Sake is one of the most popular drinks in Japan. Different rice and water are used in different regions, resulting in sake with different flavors depending on regions.
The relationship with the snow country culture can also be seen in the background of sake.
For example, some sake breweries make good use of the heavy snowfall in their brewing process, such as using melt water and Yukimuro (a insulted room that store massive amount of snow to mature and chill sake).
Rice, an important ingredient in sake brewing, also grows well thanks to the melt water from the snow that accumulates in the winter and melts in the spring. Therefore, some sake breweries benefit indirectly from the snow.
Even if snow is not directly involved in sake brewing, some breweries name their sake after snow-related words. Whether directly or indirectly, snow has an impact on sake culture.
Let's take a look at some of the breweries in Niikawa area, Toyama prefecture, Japan.
Where is Niikawa area?
The area includes Toyama Bay, Kurobe River, and the 3,000-meter-high mountains of the Northern Alps and Tateyama Mountain Range. The biological environment is diverse, ranging from alpine plants to spring water and deep-sea organisms. The biological environment is also diverse, ranging from alpine plants to spring water and deep-sea creatures. The area is full of seafood from Toyama Bay as well as mountain attractions.
How much snow does it get in the Niikawa area?
The Niikawa area has many special heavy snowfall areas, especially near Tateyama. The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route is a famous mountain tourist route connecting Toyama and Nagano and is famous for its huge snow walls in winter.
Learn more about snow fall areas below:
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Japan and Unique Snow Culture - One of the Major Snowest Place in the World
Japan is one of the major snowiest place in the world. In order to survive in this snowy region, various wisdoms have been developed to coexist with the snow since ancient times, and a very unique snow country culture has been formed today. How much does it snow in Japan? Data from JICE shows that compared to the snowfall of cities around the world, Japan has many cities that receive more snowfall. The graph below shows the total depth of snowfall in one year, with Asahikawa City in Hokkaido, Aomori City in Aomori Prefecture, and the Takada district of Joetsu ...
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Asahi Town
Asahi town is located at the eastern end of Toyama Prefecture, with the Northern Alps towering nearby. It also faces the sea, and is surrounded by mountains and the sea, making it a place rich in nature.The area is rich in water and resources, and remains from the Jomon period can be found throughout Asahimachi.
Hayashi Shuzo (林酒造場)
Established in 1624. Its representative brand is Kurobekyo.
TEL : 0765-82-0384 URL : http://www.hayashisyuzo.com/index.htm
Kurobe City
The "Tateyama Kurobe" area, including the Kurobe River in Kurobe City, was recognized as a "Japan Geopark" in 2014, and is a unique environment.
It is surrounded by the Northern Alps, including the Tateyama Mountain Range, which rises to 3,000 meters, and Toyama Bay, which is over 1,000 meters deep, and has a wide variety of biological environments, from alpine plants to deep-sea creatures.
There are also various hot springs along the Kurobe River valley, such as Unazuki Onsen, Kuronagi Onsen, and Kanetsuri Onsen, where visitors can enjoy open-air baths gushing out of the riverbank. Facing the sea, the area is also famous for its fresh seafood.
Mikunihare Shuzo (皇国晴酒造)
Established in 1887. The company uses melt water from the North Alps for its brewing water. There are a total of 20 spring water spots in the Ikuji area, and the water is used not only for drinking but also for washing and cooling vegetables. As of September 8, 2021, tours of the brewery have been suspended in order to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
TEL : 0765-56-8028 URL : http://www.mabotaki.co.jp/?lang=en
Ginban Shuzo (銀盤酒造)
Established in 1910. The company uses soft water from the Kurobe River Fan Spring Group, which is produced from snowmelt from the Northern Alps mountain range.
TEL : 0765-54-1181 URL : http://ginban.co.jp/
Uozu City
In Uozu City, there are many interesting artworks that nature shows visitors. In Uozu City, mirages appear. In spring, firefly squid appear in Toyama Bay and light up the sea with their pale blue light.
Uozu City also preserves a buried forest, where cedars that stood in the Jomon period have been preserved intact. The "Uozu Tatemon Event," which has been handed down since the mid-Edo period(Edo period = 1603-1868), was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, and is preserved as an important cultural event.
Hongo Shuzo (本江酒造)
Established in 1925. The company uses abundant subsoil water from the Tateyama Mountain Range for its brewing water.
URL : https://hokurikumeihin.com/hongousyuzou/index.html
TEL : 0765-22-0134
Tateyama Town
Tateyama Town is located at the foot of the Tateyama Mountain Range. The town is surrounded by valuable resources and beautiful nature, such as the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, where huge snow walls appear in winter, and the Tateyama Midagahara and Dainichidaira wetlands, which are registered under the Ramsar Convention.
The town has a long history of pottery making that has continued for over 430 years.
Shiraiwa Co. (株式会社 白岩)
Established in 2018. The founder is Richard Geoffroy, the fifth generation chief winemaker of Dom Perignon. The company has adopted the winemaking technique of assemblage for sake as well.The company name "Shiraiwa" and the brand name "IWA" are taken from the name of Shiraiwa in Tateyama Town, Toyama Prefecture.
URL : https://iwa-sake.jp/ TEL : 076-405-9185
