Free and open-minded sake brewing to surprise and impress the world
1. Free and Open-minded Sake Brewing
1.1. Creative brewing that focuses on protecting, breaking, and leaving (about Human)
Features of our brewery’s sake brewing are the range of expression and flexibility.
We will conduct liberal and vigorous sake brewing in a brewing style that is oriented toward “守破離 (SHU:HA:RI)*”.
* Term 守破離 (SHU:HA:RI) implies stages in the improvement of practical arts.
Protect(守:SHU):
Focus on classic sake brewing that preserves tradition and respects local sake culture.
Break(破:HA):
Foster the individuality of this brewery, and aim for a modern sake brewing in line with the times.
Separation(離:RI):
We are challenging new areas and aiming for the future.
Protect(守:SHU):
Classic sake brewing that respects historical culture and preserves the skills and tastes of our predecessors.
◆ Wakazakari(若盛) Series
This is a daily alcoholic beverage series that has long been loved by the local community and has a long history with festivals, ceremonial occasions, and local communities.
◆Shochu(焼酎) Series
Kasutori shochu and rice shochu series unique to Japanese sake breweries, such as kasutori shochu by the old-fashioned method Seiro distillation.
Break(破:HA):
This is a modern sake brewing that develops and demonstrates the individuality of this warehouse in response to the modern times based on the inherited technologies.
◆Mongai Fushutsu(門外不出) Series
The origin of the brand is “local sake produced locally for local consumption in Tochigi.”
More than 90% are still being consumed within Tochigi prefecture.
It is based on the concept of alcoholic beverages that suit the diverse tastes and cuisine of the modern age.
◆Nishibori(西堀) Series
This is a series of the RICH AND MELLOW type that is “sound” and “delicious” and devoted to raw materials such as raw rice, rice-polishing ratio, and sake yeast.
◆ Nishibori(西堀) Pensées Series
Based on the interpretation of the respective philosophical themes.
We design sake quality, and then perform “Concept First Brewing” in which the ingredients and manufacturing methods are determined by reverse calculation.
This series combines the wisdom of our brewing technology with the challenges of each year.
Separation(離:RI):
Creative, innovative, and innovative sake making that pioneers the development of new territories for future generations.
◆ I MY ME(愛米魅) Series
A series of new category that challenge the potential of sake, centered on 100% of ancient rice, pure rice sake.
◆ CLEAR BREW Series
The industry’s first “clear tank” brewery series of experimental and preliminary breweries.
◆ Denpo-Ishigakoi(伝宝石囲) Series
The vintage sake series realizes long-term two-stage aging on each individually.
1.2.Water realizes the impact of the taste and rich and mellow(about Water)
We think water for brewing is significant, which is the biggest component of sake quality.
Sake breweries rooted in the region brew sake with the water unique to the region.
This is precisely the reason why all the breweries throughout Japan have so many varieties of sake brewing so far.
Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture, where we are located, is in the Watarase Water System.
During the Meiji Period, which boasted a prosperous brewing of sake, the region in the vicinity was also called the “Nada of Kanto” because of its water quality, and prospered as a brand brewery.
Water that emerges from our wells is a high-quality water of Nikko Renzan stream suitable for sake brewing.
It is no exaggeration to say that this water quality holds the direction of the brewery’s sake quality.
The medium-hard water pumped up is not only activated by magnetic treatment, but also filtered to 0.2 microns to remove impurities, thereby making it finer, finer, and more suitable for fermentation.
This makes our brewery’s sake the “rich and mellow” type with a firm pull-out flavor of the umami of rice.
Our brewery’s sake has an impact on its flavor, so it can’t be beaten by dishes with a strong flavor either.
In particular, it goes well with meat dishes and western dishes, and good sake as during meals with an “umami” taste comparable to the richness of the flavor.
1.3.High-quality sake rice (raw rice) in various parts of Japan
Our goal as a sake brewery is that we aim to make the most of our brewing techniques with the superior SAKAMAI(酒米) cultivated by professional rice farmers throughout Japan.
Protecting rice farming in Japan and the rural landscape through sake brewing.
Our creative brewing causes the chemical reaction by sake rice, feed water, and brewing technology across Japan.
The unique chemical reaction that comes from encountering excellent sake rice from all over Japan and the water for brewing is the fascination of the producer.
Our “Nishibori” brand is a series of unique tastes that draw out from the rice by making the most of the excellent sake rice nationwide.
2.Bring surprise and excitement to the world
2.1.Make the world more enriching and interesting
Through our creative brewing and various challenges and initiatives, we aim to give our world a surprise and impact.
Challenges in new fields and various original events, such as the “I MY ME(愛米魅)” created through cloud funding and the industry’s first clear-tank brewed sake “CLEAR BREW,” are based on the desire to enrich the world more interestingly.
As a brewer of sake, we will continue to create and challenge the world so that it can be interesting.
2.2.Contribute to the development of local communities
The most of our supporters are local residents.
It is with the support of local residents that we have been engaged in sake manufacturing for over 140 years as a long-established company.
Today, more than 90% of our products are distributed within the prefecture.
Our local sake brand “Mongai Fushutsu” is based on the concept of “local production for local consumption.”
Our another brand of sake “Wakazakari(若盛)” is as well.
It has become the leading brand of our brewery.
The local dishes of Tochigi Prefecture are mainly thoroughly seasoned dishes such as wild plants and river fish seasoned with soy sauce and miso, and meat dishes.
We focus on the enriched type of sake brewing together with these local dishes.
Wakazakari Festival (若盛祭) is the annual open brewery event.
Many local companies and individuals participate in the festival every time.
We would like to continue sake brewing with the local community, with appreciation.
2.3.Inherit and develop the sake culture
In 2013, Japanese food was registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Sake gets increasing attention from around the world.
By keeping the tradition and technology of sake, continuing to challenge and innovate in the present age, we believe that it is our mission to take sake culture into the future by disseminating it domestically and globally.
As a sake brewery, a traditional Japanese industry, we are proud to have a mission that focuses on the “past, present, and future” time axis.
- We inherit the crystals of our predecessors’ efforts over 1,000 years and protect what we have to keep. (Past)
- We proactively create new value and be creative and innovative in response to the changing times and environment. (Present)
- We make an effort to spread Sake culture to the next generation to develop. (Future)
Especially, we focus on how inventive and challenging in today’s world.
Because the technology that we are benefiting from these days is in the history of trial and error of our predecessors.
With this historical time axis, we would like to inherit and develop the sake culture through “Free and open-minded sake brewing.”