Is 'nama-zume' a legally defined term in sake production?

The term 'nama-zume' is associated with sake that is not pasteurized before bottling. While it is widely used in the sake industry to describe this specific style of sake, it is not legally defined within the framework of sake regulations. This means that there is no official legal standard governing the use of the term, leading to potential variations in its application and interpretation among producers.

The absence of a legal definition allows for flexibility in how nama-zume can be produced and marketed. For instance, different breweries may opt to apply the term to their unpasteurized sake without adhering to strict criteria, which is a key point that supports the notion that it is not a legally defined term.

In contrast, other sake terms and classifications, such as ‘junmai’ or ‘ginjo,’ have specific legal requirements that must be met to use those designations. Hence, the nature of nama-zume serves to illustrate the wider spectrum of sake production nomenclature that is not uniformly regulated by law.