Commitment to Sake Brewing
Safety and Security First
Our first priority is to produce safe and secure sake as well as to improve quality.
Since its origin, sake has been fermented from rice to alcohol with the help of naturally occurring microorganisms.
Although the basic fermentation method remains the same today, more sophisticated control of the microorganisms' growth environment is essential for today's sake, due to improved fermentation techniques and the pursuit of more delicate flavors.
The same meticulous attention to details is also required in the storage and bottling of pressed sake in order to deliver the delicious taste of carefully crafted sake to our customers.
We are particular about cleanliness as we believe that it is essential to first create a hygienic brewing environment in order for customers to enjoy our delicious sake.
About Raw Materials
Rice and water are indispensable ingredients in sake brewing.
The rice is the main ingredient and the source of flavor and alcohol,while the water gives power to the microorganisms and plays a major role in the quality of the brewery's sake, and the climate that leads them to produce high quality sake makes the brewery of sake unique.
We purchase rice for our sake mainly from within our home prefecture, Saitama. We also carefully select and procure suitable rice from outside the prefecture, such as Yamadanishiki, Miyamanishiki, and Gohyakumangoku, depending on the flavor we are looking for. The water in the town is said to contain so many minerals that it rivals "Nada no Miyamizu (Famous water spring in Kansai region)," and the yeast fermentation is so powerful that it produces a dry sake with a crisp finish. The sake is brewed in the Ogawa Basin, where the winters are severely cold, taking advantage of carefully selected rice, water blessed by nature, and the love of the toji (master sake brewer).
With integrity as our motto
Our toji Takuo Yoshihara says, "Quality comes first. I am willing to go to great lengths to get as close to good sake as possible."
Because he is a great lover of sake, the air in the brewery in winter is filled with a sense of tension as he pursues his ideal sake and aims for the highest level without making any compromises.
There are many important steps in the sake brewing process, but koji (malt) making is the one that requires the most attention. To ensure good koji production, we carry steamed rice up and down the stairs and check the growth of koji from morning to night. We do not try to be eccentric, but rather accumulate "a little more" to produce strong, pure white rice koji.
Trial and error is repeated based on cultivated experience and intuition, as well as theory and knowledge. The freshly pressed sake that is the result of the sincere and time-consuming sake brewing process is the very essence of the labor of love that the toji (master sake brewer) Yoshihara and the other brewery workers have for their craft.
The sincerity of the brewers is reflected in the quality of the sake, which in turn brings excitement to the drinker. The entire staff is striving to provide the best possible experience to our customers.
