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 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
Nagaoka, a town famous for sake
Nagaoka has a particularly flourishing sake culture.
It is not only famous for its rice, but also for its sake brewing, which flourished during the Edo period (1603-1868) due to the development of the brewing culture of miso and soy sauce.
Niigata Prefecture has the largest number of sake breweries in Japan, with 89 (according to the National Tax Agency's "Number of Companies by Prefecture" for the 2016 survey of the sake manufacturing industry), and Nagaoka City has 16 sake breweries, the largest number in the prefecture.
List of Sake Breweries in Nagaoka City
Here is a list of sake breweries in Nagaoka.
- Asahi Shuzo (朝日酒造)…Representative Sake : Kubota(久保田)
- Yoshinogawa (吉乃川)...Representative Sake : Yoshinogawa(吉乃川)
- Takahashi Shuzo (高橋酒造)…Representative Sake : Choryo(長陵) / Yaichi (八一)
- Ofuku Shuzo (お福酒造)…Representative Sake : Ofuku-Masamune(純米吟醸お福正宗)
- Hakuro Shuzo (柏露酒造)…Representative Sake : Hakuro(柏露) / Sanzui(氵)
- Koshimeizyo (越銘醸)…Representative Sake : Koshinotsuru(越の鶴)
- Morohashi Shuzo (諸橋酒造)…Representative Sake : Kagetora(景虎)
- Kawatyu Shuzo (河忠酒造)…Representative Sake : Sotenbo(想天坊)
- Tochikura Shuzo (栃倉酒造)…Representative Sake : Komehyappyo(米百俵)
- Hasegawa Shuzo(長谷川酒造)…Representative Sake : Echigo-Sekkobai(越後雪紅梅)
- Onda Shuzo(恩田酒造)…Representative Sake : Maitsurutsudumi(舞鶴鼓)
- Suminoi Shuzo (住乃井酒造)…Representative Sake : Suminoi (住乃井)
- Nakagawa Shuzo (中川酒造)…Representative Sake : Koshino-Hakugan(越乃白雁)
- Sekihhara Shuzo (関原酒造)…Representative Sake : Echigo-nagaokahan(越後長岡藩)・Gunki(群亀)
- Kusumi Shuzo (久須美酒造)…Representative Sake : Kamenoo(亀の翁)
- Ikeura Shuzo (池浦酒造)…Representative Sake : Warakugoson(和楽互尊)
List of sake breweries that offer tours
The above is a list of 16 sake breweries. The following is a list of sake breweries that offer tours.
The Niigata Sake Brewers Association website is a good source of information for finding breweries that offer tours.
Website : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/
Asahi Shuzo (朝日酒造)
Asahi Shuzo started in 1830 under the name of Kubotaya. Even today, the founding trade name "Kubota" has been handed down as Asahi Shuzo's representative brand of sake, "Kubota".
Asahi Shuzo focuses on basic research and strives to make delicious sake. The brewery established Asahi Noken, a corporation with qualified agricultural land ownership, to conduct research on the cultivation of sake rice with high brewing suitability and to practice environmentally friendly agriculture in pursuit of the ideal rice.
Asahi Sake Brewery has also established the Sake Research Center to conduct basic research, including the breeding and development of its own yeast.
Website : https://www.asahi-shuzo.co.jp/global/
Tour: https://www.asahi-shuzo.co.jp/visit/
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/asahi
Yoshinogawa (吉乃川)
Yoshinogawa is a historic sake brewery founded in 1548, during the Warring States period.
The brewing water of Yoshinogawa is subterranean water from the Shinano River, the largest river in Japan.
In 2019, the Yoshinogawa Sake Museum "Jougura" was born. There is a standing "SAKE Bar" where visitors can enjoy Yoshinogawa's sake, an exhibition room where they can learn about the history of Yoshinogawa and its sake brewing, and a store.
Website : https://yosinogawa.co.jp/english.php
Sake Museum : https://yosinogawa.co.jp/johgura/
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/yoshinogawa
Hakuro Shuzo (白露酒造)
Established in 1751. In addition to the tradition of making sake since its establishment, the brewery aims to make sake that tastes even better by incorporating new technology acquired through research and development.
The brewery has been developing its own yeast, researching koji with high enzyme activity, and researching methods for producing low-alcohol sake.
Kashiwaro's high quality sake has won awards in sake competitions, not only in the sake competition, but also in overseas sake competitions such as the "Sake Selection" held in Japan under the auspices of the Belgian Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the London Sake Challenge.
Website : https://www.hakuroshuzo.co.jp/english.html
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/hakuro/
Nakagawa Shuzo (中川酒造)
Established in 1888. The brand name "Koshino Hakugan (越ノ白雁)" was named after the area where white geese(Hakugan in Japanese/白雁) fly in.
The brewing water is from the subsoil of the Nishiyama mountain range that rises in Nagaoka City.
Website : https://www.koshinohakugan.com/english
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/nakagawa
Ikeura Sake Brewery (池浦酒造)
Established in 1830. The name of the brewery's representative sake, "Waraku-Goson (和楽互尊)", is the spirit of mutual respect advocated by a local philosopher in Nagaoka.
It is said that the previous generation was impressed by this spirit and named it. It means, "If people respect each other(互尊), they will be harmonious and happy(和楽)".
The name of the brewery was inspired by this spirit.
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/ikeura
Ofuku Shuzo (お福酒造)
Ofuku Shuzo was established in 1897.
In order to make the best use of the regional characteristics and uniqueness of Ofuku Shuzo, and to revitalize both the brewery and the region, and to promote co-existence and co-prosperity,In order to make the most of Ofuku Sake Brewery's regional characteristics and uniqueness, and to revitalize both the brewery and the region, the brewery is working with the Yamakoshi area of Nagaoka to grow sake rice.
Yamakoshi area is famous for the bull fighting, an important national intangible folk cultural property, and Nishikigoi carp . "Junmai Ginjo Yamakoshi" was born from the coexistence and co-prosperity of the region and sake breweries.
Website (Japanese only) : https://www.ofuku-shuzo.jp/
Fuku no Kura (Japanese only) : https://www.ofuku-shuzo.jp/fukunokura.php
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/ohuku
Takahashi Shuzo (高橋酒造)
Established in 1923.The brewery was built entirely of red bricks, and its hexagonal chimney stands out.
The brewery was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property by the government in January 2007.
The representative brand name is "Choryo(長陵)". The name comes from the fact that Nagaoka City was read as Choryo by the old people.
Website (Japanese only): https://echigo-choryo.co.jp/
Featured products / About / Tour : https://www.niigata-sake.or.jp/en/kuramoto/takahashi
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