Visiting sake breweries in the six Tohoku prefectures! "Hiroki," a sake enjoyed by many people, is brewed at Shiwa Sake Brewery in Shiwa Town, Iwate Prefecture, the birthplace of Nanbu Toji (sake brewers)

Shiwa Town, known as the birthplace of the Nanbu Toji (sake brewing master), currently has five sake breweries

One of them, Shiwa Sake Brewery, founded in 1903 (Meiji 36), is a small sake brewery that used to be called "Hirota Sake Brewery" after its founder, and has a production volume of about 500 koku

Currently, we brew two brands: "Hiroki" and "Shisora"

Brewed with sake rice from Iwate Prefecture and groundwater from Mt. Higashine, this sake brings out the delicious flavor of the rice and is a popular local sake with many fans in the area

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The Nanbu Toji, one of Japan's three major sake brewing groups

In the early Edo period, this group of sake brewers spread the Nanbu style of sake brewing throughout the Nanbu domain, primarily around Shiwa Town. They are considered one of Japan's three major sake brewing groups, alongside the Echigo and Tajima brewing groups

The Nanbu Toji Association is known for its rich and smooth sake brewing that brings out the delicious flavor of the rice, and currently provides technical training and successor development without distinction between men and women

While sake breweries were once exclusively for men, female master brewers have emerged, and Hiromi Ono of Shiwa Sake Brewery is the first female master brewer in the Nanbu region

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Take a tour of Shiwa Brewery, where you can experience the atmosphere of a traditional sake brewery

Shiwa Sake Brewery offers free tours of its brewery, except on Sundays, during the New Year holidays, and during the Obon period

This 20-minute course will deepen your understanding of sake brewing, which is often described as "first koji, second moto, third brewing."

Reservations are required for the tour, and you will be advised not to eat natto (fermented soybeans) on the morning of your visit

This is because natto bacteria have a strong reproductive capacity, which can overwhelm the bacteria necessary for sake brewing, so caution is advised before visiting

It's especially recommended during the winter brewing season, as you can see the brewing process up close

How delicious sake is made

A key characteristic of sake brewing is that alcoholic fermentation (converting sugar into alcohol) and saccharification (breaking down starch into sugar) occur simultaneously

This is called "parallel multiple fermentation," a brewing method not found in other alcoholic beverages, requiring highly trained skills, experience, and knowledge

Sake is brewed through the following process:

• The harvested sake rice (rice suitable for sake brewing) is polished and milled
• The polished rice is washed to remove the rice bran and allow it to absorb moisture
• Steaming sake rice and inoculating it with koji mold to cultivate rice koji (koji making)
• Mix rice koji, steamed rice, and water to make sake starter (moto) and increase the yeast population
• "Moromi" is made by adding koji, steamed rice, and water
• The mash is pressed, pasteurized by heating, and then bottled

The most important step is the making of koji

In order to convert the starch in steamed rice into glucose, the process of sprinkling koji mold spores onto steamed rice to germinate and multiply is called "haze."

To ensure that the fertilizer penetrates deep into each grain of rice, we perform tasks such as "turning" and "piling" the rice grains without a break for two days straight, allowing oxygen to circulate throughout the grains

The koji room is a hot, humid, and harsh environment where the koji temperature is maintained at 40-43°C and humidity is provided, making the work there time-consuming and difficult

This is also an important step: making the "sake starter."

Sake starter is made by adding koji and yeast to steamed rice and water, and cultivating a large amount of yeast that converts the sugar produced by the koji into alcohol

Sake brewing requires a large quantity of high-quality yeast, which is cultivated and is called "moto," literally meaning "mother of sake."

The basic principle of sake brewing: "three-stage brewing"

"Moromi" is made by adding koji, steamed rice, and water to the sake starter (moto) in a fermentation tank, and the mash is added in three stages in a process called "three-stage brewing."

The mash added on the first day is called "hatsuzoe," and it is left untouched until the next day, allowing the yeast to multiply over time

On the third day, the second preparation called "nakazoe" takes place, and on the fourth day, the third and final preparation called "tomezoe" is performed

The "three-stage fermentation" method is a traditional technique that suppresses the growth of unwanted bacteria while increasing yeast, making it easier to control the temperature necessary for the fermentation of the mash

Pressing, filtration, heating, storage, bottling

After about 20 days, the moromi (fermented mash) finishes fermenting and is separated into sake and sake lees using a press. The freshly pressed sake is then filtered, pasteurized (heat-sterilized), and stored

Sake that is not heated at all after brewing is called "nama-zake" (unpasteurized sake), while sake that is stored without heat treatment after production and heat-treated before shipment is called "nama-chozo-shu" (unpasteurized stored sake)

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Here are two recommended sakes brewed by Shiwa Brewery!

Shiwa Sake Brewery has two brands, "Hiroki" and "Shisora," but the difference lies in how the sake starter (moto) is made. "Hiroki" is made using the "Yamahai" method, which naturally increases lactic acid bacteria, while "Shisora" is made using the "Sokujo" method, which adds lactic acid

"Yamahai" is a method that increases lactic acid bacteria to prevent the growth of unwanted bacteria, and although it takes time, it produces a complex flavor and richness. "Sokujo" is a method that adds lactic acid to suppress unwanted bacteria, and the sake starter is ready in 10 to 14 days, resulting in a clean and light taste

Shichu Junmai Ginjo Hayabusa

It has an alcohol content of 15% and is made with "Gin Otome" rice from Iwate Prefecture, milled to 55%

This limited-edition sake is pressed late at night before shipment and bottled in the morning, and is only sold during the new sake season. It has a fresh and vibrant aroma, a sweetness reminiscent of corn syrup, and a clean, smooth taste that makes it easy to drink

Immediately after opening the bottle, you'll taste the apple flavor and the aftertaste of a lactic acid drink, but as time passes, the acidity becomes slightly more prominent, and you'll start to taste the richness of the rice

Hiroki Junmai Ginjo Special Edition Freshly Pressed

This one also has an alcohol content of 15%, but it is made with "Yamada Nishiki," a renowned sake rice polished to 55%

When you open the bottle, a fresh ginjo aroma rises, and when you take a sip, you can taste the deliciousness of the rice. Like "Yahabusa," this is another exceptional product that is only available at this time of year

This Junmai Ginjo sake boasts a delightful aroma, a deep sweetness, and a well-balanced, moderate acidity

Shiwa Sake Brewery <Information>

• Facility name: Shiwa Sake Brewery
• Location: 2-4 Miyate Izumiyashiki, Shiwa-cho, Shiwa-gun, Iwate Prefecture
• Phone number: 019-681-7084
• Business hours: 9:00-17:00
• Closed: Sundays
• URL: Shiwa Sake Brewery Official Website

Google Map

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summary

Shiwa Sake Brewery is a sake brewery that stands alone in the middle of rice fields, giving you the feeling of having traveled back in time to a sake brewery of a bygone era

The aroma wafting through the brewery during the brewing process heightened my desire to drink, and I ended up buying one bottle each of "Hiroki" and "Shichu" at the direct sales store, exceeding my budget, but the taste was extremely satisfying

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