The escape from mundane brewing The exterior of Hayakawa Brewery is a stylish white and gray, that differs from the image of a so-called “traditional” sake brewery. The large glass window facing the street is distinctive, allowing passersby to see […]
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Starting to grow and brew with Misatonishiki “Ninety percent of our rice is Misatonishiki,” says 7th generation Naoaki Kuribayashi. Misatonishiki was cross-bred between Yamada-nishiki (mother) and Miyamanishiki (father), and is an Akita Prefecture original variety of sake rice. Yamadanishiki was […]
Full of umami with good sharpness An approach to sake that keeps your glass going A fresh and crisp flavor, with a refreshing aroma that spreads over the palate. The pleasant acidity tightens the expression of the sake, making you […]
The pioneer of the local sake boom Inheriting the Jozen Mizu no Gotoshi “The best in life is to be like water. Water gives life to all things, yet never fights but accommodates. Always yielding to the lowest level.” The […]
The two-way approach: Ginjo-style “Sanrensei” and Yamahai-style “Mifuku” The city of Minakuchi in Koka, where it doesn’t snow much in winter, was blanketed in pure white from the morning. It was so cold that my hands shivered as I gripped […]
Dedicating themselves to careful brewing without cutting corners Eight o’clock in the morning: The brewery becomes utterly silent at the moment when the canvas cover is removed from koshiki (rice steamer) as steaming is complete. We sense the tense air […]
Delicious sake brewed with hard water from Asa River and rice grown by local farmers After crossing the clear flow of Asa River from Sanyo Shinkansen Asa Station, we reached Nagayama Shuzo on the Old Sanyo-Do Highway, and were welcomed […]
Ensuring careful brewing in small volumes with state-of-the-art equipment/strong> Kizakura is one of Japan’s widely known major sake breweries. The sake is carefully brewed using medium-hard water from Fushimi, a region famous for its excellent water, and koji that is […]
The floral aroma and juiciness, characteristic to the brand In early November 2022, the preparation for the ninth batch for the season was underway at Kameizumi Sake Brewing. As I watched from a distance, a brewer beckoning to me from […]
Dosan Doho sake brewing sworn by the soil of Aizu Driving for about 15 minutes away from the downtown area of Aizuwakamatsu, we see less houses but the vast rice fields and a mountain range approaching. Takahashi Shosaku Brewery that […]
Succeeding to a brewery on the brink of failure, then intending to brew authentic jizake The brewery sign reads “Ibi Road,” showing a silhouette of 4 people walking in line. An unmistakable spoof of Abby Road of the Beatles. This […]
Terroir expressed by Aomori’s culture and people While many breweries seek to expand their domestic and international markets, there is a trend among the brewers to go back to the origin. They may switch rice sourcing from other regions to […]