”Umenishiki Yamakawa” is a very famous brewery which is known to every lover of Japanese ”sake”. The brewery has won the Golden Prize 30 times at the Annual Japan Sake Awards, a great achievement indeed.
It was founded in 1872, so it is an establishment with a long history, which will be celebrating 150th anniversary in a few years’ time. The brew master, Fukuhei Yamane, was chosen as ”The Contemporary Master Craftsman” in 1993, so the quality of their products is guaranteed.
Tradition can sometimes be something that must be ”preserved”, but at ”Umenishiki Yamakawa”, the desire is more for ”making good ”sake””. Therefore, they rationalize the procedures which can be rationalized by introduction of machinery, and the surplus manpower is concentrated in the work that only human can do. It is only possible because they know it thoroughly that it is the subtlety of human senses, which make it possible to produce good ”sake”.
Make delicious sake for more people
The production of local beer is another developmental outcome of Umenishiki Yamakawa. Taking advantage of the know-how accumulated over many years in sake production, the company began producing and selling local beer since 1995. It has received high praises, such as winning the Gold Award at the “Japan Asia Beer Cup” which is said to be the most prestigious contest in Asia.
”The desire to make good sake”- That desire may be what makes the tradition of 150 years something to inherit and ”develop” rather than just a thing to ”preserve”.
