Enjoy this hidden gem of sake while feeling the history!

• Table of Contents
• Writer: BBQ Samurai Ryoma Nikumoto
• About Matsuno Town
• The history of sake brewing at Masaki Masamitsu Brewery
• About "Nobushi"
• Traditional sake brewing
• How to enjoy "Nobushi"
• Desserts using "Nobushi"
• About the sake brewery tour

Writer: BBQ Samurai Ryoma Nikumoto

Hello everyone!! Nice to meet you. I am the only BBQ specialist samurai in Japan, BBQ Samurai Ryoma Nikumoto!!

He holds about 300 BBQs a year. He is a rare samurai who grills delicious ingredients from Ehime and Kochi, and loves good BBQ and good alcohol.

Today, I would like to introduce you to the local sake (Japanese sake) that is produced in my Matsuno domain (town).

About Matsuno Town

Our town, Matsuno, is located in the southwestern part of Shikoku and is a rural town surrounded by mountains on all sides.

Here is the location of Matsuno Town!!

Located on the border between Ehime and Kochi prefectures, it has a long history of thriving as a post town, but in recent years it has become increasingly depopulated, and with a population of around 3,500, it is now a quiet town on the front lines of depopulation.

As it is the smallest town in Ehime Prefecture, it is a minor tourist destination. However, because there are not many people, it is rich in nature and has a lot of delicious things to eat, making it a hidden gem where you can enjoy nature, delicious food, and alcohol.

Rice terraces located deep in the mountains of Matsuno Town.

The water is so clean that the tomatoes are sweet and delicious.

The wild eels caught near Matsuno Town have been said to be particularly delicious.

It is said that Tsugani (river crab) is even more delicious than Shanghai crab.

I hope to spread the charm of our Matsuno domain to more people and have them come to visit! However, I don't want it to turn into the overtourism that has become a problem in recent years, so I would like to share some secret information with those who want to enjoy sightseeing quietly. If you see this information, I would like you to first come to visit our town to verify the authenticity of the information. And instead of spreading the information to the general public, I would like you to tell only important people about this hidden place.

"We want to provide the best hospitality to those who have made it to this remote region of Shikoku!"

That is our wish!!

The history of sake brewing at Masaki Masamitsu Brewery

The sake brewery is located at the entrance to Matsuno Town, just a two-minute walk straight from Matsumaru Station on the JR Yodo Line.

Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery

7982101 178 Matsumaru, Matsuno-cho, Kitauwa-gun, Ehime Prefecture

Located in Matsuno Town, Kitauwa District, Ehime Prefecture, Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery is a historic sake brewery founded by Masaki Masamitsu in 1905 (Meiji 38). The brewery is located just a few minutes' walk from Matsumaru Station, and its stately appearance attracts visitors. The representative brand, Nobushi, is named after the fighting bull that was kept at the time. The sake that bears this name, Nobushi Junmai Ginjo, is characterized by its fruity, gorgeous aroma and fresh taste, and has been enjoyed alongside local cuisine. At this old-fashioned sake brewery, you can purchase sake while immersing yourself in history.

In Matsuno Town, there used to be three Masaki families making sake, but today only the Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery continues to produce sake.

In 1905, founder Masamitsu Masaki believed that "spring water that suits the sake is important for good sake brewing," so he dug a horizontal well on the premises and began sake brewing. Even today, the water continues to spring up, and sake with a mellow taste is brewed.

The door leading to Yokoido. Here lies the secret of the deliciousness, and the thoughts and history that have been passed down from generation to generation by the brewers.

Second floor of Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery.

When you buy alcohol, you can feel the history.

About "Nobushi"

The sake made at the Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery is called "Nobushi." Nobushi means a rough samurai, a country samurai... in other words,

This is the image I have.

The sake "Nobushi" was named after the name of a fighting bull that was kept at the time of the company's founding. Despite its light weight, this bull was said to have been a champion and was very popular.

On the day when Nobushi became Yokozuna, I'm sure he drank Nobushi sake until the morning.

Nobushi comes in a variety of types, including not only Junmai Ginjo, but also Genshu, Tankomae Sake, and Orizake, so when you purchase one, it's fun to listen to the explanations from the store staff and choose which Nobushi you want to drink.

Traditional sake brewing

In December 2024, "traditional sake brewing" was registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

With modern sake brewing facilities, temperature control can be done using machines, so sake can be made in any season, but before modern equipment was available, sake was made by sensitively sensing the temperature and humidity of the year and making good use of fermentation caused by invisible microorganisms such as yeast, in conjunction with the water and climate of Matsuno.

Parts of the Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery building remain as they were when the brewery was founded, so why not try a taste of the Nobushi sake while immersing yourself in the history of sake brewing?

The large wooden barrels and wooden tools that have been used since ancient times give you a sense of the history that has been passed down from generation to generation.

"Nobushi" can be purchased at the roadside station in Matsuno Town, nearby supermarkets, and online, but I feel that the taste is different when you visit the Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery, take in the building and the techniques that have been passed down through the generations, and drink it.

We hope you will not only enjoy the aroma and taste of the sake, but also the story behind Masaki Masamitsu Sake Brewery.

How to enjoy "Nobushi"

Of course, delicious food is essential to enjoying sake.

Matsuno Town is rich in nature and is located between the Uwa Sea and the Pacific Ocean, so you can get high-quality meat, fish, and vegetables.

It is a place that could be called a "food town."

If you want to enjoy it chilled

It's hard to decide what dish to enjoy it with, but my best recommendation is to drink it with seared bonito.

Katsuo tataki is a traditional BBQ dish from Kochi Prefecture in which fresh bonito is seared over straw at high temperature and eaten with condiments.

It's easy to imagine what a rare fish steak is like.

Pair traditional alcohol with traditional food and enjoy the experience while feeling the history!!

When enjoying hot sake

Nobushi is also delicious when warmed up and drunk as hot sake!!

When enjoying hot sake, oden is the way to go!!

At my BBQ Castle, we serve oden made with Uwajima's specialty, Jakoten, and Matsuno Town's specialty, wild venison on the bone, simmered slowly and flavored with sea and mountain broths, all while enjoying the flames of our wood stove.

Enjoy sake with sake ware that can only be found in Shikoku

Shikoku has its own unique sake vessels. They are called "bekuhai" and have holes in the bottom or an unstable bottom shape, so you cannot put the sake cup down until you have finished drinking it. It is one of the Shikoku hospitality cultures, which allows customers to drink a lot of sake and enjoy themselves.

Become a samurai and drink sake

To enjoy the sake "Nobushi" to the fullest, you have to become a samurai. Put on a kimono, say "Let's start with a drink!", pour the sake into the other person's sake cup, and drink the sake.

Why not pretend to be a wild samurai and have a drink with me while experiencing the history of sake brewing?
At BBQ Castle, you can try on kimonos with various patterns and have a samurai experience, so you can enjoy your sake even more.

Desserts using "Nobushi"

Those who don't like alcohol can also enjoy "Nobushi" as a dessert. At a shaved ice shop called "Amamitakirinaka" in Matsuno-cho, you can eat shaved ice made with syrup made from "Nobushi". This is a dish where you can enjoy the aroma of "Nobushi" while also tasting the sweet bean paste that uses yuzu as an accent!!

The ice is also fluffy and very popular with the princesses.

During the summer season, it is so popular that you will need to make a reservation, so we recommend staying at BBQ Castle and making a reservation first thing the next morning.

Sweet mist

About the sake brewery tour

In fact, there are things that I can't write about in this article!!

Therefore, if you would like to experience the sake brewery and sake brewing process using your five senses, we would love for you to come and tour the brewery.

Sake brewery tour (BBQ Samurai style) + Sake BBQ experience (BBQ menu that matches the sake of each season. Dessert included) + Hot spring bath ticket + accommodation fee + breakfast: From 30,000 yen per adult. Can be held with 2 adults or more.

Registration is currently being accepted at BBQ Castle.

BBQ Castle