also: すぎたま
noun
sakabayashi; cedar ball hung at sake breweries
A traditional ornament made from bundled Japanese cedar sprigs, hung under the eaves of sake breweries to indicate that new sake is ready. Also known as 杉玉 (すぎたま).
See also: 杉玉
酒蔵の軒先に新しい酒林が吊るされていた。
A new sakabayashi was hung under the eaves of the sake brewery.
酒林が青々としているうちは、まだ
While the sakabayashi is still green, the new sake is not yet ready.
Synonym for 酒林; both refer to the same cedar-ball ornament. 杉玉 is more descriptive ('cedar ball'), while 酒林 is the traditional term used in the sake industry.
Compound of 酒 (sake) and 林 (grove, forest), referring to the ball of cedar sprigs that resembles a small forest. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it has been used since the Edo period as a sign of new sake.