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 Kennan area, Akita prefecture, Japan.
Where is the Kennan area?
Akita Prefecture is located in the Tohoku region of Japan, and can be divided into three main areas (Kenhoku, Ken-o, and Kennan areas).
Of these, the Kenan area is the area that occupies the interior.
There are major events in each of the four seasons, with the Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring, the Omagari Fireworks Festival in the summer, and the Kamakura Festival in Yokote in the winter being well known in Japan.
As for gourmet food, there is Iburi-gakko and Inaniwa udon, one of the three best udon in Japan.
There are also many famous hot springs, such as Nyuto Onsenkyo and Tamamura Onsen.
The following is an introduction to sake breweries in the kennan area of the prefecture.
Daisen City
Daisen City is the site of the National Fireworks Festival and has a large, well-developed granary.
Let's take a look at seven sake breweries in Daisen City.
Kinmon Akita Sake Brewery (金紋秋田酒造)
Kinmon Akita Sake Brewery was established in 1923, and is known for developing products using long-term aged sake. The brewery has won many awards, including one at the International Wine Challenge (IWC).
TEL: 0187-65-2502
URL : http://kinmon-kosyu.com/
Yaesu Meijo Co., Ltd. (八重寿銘醸株式会社)
Established in 1964. Its flagship sake, "Shirakami Sanchi no Shiki(Four Seasons of Shirakami Mountain Range)", is made with water from the Shirakami mountain range.
TEL.0187-62-0226
URL : http://www.osake.or.jp/kuramoto/iframe/s301.html
Kariho Shuzo (刈穂酒造)
Established in 1913. The name of the brewery's representative sake, "Kariho", comes from a waka poem written by Emperor Tenchi. It is said to be a tribute to the farmers who work hard to cultivate the rice fields.
Snow melt water from the Ou mountain range is used as brewing water.
TEL : 0187-72-2311
For Inqueries (Akita Seishu Shuzo) : 0187-63-1224
URL : https://www.igeta.jp/en/about-kariho-en/
Hukunotomo Shuzo (福乃友酒造)
Established in 1913. The brewery uses subterranean water from the Omono River system, the largest river in Akita, to make its sake.
They also offer tours of the brewery and have space for tasting and direct sales. The direct sales store is less than a three-minute walk from Jinguji Station, making it easily accessible.
TEL : 0187-72-4141 Website : http://www.fukunotomo.com/index.html Tour : http://www.fukunotomo.com/warehouse-tour.html
Suzuki Shuzo (鈴木酒造)
Suzuki Shuzo was founded in 1689 and is known for its famous sake, "Hideyoshi".
During the Houryaku period (1751 - 1764), famous sake from the breweries of the Akita domain was gathered at the Kubota castle and a competition was held. The feudal lord of the Akita domain, the Satake family, praised the taste of the sake and gave it the name "Hideyoshi (means excellent).
The water used is subterranean water from the Ou Mountains.
The brewery's policy is to make sake that matches the food culture of the region.
Sake brewery tours are also available, and visitors can enjoy viewing the art works in the brewery, the direct sales shop, and the tasting corner.
TEL: 0187-56-2121
URL : https://www.hideyoshi.co.jp/en/
Tour : https://www.hideyoshi.co.jp/en/tour
Okuda Shuzo (奥田酒造)
Okuda Shuzo was founded in the Enpo era (around 1675).
The brewery uses high quality water from the Ou mountain range.
The store and main building was designed by Seichi Shirai, one of Japan's leading post-war architects. It has been designated as a registered tangible cultural property.
The company is also actively involved in new projects. They fully cooperated in a project to produce sake for Kana Hisasugi, who became a campaign model for a sake event in Akita, and created a new sake.
TEL: 018-892-3001
URL: http://www.chiyomidori.com/index.html
Dewatsuru Shuzo (出羽鶴酒造)
Founded in 1865, Dewatsuru Shuzo was named "Dewatsuru(出羽鶴)" in 1913 with the hope that it would become a sake from the country of Dewa (Dewa = 出羽 / Old name of Akita) that is as elegant as a crane (=Tsuru in Japanese/鶴).
Dewatsuru Shuzo uses snowmelt from the Dewa Hills as brewing water for its sake.
TEL: 0187-74-2600
For inquiries (Akita Shuzo) : 0187-63-1224
URL : https://www.igeta.jp/en/about-dewatsuru-en/
Misato Town
Misato is a town of water, with 126 springs confirmed in the town, and has been selected as one of the Selected 100 Exquisite and Well-Conserved Waters (by the Ministry of the Envionment).
The town is located on a fan-shaped land at the foot of the Ou Mountains and is said to be rich in groundwater.
It is also a town where visitors can enjoy lavender.
Let's look at two sake breweries in Misato Town.
Takahashi Shuzo (高橋酒造店)
Takahashi Sake Brewery was established in 1896, and uses "Homon Shimizu (Name of water)" from the Rokugo Spring Group, which has been selected as one of the selected 100 exquisite and well-conserved waters, as its brewing water.
Their yeast is also unique, and they are the only brewery in Japan to use lavender yeast.
This is the first time Takahashi Shuzo has succeeded in collecting and cultivating natural yeast from the white lavender that blooms in Misato-machi, Akita Prefecture.
TEL.0187-84-1201
URL:http://www.egao-okusimizu.com/?lang=en
Kuribayashi Shuzo (栗林酒造店)
Established in 1874. The brewery uses groundwater from the Ou Mountains to make sake. The rice used is Misato Nishiki, Akita Prefecture's own rice suitable for sake brewing.
TEL: 0187-84-2108
URL : https://harukasumi.com/
Yokote City
Yokote City is famous throughout Japan for its traditional Kamakura Festival.
Here are some sake breweries in Yokote City.
Azakura Shuzo (阿櫻酒造)
Established in 1886. Sake is brewed in the cold, taking advantage of Yokote City's deep snow.
TEL: 0182-32-0126 URL: http://www.azakura.co.jp/en/
Hinomaru Zyozo (日の丸醸造)
Established in 1689. The name "Hinomaru" is said to have originated from the fact that the crest of the lord of the Akita domain, Satake, was a sun circle on a fan.
In the Taisho era (1912-1926), the brewery was awarded the first prize at the Japan-Britain Exposition and prospered as one of the leading sake breweries in Tohoku.
The water used is subterranean water from the deep snow of the Ou Mountains. The brewery also uses a wide variety of raw materials, including 16 types of rice, 15 types of yeast, and 10 types of malted rice.
During the brewery tour, visitors can taste some of the products. They also offer a VR tour, which is rare for a sake brewery tour.
TEL 0182-45-2005
URL : https://hinomaru-sake.com/
Tour : https://hinomaru-sake.com/kurashop
VR Tour : https://hinomaru-sake.com/vrfactorytour
Maitsuru Shuzo (舞鶴酒造)
Established in 1917.
The company name "Maitsuru Shuzo (舞鶴酒造)" and the sake brand "Asanomai(朝乃舞)" were named after the cranes (鶴) that flew over the swamp near the brewery every morning (朝) when it was founded.
TEL.0182-24-1128
URL : https://www.osake.or.jp/kuramoto/30maiduru-guide.html
Asamai Shuzo (浅舞酒造)
Established in 1917. Asamai Shuzo uses subsoil water from the Minase and Naruse rivers, which originate in the Ou Mountains, as its brewing water.
Since 2011, Asamai Shuzo has been brewing only pure rice sake (Zyunmai-shu /純米酒) using only rice and water.
TEL: 0182-24-1030
URL : http://www.amanoto.co.jp/
Dainagawa (大納川)
Established in 1914.The name comes from the Dainagawa River that runs through the center of the local area.
Dainagawa uses subsoil water (soft water) from Mount Horoha as its brewing water.
TEL: 0182-26-2004 URL : https://dainagawa.co.jp/
Yuzawa City
Yuzawa City is home to many hot springs such as Akinomiya Onsenkyo and Doroyu Onsen. The city is also home to various seasonal festivals, such as the Inukko Festival and the Tanabata Picture Toro Festival, and is flourishing as a tourist destination.
Here are the sake breweries in Yuzawa City.
Kimura Shuzo (木村酒造)
Kimura Shuzo was founded in 1615.
The family of Shigenari Kimura, a chief retainer of the Toyotomi family (the family of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who held actual power as the Toyotomi government(1583 - 1603) during the Azuchi-Momoyama period), started brewing sake.
In 2012, it was awarded the highest prize of IWC(International Wine Challenge), "Champion Sake".
TEL.0183-73-3155
URL : http://www.fukukomachi.com/english/kimura/index.html
Akita Zyozo (秋田銘醸)
Akita Zyozo was established in 1923 as a joint-stock company with investments from brewers in the prefecture and people in the political and business world, in order to market Akita's sake, which is made from high-quality rice and abundant water, nationwide.
Tours of the brewery are available, but advance reservations are required.
TEL: 0183-73-3161
URL : https://www.ranman.co.jp/ranman/
Tour : https://www.ranman.co.jp/ranman/company/kojo/
Ryoseki Shuzo (両関酒造)
Established in 1874. The water that flows from the Mt.Kurikoma range rises in the Minase River and becomes "Chikaramizu" one of the 100 best waters in Japan, and is used as brewing water.
The brewery tour are available, but as of August 31, 2021, the brewery tour have been suspended as a precaution against coronavirus.
TEL: 0183-73-3143
URL : https://www.ryozeki.co.jp/index.html
Tour : https://www.ryozeki.co.jp/kurakengaku/kurakengaku.html
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