Those are indeed sake barrels. When displayed near a Shinto shrine, such barrels are called kazaridaru ("decoration barrels"). That is, the barrels on display are empty.
"In Japan, sake has always been a way of bringing our gods and people together," says Tetsuo Hasuo of the Japan Sake Brewers Association. "In some of this country's oldest texts the word used for sake is miki, written with the characters for 'god' and 'wine.' People would go a shrine festival and be given rice wine to drink, and they would feel happy and closer to the gods."
Gioia, riso e spirito di-vino. Who wouldn't like a religious celebration like this?
