     和服不仅制作复杂，穿起来也十分麻烦。年轻人基本上不会穿，必须穿时，会请人帮忙。
     The foreigners seem to like it very much, many blond girls even swagger through the street with wearing the kimono pajamas.
     和服深受老外的喜爱，有不少金发碧眼的女郎甚至穿着和服睡衣招摇过市。
     Sake is Japan's national treasure. The Japanese say sake is a gift received from god.
     清酒是日本的国粹。日本人常说，清酒是上帝的恩赐。
     Sake can be seen in large banquets, wedding ceremonies, bars and even on normal people's table.
     在大型的宴会上，结婚典礼中，在酒吧间或寻常百姓的餐桌上，人们都可以看到清酒。
     There are more than 2000 sake factories throughout the Japan, the many well-known sake factories are concentrated in Kobe of Kanto and places near Kyoto.
     日本全国有大小清酒酿造厂2000余家，日本著名的清酒厂多集中在关东的神户和京都附近。
     Sake is good for skin as well as can promote blood circulation, and also have a therapeutic effect on inflammation injuries.
     清酒不仅有美肤的作用，还能促进血液循环，对外伤发炎也有治疗作用。
     More than 17 kinds of amino acids are contained in sake, including 8 kinds of human essential amino acids which can not be synthesized by ourselves.
     清酒含有17种以上的氨基酸，其中包括8种人体所必需且不能合成的氨基酸。
     People are paying more and more attention to the inorganic ions in sake.
     清酒中的无机离子越来越受到重视。
     Sake gets minerals from raw materials of millet and mineral water.
     清酒从原料小米和矿泉水中得到矿物质。