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 Joetsu, Niigata prefecture, Japan.
How much snow does it get in Joetsu area?
The Joetsu area is known as one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan. The ski resorts in the Myoko area are well known for their superb powder areas.
In 2021, the Joetsu area also experienced a record-breaking snowfall, with a 24-hour snowfall of 103 cm and a maximum snow depth of 249 cm in Takada, Joetsu City. (Data from the Regional Development Department, Joetsu Regional Promotion Bureau, Niigata Prefecture) Due to the record-breaking snowfall, major roads such as expressways and National Route 8 have been closed since January 7.
The Regional Development Department has compiled a logbook on the heavy snowfall.
URL : https://www.pref.niigata.lg.jp/site/jouetsu-seibi/2021ooyuki.html
Joetsu City
Joetsu City is located in the southwestern part of Niigata Prefecture.
Joetsu City is designated as a special heavy snowfall area under the Act on Special Measures Concerning Heavy Snowfall Areas, and receives a lot of snow every year.
After winter, cherry blossoms are in full bloom in spring. The cherry blossoms at night in Takada Park are especially famous. The cherry blossoms in Takada Joshi Park are one of the three most famous night cherry blossom viewing events in Japan.
Joetsu City is also the birthplace of skiing in Japan.
On January 12, 1911, Major Lerch, a soldier of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, gave the first ski instruction in Japan. From this point on, Japanese skiing spread from Joetsu to the rest of Japan.
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History of Skiing : How Skiing was Introduced in Japan?
Skiing is a popular activity in Japan, and is now enjoyed by many people as a winter leisure activity. Many ski resorts have been built as leisure activities, and the economy revolves around them, including hotels, restaurants, and entertainment in Japan. Japan's natural environment provides high quality powder snow known as JAPOW (Japan Powder), which has attracted the attention of overseas ski enthusiasts to skiing in Japan. Skiing in Japan has also become a sporting event, and many Japanese skiers are now active in the sport. What was the trigger for the spread of skiing in Japan? The beginning of ...
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Joetsu City is also well known for its rice and sake, and produces delicious sake.
Check out Sake breweries below:
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4 Sake Brewery to Explore in Joetsu, Niigata, Japan
Sake is one of the most popular drinks in Japan. Different rice and water are used in each region, resulting in sake with different flavors depending on the region. Some sake breweries make the most of the heavy snowfall in their brewing process by using melt water and Yukimuro (a insulted room that store massive amount of snow to mature and chill sake). Let's take a look at four breweries in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, a region with heavy snowfall. Where is Joetsu city? Joetsu City is located in the southwestern part of Niigata Prefecture. Joetsu City is designated as ...
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Myoko City
Myoko City is located in the south of Niigata Prefecture. It contains one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan and is designated as a special heavy snowfall zone under Act on Special Measures concerning Countermeasures for Heavy Snowfall Areas.
One area of Myoko City that is well known even overseas is the Myoko Kogen, which spreads out at the foot of Mt.Myoko, one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains. It is a place where many skiers and snowboarders gather for powder snow.
It is also a popular hiking spot. Myoko Kogen is also a famous hot spring resort, where visitors can enjoy a variety of hot springs and a rural Japanese atmosphere.
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7 Great Myoko Ski Resorts in Niigata, Japan
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Now, skiers and snowboarders rejoice at the abundant amounts of snow, but it is not only in winter that they are blessed. This snow melts in the spring and is used as melt water. In spring, this snow melts and is used as meltwater, an indispensable resource in the production of Myoko's delicious rice.
The pure snowmelt water and the rice grown in this water are used to make delicious sake.
Check out Sake brewery in Myoko below:
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3 Sake Brewery to Explore in Myoko, Niigata, Japan
Sake is one of the most popular drinks in Japan. Different rice and water are used in each region, resulting in sake with different flavors depending on the region. The heavy snowfall is also a factor in making good sake. Let's take a look at three breweries in the Myoko area of Niigata Prefecture that have a deep connection with snow and sake brewing. Where is Myoko City? Myoko City is located in the south of Niigata Prefecture. It contains one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan and is designated as a special heavy snowfall zone under Act on ...
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Itoigawa City
Itoigawa has been attracting attention in this field of geology, and Itoigawa is also known as a Global Geopark city. In 2009, the Itoigawa Geopark was recognized as the first Global Geopark in Japan.
Itoigawa City has two national parks (Myoko-Togakushi Mountain Range, Chubu Mountains) and three prefectural parks (Kubiki, Hakuba Sanroku, OyashirazuKoshirazu). Itoigawa City is also located in the area of the Fossa Magna, which provides high quality hot springs. There are 10 hot springs in Itoigawa City. Itoigawa City also faces the sea, and fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan is landed at eight fishing ports.
Itoigawa is also a famous jade-producing area in Japan, and is considered to be the birthplace of the world's oldest jade culture. Jade has been widely used in Japan for a long time since ancient times, and has been used as decoration since the Jomon period.
Kaganoi Shuzo
Established in 1650. According to its website, the brewery suffered a fire due to an outbreak in 2016, but started production in the spring of 2018. They also offer sake brewery tours at the new brewery, and if visitors want to be guided by the staff and taste the sake, they need to make a reservation at least two days in advance.
TEL : 025-552-0047 E-mail : kaganoi@cocoa.ocn.ne.jp URL : http://www.kaganoi.co.jp/
