High Life

78 品 中 田英寿职业生涯驰骋国际足坛 多年，直到退役，他才终于踏 上归途，开始深入了解自己的国土。 现年四十岁的中田英寿被广泛视 为日本有史以来最伟大的足球运动 员，曾77 次代表国家队出征。他对 精良葡萄酒的热爱在意大利踢球八 年期间得以步步升华，最终引领他 开启了对日本清酒的探索。 中田与《品》在永利皇宫见面时 称：“我退役后开始在日本各地旅 行，因为我想要了解日本文化。 “我驾车去了所有47个都道府 县，拜访当地工匠、农民及酒厂，从 当地人那里加深了对日本文化的理 解。 “我在意大利生活了很长一段 时间，以前喝葡萄酒比清酒多。每 H idetoshi Nakata spent an entire career traveling the world, but it wasn’t until he retired that he finally traveled his own country. Widely considered to be Japan’s greatest ever footballer with 77 caps for the national team, Nakata’s love of finewine – refined during his eight years spent playing domestically in Italy – eventually led him on a mission to discover more about the famed Japanese rice drink saké. “When I retired from football I started traveling around Japan because I wanted to learn about Japanese culture,” the 40-year-old tells High Life when we meet at Wynn Palace. “I actually traveled to all 47 prefectures by car, visiting local 每有时间，我都会去意大利参观酒 庄。但我对清酒酿制也一直颇有兴 趣，它与葡萄酒酿制非常相似，我 很希望能更加深入地了解其背后的 历史。” 然而，中田远不止是单纯地去欣 赏清酒酿制艺术，而是很快对这个 行业着迷不已，并于2013年发布了 自己的品牌「N」纯米大吟酿，这是 一款与山形县有着四百年历史的高 木酒造协力打造的高端清酒。 中田意识到整个清酒行业的一大 问题，那就是，人们在全球范围内 和在日本国内对清酒的不同认知， 之后才有了「N」的诞生。 这位足坛传奇人物解释说：“日 本以外地区的需求在增长，而在日 本国内的需求却逐渐下降。 craftsmen, local farmers and local saké makers so I could find out more about Japanese culture from the locals. “I lived in Italy for a long time and I used to drink more wine than saké, so whenever I had time I would visit winemakers in Italy. But I was always interested in saké making too. The act of saké making is very similar to wine making and I was fascinated to find out more about the history behind it.” More than simply appreciating the art, however, Nakata quickly found himself immersed in the industry and in 2013 he released his own brand, “N” – a premium saké created in partnership with 400-year-old Yamagata brewery Takagi Shuzo.