Matsuya Sake Brewing Company is located in Fujioka City in southwestern Gunma Prefecture, bordering on Saitama Prefecture. The sake “Ruka,” which uses water from the Kannagawa and Ayukawa Rivers that gushes from the Mikabo Sankei mountain range, which is ideal for sake brewing, is attracting attention as an original sake created by the enthusiasm of the sixth generation brewer, Hiroyuki Matsubara, who is also the toji, the president of the company.

The Sixth Generation Envisions a New Gunma Sake

Fujioka City in Gunma Prefecture has a mild climate with mountainous terrain in the west and the Kanto Plain in the east. Matsuya Sake Brewery, which has been producing sake here since 1951, was originally founded as a rice wholesaler in Toyama Prefecture during the Edo period and began brewing sake in the late Meiji era. The brewery later moved to Fujioka City in Gunma Prefecture, which is close to the large market of Tokyo and blessed with a natural environment, and has been making sake that is suited to the locality of Gunma. After the previous master brewer retired due to old age, Hiroyuki Matsubara, the sixth generation brewer and president of the company, became the master brewer himself and has been involved in production ever since. With a production of only 250 koku, the small brewery produces sake that is made by hand in the traditional way, with a modern approach that is in tune with the times, offering a new kind of Gunma sake.

Returning to his hometown to fulfill the role of the eldest son, the sixth generation

Born and raised in a sake brewery, Matsubara was not interested in sake making as a child, and after graduating from college, he began working for a street brand to pursue a career in fashion. He decided to return to his parents’ home and take over the family brewery.

He said, “At one time I ran away from home to do something different from the family business, but since I am the eldest son, I decided to take over the family business. I had a sense of fulfillment from having done what I loved in the outside world, so I honestly thought I would return to my parents’ house and do my best.

At the time, however, we were in the midst of the shochu boom. The brewery mainly produced sake for celebratory occasions such as elections and weddings, but Mr. Matsubara felt that this alone would eventually make it difficult to run the business. However, he felt that this would eventually become too difficult to manage. Since he was taking over the brewery, he wanted to make sake that would be sold at restaurants, and he began to think about creating his own original sake at the brewery.

I want to make Gunma sake that fits the times.

Mr. Matsubara joined Matsuya Sake Brewery and began learning sake brewing from scratch at the brewery. At the same time, in order to create his own original sake, he went to study at the “Red Brick Sake Brewery” in Oji, Tokyo (now the National Institute of Sake Brewing), which has contributed to the development of sake brewing in Japan, and learned from senior brewers at Gunma Prefecture’s technical exchange meetings.

At the time, the generation older than myself favored dry sake, and many of the breweries around us were producing it. However, as the number of senior brewers I met at the engineer exchange meetings and the number of brewers of the same younger generation as myself increased, the trend of sake preferred in the market started to change. The fruity, aromatic sake that I like is getting more attention.

In his search for sake that suited the times, he went to restaurants recommended by a toji he respected, read books, and actively sought advice. He was advised that “marketing is important, but at the end of the day, your own feelings are important,” and he decided to create a fruity, fresh sake that was becoming popular and had a flavor he wanted to drink.

Deciding on a Brand Name from a Child’s Name Candidate

Mr. Matsubara decided that if he was going to make his own original sake, he wanted it to be fragrant and fruity, close to the kind of sake he had always dreamed of making. He imagined the taste of sake like “Jyushiyo” and “Houbiden,” which he had been shocked by when he drank them, and through a process of trial and error, he came up with the ideal name for the sake. When he brought the sake to the distributor, he was advised by the Matsuya Brewery to think carefully about branding if it was to be a new brand.

At the time, I had just had a baby, and I was thinking of a name for my child, and I found a name that fit the image of the sake I wanted to make, “Nagare Shine. We named our new sake brand “Ryu-ki”.

In addition to the existing brands “Tosei” and “Hiraijo,” the new brand name “Nagareki” has been added to the existing brands, and the brewery has launched its own brand. The words on the “Ryuki” label were written thousands of times by Mr. Matsubara himself, he says.

Sake brewing that takes advantage of the quality of the water

When making Nagareki, Mr. Matsubara’s first image was of a sake that would be enjoyed for its aroma. However, the sake produced in Fujioka did not have as much of an aroma as he had expected. The sake made in Fujioka, however, does not have as much aroma as one might expect, and yet it has a slightly citrusy, acidic flavor, he says.

We dig a well in the groundwater of the Kannryu and Ayukawa Rivers and use it as brewing water,” he said. The water is very soft, with a German hardness of about 6. For rice, we use Yamada-Nishiki and other sake rice suitable for our brewery, such as Niigata’s Gohyakumangoku.

At first, he had a hard time producing the sake he envisioned. As he repeatedly experimented with different types of rice and yeast and their compatibility with water based on various data, he gradually began to see changes in the taste of his sake. It was not the fragrant, fruity sake that he wanted to make, but he began to see the characteristics of Fujioka, a sake with a subdued aroma and a slightly citrus-like acidity that the region produced. I am now thinking of making “Ryuki” in a way that makes the most of this character.

Sake made with the same routine

Matsuya Brewery is a small brewery with only five employees, including part-time workers. Because of the small number of employees, the brewery takes a longer production period, and they are conscious of following the same routine every year to keep the rhythm of the brewing process.

Although we have a small number of employees, we produce sake in small batches, sticking to traditional handmade methods in order to produce higher quality sake. In particular, the pressing process is carried out slowly and under pressure using an old-fashioned machine that has been handed down from generation to generation, resulting in a clean and gentle sake quality.

The traditional technique of koji making, which easily affects the flavor of sake, is employed. Steamed sake rice is exposed outdoors and exposed to wind to evaporate the moisture, while controlling the temperature to the desired level. In order to allow the fermentation of unrefined sake to proceed slowly at low temperatures, the rice is pounded for more than 50 hours to allow the mycelium to reach the center of the rice, producing a clean koji that matches the quality of the sake.

He began to think about pursuing refined sake by using traditional koji making that is not influenced by trends, and by changing the flavor of the sake by combining the two.

Creating sake that can be handled by restaurants

In branding Ryuki, Mr. Matsubara says that he had a strong desire for the sake to be sold in restaurants. He also tried a different approach to the sales of sake than what the brewery had been doing until now.

We decided to limit the distribution of “Ryuki” to only those dealers who are willing to sell it to us. We chose only those distributors who were willing to sell our sake, and we are still doing business with them today.

Limited distribution has the advantage of increasing the value of the brand and differentiating it. However, it also has the disadvantage of not being able to market the product unless the distributors approve of it.

When Ryuki was just starting out, there were few dealers who would accept his brand, and he was sometimes turned away, told to “go study more. There was even a distributor who finally accepted our brand after three years of trying,” says Matsubara.

Ryuki,” a brand created with his own ingenuity

Nagare Kiki” was created with the image of a fresh, fruity flavor that would flow and shine in the mouth, and it is now turning out to be exactly what the name implies.

There are still things I need to work on, but after 17 years of making “Ryu-Kiki,” I think I’ve gotten about 50% closer to what I’m aiming for,” he said. I think I am getting better and better, but in order to raise it another 50 percent, I think I need more experience, more ideas, and more effort than I am capable of at the moment.

Two years after taking over the Matsuya Brewery, he launched his own brand, Ryuki, which became popular mainly among restaurants, just as Mr. Matsubara had hoped, and is now gaining fans among the general public as well. The experience of creating an original brand from scratch, which Mr. Matsubara has been dealing with ever since he became toji, has had a positive impact on the other sake that Matsuya Brewery has been making for many years, and the future of this small brewery is beginning to look brighter.

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Lacquered technology using handwork

Kiso Artech products are characterized by using high quality kiso wood and traditional lacquering techniques. The company continues to present various ideas, from furniture to architectural space design. They also participated in Nakata’s ”ReVALUE NIPPON Project” in 2015. Under the theme of ”Lacquer”, and in collaboration with Nakata, the company produced a lacquerware bathtub and showed off Japan’s high technique to the world. ”Lacquerware is similar to human skin. Some people worry that it might be too slippery, but actually the surface of a lacquered bathtub would feel as if it adheres to you, like human skin,” explained Hirochika Saito, a formative designer and the representative of the company.

Completely waterproof and fireproof lacquered Washi

Saito showed us a wooden wine aerator that is said to enhance the taste of delicious wine. When wine is poured from the top, air comes in from the cut in the center, oxidizing the wine to make the taste mellow. Nakata observed curiously and said, ”I’d really like to try it right away!”.
Next, Nakata was introduced to a rare lacquered ”washi”. ”Beautiful,” Nakata commented on its breathtaking beauty. ”By coating lacquer on it, paper becomes completely waterproof. So it can be used for bathrooms and kitchens,” explained Saito. It has been certified as fireproof material, so it can also be used for the interior of large-scale structures. Currently, lacquered papers are used as wallpaper in airport lounges and foreign-affiliated hotels.

Craftsmanship that can not be imitated by machine

At the workshop. we were allowed to observe lacquer craftsman at work. ”Is it better to have some unevenness of paint to add the human touch, or not?” Nakata inquired. Saito replied, ”I think it is better to have some unevenness. Lacquer painting depends on the craftsman’s sensitivity.” A carpenter was smoothing the surface of wood using a plane. Saito told us the importance of handwork. ”Working with a plane requires the skill of carpenters. You can use a belt sander to shave wood, but it creates small fuzz, and the surface will feel rough. Working with plane is hard and requires skill.”

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Two kinds of “washing”

Isojiman Shuzo is in Yaizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, close to Izu Peninsula and Mount Fuji, facing Suruga Bay. In the southwest flows Oi River which originates from Mount Ainotake (Famous 100 Mountains of Japan), one of the three Shirane mountains of the South Japan Alps, providing the water that is essential to sake brewing. When Nakata asked the President, Yoji Shiraoka, the most important steps when making sake, he answered ”The two ’washings’ are important. The rice has to be thoroughly washed, and the bag used for squeezing in the last step must also be thoroughly cleaned. If the bag is dirty, 50 days worth of work is ruined.” he explained. The squeezing bag is used for squeezing the fermented mash, separating the liquid (sake) from the solid (rice lees).

Harmony of carefully selected sake rice and pure water

After thoroughly washing the rice, it is steamed and cooled to a specific temperature using a cooling machine. The cooled rice is brought to the ”koji” room, and is sprinkled with ”koji” mold. Nakata was given the opportunity to sprinkle ”koji” mold on the steamed rice. As he carefully sprinkled, he expressed his surprise saying ”It’s hard to believe this powder causes fermentation.” The ”koji” room is kept at 30 to 35℃ in order for the ”koji” mold to grow. They use carefully selected rice such as Yamada Nishiki from the Tojo region which is a special A district in Hyogo Prefecture, or Aiyama or Gohyaku Mangoku from Aiyama. Both are preferred rice for brewing ”sake”.

Sake with good aftertaste even with low acidity

We tasted ”Isojiman Tokubetsu Junmai Omachi” which won a first prize in the ”Junmaishu” division. Nakata slowly took a sip of the ”sake” in the glass, tasted it, confirmed the taste and aroma, and said ”It has a well balanced, crisp taste.” The fruity aroma goes well with not only Japanese food, but also French and Italian cuisine. ”Sake” with acidic taste is popular, but President Teraoka said, ”There is no point in copying others. We can make a ”sake” with good aftertaste even though it has less acidity. Balance of good aroma and taste is everything.”

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Mount Izumigatake – In pursuit of better “sake” brewing

Katsuyama Supreme SAKE co.,Ltd was founded in 1688 during the Edo period. It was created to brew ”sake” for lords of the Sendai Domain, and since then has been brewing ”sake” suitable for the feudal lords of Sendai Date clan. Ten years ago, the company moved from the a location within the local town to the nature rich foot of Mount Izumigatake. The twelfth master brewer, Heizo Izawa commented that ”to brew better sake, a new production facility and a new brewery was necessary,” reflecting on the relocation. The area is a grain-producing region where paddy fields spread out. ”This area is said to have delicious water since the ancient days”, says Izawa. The spring water of Mount Izumigatake is polished over time, becoming a soft pure water, and is used as preparation water for Katsuyama’s ”sake”.

Thin and light, simple yet unique bowls

Normally a brewer will produce 7 tanks of ”sake” in a week, but at Katsuyama, only 1 tank is produced per week. ”To make good sake, the most important thing is to adopt a meticulous method that we are confident of. In the previous brewery, we had to adopt ”hijimai” method, and we decided it was difficult to make top class ”sake”” says Izawa. ”Hijimai” is a brewing method that produces one tank of ”moromi” per day.
Now only one tank of ”sake” is produced per week. Izawa says ”once we became accustomed to this pace, we realized it was the best method to produce top class sake. We devote our time to this production, and when it is to our satisfaction, we can move on to the next task. In total, this method produces the best sake.”

Smooth to the palate and full of flavor

First Prize Winner of the ”Junmai Ginjo” division, ”Katsuyama Junmai Ginjo Ken” is, according to Izawa, ”smooth to the palate, and at first it seems light but is full bodied ”umami”.” Nakata’s impression when he tasted the ”sake” was that ”the ”umami” gradually increases in the mouth, but it has well-rounded aftertaste.” Katsuyama has always pursued ”sake” that is a great accompaniment to food. Seiji Yamamoto, the guest presenter and chef at Japanese cuisine ”Ryugin” said ”you can feel the purity of the rice. I think it will go well with lean white fish.”

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“Sake” with distinctive taste “Aizu Chujo”

The well established Tsurunoe Shuzo Co., Ltd. was founded in 1794, and is located within the city of Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture. In the early Meiji era, the name was changed to ”Tsurunoe” after the Tsurugajo Castle and Inawashiro Lake, which are symbols of Aizu. They started making ”Aizu Chujo” from 1977, to honor the rank of the first clan leader, Lieutenant General Masayuki Hoshina (the brother of Iemitsu Tokugawa). In recent years, they have also begun making a new ”sake” called ”Yuri”, which is the name of general manager, Toshihiro Mukai’s wife. Skilled ”toji” and the cold climate help create the delicious ”sake” which is made with local rice and underground water from Mount Bandai.

Made with great care and effort, in pursuit of the ideal

The mother, Keiko Hayashi, and the wife, Yuri are in charge of the ”koji” room where we observed their work. We also observed the ”sake” being heated for sterilization and to stop enzymes from making the ”sake” deteriorate. Every step is done by hand, and we could see that they expended much time and care. When we asked Mukai what kind of taste he was aiming for, he answered, ”When you take a sip, there should definitely be able to taste the sweetness of the rice, and when you swallow it, that taste should quickly fade away. That’s the kind of taste I strive for.” Nakata nodded as he commented ”I agree wholeheartedly.”

Exquisite sake tastes sweet and sharp

”Aizu Chujo Pure Rice Special Brew Sake” sold out the day after results for the SAKE COMPETITION was announced.
They’ve won many prizes in the past, but this time, they were very surprised at the magnitude of the response. When Nakata tried the sake, he gave high praise commenting that ”It has a good balance of sweetness and sharpness.” When Nakata asked ”Does placing first add pressure?”, Mukai answered ”I’ll continue to challenge myself. I’ll keep striving to make the ideal ”sake”and will compete to win again next year. I’m hoping for a consecutive win.”

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Tobacco, a form of hospitality, “Kiseru” a reflection of originality

”Kiseru” is a traditional Japanese smoking pipe with 400-year history. One packs cut tobacco into the small round dish at the end, it is then lit and smoked. It was the only decorative accessory for men in Edo to Meiji eras. ”Kiseru” are often decorated with delicate carvings showing unique Japanese aesthetics. For the people of Edo era, ”kiseru” was a reflection of a person’s character. There was a ”tobacco culture” where people would take to collecting stylish ”kiseru” and tobacco pouches. In those days, it was said ”when entertaining a guest, offer tobacco before tea.” Tobacco was valued in the society and had an important role in entertaining and extending hospitality.

“Kiseru” and people both grow by forging them

”Kiseru” differ from cigarettes in that one needs to place cut tobacco into the small dish at the end. Light the tobacco, take a few puffs, then tap the pipe at the edge of an ashtray to knock out the ashes. Do not smoke until all the tobacco turn into ash. There is a certain sophisticated air to smoking ”kiseru,” it is tasteful and cool. The main material needed to make ”kiseru” is pure silver. The flat metal sheet is gradually rounded into the shape of the ”kiseru.” Silver is basically a soft metal but as it is forged into shape, the metal hardens. ”The more it is stricken, it becomes stronger, just like people. It’s never good to take the easy road,” Iizuka smiles.

A craftsman’s technique – the one and only “kiseru” craftsman Noboru Iizuka

Tsubame-city in Niigata developed with the metal working industry since the Edo era. It was one of the major ”kiseru” manufacturing cities. But as time passed, production declined, and currently, Noboru Iizuka of Iizuka Metal is the only ”kiseru” craftsman existing today. Iizuka is 72 years old. He is the sole bearer of ”kiseru” culture. Iizuka once was an office worker but after retirement at 60, he restarted to make ”kiseru.” He devotes all his energy to making ”kiseru” to spread ”kiseru’s” existence and to prevent it from being buried in history.

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Pioneer in selling “Yuzoshu”, forerunner’s pride

”’Taiyo Shuzo,’ one of premier ”sake” brewers in Niigata, was established subsequent to 14 local breweries merging soon after the war during a period when the number of breweries were dwindling due to rice shortage. According to history, the company was first established as Kaetsumeijo K.K., with their primary label being ”Koshi-no Tamashi.” Five years later, they changed their company name to Taiyo Sake Brewery Co., Ltd. with their primary label, ”Taiyozakari.” Each of the 14 original breweries had their own long established history and tradition. One of the former breweries was established in 1635, even before ”The Life of an Amorous Woman (Koshoku Ichidai Onna)” (1686) was published. Taiyo Sake Brewery is famous for being first in the industry to sell ”ginjoshu” commercially. Ever since selling the very first ”Daiginjo Taiyozakari,” their numbered client list has become a company treasure.

A brewery that pursues quality first and the traditional taste of “sake”

”Tokubetsu Honjozo Koshi-no Shoro” is made with ”Niigata Ginjo #9,” yeast for ”ginjoshu” and carefully selected ingredients. The brand name is derived from ”Matsu-no Tsuyu,” a label from one of the original breweries before the merger. It is one of Taiyo Shuzo’s driest ”sake” featuring dry clear taste. ”Daiginjo ’Taiyo-zakari’” is made entirely with 60% milled ”Koshitanrei” rice, especially developed for ”sake” by Niigata Prefecture. The taste is crisp and fruity. ”Taiyo Shuzo” has strived to produce good tasting ”sake” and have won many awards. They won their first award at the First Kanto-Shinetsu Sake Awards in 1953. They also won awards at National Sake Competition, National Research Institute of Brewing (NRIB) Annual Japan Sake Awards (gold prize) and won first place as Niigata representative for three consecutive years at Kanto-Shinetsu Sake Awards.

Made with carefully chosen ingredients from Niigata’s abundant nature

”Taiyo Sake Brewery” have been using only rice grown in Niigata for the past five to six years since they started to use ”Koshitanrei.” It is said to be an ideal kind of rice for making ”sake” developed by crossing ”Yamadanishiki” and ”Gohyakumangoku” and is grown by the ”toji” himself. The preparation water is groundwater originating from the meltwater of Asahi Mountain Range in Bandai Asahi National Park. The water is said to take several hundred years to filter through naturally. It is classified as ”ultra-soft water” and ”sake” made with this water is mellow compared to other ”sake” made in Niigata. Niigata is blessed with abundant nature such as Echigo Mountains and Shinano River. As one of the first commercial sellers of ”ginjoshu,” ”Taiyo Shuzo” will continue to produce flavorful sake which incorporates Niigata’s rich nature.

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