Pure clarity and a first taste of deliciousness. The craft saké brewed by haccoba-Craft Sake Brewery in Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, instantly captivates you. The representative of the brewery, Taisuke Sato, lightly enjoys the experimental and free brewing of sake in the area he has moved to. The young brewer has a big dream to go global with craft saké and a passion for the region’s reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Sake brewing from scratch in Minamisoma, where reconstruction efforts are underway

haccoba-Craft Sake Brewery” (haccoba) was established in February 2021 under the concept of “a sake brewery that grows together. The brewery, which was renovated from a 50-year-old house, is located in Odakaku, Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, an area where all residents were temporarily evacuated due to the nuclear power plant accident after the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

In fact, my birthday is March 11. I was living in Saitama at the time of the disaster, and every year on my birthday, I feel frustrated that I have done nothing to help the affected areas, and I wanted to someday engage in activities that would help the recovery of the region,” he says.

Enthralled by the Beauty of Fermentation Culture, Entered the Sake Brewing Business

After getting hooked on sake as a university student, Mr. Sato worked for an IT company after graduation, and later found a “sake start-up” at a company he changed jobs at. There, he learned that he, too, could create a new sake brewery, and he set his sights on opening a sake brewery where he could make his living from the sake he loves. The reason for this, he says, “was because I was impressed by the beauty and depth of fermentation culture through my favorite sake.

In opening the business, he was once again impressed by the “world’s best tasting sake” after drinking it at an izakaya. He visited Abe Shuzo (Kashiwazaki City, Niigata Prefecture), the brewer of REGULUS sake, which is known for the Koshino-Oyama and Abe series of sake, and learned sake brewing techniques. After one year of training, he established his own sake brewery at his current location at the age of 27.

Sato was positive about starting from scratch as a local sake brewery, and his encounter with Tomoyuki Wada, the head of Odaka Workers Base, who had been working to create a business in Odaka Ward, Minamisoma City since 2014, also helped accelerate the launch of haccoba. Mr. Wada introduced us to this house when we were struggling to find a good property for a sake brewery,” said Mr. Wada.

He met many people who were sincerely involved in the regional development and reconstruction of the areas affected by the nuclear power plant disaster, and the fact that there were many people who supported him was also a deciding factor in his decision to choose this location. The support for starting a business from the local government also brought a sense of security. In addition, his wife, Mizuki, is from Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, which made him feel more familiar with the area.

Today, in Minamisoma’s Odaka Ward, in addition to residents who have lived there for a long time, young entrepreneurs from all over the country have come to start their own businesses, and new business and community development efforts are underway.

Craft saké,” in which the maker’s individuality shines through, is also appealing in its range.

Under the Sake Tax Law, the craft saké produced by haccoba is classified as “other brewed sake” rather than “sake,” and thus cannot be called “sake. In addition, currently, sake production licenses are rarely issued to new brewers, so the younger generation of sake brewers is finding a way to make their dreams come true in the craft saké business. Mr. Sato is one of them.

However, the Sake Tax Law will be revised in 2020, and new sake production licenses will be issued only for brewing sake to be sold for export, not for domestic distribution in Japan. We expect that these trends will lead to changes in laws and regulations in the future,” he said.

Craft Sake, a New Genre of Sake Growing in Popularity

Sake (sake) is made from strained “moromi,” a fermented mixture of rice, rice malt, and water, and there are limits to what other ingredients can be used, such as brewer’s alcohol and sugar. The process of making sake is different from that of sake.

According to the Craft Sake Brewery Association, “craft saké” is a new genre of rice-based sake that is based on sake (seishu) production technology and incorporates processes that cannot legally be employed in conventional sake. The number of sake breweries producing craft saké has been increasing in recent years, and the quality of the sake has improved dramatically, steadily expanding its popularity and power.

The strength of craft saké is the freedom to take on new challenges. Our brewery focuses on direct sales, so we can be adventurous with sake that would normally be considered difficult to sell, and we can make it fruity, dry, or smoky depending on the secondary ingredients we add, such as herbs, hops, and fruit.

A Modern Take on Folk Sake Making

There was once a time in Japan when each household enjoyed “dobrok” (the original form of sake) made from a variety of ingredients. However, since sake brewing became licensed in the Meiji era (1868-1912), it has become difficult to freely make sake. One of the purposes of haccoba’s sake brewing was to express such a folkloric way of sake making in a modern way.

One of the books that Sato loves to read and cherishes as a reference for his recipes is “The Do Brokk Treasured Book of Countries. I was intrigued by the unique and free ways of making it, such as using calahanasaw, which grows in the mountains of Tohoku, and using fruits such as millet, Japanese millet, and mountain grapes, in addition to rice,” he says. The idea of starting a sake brewery in a private home was also an extension of the home brewing process, he says.

A Small Brewery Enjoying Evolution and Change

Located in Odaka-ku, Minamisoma, is a small, 40-square-meter glass-fronted brewery, an adjoining pub (open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday by reservation only), and a store with a wide variety of products. The brewery has three 300L thermal tanks, one for brewing and one for storage, from preparation to completion.

Due to the steady increase in orders for new products since its establishment, the company is building a brewery in the neighboring town of Namie in 2023 and making sake at two locations. The standard time from preparation to completion is about one month. As soon as the tanks are empty, they begin the next round of brewing, releasing new products and collaborative products as they go along.

This year, we are trying our hand at old sake for the first time,” says Sato, smiling happily, “by keeping a close eye on the fermentation process and letting the sake mature. Always remembering to evolve and change, he takes on the challenge of sake brewing.

Passing on the baton from the producers to create safe sake with organic rice

The rice used as a raw material is one of the specialties of the company. The rice used includes “Omachi” from Nemoto Organic Farm in Minamisoma City, “Amanotsubu” from Toyoda Farm, and “Sasashigure” from Tsuchiya Farm in Inawashiro Town, all of which are contract farmers.

Beautiful ears of rice were waving in the wind in the rice paddies of Nemoto Organic Farm in Odaka-ku, Minamisoma City. Koichi Nemoto, the owner of the farm, is currently working on organic farming with his son, Gomi.

Nemoto’s rice is so delicious that I feel it naturally makes sake taste good as well,” he said. I want to pass on the baton by expressing the precious rice that is grown organically and deliciously to the maximum extent possible in the form of sake without wasting it,” says Sato.

Koichi says calmly, “It’s been 70 years since I started growing rice, but every year I treat it as if I were a first grader. Mr. Sato moved to the area and started a sake brewery, which uses the rice we grow, and also employs young local people, which helps to revitalize the community. As a sake brewery rooted in the community, haccoba is already happily connected to a multicultural and multigenerational community.

Beautiful Sake Brewed with Originality Enriches and Adds Color to Everyday Life

Starting with “Hananuta Hops,” a standard sake since its establishment, haccoba has released a succession of unique flavors and collaborative products such as “kasu [sansho lemonade],” “haccoba coffee shop,” and “Shokolashu,” which have been attracting attention.

Most of the products are 500 ml in size. The unique and cute labels have many fans and are also appreciated as gifts. The alcohol setting is set at 10-13℃ because they want even wine lovers to enjoy their wines casually. We base our wines on taste and quantity so that they can be enjoyed with meals. He often collaborates with people from other industries, sharing ideas and creating recipe designs, ultimately aiming to create an enjoyable experience through alcohol.

A taste with depth combined with native plants and trees of Fukushima

haccoba has steadily grown into a sake brewery whose name is always mentioned when “craft saké” or “botanical sake” is mentioned. haccoba’s deep flavor, which combines native plants and trees of Fukushima, is attracting attention both in Japan and abroad.

The standard sake “Hananuta Hops” is a bottle that combines the refreshing citrus aroma and clear sweetness of rice by crossing “hanamoto,” a fantastic production method handed down in Tohoku, and “dry hops,” a beer technique that extracts a gorgeous aroma. In addition to aroma hops, the brewery is particular about the use of calahanaso, a type of vine grass also known as oriental hops. The hops are boiled from a dried state, and the boiled juice is added to the brewing water to make the malt. The hops are also soaked in the tank during the latter stages of fermentation, leaving a strong aroma in the finished product. The style is a unique flavor that has been perfected by combining craft beer production methods with an awareness of reproducing the “Hana-Hashiro” style.

In 2024, the company will introduce a new series of standard sake called “zairai (indigenous). Brewed with a variety of native ingredients, the sake is made with local herbs encountered with mountain owners in the mountains of Fukushima Prefecture. For example, kaya leaves, cedar bokkuri, aburachan branches, and mugwort flowers are fermented together with rice. The finished product has a gentle aroma, a good balance of coolness and astringency, and a pleasant lingering taste.

More than 6 to 10 varieties are always available at haccoba’s store and online store, and can also be purchased and enjoyed at stores in Tokyo.

From Fukushima to the world. Challenge to open a brewery in Belgium

The next goal of haccoba, which expresses craft saké through free brewing, is to expand into Belgium. We have been working on a plan to establish a brewery in Belgium since the very beginning. Belgium is a region where each region has its own recipe for beer, and they have built a culture similar to the Japanese dobrok, so I would like to take on the challenge of creating a sake that is a fusion of our drinks,” he says enthusiastically.

With a free spirit that is reminiscent of the folkloric dobrok of the past, haccoba is aiming for the world, and we can’t wait to see what kind of delicious sake they will produce.

The post From Fukushima to the world. Taisuke Sato of “haccoba,” a company that delivers surprise and excitement with its freely conceived “craft salmon” / Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Take-no-i Shuzo, with a history of over 160 years, created a new brand, Seiko, in 2007. This sake is brewed with the flower yeast and rice that impressed the brewer during his apprenticeship, as well as Yatsugatake subterranean water drawn from a hand-dug well, from which the company’s name is derived. The toji is proud to pass on his unwavering sake brewing skills to future generations.

A long-established sake brewery that has been in business for over 150 years

There is a long-established sake brewery in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, that has been brewing sake since the end of the Edo period (Keio era) more than 160 years ago. The name “Take-no-i Sake Brewery” is derived from the character “Take” of Buzaemon Shimizu, the founder of the brewery, and “I” of a 10-meter hand-dug well fed by subterranean water from the Yatsugatake Mountains. It was 18 years ago (2007) that a new brand called “Seiko” was born at the family-run brewery, which had been producing the “Take-no-i” brand for generations. It has a refreshing and easy-to-drink taste. It is recommended to drink it chilled. The brand’s senior managing director and chief brewer, Koichiro Shimizu, is the driving force behind the Seikou brand.

The New “Seikou” Brand

Today, Take-no-i Sake Brewery is making its own unique sake while responding to the needs of the market by rebranding and trying out the latest brewing methods. However, until 18 years ago, when Mr. Shimizu returned to Hokuto City after completing his training, he was making low-priced sake, unlike today. At that time, beer and wine were on the rise, and the demand for sake was gradually decreasing with the times. So we started brewing a new type of sake to differentiate ourselves from the competition. The name of the new brand, “Seikou,” was chosen to symbolize the image of clear, clean water and the desire for the sake industry to “sparkle” in the world. The name “Seikou” was chosen to reflect the image of clear, clean water and the desire for the sake industry to “sparkle” in the world.

Tsurubara Yeast and Omachi, both of which impressed him during his apprenticeship

Yeast is an essential part of sake brewing. Yeast is a small microorganism, invisible to the naked eye, that is responsible for the alcoholic fermentation process, converting the sugar in the rice used to make sake into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Yeast is usually isolated from the sake’s unrefined sake, but Take-no-i Sake Brewery uses “hana-kobo” (flower yeast), which is isolated from flowers that bloom in the natural world. Mr. Shimizu originally studied floral yeast while a student at Tokyo University of Agriculture. He says that his experience in brewing sake with various types of flower yeast at the Raifuku Sake Brewery in Ibaraki Prefecture, where he trained after graduation, was the starting point for his current style.

He says, “It was the Tsurubara yeast that I felt was most suited for the sake I wanted to make. Tsurubara yeast is a yeast that has been successfully isolated from the vine by the Sake Brewing Laboratory of the Tokyo University of Agriculture’s Department of Brewing and Fermentation. Mr. Shimizu was impressed by the combination of Tsurubara yeast and Omachi when he was in training. He says, “Sake made with Omachi and Tsurubara yeast is unique in Japan. I think it has a taste that can only be produced here. These words reveal his unwavering confidence. When Mr. Shimizu took over as toji (master brewer), he focused on “Junmai Ginjo Omachi,” which uses Omachi sake rice produced in Okayama Prefecture, as the core product of the brand. Currently, the Seikou brand is differentiating itself by brewing with Tsurubara yeast and offering a variety of products using different varieties of sake rice.

The Growing Appeal of Seikou

When the Seikou brand was released, it was very well received by buyers for its innovative taste. On the other hand, he realized that flower yeast is still not generally recognized. He says, “I think there are many people who don’t know what yeast is in the first place,” and he doesn’t put much emphasis on promoting the distinctive flower yeast as the main ingredient.

We place importance on having people experience the taste by drinking it. I think that if people feel that this is what flower yeast is after drinking it, then the goodness of the yeast will gradually spread.

An unexpected gift from Yatsugatake

The quality of the water is very important in creating a clean, refreshing taste. Mr. Shimizu says that he places great importance on water, and that all of his sake is brewed with water from the Yatsugatake Mountains. Hokuto City, where the brewery is located, is rich in Yatsugatake subterranean water, which is pumped from a 10-meter hand-dug well that gives the brewery its name. The water is classified as soft, medium soft, medium hard, or hard depending on the concentration of calcium and magnesium in the underground water. In Japan, where the land is narrow and the slopes are steep and the water flows out to the sea quickly, the calcium and magnesium in the ground are absorbed in a short time, so the water is often soft with a low concentration. However, the subterranean water here in Yatsugatake is influenced by the complex geological strata, so it is not soft water, but medium-hard water. Tsurubara yeast has a relatively weak fermentation power, but the hardness of the water helps it, like a “source of energy,”” says Shimizu. He recalls how he felt when he first started brewing sake in this area, saying, “I was very happy that the ingredients I wanted to use and the characteristics of the region happened to match, and I was able to create the flavor I was aiming for. The land of Yatsugatake responded in an unexpected way to the craftsman’s repeated research to create delicious sake.

Unchanging, unwavering sake brewing

Mr. Shimizu’s commitment is not to change the taste of the brand. He is committed to “never changing the taste of the brand,” which means “never blurring. After many years of sake brewing, the quality of the rice and environmental factors of the year can cause the taste of the sake to gradually deviate from the ideal. The difficult point is how to keep it within the framework of “Take-no-i” and “Seikou”. In order to maintain a consistent flavor, he says, the “strong points” of the ingredients, such as the aroma, are sometimes suppressed. Why does he insist on “not changing the flavor of the brand” to such an extent? The reason is the “customers” who look forward to drinking his sake.

He says, “There are many sake brands with the same name that have completely different tastes, and if you look around the world, there are many sake brands that have changed in taste. Of course, different sake breweries have different ideas, but I believe that the first taste is the one that leaves the biggest impression on the drinker. So I don’t want to betray that impression.

Preserving the Taste for Future Generations

In 2017, there was a new change in the Take-no-i brand, which has been well-loved for many years. In addition to the existing product lineup, new “Tokutei Meisho-shu” (special name sake) such as “Junmai Ginjo” and “Tokubetsu Honjozo,” which can only be named after sake rice that meets strict conditions such as the rice polishing ratio and ingredients used, have been added to the lineup. Despite these changes, however, the company continues to make locally-oriented sake, such as using Hitogokochi, a sake rice grown in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture. Shimizu’s steadfast sake brewing style is still alive and well, not only in the “Seikou” brand, but also in the “Take-no-i” brand, where the taste has remained unchanged.

As for the future outlook, Shimizu is determined to improve the current products to increase public recognition, but he has no plans to change the flavor of the brand. The refreshing and easy-to-drink taste of Qinghuang will surely continue to be accepted in the future. I believe it will be loved for a long time and remain as a sake. Mr. Shimizu’s words are imbued with a sense of responsibility to the customers who look forward to his sake and a solid confidence in the sake he is brewing. With the trust and experience he has built up, the unchanging taste of Seikou will be passed on to future generations.

The post Take-no-i Sake Brewery” brews sake with a consistent taste using flower yeast and Yatsugatake subterranean water / Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Wakami Shuzo was founded in 1922 in Okawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture, located downstream of the Chikugo River. Named with the hope of “creating young waves” like the Chikugo River, the largest river in Kyushu, the brewery has been pioneering the deliciousness of sake in its own unique way.

Founded in the Chikugo River basin, a region famous for sake brewing

The Chikugo River, the largest river in Kyushu, flows majestically in front of the sake brewery. The Chikugo River basin, where the brewery is located, is blessed with abundant underground water sourced from Mount Aso, and the vast Chikushino Plain, which nurtures high-quality rice, stretches out. As one of Japan’s leading sake-producing regions, it developed significantly, with over 80 sake breweries in existence by the mid-Meiji period. At the same time, “Wakamiya Shuzo,” the main branch of “Imamura Honke Shuzo,” was also founded.

The origins of “Wakamiya Shuzo” date back to 1922 (Taisho 11). Three brothers from “Imamura Honke Shuzo,” which was founded in 1895 (Meiji 28), split off to start their own businesses, and one of them began sake brewing. Today, all other breweries have closed, and Wakamiya Shuzo, the sole remaining brewery, carries on the sake-making tradition of the Imamura family. Currently, the brewery is led by the fourth-generation head, Imamura Kaichiro, his sister and production manager, Imamura Yuka, and the ninth-generation master brewer, Shoji Takahiro, who are dedicated to sake production.

Shortly after production began with these three at the helm, in the 2010 brewing year (Heisei 22), the quality design of the existing “Wakami” brand was completely revamped. The brand was relaunched as a limited-release product, establishing the current structure.

The concept is “the surging wave of flavor and the lingering aftertaste.”

Amid the fierce competition among numerous sake breweries in the Chikugo River basin, Wakami Sake Brewery stands out for its exceptional craftsmanship. Since the inception of the Fukuoka Prefecture Sake Appraisal Competition in 2012 (Heisei 24), Wakami’s “Wakami Junmai Daiginjo” has won the top award, the First Governor’s Award, in every edition. This was a promising start that embodied the company’s founding vision of “creating a fresh wave in sake brewing.” At the 11th Fukuoka Prefecture Sake Appraisal Competition held in September 2023, two of the brewery’s brands, “Wakamiwa Junmai Ginjo Yamada Nishiki” and “Wakamiwa Junmai Sake,” won the same award in the Junmai Ginjo and Junmai Sake categories.

Wakami Shuzo’s concept for sake brewing is “the pushing wave of flavor and the pulling wave of aftertaste.” This refers to the taste of its signature brand, Wakami Junmai Ginjo, which bursts into the mouth like a wave of umami, then quickly recedes with a refreshing finish. Many people are captivated by this beautiful, wave-like quality of the sake.

The moisture content of the rice used for sake brewing is also carefully adjusted.

In the 2010 brewing year, the “Wakami” series was completely revamped and reborn as a limited-release product. From the outset, the brewery has been committed to creating “everyday sake that adds color to daily life.” The fourth-generation head brewer, Kaichiro Imamura, says, “Because this is sake that people drink every day, we strive to create a flavor that never gets old, making minor changes every year.”

The rice used as raw material for sake varies in characteristics even if it is the same variety and harvested in the same year. Among these, the difference in moisture content in rice, though only a fraction of 1%, significantly affects the quality of the sake. “We place great importance on reproducibility in producing good sake. Therefore, adjusting the moisture content of the rice is crucial. For example, even if the rice variety and milling degree are the same, the moisture content of the rice varies, so we measure it carefully each time and work with the master brewer to design how to express the differences and individuality between last year’s and this year’s rice in the brewing process.”

The rice used for sake is carefully selected from Fukuoka Prefecture.

The rice used by Wakami Shuzo is almost entirely grown in Fukuoka Prefecture. The three main varieties used are “Yamada Nishiki,” “Yume Ikkan,” and “Jugenmu,” all of which are rice varieties specifically suited for sake production.

“Yamada Nishiki” is carefully selected from the major production area of Itoshima in Fukuoka Prefecture. It is characterized by its elegant aroma and rich flavor, and is said to effectively express the ‘wave of flavor’ that ‘Wakami Sake Brewery’ aims to achieve. ‘Yume Ikken,’ widely used throughout Fukuoka Prefecture, is used in junmai sake with a rice polishing ratio of 50% to 70%. It has a clean taste with a light aftertaste. “Jugenmu” has a low amino acid content and few impurities. While it may seem bland, it brings out the flavor that Wakaba Shuzo aims for in its brewing process. Due to its characteristics, it dissolves well but is prone to breaking, so it is mainly used in pure rice sake polished to 65%.

“Rather than forcing the flavor to meet target values, we prioritize sake brewing that aligns with the rice’s unique characteristics,” says Mr. Imamura. In addition to rigorous moisture management, the brewery conducts regular discussions and tastings led by the head brewer, and solicits feedback from partner retailers to continuously improve the flavor.

The harmony among the brewery staff fosters the creation of fine sake.

Furthermore, we maintain strict hygiene standards by thoroughly cleaning and organizing the brewery every day, and disassembling and cleaning the brewing equipment once a week. Given the warm climate of Fukuoka, temperature control is also crucial for sake production, so we have introduced thermal tanks equipped with cooling devices that allow for precise temperature regulation. While sake quality design is essential, quality control also plays a significant role in determining the taste.

“Wakamiya Shuzo” operates with a small, elite team. We set a longer brewing period relative to our production volume, taking our time to craft our sake. We do not prioritize mass production. ‘By focusing on how to produce high-quality sake with a small team, we naturally arrived at a meticulous brewing process,’ says Mr. Imamura. The consistent, everyday drinkability of their sake is likely supported by such behind-the-scenes efforts. The uniqueness of Wakamiya is born from its small, dedicated team. As embodied by their motto, “Wa-jo Ryoshu” (harmony brews fine sake), the harmony among the sincere sake brewers continues to produce excellent sake.

To remain unchanged, we continue to refine our craft.

One of the things I am currently working on is exploring the compatibility of local Kyushu cuisine with sake. I source gourmet foods and ingredients from various regions and conduct repeated tastings, focusing on standard sakes. I incorporate the ideas and improvements that emerge—such as aroma, acidity, and aftertaste—into the sake-making process. When aiming to create a sake for everyday use, pairing it with locally beloved dishes is perhaps the most important consideration. To create a sake that will remain a staple in people’s lives, it is essential to continuously refine what already exists.

Previously, we changed the rice used in our seasonal limited-edition brand “Wakami Junmai Ginjo TYPE-FY2,” which was well-received, from processed rice to 100% Yamada Nishiki rice for year-round sales. At the time, the brewers temporarily hesitated over the rice change, worried that the refined, clean taste characteristic of “Yamada Nishiki” might leave those who preferred the previous flavor feeling unsatisfied. However, when it was released as planned, it was unexpectedly well-received. “I believe this bottle has become one that people can recognize as the current Wakami, including this evolution,” recalls Imamura.

While maintaining the original concept, the brewery continues to make updates. “To become a presence that enriches daily life, we strive to improve the quality of our everyday sake,” says Imura. This philosophy continues to resonate with those who enjoy their sake. Perhaps the day when these small waves grow into larger ones, creating a new wave in the world of Japanese sake, is not too far off.

The post Aiming to enrich everyday life. Wakami Shuzo / Okawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

A long-established sake brewery founded at the end of the Edo period

The town of Ryuoh, where the Matsuse Sake Brewery is located, lies between Lake Biwa and the Suzuka Mountains to the east. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Shiga Prefecture is actually a hidden rice-producing region, and has long been a sake brewery, with more than 30 breweries scattered throughout the prefecture.

The history of the Matsuse Sake Brewery dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868), when it was involved in the sake brewing business from the mid-1600s, but temporarily closed down due to the turmoil at the end of the Edo period. Since then, the company has continued to brew sake that makes the most of nature’s bounty, using carefully selected sake rice andbrewing water pumped up from 120 meters underground.

In recent years, the brewery has won gold medals at the National New Sake Competition for three consecutive years and was selected as the sake for JAL’s international business class flights, and has become a well-known sake brewery in Japan and abroad.

Matsu no Tsukasa, a famous sake representing Shiga Prefecture

Matsunoshi ” is the only brand of sake brewed at Matsuse Shuzo. The brewery produces more than a dozen varieties of sake, varying the rice used, the degree of rice polishing, the amount of water, and the yeast. The name “Matsu no Tsukasa” is a combination of a 200-year-old male pine tree that once stood on the property and “Matsuse,” the founder’s family name. The word “Tsukasa” means “most gallant figure,” and the name expresses the company’s wish that its sake will be like this majestic pine tree. The sake brewed with soft, fluffy water from the Suzuka Mountains and 100% contract-grown sake rice has a freshness and dignity that has made it extremely popular in the Kansai region, especially in Shiga Prefecture.

I want to grow Yamadanishiki produced in Ryuoh.

The distinctive feature of the Matsuse Sake Brewery is its commitment to rice. Hearing that the secret lies in the soil, we asked Tadayuki Matsuse, the sixth-generation owner of the brewery, to show us the rice fields in his hometown of Ryuoh, where the sake rice is grown.

Until about 40 years ago, we used to make sake using Nipponharu rice, but we realized that we could not continue to do so if we wanted to make sake that would continue to be drunk in the future, so we began to use Yamada Nishiki, which at that time was called the “king of sake rice. Yamada-Nishiki, the “king of sake rice” at that time. Yamada-Nishiki was popular and hard to find, so we asked farmers to grow it in our hometown of Ryuoh to see if we could harvest it, and that’s how it all started.

Yamada-Nishiki is mainly grown in Hyogo Prefecture. Yamada-Nishiki is tall and easily falls over and is susceptible to disease and pests, so its cultivation in other areas had not progressed well. Even when they did start growing it, the climate, water, and soil were different. Even if the same growing methods were used, the rice would not be the same as in Hyogo. There were years when the rice ears fell over due to wind and did not produce well, and he realized that it was not a simple matter.

Different soil makes sake taste different.

Even so, through repeated trial and error with local farmers, they realized that even within the same town of Ryuoh, the Yamada Nishiki produced in different rice paddies differed. Rice grown in clay fields that are well watered and fertilized produces a fuller, heavier rice, while rice grown in gravel fields that are well drained produces a firmer, more delicate rice. When sake is brewed using the same brewing method, the full rice produces a dense, voluminous sake, while the delicate rice produces a pleasantly light sake with a floral aroma.

We wanted to somehow increase the amount of Yamada-Nishiki, so we planted it throughout Ryuoh Town, which led to interesting results. Just by having different soils, the taste of sake can change so much. I think it was also good to realize that the taste is different from that of Hyogo Prefecture and unique to this area. It was then that I began to think that it is our job to pay attention to the individuality of the land and convey its value.

Matsuse Sake Brewery currently brews sake in separate tanks for each soil type and sells it under different labels.

Azolla,” a symbol of clean rice paddies

Around 2000, the company began to engage in pesticide-free cultivation. Shiga Prefecture, where most of the rivers in the prefecture flow into Lake Biwa, has a high level of environmental awareness among its residents, and for six consecutive years has boasted the largest area devoted to environmentally friendly agriculture in Japan. Mr. Matsuse himself has a strong desire to protect Lake Biwa, and at the same time, he wanted to express the goodness of the rice paddies as they are, without any extra work, in his sake.

He also wanted to express in his sake the quality of the rice paddies as they are, with no extra work done to them. The azolla blocks light into the water, making it difficult for new weeds to grow.

Sake made with pesticide-free rice has a different power. It has a clear, clean minerality in the aroma. Perhaps it is the awareness that the sake is made from rice grown in clean rice paddies, but above all, I feel that it is sake that should be drunk. Just like rice cultivation, sake cultivation is also an agricultural activity,” smiles Mr. Matsuse.

Sake brewing that makes the most of the rice’s unique characteristics

The man in charge of sake brewing at Matsuse Brewery is Keizo Ishida, who has served as toji, the chief brewer of sake, for the past 10 years.

When I joined the brewery in 2001, the Yamada-Nishiki variety itself had great value, and the best was from Hyogo Prefecture. Then, how about the Yamada-Nishiki from Ryuoh? That was the extent of my understanding of the Yamada-Nishiki of Ryuoh Town. However, as we brewed and compared each farmer, we began to realize that the taste of sake made from sandy soil is different from that of sake made from clay soil. It was a minute difference, but there was an absolute difference that did not change no matter how many times we did it,” he said.

The taste of sake is largely determined by human hands, such as the degree of rice polishing and the brewing process, and Mr. Ishida felt uncomfortable with the idea of changing the taste of sake one after another to suit personal tastes and trends, and then being told, “This is our local sake. He brews rice grown in a natural environment as neutrally as possible. He says he wants the resulting sake to show the differences in the soil, climate, and environment.

The history of the brewery creates the taste of the sake.

Matsuse’s brewery is neither air-conditioned nor equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. The walls and ceilings are coated with persimmon tannin for preservation and protection against insects, and the building is carefully cared for and used. Mr. Ishida calls these warehouses ” antiques ” because of the beautiful luster and candy-colored tints they have acquired. Generally, antiques are objects to be held in one’s hands, such as vessels and furniture, to be enjoyed with the eyes and cherished. It is a rare happiness to be able to work in the midst of antiques and be surrounded by them. The history of the brewery and the wisdom and thoughts of its predecessors may also be important factors in determining the taste of sake.

Returning to the starting point and simplifying

Mr. Ishida says that the best sake is made at this brewery using local rice and water. He wants to keep the sake as neutral as possible so that the character of the land can be expressed. With this in mind, he started the ” kimoto” brewing method, which was mainly practiced in the Edo period (1603-1868) to encourage fermentation by the power of nature.

I believe that if you only aim for recognition in the sake competition, you will only be able to think in an industrial way. I believe that is not good. In my current process, I don’t add yeast or lactic acid, and I don’t do much analysis such as measuring acidity. Even so, it is still possible to make sake. Sake brewing was originally done with pesticide-free rice, using the “ikuhashi-zukuri” method. If we can go back to the techniques and thoughts of the people who faced this process, I believe we can express craft in the true sense of the word.

What kind of sake is Mr. Ishida aiming for? He replied, “It should have a familiar texture. It should be a sake with a familiar taste, one that you can naturally feel when you drink it and think, ‘That’s the usual taste.

Blue” series brewed by soil

The “Blue” series is made from Yamada-Nishiki produced in Ryuoh, and brewed according to different soils. This junmai daiginjo has the flavor and richness typical of rice, and when compared, it is easy to see how the expression of the rice changes depending on the soil in the rice paddies where the rice was grown. If you look at the brand page “Origins of Blue” and learn about the differences in soil and the scenery seen from the rice paddies before drinking, you will feel as if you can even feel the wind blowing in the area and the sound of swaying ears of rice.

The brewery selects a few regions each year, so you can enjoy the combination of each year’s wines and compare them with each other.

AZOLLA” expresses nature

AZOLLA” is an evolution of the “Blue” series and symbolizes Matsunoshi ‘s commitment to rice.

It is made from Yamada-Nishiki grown locally in Ryuoh, without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers during the growing period. The name “Azolla” was chosen to symbolize the pesticide-free nature of the brewery.

The clear, gentle, yet dense flavor is considered ” one of the ideal forms ” of Matsu no Tsukasa.

Grateful for the land, we create a taste that can only be found here.

Matsuse says that he is still searching for what makes Ryuoh unique. I want to use pesticide-free rice grown in Ryuoh to make sake that people around the world will say tastes great. I am happy to continue to do so,” he says, his face calmly and happily gazing into a future he has yet to see.

The post As the Soil Changes, So Does the Taste of Sake: The Challenge of Matsuse Sake Brewery to Express the Characteristics of the Land with Sake / Ryuoh Town, Shiga Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Aoki Sake Brewery, a sake brewery handed down in snow country

 Located in the southern part of Niigata Prefecture, the town of Shiozawa once prospered as a post town along the Mikuni Kaido Road connecting Edo and Echigo (present-day Niigata Prefecture). It is also known as one of the best rice-producing areas in Niigata Prefecture, where high quality rice can be obtained. When you visit this small mountain town, you will be greeted by a beautiful townscape with its quaint “gangi-zukuri” style, which is unique to the snow country. The scenery along the street, called “Shiozawa-juku Makino-dori,” has won the Urban Landscape Grand Prize and is highly regarded as a tourist attraction, attracting many tourists who come to take a look.

In one corner of the area, there is a sake brewery that has continued to make traditional sake since the Edo period. Aoki Shuzo brew s the nationally famous “Tsururei,” the brewery’s top-class “Bokushi,” and “Yukio,” a dry line of sake popular for its unique hairy creature label.

The Minamiuonuma area in southern Niigata Prefecture, where the Aoki Brewery is located, has long been known as one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, with snow accumulating to over 2 meters even in urban areas. The book “Hokuetsu Setsuppu,” written in the mid-Edo period, describes the hardships and difficulties of people living in such a snowy region, their lifestyles, customs, and ways of utilizing the snow, and the wisdom of these people has been applied to the lives of people today. The author, Makiyuki Suzuki, is also an ancestor of the brewery, and it is said that he named the sake “Tsururei,” Aoki Shuzo’s signature sake. The brand name “Makino”, which is brewed for the annual National New Sake Competition, is also named after him.

The spirit of “Wago” is an important part of sake brewing

The Minamiuonuma area is known as a battleground for famous sake breweries, and Aoki Shuzo is the oldest sake brewery in the area. Founded in 1717, Aoki Sake Brewery has made the most of the benefits of the snow, from raw materials to brewing facilities, and has continued to brew sake while respecting the characteristics of the snow country and its relationship with the local community. The brewery is also committed to contributing to the local community by donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of “Yukio” to mountain rescue teams, as well as other efforts to create beautiful towns.

Taking advantage of the snow to make sake that suits the palates of the locals

The taste of sake also clearly expresses the characteristics of this region. The sake is characterized by its “umakuchi” taste, which maximizes the natural flavor of the rice, and is light but not dry, as is typical of Niigata. Our goal is to make a sake that goes well with meals and can be drunk as a mealtime sake,” said Muneyoshi Higuchi, toji (master brewer) of the brewery. Aoki Shuzo’s sake, of which about 40% is still consumed locally, is made with the belief that it must be enjoyed by the local people.

Aoki Sake Brewery uses Koshitanrei rice grown in Niigata Prefecture, which is grown in clean, melted snow, and water from the subsoil of Makihata Mountain, one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan. The soft water, which is soft and tasty, is widely enjoyed by the local people. The facilities are thoroughly sanitized to produce clean koji mold over a long period of time. They are also particular about the balance of acid accents and aroma. In addition, they took the opportunity of the 300th anniversary of the company’s founding to build a new snow cellar storage facility. The entire cellar is cooled year-round by the power of natural snow, and the entire cellar can now be kept at a nearly constant temperature. All sake produced at the Aoki Brewery is stored in this cold storage facility, which utilizes natural clean energy, and is shipped fresh.

Since all alcoholic beverages in Japan are exempted from the labeling of expiration dates, sake is also not required to display an expiration date, and most sake is labeled with only the date of manufacture. However, temperature control is essential to preserve the sake’s aroma and flavor. The temperature in the snow cellar is kept at a constant level of approximately 4°C. The area dedicated to long-term storage can maintain a temperature of -5°C year-round with the help of electricity. The ability to store sake for 5, 10, or even longer periods of time allows Aoki Sake Brewery to explore the possibility of producing long-aged sake and other products. Aoki says that since the sake can be stored for five, ten, or even more years, the brewery would like to explore the possibility of producing long-aged sake. Aoki Brewery is also taking on the challenge of new brewing possibilities by further evolving the wisdom it has developed over the region’s history of working with snow.

Sake brewing for the future

Aoki Sake Brewery has a long history of 300 years since the Edo period, and its traditions have been handed down from generation to generation. Higuchi says it is important to continue this tradition in the future. We will continue to brew sake diligently, carefully, and honestly. Polishing politeness and taking on the challenge of brewing sake in line with the times are the motto of the current Aoki Sake Brewery. The ideal of sake brewing in the snow country will surely be steadily passed on to the future.

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Naraijuku is located in the south of Shiojiri City, Nagano Prefecture. The old post town, which was one of the eleven Kiso inns along the Nakasendo route from Edo to Kyoto, still retains the atmosphere of those days and has been designated as a national important preservation district for groups of traditional buildings. In the Edo period (1603-1867), the town was known as “Narai Senken,” and many people used to come and go. Although it is still a tourist destination that attracts approximately 600,000 visitors annually, inns and restaurants have gradually disappeared from the town as the traditional purpose of using the area for lodging has faded. The Suginomori Sake Brewery, located in a corner of the town and loved by local residents as one of the five best sake breweries in Kiso, regrettably closed its doors in 2012, ending more than 200 years of history since its establishment in 1793.

The newly reborn sake brewery “Suginomori Brewery”

In 2020, however, a project was launched to renovate the dormant sake brewery and a nearby guest house to create a lodging complex that would serve as a hub for visitors touring the Naraijuku area. Hiroshi Sandberg joined the project as a project advisor and was suddenly given the task of revitalizing the sake brewery, an important part of the project. Sandberg is a returnee with mixed roots, having a Swedish-American father and Japanese mother. He was involved in the revitalization of hotels and inns as part of his former company’s operations, and through this experience, he focused on the revitalization business utilizing Japan’s historical resources, and established Kiraku Co. Kiraku has been involved in the revitalization of regions throughout Japan, including the “Kiraku Obi” luxury accommodation facility in a fully renovated old private house in Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, the “Nazuna” ryokan-style accommodation facility in a historic building in Kyoto, and the “Kiraku” single building rental facility. He has transformed many idle real estate properties into businesses, but he had absolutely no experience in sake brewing. It was a challenge to break new ground.

However, as soon as he saw the building, his intuition took precedence: “It is rare to find a sake brewery in the middle of a sightseeing area. Many sake breweries are located in the suburbs for reasons of site and brewing environment, but the brewery felt that the building had a story to tell, having accumulated history along with the scenery of Narai-juku since its establishment. Another factor that encouraged him was the fact that the brewery still had its “sake brewing license,” which would normally have expired after the brewery closed and the business was notified of its closure. Today, it is difficult to obtain a new sake brewing license unless you have something to show for it. Of course, he understands that sake brewing is not as easy as one might think. After starting the project, he approached several breweries to see if they would be willing to cooperate with him and help with operations, but he did not receive a positive response from any of them. In the midst of all this, they invited Mr. Hidehiko Matsumoto, whom they had met through a previous project in Kyoto, to serve as an advisor. He was the toji (master brewer) of the Matsumoto Sake Brewery in Kyoto at the time, and was well known and respected in the sake industry for his “Sawaya Matsumoto Morihate” and other famous sake products. The project was launched, but Mr. Matsumoto was a little concerned about one thing. The warehouse was only 250 square meters in area.

As one might expect, few sake breweries in Japan would be able to brew sake on such a small site. However, the traditional business model of sake breweries, which is to “only brew in winter” and “only wholesale to wholesalers,” does not match the needs of the modern age, right? Based on this hypothesis, the company decided that this size was just right, as it would allow for year-round sake brewing under the watchful eye of the toji. In addition, the brewery is located in close proximity to a restaurant in the complex, allowing visitors to watch the sake brewing process up close while they dine. We thought this entertainment value was an important piece to the business, which is why we were so particular about this location.

The birth of the sake “narai”

After that, we spent about a year planning the story of the product release in reverse, launching the website, selecting the most appropriate channels, and other development activities based on our advanced marketing skills. The brewery’s toji, Masayuki Irie, who had studied sake brewing at Matsumoto’s brewery and other breweries around Japan, was invited to be the toji, and finally the “suginomori brewery” was launched, with the first sake production beginning in October 2021. The name of the sake brewed by Suginomori brewery is “narai. Like whiskey, the sake is named after a famous Japanese liquor, and is named after a place. Of course, tracing is not the only reason. By naming it after a place, we thought we could approach it from both hooks, the sake and the name of the place, in this age of widespread web searches. To live up to the name, we also pursued a flavor unique to the area. The mountain water from the Kiso River, which has been used since the time of the previous generation, “I have drunk many kinds of water throughout Japan, but the water from Narai has a top-class, clean texture.” Mr. Matsumoto praised the water so highly. The brewer insists on “Shinshu Shibori,” a method of squeezing the water using local products as much as possible, while staying close to the blessed natural environment. Of course, to avoid being too particular and niche, he is considering the global market and aims to create sake that can be enjoyed by everyone. Being involved in this project and being a returnee myself, I was able to get a bird’s eye view of the challenges of sake brewery management in Japan, such as weak management that relies on experience and the need to improve information dissemination. The introduction of seasonal brewing to improve production efficiency and provide stable employment for employees is another idea that is typical of Sandberg, who has lived abroad for a long time and is able to honestly question traditional Japanese industries. In the future, he would like to use the knowledge he has gained here to actively engage in the revitalization of sake breweries that have fallen into financial difficulties.

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Brewery loved mainly by locals goes national

Gojome-machi, Akita Prefecture, is a small town with a population of about 9,000 located in the center of Akita Prefecture, about 30 km north of Akita City. Walking through the center of the town, you will find old houses and an old marketplace with a cultural flavor, while in the distance, you will see the green forested mountains and the sound of the Babamegawa River. The city’s long history may have been fostered by the fact that this area was already established as a village in the mid-Heian period (794-1185).

In the Edo period (1603-1868), Gojome became a supply center for the Ani Mine and prospered greatly. In 1688, when the town was beginning to come alive, Fukurokuju Shuzo was founded. In the beginning, the main business was the production of doburoku. The upper and lower storehouses were designated as National Tangible Cultural Properties in 1996, and the earthen storehouse-style upper storehouse, built at the end of the 18th century, has only a few parts, but the wood is thick and strong. It is a rare building that is regarded as the prototype of Akita Prefecture’s sake brewery architecture, and is still used today as a storage facility for tanks just before bottling. The brewery’s representative brands include “Hikobei” and “Fukurokuju,” and it has long been a popular sake brewery, especially among the locals. The current head of the brewery, Yasue Watanabe, is the 16th head of the brewery. After studying brewing at a university in Tokyo, he immediately returned to the brewery, where he has been promoting a number of reforms in order to create sake with an emphasis on quality and product value. The “Ippaku Suisei” sake that Mr. Watanabe created in 2006 was a clear departure from the Fukurokuju Brewery’s previous focus on sake that could be easily mass-produced, and his insistence on producing pure rice sake, even at lower production volumes, was well received and gained nationwide popularity. The company’s sake brewery now accounts for more than half of the company’s total shipments.

Sake made with ingredients from Gojome

The year 2021 marks our 333rd anniversary. We started selling a limited edition commemorative sake in November as a token of our gratitude. With a smile on his face, Mr. Watanabe was holding a Junmai Daiginjo “333,” brewed with 33.3% Akita Sake Komachi sake rice. The last step of the brewing process, tome-brewing, was done on March 3, 2021, and the brewery was very particular about the number “3,” with a limited number of 333 bottles of “Nakadori” and 3333 bottles of “Normal Pressing” being shipped. While the first impression is fresh and juicy, there is nothing flashy about the taste. The calm and gentle aftertaste is somewhat familiar, as if it reflects Mr. Watanabe’s personality.

There are many factors that determine the taste of sake, including the brewing water, rice, and yeast, and Mr. Watanabe says he is always worried about them. The brewery has been using abundant spring water since its establishment. It is medium-hard water with high calcium and magnesium content and a good ion balance. The rice used for the brewing is sake rice grown by the “Gojome Sake Rice Research Association,” which was established more than 10 years ago. They use four main varieties of rice: Miyamanishiki, Misanishiki, Gin no Sei, and Akita Sake Komachi. In 2018, the brewery opened the Shimotacho Brewery HIKOBE, a café and social gathering place, diagonally across from the brewery. The café is a place where visitors to the brewery can relax. The menu includes sake-kasu cheesecake, brewed water coffee, and a Fukurokuju sake tasting set,” says Watanabe. Renovated from a former chest store, the space is spacious with high ceilings. Coffee cups are fired at San’on Kiln in Gojome. The kiln, which has been in operation for about 30 years, uses glaze made from plant ashes to produce pottery with a rustic texture.

Fukurokuju Brewery was born and raised in Gojome. The 16th head of the brewery, Yasue Watanabe, continues to look to the future of his town with wide-open eyes and a love of his hometown.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

六郷の名水が生む銘酒“春霞”「栗林酒造店」／秋田県美郷町 – NIHONMONO 水の郷がうまい酒「春霞」を生む 栗林酒造店のある秋田県仙北郡は秋田のなかでも酒造りの盛んな場所。江戸時代、付近

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Kisvin Winery, located in Shioyama, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, is an up-and-coming winery where viticulturist Yasuhiro Ogihara and young winemaker Mayu Saito began brewing in 2013. The Kisvin wines are the result of the mutual recognition of each other’s individuality and the improvement of each other’s skills by the experts in viticulture and winemaking.

With a generous love for grapes

Kisvin” means ”kiss the grapes. The name “Kisvin Winery” expresses the love for grapes that makes Ogihara-san and Saito-san, who love grapes so much they want to kiss them, join forces with Saito-san, an oenologist who has studied winemaking in California and Burgundy, and Ogihara-san, who has been involved in grape cultivation for over 20 years, They believe that the quality of the grapes is directly related to the taste of the wine, and they are committed to the cultivation of high quality grapes, sparing no effort, utilizing plant physiology and the latest cultivation management techniques.

Continuously evolving with an eye on the times

Born into a family of grape farmers in Yamanashi Prefecture, Mr. Ogihara took over the family business in 2001, and in the process of converting grapes from fresh to vinification, he established “Team Kisvin,” a study group for vinification grapes in 2005, and began growing grapes for wine and expanding the scale of his business. The group sold grapes to Chateau Sakaori Winery Co. in Kofu City, which recognized the high quality of the grapes and decided to vinify them in dedicated tanks. Kisvin Koshu 2008 was then released by “Team Kisvin.

In 2009, Kisvin established an agricultural production corporation, Kisvin Corporation, which expanded the scale of its vineyards, increased grape production, and continued vinification at Chateau Sakaori Winery, while establishing its own winemaking facility and beginning winemaking in 2013.

The theory of cultivation changes with the times. If you continue with the same old methods without thinking, you are not evolving,” says Ogihara. He has arrived at his current cultivation methods through years of accumulated experience, sometimes denying what he is doing and sometimes responding flexibly to climate changes. The vineyards that Mr. Ogihara cares for are well managed from corner to corner, and the orderly arrangement of the grapes is impressive.

Thoroughly manage the fields with photosynthesis as the top priority.

Mr. Ogiwara, who chose to grow grapes on trellises because the leaves and berries close to the ground would be exposed to morning dew and high humidity under hedge cultivation, places the utmost importance on “the health of the vines and berries. To this end, he focuses on creating an environment suitable for photosynthesis as well as protecting the vines from pests and diseases. The proper temperature for promoting photosynthesis is 20-25 degrees Celsius, and photosynthesis begins before sunrise, with the greatest increase in photosynthesis occurring around 9:00 am. Too much sunlight will cause the temperature to rise rapidly and transpiration to increase, and too much light will reduce the speed and efficiency of photosynthesis. In shelf cultivation, the upper leaves are exposed to direct sunlight, but the lower leaves and fruits are exposed to soft light suitable for photosynthesis and protected by a moderate temperature range.

Mr. Ogihara, who manages his plots under herbaceous cultivation with almost no fertilizers, wants to respect plant life, and sometimes implements innovative ideas such as grafting Chardonnay grapes onto 20-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Because of his sincere attitude toward the vines, “Pruning determines the yield and taste of the grapes in a given year, so pruning is the most interesting part. That is why pruning is the most interesting part,” he says with a smile.

Beautiful wines with pure grapes.

Mr. Ogiwara, who likes aromatic grapes, chose Koshu, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Vaonier. His ideal wine is “a beautiful wine. The ideal wine is “a beautiful wine,” one that is so clear that one can clearly imagine the grapes themselves when one takes a sip. Mr. Ogiwara wants to make wines that will be recognized around the world, which is why he believes that “it is necessary to carefully and surely do what needs to be done in the vineyards now, one by one, rather than trying new things. I haven’t yet achieved a perfect score of 100 in my mind. The challenge is how to bring it closer to 100 points,” he says, with a grim expression on his face. As a grower, I just have to make sure that the grapes are well-cultivated so that when the wine is finally made, it will not be blamed on the weather or abnormal weather conditions.

“Emerald Koshu” focusing on the color and ripeness of the fruit

Mr. Saito first encountered wine while traveling as a student, and when he experienced harvesting grapes in Corsica, France, with a wine producer who owns a vineyard and winery and handles everything from grape cultivation to vinification, aging, and bottling, he recalls, “It touched something fundamental in me. He recalls, “It touched something fundamental in me. I thought, ‘What a wonderful job it would be to grow plants, make wine from the harvested grapes, and entertain guests! He felt an intuition that “I want to make wine in Japan, where I was born and raised, that I can be proud of to the world.

Mr. Saito thought that in order to make excellent wine in Japan, it was important to study in a region that was growing by leaps and bounds, and to grasp the secrets of that growth. At the time, California wines represented a new type of winemaking known as the “New World,” and their value was rising rapidly. He went abroad to find out why this was possible, what perspectives Japan needed, and what Japan lacked.

When Mr. Ogihara happened to see a blog post about winemaking written by Mr. Saito, he went to California State University in 2009, where he was enrolled in the oenology department, and scouted out Mr. Saito. Because of his excellent grades, Mr. Saito was selected as an assistant winemaker at the university’s winery, where he also taught local students. He then went to Burgundy, France to gain more experience in brewing, and returned to Japan in 2013 when the brewery was completed in Shioyama, Koshu City, to take on the role of head brewer.

Mr. Saito, who is also involved in cultivation as a winemaker, pays particular attention to Koshu grapes. As the grapes ripen, they turn purple, and in the process, bitterness comes out. As a result, they arrived at the method of applying an umbrella to each bunch of grapes. The silver umbrella, developed by the company, blocks sunlight, allowing the Koshu grapes to ripen while still green. Mr. Saito describes Koshu grapes that have reached a high degree of ripeness but still retain a beautiful emerald green color as “emerald Koshu. He says that the grapes are thoroughly quality-conscious, which clearly shows in the beautiful color and delicate taste of the wine.

As the harvest season approaches, he carefully checks the color, acidity, and seed ripeness of the berries to determine the best time to harvest. Observing the color and condition of the seeds is especially important in order to determine the ripeness of the grapes. The vinification method is determined based on the quality of the harvested grapes: stainless steel tanks are used if the grapes are not too oaky, and barrels are used for grapes with high potential that can be aged for a longer period of time. There is no set recipe for each variety, so it is important to think carefully about what you need to do to get the best out of the grapes you harvest.

Mr. Saito is committed to “making effective use of the lees. Lees are the sediments of the wine’s components, and Mr. Saito does not remove the lees after fermentation is complete, but leaves the wine on the lees to mature. Although racking produces a clear wine, Saito does not overcook the juice, but rather skillfully uses the large amount of lees left in the wine to bring out the flavor of the lees itself. He carefully checks how much lees is used to give the wine depth, and says, “The ideal wine is one that emphasizes smoothness, but also has subtle tastes and something that makes you think a little.

To make the name of “Shioyama” famous throughout the world

The “Chardonnay Reserve,” made by carefully selecting only the highest quality fruit, is a glossy golden yellow wine with refined acidity and gorgeousness. This special brand, which Mr. Saito himself is confident that it is of the highest quality, can be enjoyed with a long aging period. Saito’s eyes sparkle as he says, “I want to make a sparkling wine that will make the name of Shioyama known all over the world,” but because of his heavy responsibilities as head winemaker, he has to be in the vineyard every day to tend to the grapes and check the wines in the winery. In order to make time for this, it is important to build a team as a winery, and as a winemaker, it is also necessary to improve my sensibility through exposure to art,” he says. While keeping abreast of the changes of the times, he also has to understand what kind of wine he likes and what the world is looking for, and “my job is to strike a balance between the two and create the ideal wine.

Passionate about winemaking and professional development

In these times of stress and hardship, just a little bit of wine can bring a moment of joy and healing. Wine is also attractive to its makers, and Saito describes it as “something that connects people to each other. I have met people I admire, it has given me business opportunities, and it has broadened my view of the world,” he said. Wine takes me to new worlds I have not seen yet.

However, he gives a grim assessment of his own winemaking, saying, “I still have a ways to go. That is why he says, “I don’t know if I will be able to do the work I want to do during my lifetime. I have to do work that I can pass on to the next generation,” he says, and strives to nurture the next generation. Mr. Saito believes that it is too late to start training apprentices after he has made it big as a brewer, and that he must grow while at the same time nurturing the next generation. I want to improve the fields and make them easier to cultivate so that I can pass them on to my successor,” he smiles.

Mr. Ogihara, nodding his head next to Saito, added, “We will set the trend and pass on our skills to the young people in this company. I am sure that in the future, new ideas and techniques will emerge that we have never thought of.

Kisvin Winery, where Ogiwara-san and Saito-san’s strong personalities and talents clash and blend to produce wines full of originality, was visited by the late Gérard Basse, a sommelier who held five Master of Wine titles and was named the best in the world, in 2017. He tasted the Kisvin Pinot Noir and praised it highly. The wines of the two winemakers will continue to surprise and inspire the world, as Mr. Basse highly praised their “unique and sensational wines made by a talented winemaker.

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Located at the northern end of the Southern Alps range at the foot of the famous 2,967-meter-high “Kaikomagatake” mountain, the area has a long history of mountain climbing by mountain ascetics and mountain worship called “Komagatake-ko”. When you visit the Kai-komagatake Shrine, where the history of mountain climbing by ascetic practitioners and mountain worship called “Komagatake-ko” is still alive, you will find a path leading to the source of the famous sake “Shichiken,” which has been brewed for about 300 years.

Like “water from Hakushu.”

I want to make sake that embodies the calm and pleasant water of Hakushu,” said Mr. Tsushima Kitahara as he walked along the Ojiragawa Valley, one of the 100 best waters in Japan, in the western part of Hakushu Town, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture. He is the president of “Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd.” which brews the famous sake “Shichiken” in Daigaharajuku, the 40th post town on the old Koshu Highway. Now in its 13th generation, some 300 years after its founding, the company produces a wide variety of brands, including “Shichiken Sparkling,” which was created in 2015, in addition to its traditional ginjo-shu.

Mr. Tsushima says, “This is a place that symbolizes our sake brewing process, where we face the water. The main ingredients of sake are rice, rice malt, and water. Kaikomagatake is a mountain composed of granite, which is formed when underground magma cools and hardens. The melted snow water, polished by the rock layers over 20 years, is clear, soft, slightly thickened, and soft. The clear, soft, and slightly thickened soft water, which is non-habitant and easy to drink, gives Shichiken a well-honed flavor.

Mr. Tsushima also insists on sake rice grown in Hokuto City. In 1999, he established an agricultural corporation, Onakaya Limited, which grows high-quality rice such as “Yumesansui” and “Hitogochi” together with local farmers and producers. The water, the rice they grow, and all the ingredients used in Shichiken are made possible by the bounty of nature in the region.”

300 Years of Streamlines

The brewing of Yamanashi Meijo began in 1750. Ihee Nakaya of the Kitahara family, who had been in the brewing business in Takato, Shinshu (present Takato-machi, Ina City, Nagano Prefecture) for generations, fell in love with the soft, clear water of Hakushu when he visited Daigahara, and built a sake brewery as a branch family. In 1835, when the fifth generation brewer built a new main building, Naito Suruganomori, the lord of Takato Castle, whom he had served for a long time, presented him with a gift for the completion of the new building, including three of the seven wise men of the Jin Dynasty in China who avoided worldly cares and lived in bamboo groves, drinking sake and enjoying pure conversation: Ruan Xue, Xie Kou The current name of the sake, “Shichiken,” was given to the sake, as a pair of columns depicting the “Seven Sages of the Bamboo Forest” depicted Ruan Xue, Xiang Shu, Liu Ling, Ruan Xian, and Wang Ebisu.

In 1880, the back room of the main building was used as an anzai-sho for the Emperor Meiji when he visited Yamanashi, Mie, and Kyoto prefectures. In 1933, this place was designated as a Tangible Cultural Property of Yamanashi Prefecture by the Ministry of Education (now the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology).

In 1925, “Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd.” was established as a corporation. In 1967, a new brewery, Seiwa Brewery, was built, and in 1980, a new bottling factory and warehouse were constructed, establishing the current structure of Yamanashi Meijo.

Pumping up the “Seven Sages’ character”

Mr. Tsushima spent three years from 2003, the year he graduated from university, at an American liquor import company. After joining Yamanashi Meizo in 2007, he launched a series of bold reforms.

In 2012, we embarked on a major rebranding strategy. Together with my younger brother, I visited breweries and wineries around the country to try to create a new sake that was ‘uniquely Shichiken.

Until then, the brewing process had been outsourced to a contractor specializing in brewing called a toji, but the aging of the toji and the diversification of customer needs led to the discontinuation of this policy. In 2014, his younger brother, Ryogo Kitahara, was appointed brewing director, and the company embarked on sake brewing with a focus on water, which symbolizes regional characteristics and identity.

We began to verbalize and redefine what we wanted our sake to be like,” he said, ‘’aromatic and fresh tasting,‘ ’sake to be enjoyed chilled in a wine glass. The brewing equipment at the Seiwa Brewery was updated to the latest models to create a stable, high-quality sake brewing environment. We also attempted to reestablish a “Shichiken-like” flavor that maximizes the mouthfeel and characteristics of high-quality water, and we tried to renew the label design to appeal to a new target audience.

“Squeeze” to deliver

Even if you have a large lineup of products, only some of them will sell. The reality is that wholesalers only sell what they can sell. Mr. Tsushima says that his own wholesale experience has made him concerned about the sales system that relies on intermediaries. In order to create “an environment where producers can sell their products responsibly,” Tsushima carefully scrutinized his existing business partners and narrowed his focus to “partners” who share Shichiken’s thoughts and marketing policies, thereby improving sales efficiency.

Yamanashi Meijo had been producing many brands, including old sake, draft sake, and seasonal products, but after the re-branding, the lineup was drastically and carefully selected. The company has been able to reduce brewing costs and excess inventory while devoting resources to developing products that are more in line with user demand.

The birth of Shichiken Sparkling

Behind Shichiken’s efforts to develop the market is the “Shichiken Sparkling” series, which took about five years to develop. While 70% of all alcohol consumed in Japan is carbonated sake, only 4.8% of sake users are carbonated. In order to bring Shichiken to users who had not previously drank sake, we needed a ‘bubbly’ drink.

Second fermentation is necessary to make sake effervescent, but it was difficult to use yeast due to brewing restrictions. Therefore, the company introduced the “secondary fermentation in bottle” method, in which the sake is made effervescent through spontaneous fermentation by bottling the rough residues of the rough unrefined sake mash. After much trial and error regarding the timing of fire-fermentation, fermentation temperature, and duration, Yamano Kasumi was released in 2015. It was well received for its koji sweetness, mild acidity, and fruity ginjo aroma with carbonation. Later, “Hoshi-no-Kagayaki” was released, characterized by its delicious rice flavor and pure aroma, and “Mori-no-Kanade” was released, with a cool, refreshing aroma created by aging in whiskey barrels. The company established “Nanaken Sparkling” as a new category, spurring the company to attract new users.

After these rebranding efforts, in the year of Heisei 30 (2018). Mr. Tsushima became president and his younger brother, Ryoko, became managing director. He said, “Although we have different personalities, we are still brothers. Because we share the same sense of ‘deliciousness,’ I was able to trust them with the brewing of our sake. Mr. Tsushima concentrates on marketing and branding strategies while Mr. Ryoko handles brewing and product development. By fulfilling their respective roles as “maker” and “deliverer,” the 300-year-old tradition of excellent sake has been passed down to the present day.

Co-performance with French master “Mr. Alain Ducasse”

In recent years, wine and champagne have become available at sushi and Japanese restaurants, and Mr. Tsushima says he felt a sense of crisis that the common practice of pairing Japanese food with sake was beginning to fade. With an eye on market development and overseas expansion, he decided to venture into the French cuisine world, which he had not yet entered. At that time, he met Alain Ducasse, a master of French cuisine who has opened restaurants all over the world, including 3-star restaurants in Paris, Monaco, and London.

He was very interested in sake,” said Mr. Ducasse. ”Recently, an increasing number of bistros and gastronomes have started to serve sake, but Mr. Ducasse himself had not found anything that satisfied his taste buds. So, based on the Shichiken Sparkling, he asked us to create a sake with a Japanese character that would make gourmets around the world nod their heads in approval.

In order to embody “Japaneseness,” Tsushima and his team tried a method of aging sake in cherry blossom barrels prior to secondary fermentation. The result is a pleasant taste with a delicate bubbly aroma with a hint of cherries and a lingering sweetness and bitterness characteristic of barrel aging. In April 2021, “Alain Ducasse Sparkling Sake” will be completed, which will elegantly color your table from aperitifs to desserts.

The new product, which was highly acclaimed by Mr. Ducasse, has been well received by Champagne users who have a high affinity for sparkling wine, and a certain number of orders have been received from restaurants in the Alain Ducasse group and other overseas restaurants. Mr. Tsushima says, “I hope this will be an opportunity for people around the world to discover Japanese sake. We have high expectations for this product as a breakthrough in future market development.

Seven Sages’ “Spirits” Connecting Clear Streams

Yamanashi Meibrewery is currently using renewable energy from hydroelectric power to supply all of the electricity used at the factory in order to further promote sustainable sake brewing. The company also plans to replace LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) with hydrogen at a new plant to be built around 2030. Under these various measures, the distilled spirit “Alain Ducasse Sustainable Spirits” will be released in December 2023.

In the course of discussions with Mr. Ducasse, we recognized anew the demand for products for hard liquor users. We proposed to make authentic shochu by reusing sake lees.

In order to obtain a shochu (spirit) that has the gorgeous aroma of sake, the alcohol extracted from sake lees is aged in the barrels of Suntory’s Hakushu Distillery, which also makes whiskey in the Hakushu area. The unique ginjo aroma of Shichiken emphasizes the cool and refreshing taste, and the mellowness characteristic of barrel aging and the multi-layered and complex flavor have been successfully created.

We feel it is our duty to embody a mentality and behavior that is considerate of the natural environment in order to preserve the clean water of Hakushu for future generations.” After distillation, the nutritious sake lees are reused to feed the wagyu cattle that represent Yamanashi Prefecture, and the compost is used to grow sake rice again. In addition to the taste, the brewery’s cyclical brewing design, which is appropriate for the times, has been well received by Mr. Ducasse, and is attracting attention from users in Europe, who are highly interested in SDG’s.

Brewing sake that is “calm and comfortable”.

Finally, Mr. Tsushima looks back on the past 10 years as a “turbulent period,” a period in which the company has been running unceasingly until today. Shichiken’s business performance has doubled since before the rebranding, and the company’s needs continue to grow, but the company is now looking ahead to a “period of stability. While the pursuit of profit is important, the next step is to build a foundation that will allow the brewery to produce stable, high-quality sake for the next generation, he says.

If we increase the speed of growth in the dark, there is bound to be a distortion somewhere. We would like to establish our own style and pace, not being overly influenced by demand, in order to provide sake that we can confidently call ‘delicious,’ while using the knowledge we have gained thus far as a source of inspiration.

While considering future expansion of facilities, Mr. Tsushima says, “We want to continue to grow in a calm and comfortable manner. With a gentle smile on his face, he concluded his words in a relaxed and refreshing tone. While respecting the origins of sake brewing, Shichiken continues to maintain a flexible attitude, free from the constraints of the industry and common sense. The company’s pure desire to deliver delicious sake and its keen sensitivity to the currents of the times have refined the taste and techniques of its brewery.

The post “Yamanashi Meijo Co., Ltd.” produces “Shichiken” with its famous water and “calm and comfortable” sake brewing. first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Sugihara Sake Brewery, the smallest sake brewery in Japan

The “smallest sake brewery in Japan” is located in Ibi-gun, Gifu Prefecture. The company was founded in 1892 and produced only 80 koku in fiscal year 2021, which translates to only 8,000 bottles. In fiscal year 2021, the company produced a mere 80 koku, or 8,000 bottles per day. The sake produced here, “Ibi,” has become a rare and difficult-to-find sake, partly due to the absolute small amount that is distributed. The brewery is headed by Keiki Sugihara, the fifth-generation head brewer and toji (master brewer) of the brewery. In fact, until just 15 years ago, he was a complete amateur, not even knowing what sake rice was.

Why don’t you make sake when your family is a sake brewer? He was a member of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) at the time. These words from a colleague of Mr. Sugihara, who was working overseas as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) at the time, have stuck in the back of his mind for a long time. From a young age, he saw his parents struggling to keep their sake brewery afloat, and he did not want to take over the brewery, but when it was finally on the brink of bankruptcy, he decided to protect this traditional Japanese industry. However, he had no knowledge of the difference between regular rice and sake rice, and had no experience in sake brewing. And, of course, he failed. Still, he had no choice but to sell his sake, so he made a determined attempt to sell it by going door-to-door in Tokyo and Osaka, but none of the sake shops would take him up on his offer.

However, one liquor store told him, “It doesn’t taste good yet and it won’t sell, but when we make good sake, we will surely buy all of it. So don’t tell me you’re quitting.” This encouraged him. Mr. Sugihara wanted to make something special if he was going to do it anyway, so he set his sights on creating “true local sake” by focusing on locally grown ingredients. He also wanted to produce rice that suited the local area, so he looked around for people who would help him grow rice. It was not easy for a small sake brewery to grow its own rice, but local volunteers who recognized Mr. Sugihara’s enthusiasm for sake brewing offered to help. Together with a master rice breeder, who is said to be the leading rice breeder in Gifu, and rice farmers who were willing to help him grow the rice, they focused on brewing sake with rice suited to the local climate, and repeatedly crossbred and established the best sake rice, “Yamada-Nishiki,” and “Wakamizu” suited to the local climate. Six years after Mr. Sugihara returned to the brewery, the first “Imi” was finally born. The sake rice was named “Ibi no Homare” and was certified as Gifu Prefecture’s sake rice for brewing in 2021. This was 10 years after the start of development.

Phantom Sake will be updated.

The characteristics of “Imi” are its floral aroma and mellow sweetness. And it continues to evolve in response to marketability. Ibi-no-Honor” is an ongoing process of breeding, and sake brewing is updated according to the year’s sake rice crop, climatic conditions, and food trends. I didn’t know anything about it, so I had no fixed ideas and was able to honestly adopt what I thought was good. It is truly sake brewed by everyone,” says Sugihara. His goal for the future is to become a model case for small sake breweries. This is because there are many advantages unique to small business. For example, because the production volume is small, there is no need for sales and advertising, and the company can concentrate on brewing sake. And they can control quality within their reach. If we can set a good example of how to achieve what we want by deciding what not to do, it will encourage other small sake breweries to do the same. We can do this because we don’t have fixed concepts. We can take on challenges because we are small.

The road to not pandering to the currents of the world is a steep one, and it is not an easy one. But if you don’t give up, you will be rewarded. Mr. Sugihara, who smiles and says, “I am the type of person who grows when I am praised,” has started distributing sake to liquor stores that have given him encouragement and encouragement.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

神に捧げ、民に愛されるにごり酒「三輪酒造」／岐阜県大垣市 – NIHONMONO どぶろくに近いにごり酒を求めて 岐阜県北部、庄川（しょうがわ）流域にある白川郷。日本の原風景とも称される合掌造

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