"In the pre-war era when itinerant home-remedy salesman still wandered the country, they had a traditional patter for selling a potion that was supposed to be particularly effective in treating burns and cuts. A toad with four legs in front and six behind would be placed in a box with mirrors lining the four walls. The toad, amazed at its own appearance from every angle, would break into an oily sweat. This sweat would be collected and simmered for 3,721 days while being stirred with a willow branch. The result was the marvelous potion."
Akira Kurosawa, Something Like An Biography
Like everyone in Japan, Akira Kurosawa was gifted in turning an otherwise hogwash into eternal brilliance. Contrary to the mundane English translation above, the title of the legendary director's biography in Japanese is uncannily named 蛤蟆の油, literally means The Sweat of Toad.
Driving the AK100 and his cinematic black power to the max, we have a black sake (added with bamboo charcoal) from sake label Shirataki (lit. the White Waterfall) from the Akita Prefecture, of which is called "Dokuro".
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