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While there are many famous sake breweries throughout Japan, the Hokuriku region (Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures) is also known as a treasure house of delicious sake. In this issue, we will introduce sake breweries where visitors can experience the charm of sake and enjoy tours and tastings.
Japan's “traditional sake brewing” such as sake, shochu, and awamori was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2024. The term “traditional sake brewing” refers to the technique of sake brewing in which the Toji or Kurabito uses koji mold based on years of experience, and is said to have been established in its original form more than 500 years ago.
*Toji: Chief brewer, the person in charge of sake brewing *Kurabito: The craftsman who makes sake
Japan's "traditional sake brewing" has developed in close connection with the nature and climate of various parts of Japan, and has been passed down to the production of sake, shochu, awamori, mirin, etc. Sake produced using these techniques plays an essential role in socio-cultural events such as festivals and weddings, and is an indispensable presence on the daily dinner table, while in recent years its popularity has also rapidly increased overseas.
There are famous sake-producing regions all over Japan, but the Hokuriku region (Toyama, Ishikawa, and Fukui prefectures) is also known as a treasure trove of delicious sake. Sake is made from rice and so clean water, delicious rice, and harsh winters are important, and the Hokuriku region has all of these important conditions for making delicious sake.
Additionally, the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture is a region that has produced many sake brewing specialists known as "Noto Toji," and many fine sakes have been produced there thanks to the artisanal spirit of the Toji and Kurabito who have inherited their highly skilled techniques.
Sake is produced through a very complex and delicate process. The sake brewing season is in the winter when temperatures drop. Some sake breweries offer programs that allow visitors to see the facilities and the work that goes on in order to learn more about sake brewing and become more familiar with it. Tours of sake breweries are popular among Japanese people as a valuable and educational experience, and are an especially interesting experience for visitors from overseas.
Fukumitsuya, a sake brewery in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, was founded in 1625. It is the sake brewery with the longest history in Kanazawa, and is located in the castle town, a 5-10 minute drive from tourist attractions such as Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa Castle, and Chaya District.
They have been brewing sake here for 400 years, and their house brand "Fukumasamune" is a local sake that has been loved by locals since the Meiji era, with their "Kaga Tobi" and "Kuro Obi" brands also popular. They also produce a wide range of premium sake, long-aged sake, rice shochu, and liqueurs, and they also sell fermented foods and fermented cosmetics.
The head office, which is also home to the sake brewery (manufacturing factory), is also home to the directly managed "SAKE SHOP FUKUMITSUYA KANAZAWA," which sells all of Fukumitsuya's Junmai sake brands, as well as carefully selected sake ware, local snacks, sweets, and more. There is also a bar space, and the brewery is open for tours all year round.
Fukumitsuya offers four different tours of the brewery, but the most recommended is the "Guided Brewery Course," which is only available during the sake brewing season from November to March and requires a reservation. You can get a close-up look at the sake brewing process, and English-speaking staff will guide you through the history of Fukumitsuya and sake brewing. A sake tasting is also included, and you can try some freshly pressed sake.
https://www.fukumitsuya.co.jp/global/guidedtour
Tasting of the brewing water "Hyakunensui"
We gathered at "SAKE SHOP FUKUMITSUYA KANAZAWA" and listened to the tour explanation from the staff before moving to the sake brewery (manufacturing factory) where the sake is brewed. In front of the brewery, spherical objects made from cedar leaves called "sugidama" and "sakabayashi" are hung, and a sacred rope is tied around the door. Right next to it, Fukumitsuya's brewing water flows out of a gushing spring.
Here, you can sample the brewing water, which determines the taste of sake. This brewing water is mineral-rich natural water that has taken about 100 years to reach the basement of Fukumitsuya from the foot of Mt. Hakusan, and springs from an abundant source 150 meters underground.
Watching the video "Sake Brewery Story"
In a lecture room reserved for tours, you will watch the original movie "Sake Brewery Story," which summarizes the history of "Fukumitsuya" and an overview of sake brewing. By watching this one video, you can get a good understanding of Japan's "traditional sake brewing," which has been registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Tour of the brewery
Of the multiple tour courses, only the "Guided Brewery Course" is available from November to March, and allows you to enter the brewery. To tour the brewery, you will need to wear a white coat, hat, shoe covers, etc.
In sake brewing, the most important step is the koji, the second is the yeast starter called moto, and finally the moromi is made and fermented. On the tour of the brewery, you can walk around the facility following each step and hear detailed explanations of each step.
Koji (malt) is considered the most important ingredient in sake brewing. Koji is made by growing koji mold on steamed rice, and is an essential ingredient in sake brewing. On this day, you can touch the still warm koji that has just been made, smell its aroma, and even take a small amount in your mouth to experience the taste.
Next, the craftsman himself will explain the manufacturing process of "shubo," or yeast starter. This is the process of cultivating the yeast, the microorganism that creates the taste and aroma of sake. He will explain the different types of yeast, how to use them, and the mechanism for increasing the yeast from the size of the flask to filling the tank.
The next step, brewing "Moromi", is the final stage where water, steamed rice, koji and yeast are combined in a tank, where the yeast converts the sugar produced by the koji into alcohol. Brewing the moromi takes about 20 days, and careful attention is paid to temperature control to ensure optimal quality, encouraging fermentation through the activities of microorganisms.
The resulting mash is then pressed to produce the raw sake. After pressing, in addition to the liquid sake, a residue called "sake lees" is produced. Sake lees are rich in vitamins, amino acids, dietary fiber, and more, and are attracting attention for their health benefits. You can also try freshly made sake lees.
After the tour of the brewery, you will return to the lecture room and enjoy a tasting of Fukumitsuya's three representative brands - Fukumasamune, Kaga Tobi, and Kuroobi - as well as new sake that was pressed that day.
The three representative brands each have their own unique characteristics, and it's amazing how such differences can be created using only rice and water as ingredients. The freshly pressed sake varies depending on what sake was pressed that day, so you'll have to wait until the day to see what will be available.
Shopping at the Store
At "SAKE SHOP FUKUMITSUYA KANAZAWA," you can shop for sake, food, skincare cosmetics, and more. In addition to sake, rice shochu, and liqueurs, they also stock fermented foods, sweets, skincare cosmetics made using fermentation technology, and a variety of sake utensils and snacks. "Fukumitsuya" has four directly managed stores in Kanazawa and Tokyo, but only the Kanazawa store stocks all of the brand's products, and some items are only available here.
[Guided Brewery Course]
Dates: Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays from November to March (excluding public holidays)
Time: 15:00 start (duration: 1 hour 30 minutes)
Participation Fee: 3,300 yen
Capacity: 6-10 people (subject to change depending on circumstances)
Reception location: SAKE SHOP FUKUMITSUYA KANAZAWA
[Reservation required] https://reserva.be/fukumitsuya
*Other courses available include the Basic Sake Tasting Course for 1,100 yen (tax included), the Premium Sake Tasting Course for 2,750 yen (tax included), and the Grand Premium Sake Tasting Course for 11,000 yen (tax included).
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SAKE SHOP FUKUMITSUYA KANAZAWA
2-8-3 Ishibiki, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture
TEL 076-223-1117
[Open] 10:00-18:00
[Closed] New Year's holiday
Kippogura is a sake brewery run by Symphony Yoshida Brewery, a joint venture between Yoshida Shuzo, a long-established sake brewery in Eiheiji Town that brews Fukui Prefecture's local sake Eiheiji Hakuryu, and Hong Kong-based Symphony Holdings. It opened in Eiheiji Town, Fukui Prefecture in December 2023 and is open to the public for tours throughout the year. There is a space where you can purchase and compare Eiheiji Hakuryu, as well as a route that allows you to freely observe the sake production process from around the brewery.
All of the sake rice used at Yoshiminegura is produced in Eiheiji Town, and all of the sake produced here is pure rice sake brewed only with rice and water. Yoshiminegura mainly produces sake for export overseas, and at its own store, Marche Tomo, they sell limited edition Yoshiminegura sake, as well as seasonal sake and unpasteurized sake, and offer tastings (for a fee).
You can freely tour the inside of the brewery through the large windows on the walls, and there are explanatory panels next to the windows. Tours are free and no reservations are required, but a guided tour and tasting (participation fee: 2,500 yen) is held once a day by reservation from 10:30, so we recommend making a reservation and joining the tour if you have the chance.
During the guided tour and tasting, you will hear an explanation of Eiheiji Hakuryu's history, overview, and commitment to quality, before setting off on the tour. You will walk around the building and observe the sake brewing process through the windows.
Finally, you will return to the company store "Marche Tomo" and enjoy a tasting comparison of the three types of sake. If you participate in the tour, you will receive a free flat sake cup.
Drivers who cannot drink alcohol can choose the brewery's special koji sweet sake (non-alcoholic) and koji sweet sake soft serve ice cream. If you still can't get enough, you can order more, allowing you to taste various types of "Eiheiji Hakuryu" sake.
https://yoshida-brewery.jp/shop/kippou.html
Dates: All year round
Time: 10:30 (duration: about 40 minutes)
Participation Fee: 2,500 yen
Capacity: 7 people
Reception location: Marche Tomo (Yoshiminekura 2nd floor)
[Reservation required] https://yoshida-brewery.jp/wp/booking
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Symphony Yoshida Sake Brewery Yoshiminegura Marche Tomo
5-5 Yoshimine, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui Prefecture
TEL 0776-63-5499
[Business hours] April to December 10:00-17:00, January to March 10:00-16:00
[Closed] Open all year round (including Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
*Closed during the New Year holidays (December 31st to January 3rd) and on statutory inspection days
https://yoshida-brewery.jp/shop/kippou.html
Wakatsuru Sake Brewery in Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture, is a long-established sake brewery that has been making sake since 1862, at the end of the Edo period, but has also been producing whiskey since 1952. On the premises of Wakatsuru Sake Brewery, there is a sake manufacturing factory that ferments rice, and the Saburomaru Distillery, the only distillery in the Hokuriku region that produces whiskey.
At Wakatsuru Sake Brewery, you can tour the Saburomaru Distillery, where whiskey is produced, and shop and sample sake and whiskey for a fee at the company store, which has been renovated from the Taishogura, a former sake production facility. Guided tours are held twice a day at 10:40 and 13:20, so make a reservation before visiting. When you arrive at the site, register for your tour at the Taishogura Shop, and enjoy a tour with a guide and tastings.
Saburomaru Distillery is located at the back of the premises, and is a beautiful building with a tiled roof and white walls, which is rare for a whiskey distillery. It conveys the atmosphere of the early Showa period, and the beauty of the wooden truss structure is a highlight.
As I opened the green door and entered, I was enveloped in a sweet, fragrant aroma. I wonder if it was the aroma of malt. There was a panel with a QR code for the audio guide, and by scanning it with your smartphone, you could listen to an explanation (in English or Japanese) of each spot in the facility.
The second floor is an exhibition and commentary space that provides detailed information about the history of Wakatsuru Sake Brewery's sake brewing, why the brewery started producing whiskey, and the attention to detail and equipment used in whiskey production at Saburomaru Distillery.
One side of the second floor is an open-ceiling loft, allowing visitors to see the manufacturing process taking place below, peering down into the tanks where the wort is saccharified, the tanks where yeast is added and fermented, etc. A must-see is the world's first distillation machine, which was developed jointly with Oiko Seisakusho, a renowned master craftsman of temple bells who inherited the techniques of Takaoka copperware.
Following the route back down to the first floor, you will find an aging warehouse lined with rows of whiskey barrels. For whiskey, the barrels are not just containers, but raw materials that have a major impact on the flavor. At Saburomaru Distillery, they have developed and use whiskey barrels made from Mizunara oak from Toyama Prefecture, taking advantage of the traditional woodworking techniques and rich nature of the local Inami area.
After the tour of the distillery, we return to the "Taisho-gura" to enjoy tastings and shopping. The "Taisho-gura" no longer serves as a sake brewing facility and has now been renovated into a shop and hall, but the history of the famous sake "Wakatsuru" is engraved in each of its plaster walls, tiled roofs, and brick chimney remains.
The shop sells sake, whiskey, and original goods, and there is a tasting corner where you can purchase sake vessels and, using the tasting coins that come with the tour (additional purchases are also available), you can freely select and taste sake or whiskey from the server.
Dates: All year round
Time: ①10:40, ②13:20 (held twice a day, duration approximately 60 minutes)
Participation Fee: 4,000 yen
Comes with souvenirs such as 4 coins (for tasting or in-house games), a glass, 20ml of non-sale whiskey, and an original ballpoint pen.
Reception location: Taishokura Shop
[Reservation required] https://www.wakatsuru.co.jp/reserve/index.php
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Wakatsuru Sake Brewery Taishogura Shop
208 Saburomaru, Tonami City, Toyama Prefecture
TEL 0763-77-4644
[Business hours] 10:00-16:30 (tasting corner open until 16:00)
[Closed] Wednesdays (may be closed on special days such as New Year's holidays)
We are working to enliven the entire Hokuriku area.
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