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 Chuetsu area, Niigata prefecture, Japan.
Where is Chuetsu area?
The Chuetsu area (中越地方) is the central part of Niigata Prefecture. It is well known throughout the country for its rice plantations, heavy snowfall, and fireworks at the Nagaoka Festival.
How much snow does it get in Chuetsu area?
The Chuetsu area is basically a heavy snowfall area, with the mountainous areas designated as a special heavy snowfall area. The Yuzawa area, famous for its ski resorts, also belongs to the Chuetsu area.
According to the observation station in Matsunoyama, Tokamachi, which is known for its heavy snowfalls, the maximum daily snowfall was 92cm and the maximum snow depth was 370cm in 2020 - 2021 season. (Based on data from the Niigata Prefectural Government observation station.
Data : http://www.chiiki.pref.niigata.jp/yuki/Web/graph/contents4-28.html
Nagaoka City
Nagaoka is a city located in the south-central part of Niigata Prefecture (Chuetsu region). It has the second largest population in the prefecture after Niigata City (264,611 people as of August 4, 2021).
Nagaoka City is one of the most populous cities in Niigata Prefecture, but this area is also designated as a heavy snowfall zone based on the Law Concerning Special Measures against Heavy Snowfall Zones. A lot of wisdom has been created to live happily in the heavy snow.
Nagaoka, like other areas in Niigata Prefecture, is famous for its rice, but it is also famous for its fresh seafood, as it faces the sea. There is a fish market in the Teradomari area along the sea, where fresh seafood is sold.
One of the most famous summer events in Nagaoka is the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival held every August. The fireworks display has been held every year since August 1, 1945, the year after the Air Raid on Nagaoka, to express the wish for peace. The fireworks launched from the Shinano River, the longest river in Japan, attracts many visitors from Japan and abroad.
As a city with a large population, it also offers a variety of gourmet food and sightseeing spots.
More information : https://nagaoka-navi.or.jp/feature/en/top
Check out sake breweries in Nagaoka below:
-
-
7 Sake Brewery to Explore in Nagaoka, Niigata, Japan
Sake is one of the most popular drinks in Japan. Since different rice and water are used in different regions, the taste of sake differs from place to place. 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 Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, a region with heavy snowfall. Where is Nagaoka City? Nagaoka is a city located in the south-central part of Niigata Prefecture (Chuetsu region). It has the second ...
続きを見る
Minamiuonuma City & Yuzawa Town
Yuzawa Town is well known in Japan for its ski resorts, and Naeba Ski Resort, one of the ski resorts, also hosts summer music events such as Fuji Rock in the summer. It is also the setting for Kawabata Yasunari's novel "Snow Country".
Minami Uonuma City is also famous for its rice fields. The city is also the setting of "Hokuetsu Seppu" a book by Suzuki Bokushi that describes life in the snow country of Uonuma area in the late Edo period.
Check out sake breweries in Minamiuonuma and Yuzawa below:
-
-
Sake Brewery Coexisting with Snow in Minamiuonuma & Yuzawa, Japan
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 ...
続きを見る
Tsunan Town & Tokamachi City
Tokamachi City is known as one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan, and there are many cultures that have coexisted with nature.
The city has beautiful scenery such as terraced rice paddies and beech forests, which are said to be one of Japan's original landscapes. Many archaeological sites have been unearthed, including the national treasure, flame-shaped earthenware from the Jomon period.
In addition, various festivals are held in winter, such as the Tokamachi Kimono Festival and the Winter Festival.
In Tsunan Town, there are many traces of the lives of people from the Jomon period. It is also an area of the Naeba Mountain Geopark.
The Echigo-Tsumari area, including Tokamachi and Tsunan, is also home to the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale, which aims to transmit the values of the region through contemporary art, making it a town rich in art.
Check out sake breweries in Tokamachi and Tsunan below:
-
-
Sake Brewery Coexisting with Snow in Tokamachi & Tsunan, Japan
Niigata's sake is famous throughout Japan, and is enjoyed by many people. One of the secrets of its delicious taste is that it makes the most of the unique environment of heavy snowfall in sake brewing. Let's explore some of the sake breweries in Tokamachi and Tsunan areas, one of the heavy snowfall areas in Niigata Prefecture. Where is Tokamachi and Tsunan area? The Tokamachi and Tsunan areas are located in the southern part of Niigata Prefecture. The area is surrounded by rich natural mountains and rivers, and in winter, the area receives 2-3 meters of snow. The snowfall brings many ...
続きを見る
Uonuma Ciity
Uonuma City, like Minami Uonuma City and Yuzawa Town, is a place rich in nature with a thriving rice farming industry. Parts of Uonuma City are designated as Oze National Park and Echigo-Sanzan Tadami National Park.
Midorikawa Shuzo (緑川酒造)
The company was founded in 1884. According to the Niigata Sake Brewers Association website, According to the website of the Niigata Sake Brewers Association, the Midorikawa Sake Brewery does not have a website for branding purposes, does not sell its products by mail order, and only entrusts its products to trusted distributors.
There is no direct information on the website, but you can contact them for a tour.
TEL 025-792-2117
E-mail office@netmidorikawa.co.jp
URL (Niigata Sake Brewers Association) : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/midorikawa/
Tamagawa Shuzo (玉川酒造)
Tamagawa Sake Brewery was established in 1673.
The company also brews unique sake, such as sake that goes well with Western food and high-alcohol sake with an alcohol content of 46 degrees. Tours of the brewery, including tastings, are available, but as of September 12, 2021, it is listed as closed until September 12.
TEL 025-797-2777 E-mail yukikura@yukikura.com URL http://www.yukikura.com/ Dig Japan sakagura report : https://digjapan.travel/en/blog/id=11611
Kashiwazaki City
It is a city facing the Sea of Japan in the Chuetsu area, and many people visit it for swimming. Part of the city area is designated as Sado Yahiko Yoneyama National Park.
The city has prospered since ancient times as a post town on the Hokkoku Kaido (one of the old highways connecting Edo(Old name of Tokyo) and Kanazawa) and a port of call for Kitamae ships(In the Edo period(1603 - 1868), ships transported rice, fish and other specialties from the Sea of Japan and Hokkaido to Edo and Osaka.). The "Kayabuki no Sato" in the Oginoshima area still retains kayabuki roofs and rural scenery.
Hara Shuzo (原酒造)
The company was founded in 1814. The direct sales store, Shusai-kan, stocks almost all of Koshinohomare's items, including limited edition sake, and offers tastings of limited edition sake and seasonal sake. They also offer tours of the brewery, and visitors need to make a reservation at least one day in advance for a sake brewery tour.
TEL 0257-23-6221
E-mail hara@basil.ocn.ne.jp
URL http://www.harashuzou.com/
Ishizuka Shuzo (石塚酒造)
Established in 1912. The distinctive feature of the brewery is its Kameguchi-shu, which is made using glutinous rice in a four-stage brewing process, and is said to be a rare brewing method in Japan. They also offer tours of the brewery, and after the tour, visitors can taste the sake. However, it is noted that tours are not available during the winter.
TEL 0257-41-2004 E-mail info@himenoi.com URL http://www.himenoi.com/
