Murayusyu Brewery” Breathing New Life into the Market
Located in central to northern Niigata Prefecture, the Echigo Plain is a beautiful expanse of rice paddies, and in a small town along the Shinano River, which flows through the center of the plain, lies the Murayusyu Brewery. The company was founded in 1943, starting with the production of wine during the war. The company uses 100% Niigata rice and draws soft spring water from a side well dug in the mountains about 2 km away. The brewery produces about 300 koku (1 koku = 180 liters). Although not a large brewery, it has many strong fans both within and outside of Niigata Prefecture, including the long-loved “Hanakoshiji” series and the “Murayuke” series of limited distribution sake.
A major topic when discussing the Murayuke Sake Brewery is the fact that it dared to try a sweet sake, bringing a breath of fresh air to the market during the local sake boom, when “light and dry” was the norm for Niigata sake. The “Murayu” series, brewed with the image of the fine, clear, elegant sweetness of wasanbon sugar used in high-class Japanese confectionaries, was well received for its sweetness and crisp taste, and greatly changed the image of Niigata sake, which at the time was all about light, dry sake. The series is also a popular brand among locals at izakayas (Japanese-style pubs) in Niigata Prefecture.
We want people to enjoy sake freely.
Kensuke Murayama, the third generation toji (master brewer) of the brewery, has been working at the brewery for one year since he graduated from school. At the age of 22, his first brew, “Hanakoshiji,” won a gold medal at the National New Sake Competition and attracted a lot of attention at a young age. However, not everything was smooth sailing after that. There were times when he almost lost confidence in his sake brewing skills because of the lack of success. At one point, however, Mr. Murayama decided to stop focusing on the sake’s reputation at sake competitions. He realized that the quality of sake is not determined by the judges, but by the customers. He also questioned the tendency to judge the value of sake by looking at the specifications on the label. When people drink sake based on their knowledge and preconceived notions, they tend to look for rough edges, no matter how good the sake is. He believes that sake should be enjoyed more freely and happily, and has decided to follow his own path of sake brewing with confidence, keeping everything but the alcohol content private.
Sake made by his own hands is the only sake he sends out.
With the exception of shipping, Mr. Murayama is directly involved in all aspects of sake brewing. Since the retirement of the previous toji, Mr. Murayama has taken over the role of toji and is in charge of the brewery. Therefore, no matter how popular a product may be, the amount that can be produced is limited. This is because they want to send out only sake that has been carefully and deliberately brewed under the watchful eye of Mr. Murayama. There are times when he is unable to meet delivery deadlines, causing liquor stores to wait. However, Mr. Murayama is not interested in mass production. He does not seek a uniform taste like that of industrial products. Even if customers always want the same taste, he says, the taste of sake will change slightly when the tanks are changed, even if the sake is brewed the same way on the same day. He wants his customers to accept this. Instead, Mr. Murayama never cuts corners. He sharpens his own senses and is dedicated to producing high quality sake in small quantities. This is the Murayu Sake Brewery’s way of making sake. When asked about his future as a sake brewer, Mr. Murayama smiles calmly and says, “I want to live a quiet life from now on, and I’m getting a little tired of making sake. He says he doesn’t like to fly and doesn’t travel far for business. He is aloof, happy to live in the moment, and friendly. His personality is the same as that of the sake he makes.
The “good sake” that Mr. Murayama makes
The most important thing is how you feel when you drink the sake, whether it is sweet or spicy,” says Murayama. I value the softness on the palate, the sharpness, and the clean feeling when you drink it because it is something you put into your body,” says Murayama.
The sweetness of the “Murayu” series differs depending on the label. The balance between sugar and alcohol is adjusted by controlling the fermentation speed. The more sugar in the same amount of alcohol, the higher the cost, a difference that is easy for drinkers to understand.
Hanakoshiji,” which has been a local favorite since its establishment, is a little less sweet than the Murayu series. Aiming for what is considered “good sake” in the traditional sense, it is characterized by its clean, soft, and refreshing aftertaste. It is like a treasured child that Mr. Murayama has been brewing with great care since the time he started sake brewing.
What is the true way to enjoy sake?
Not to worry about some kind of evaluation, and moreover, not to rank sake or to drink it as if you were trying to determine the quality of the product. It is to enjoy the food you eat together and the conversations you have with the people you spend time with. Instead, it is about letting the time go by while feeling the joy of drinking sake, purely, freely, and in accordance with the atmosphere of the moment. Enjoying such a natural and exquisite time is the secret to enjoying Murayu’s sake. We hope that you will once enjoy the space created by such unpretentious sake.
