Enjoying the Local Sake at the Two Breweries of Yaotsu Town

The quality of brewing water has a significant impact on fermentation, so sake breweries take great care in preserving their water sources. The rich natural environment in the river's headwaters helps ensure that the water used in sake brewing is of the best quality.  
The connection between nature, the environment, and traditional industries is vital, and it is through this water cycle that our lives are supported.  
The abundant natural environment of Yaotsu Town has not only helped to develop brewing industries such as sake-making but also provided us with a comfortable living environment. Let’s explore how sake is created, from rice grown in the rich soil to the delicious water nurtured by the forests.

experience01natural environment

WWater makes up 80% of sake - *Kura Moto Yamada*
Water makes up 80% of sake – *Kura Moto Yamada* Since the quality of brewing water greatly influences fermentation, breweries make sure to protect their water sources. The preservation of a rich natural environment in the headwaters positively impacts sake brewing.
Nature, the environment, and traditional industries are interconnected, and it’s through this water cycle that our daily lives are sustained.
Through the expertise of brewers, who know how to bring out the original flavors of rice, and years of accumulated experience, the sake produced in these breweries is the ideal result.
The sake “Tamagashira Junmai Daiginjo” from *Kura Moto Yamada* won the prestigious “President’s Award” at the “Kura Master 2023,” a Japanese sake competition judged by French sommeliers.

experience02agriculture

Rice fields purify water and contribute to a better living environment.
Rice fields purify water and contribute to a better living environment. When water is poured into the rice fields, microscopic plankton appear, which are eaten by water insects, snails, and fish like loaches. On the field edges, grasshoppers and other insects can be seen, attracting frogs and birds, creating a complete ecosystem.
Rice fields are home to a wide variety of species, and the water entering the fields is filtered by the soil, becoming cleaner as it moves through the ground and flows into rivers.
Constantly holding water, rice fields supply underground water, which gradually seeps through the soil (recharge) and is stored as groundwater in aquifers. This underground water helps stabilize river water levels. Rice fields also help prevent subsidence, protect against floods and landslides, and regulate temperatures by releasing water vapor.

experience03People

Learning about rice field preservation through sake rice cultivation - Hanazakari Sake Brewing
Learning about rice field preservation through sake rice cultivation – Hanazakari Sake Brewing A group of young people from Kudami, the “Aoyagi Seinen-tai,” who each have their own jobs, collaborate to grow sake rice in the vast natural surroundings of the highlands. The sake made from the rice they grow is called “Kudami.”
Masahide Ido, a farmer from Kudami, already had the skills to cultivate rice, but only about 10% of his peers had experience in rice planting. Faced with the reality that there was no passing down of skills and that fallow fields were increasing, the younger generation took the initiative to grow sake rice and learn these techniques for themselves.

experience04history

The local sake of a town that thrived through river transport
The local sake of a town that thrived through river transport The mountain’s special products were carried along the Kurose Kaido (a path between mountain regions) and brought to the Kiso River’s Kurose Minato, where they were loaded onto boats and shipped downstream. When the boats arrived at their destination, they were loaded with goods like salt and then sailed upstream.
This area, which became a hub for transportation, also became a lively place for cultural exchange between East and West. People gathered, and through shared drinks, they strengthened their bonds and created connections.

experience05Local Flavors

80% of what’s grown in this mountain town. Taste the local cuisine and sake
“80% of what’s grown in this mountain town.” Taste the local cuisine and sake Hoba sushi, often made with sterilizing leaves and vinegared rice, was a common meal for workers in the mountains and fields of Yaotsu. “Koji pickles,” a traditional winter food to preserve protein when supplies were low, were made using wild birds, dried squid, and fried tofu.
The local flavors, made with the resources available in the area, have long been passed down, becoming essential to people’s lives.
Let’s enjoy the tastes of Yaotsu alongside its local sake for a complete experience!