Below is an example of the sake brewing process. The Sakahan brewery in Osaka has graciously allowed us to visit their facilities to explain how a modern sake brewery works.

Step 1: Polishing The rice grains are first run through a milling machine that strips away the outer (and some of the inner) layers to expose the starchy cores.  These milling rates are the determining factor on what category the sake will fall under (i.e. Junmai Dai Ginjo).
Step 2: Washing The rice is then washed to remove excess particles  and protein residuals that still remain after milling. These impurities would otherwise affect the quality and taste of the brew.
Step 3: Soaking The newly polished rice is then soaked for a specific amount of time  in order to add moisture to the grain which will aid the steaming process.
Step 4: Steaming Steam helps to bring out the starch molecules in the grain as well as help to sterilize.
Step 5: Saccharification Koji mold is sprinkled on and carefully massaged into a portion of the rice to convert the starch to sugar.
Step 6: Moto or Yeast Starter A yeast starter (made of water, koji rice, yeast, and in most cases, lactic acid) is added to "super-charge" fermentation.
Step 7: Moromi aka "The Main Mash" Saccharification and fermentation (multiple parallel fermentation) occur simultaneously when all of the  ingredients are added in specific amounts and at the right stages.
Step 8: Pressing Unfermented rice particles are removed from the liquid.
Step 9: Filtering In most cases, the liquid is then charcoal filtered to remove unwanted and damaging elements.
Step 10: Pasteurization Unless the sake is a nama, it is either flash steamed in the bottle or  run through a pipe submerged in super-heated water at least two times.
Step 11: Dilluting Many breweries add filtered water to the end product to bring the alcohol content down to a more manageable 15% from 20%. Not all sakes are diluted in this manner though, for example, Genshu brews are not.
Step 12: Bottling and Labeling The bottles are filled, labeled, and sent out to be enjoyed by the world!

Below is an example of the sake brewing process. The Sakahan brewery in Osaka has graciously allowed us to visit their facilities to explain how a modern sake brewery works.

Step 1: Polishing The rice grains are first run through a milling machine that strips away the outer (and some of the inner) layers to expose the starchy cores.  These milling rates are the determining factor on what category the sake will fall under (i.e. Junmai Dai Ginjo).
Step 2: Washing The rice is then washed to remove excess particles  and protein residuals that still remain after milling. These impurities would otherwise affect the quality and taste of the brew.
Step 3: Soaking The newly polished rice is then soaked for a specific amount of time  in order to add moisture to the grain which will aid the steaming process.
Step 4: Steaming Steam helps to bring out the starch molecules in the grain as well as help to sterilize.
Step 5: Saccharification Koji mold is sprinkled on and carefully massaged into a portion of the rice to convert the starch to sugar.
Step 6: Moto or Yeast Starter A yeast starter (made of water, koji rice, yeast, and in most cases, lactic acid) is added to "super-charge" fermentation.
Step 7: Moromi aka "The Main Mash" Saccharification and fermentation (multiple parallel fermentation) occur simultaneously when all of the  ingredients are added in specific amounts and at the right stages.
Step 8: Pressing Unfermented rice particles are removed from the liquid.
Step 9: Filtering In most cases, the liquid is then charcoal filtered to remove unwanted and damaging elements.
Step 10: Pasteurization Unless the sake is a nama, it is either flash steamed in the bottle or  run through a pipe submerged in super-heated water at least two times.
Step 11: Dilluting Many breweries add filtered water to the end product to bring the alcohol content down to a more manageable 15% from 20%. Not all sakes are diluted in this manner though, for example, Genshu brews are not.
Step 12: Bottling and Labeling The bottles are filled, labeled, and sent out to be enjoyed by the world!