Visiting sake breweries in six Tohoku prefectures! "Asa-Kai" - Opening up time and opening hearts [Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture]

Asabiraki has been brewing sake in Nataya-cho, Morioka city for 155 years

This famous sake, brewed by master Nanbu brewer Masahiko Fujio, is known for its refreshing and mellow flavor, and is representative of Morioka. It is made using the Daiji-shimizu spring water, one of the 100 best waters of the Heisei era, which springs from within the premises

They continue to brew and release unique brands such as the top-of-the-line Junmai Daiginjo "Kyokusen" and Junmai Daikarakuchi "Suijin."

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The history of Asakai and the origin of the brewery name

Asakai in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, began as Murai Honke, which was founded in 1871 (Meiji 4) by Murai Genzo, a samurai of the Nanbu domain, during the Meiji Restoration

The name of the brewery, "Asabiraki," comes from a pillow word in a poem from the Manyoshu, about a boat setting out early in the morning

The name "Asa-kai" was chosen to reflect Murai Genzo's transformation from a samurai to a merchant, who "opened the way," and also to represent the beginning of the Meiji era

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I took part in a sake brewery tour with a guided route and explanations!

Brewery tours are available every day, and you can register by filling out your name, address, and other details at the cash register at the Local Sake Products Center before your reserved time

Tours are accepted from 9:00 to 15:30, and the tour takes about 20 minutes and is guided by a specialized staff member

Showa Asahi Brewery: A brewery where old and new techniques coexist

The first place you will be shown on the tour is Showa Asahigura, a Japanese-style brewery with white walls and black roofing that was completed in 1988 (Showa 63)

The exterior is a traditional Japanese-style brewery, but inside it is a brewery that combines the tradition of traditional "handmade" brewing with "modern sake brewing" using new equipment

The brewing process and methods are displayed in each room along the tour path, and together with the guide's explanations, you can get a good understanding of how sake is made

The overall impression of the factory is that of a modern and clean one, but the koji room has wooden walls and is still made using traditional methods

A factory with fully automated facilities

There is a road between the Showa Asahi Brewery and the finished product factory, and a pipe runs underground under the road, and the brewed sake is sent here via this pipe

The tour allows you to see the final process before shipping, including how freshly pressed and stored sake is bottled and labeled

By the way, at Asa Kai, the type of alcohol bottled often changes depending on the day

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The tour concludes with a fun tasting! Local Sake Products Center

The tour ends with a return to the local sake product center, where you can sample a variety of sake for free (only the Junmai Daiginjo Yuinoka Shikomi costs 300 yen), which is the ultimate "hospitality" for drinkers surrounded by fragrant aromas

The amount of drinks we were given to sample was only a small amount in a small cup, but since my brain was craving alcohol, each drink was so delicious that it permeated my body

By the way, the following brands were available for tasting on this day:

• Special Junmai Sake "Haru Doki" : A seasonal sake with a beautiful flower-shaped bottle and a refreshing, gentle taste.
• Junmai Daiginjo "Jukurei" : A fruity and slightly sweet Daiginjo that is stored raw at low temperatures and served at the perfect drinking time.
• Junmai Daiginjo Nama Genshu : A fresh Daiginjo that can only be purchased at the local sake product center (details below).
• Yogurt Rich Tanohata Plain : Tastes like a yogurt drink, contains 5% alcohol, so be careful not to drink too much!
• Junmai Daiginjo Yuinoka : Made with Iwate's Yuinoka rice, which is ideal for sake brewing, this sake has a ginjo aroma, a mellow sweetness, and a refreshing taste.

The local sake product center also sells limited edition sake, delicacies from Iwate Prefecture that are perfect as snacks to go with sake, and sake utensils such as sake cups for enjoying sake to the fullest

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3 brands recommended by the author!

From here, I will introduce some of my favorite brands from the wide selection of "Asahiraki" available

Bottled on the spot! "Kuradashi Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu" is highly recommended!

At the local sake product center, you can buy unpasteurized sake that is not available in stores by weight in 4-go bottles (740ml: 2,500 yen), but I'm sure many people will be wondering, "Isn't a 4-go bottle usually 720ml?"

This is because the bottle is filled to the brim with alcohol to prevent it from coming into contact with air

Therefore, when you leave, please make sure to carry the bottle upright, not on its side

This is not just a courtesy, but a thoughtful gesture to "prevent air from entering the food in order to maintain its deliciousness."

Nama Junmai Ginjo has the gorgeous aroma of ginjo and unpasteurized sake, and when you put it in your mouth, the aroma is further amplified and the full-bodied flavor spreads

There are also services that allow you to create original labels free of charge, with the option to write pictures or text in the blank spaces, and have the item wrapped

"Kurafuto COLOR" with its eye-catching colorful label

"Asa-Kai" means "setting sail," and the name was chosen in conjunction with the craft of the Nanbu brewers, as the "funaba" (brewery) where sake is pressed resembles a "pier."

It has been on sale since around 2019, and features the following five unique alcoholic beverages, each with a colorful and well-designed label

• Kurafuto COLOR Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu : A fresh, refreshing, smooth ginjo sake with a juicy fruity taste.
• Kurafuto COLOR Junmai Nama Genshu : A strong, rich rice flavor with a fresh, powerful taste
• Kurafuto COLOR Junmai Ichi-ichi-hiiri Sake : Pasteurized only once, it has a fresh, mellow flavor and is best served chilled.
• Kurafuto COLOR Junmai Sake : A mellow flavor with a well-balanced acidity. Delicious both chilled and hot.
• Kurafuto COLOR Honjozo : Slightly dry with a clean, crisp taste, can be enjoyed either chilled or hot.

"Junmai Daikarakuchi Suijin" can only be enjoyed at restaurants

The sake meter scale, which indicates the dryness of sake, is said to be +5 degrees, but Suijin is a pure rice sake that has been finished to be "super dry" at +10 degrees

"Suijin" also has a sharp, pure rice ginjo-type sake called "Chosuijin," so if you come across it at a restaurant, be sure to give it a try

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Popular Asa Hiraki products that you can buy at the local sake and souvenir shop

In addition to sake, the local sake and products store sells a variety of other products, making it popular not only with tourists looking to buy souvenirs, but also with locals

Ginjo sake cake (Ginjo Ryoen)

This cake is soaked in plenty of Junmai Ginjo Yumedori sake and has an alcohol content of 3%, making it a cake for adults, and is said to have many fans among the staff at Asa Kai

The dough is made with plenty of eggs and baked to a fluffy, fragrant texture, and the mellow flavor of Junmai Ginjo sake gives it a rich, adult taste

Daiginjo soft serve ice cream

This soft serve ice cream is well-known locally and is popular not only in summer but also in winter

It has just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle ginjo aroma, and since it contains no alcohol, it can be enjoyed by people who can't tolerate alcohol and children

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Morning Opening ＜Information＞

• Facility name: Asakai Co., Ltd
• Address: 10-34 Daijijicho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-652-3111
• Business hours: 9:00-18:00
• Factory tour: 9:00-16:00 (last admission 15:30 during regular periods)
• Closed: Irregular holidays (please contact the brewery)
• URL: Asakai official website

Google Map

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summary

There were many sake breweries in Morioka city from the Edo period to the Showa period, but since the Heisei period, due to bankruptcy and relocation, only three remain

Of these, the two that have been brewing sake in Morioka since their founding are Asa Hiraki, which we introduced in this article, and Sakuragao, which we will introduce in the next article

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