Sharing is caring, Tsuchida on the table
Naturally brewed, naturally gathered
Situated in a small village of 3,100 people
Using natural spring water from Mt. Hotaka filtered over 50 years by nature
1 Family, 6 Generations, for over 120 years
6th generation owner cherishes old knowledge of sake making, while continually acquiring new
Using only 4 ingredients
3 added by us and 1 from nature: rice, koji, water and natural microorganisms found in the air
Preserving the rare and traditional methods
Additive-free and kimoto method, which only a few among 1500 breweries still practice today
ABOUT
Tsuchida Sake Brewery is situated in Kawaba, a small village of 3,100 people in Gunma Prefecture, a mountainous region northwest of Tokyo. Established in 1907, it has been a family operation for six generations. With some breweries running over 400 years, we know we are not one of the oldest ones. Our production is medium-small size compared to the 1,500 other sake breweries existing in Japan.
The following are the 10 facts about sake making at Tsuchida Sake Brewery;
Fact 1Kimoto method
All of our sake is made using the original kimoto method. Kimoto stands for orthodox sake making, incorporating ambient lactic acid bacteria, microorganisms used in food and drink fermentation.
Fact 2No additives
All sake we make is additive-free. Our sake contains no additives, including distilled alcohol, manufactured lactic acid, and enzyme agents, some of which do not legally have to be stated on labels. We preserve rare and traditional methods, which only few breweries still practice today.
Fact 3Only 3
We add only 3 ingredients: rice, water and koji; The air adds microorganisms, which are key to flavor and the fermentation process.
Fact 4Rice
We rewind the history of sake making back to Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868) by polishing little away from the rice grains (except for a couple of brands with particular reasons). Sake made with less-polished rice brings more umami, layers and length of flavors.
Fact 5Water
Our sake uses natural spring water filtered over 50 years by nature.
Fact 6Yeast
We mainly use #7, #6 and #9 Brewing Association Yeasts.
Fact 7Specification
Our sake is based on ancient recipes from long before today’s sake designation system, yet it all belongs to the junmai category. We strive to bring back the culture of sake making in harmony with the work of microorganisms.
Fact 8Quality
Automation and modern equipment is utilized for consistency; however, we heavily rely on the Toji (master brewer’s) sensory evaluation to determine the flavor and quality.
Fact 9Team
Average age of brewers (including the Toji) is late twenties. Our brewery’s Toji is 34 years old and has worked at Tsuchida for 13 years.
Fact 10Family name
TSUCHIDA is our family name, meaning “rich soil and rice fields”.
Sake making at Tsuchida Sake Brewery takes twice as long compared to the modernized method, is more difficult and more labor intensive. However, we believe it is worth it for the natural sake it produces with elegant and rich complexity with layers of flavors, as well as lingering long finish. And with innovative spirit and the legacy of our ancestors, we make the best use of modern equipment and advances in IT and chemistry. We attempt to utilize old and new wisdom, and carry on our knowledge and skills to the next generation.
PRODUCT
Looking back sake history, sake production was encouraged to be modernized as a matter of Japan's national policy around early 1900s. This is when sake brewing technology and techniques had experienced phenomenal upgrade in order to produce larger quantity and stable quality in less risk of spoilage.
Our sake hark back to Japan’s historical methods of brewing sake. Along with use of less-polished rice grains as ancient time, all our sake are made using the kimoto method, where the lactic acid bacteria living in the air of sake brewery kick-start the fermentation. Constantly our brewers discuss “How to bring out the flavors of the rice?”, “Have our friends the microorganisms started their work?”,“How is the koji fermentation process progressing”to determine the flavors of our sake as we need to adjust and monitor how microorganisms work under fluctuation and less controlled environment.
Tsuchida Kimoto
Gentle aroma of cream, almond, ripe banana and dried cranberry. Complex and pronouce yet soft and well balanced sake with gentle sweetness, rich umami and refreshing acidity. This sake works widely from traditonal Japanese flavours to western dishes.
| Product name | Tsuchida Kimoto |
|---|---|
| Raw ingredients | Rice & Koji |
| Rice variety | Asahi no Yume grown in Gunma Prefecture |
| Rice polishing ratio | 60% (40% removed) |
| Koji ratio | 30% (20-23% average, yellow koji) |
| Yeast type | Brewing Association Yeast #701 |
| Shubo style | Kimoto |
| Alcohol by volume | 14% |
| Sake meter value | -5 |
| Acidity | 2.0 |
| Amino acidity | 1.3 |
| Sweetness level | 300g/L residual sugar |
| Size | 720ml |
| Storage temperature | at cellar (15-18C) |
Tsuchida 99
Viscous, rich and sweet sake made by using 99% koji ratio (instead of average 20%).
Honey, roasted chestnuts and dried apricot with complex umami and tingly acidity. Suitable to pair with nuts based dessert or rich & sweet meat dishes.
| Product name | Tsuchida 99 |
|---|---|
| Raw ingredients | Rice & Koji |
| Rice variety | Asahi no Yume grown in Gunma Prefecture |
| Rice polishing ratio | 70% (30% removed) |
| Koji ratio | 99% (yellow koji) |
| Yeast type | Brewing Association Yeast #901 |
| Shubo style | Kimoto |
| Alcohol by volume | 15% |
| Sake meter value | -42 |
| Acidity | 3.9 |
| Amino acidity | 3.4 |
| Sweetness level | 970g/L residual sugar |
| Size | 720ml |
| Storage temperature | at cellar (15-18C) |
Tsuchida 12
This soft and refreshing sake has lower alcohol content of 12%. White koji provides surprisingly bright lime and yuzu zesty acidirty with cream and pears. Perfect sake to non-Japanese starter dishes such as fish and chips or Thai fresh summer rolls.
| Product name | Tsuchida 12 |
|---|---|
| Raw ingredients | Rice & Koji |
| Rice variety | Asahi no Yume grown in Gunma Prefecture |
| Rice polishing ratio | 90% (10% removed) |
| Koji ratio | 40% (white koji) |
| Yeast type | Brewing Association Yeast #601 |
| Shubo style | Kimoto |
| Alcohol by volume | 12% |
| Sake meter value | -19 |
| Acidity | 3.2 |
| Amino acidity | 2.2 |
| Sweetness level | 345g/L residual sugar |
| Size | 720ml |
| Storage temperature | at cellar (15-18C) |
TETOTE [UK Limited]
Pure, yet deep in Umami with balanced acidity and layering complex flavours reminding of mushroom, hibiscus, coffee bean, lemon tart and hezelnut cream.
Tsuchida sake stimulates one's apetite and express beautiful and magical expression of the nature.
| Product name | TETOTE [UK Limited] |
|---|---|
| Raw ingredients | Rice & Koji |
| Rice variety | Asahi no Yume grown in Gunma Prefecture |
| Rice polishing ratio | 90% (10% removed) |
| Koji ratio | 30% (yellow koji) |
| Yeast type | Natural Yeast |
| Shubo style | Kimoto |
| Alcohol by volume | 16% |
| Sake meter value | -8 |
| Acidity | 2.9 |
| Amino acidity | 2.5 |
| Sweetness level | 241g/L residual sugar |
| Size | 720ml |
| Storage temperature | at cellar (15-18C) |
The way of Sake
The owner will explain the particulars of sake brewing.
COMPANY
- Company Name
- Tsuchida Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
- Established
- 1907
- President
- Yuji Tsuchida
- Business summary
- Sake production and sales
- Capital
- 2,5000,000 JPY
- Address
- 2691 Yuhara Kawaba, Kawaba Village, Tone District, Gunma Prefecture, 378-0102, Japan
- contact@tsuchidasake.jp
History
- Mid-Meiji eraMr. Mohachi Tsuchida
- 1st generation owner expanded production to bring his quality sake to the wider local community.
- 1923-Mr. Kunitaro Tsuchida
- 2nd generation owner improved the brewery’s quality by investing in finer ingredients. He had also released the representative brand “Homare Kokko” meaning “to uphold our country’s honor and help it shine brighter”. As a result, the brewery was rewarded as one and only brewery in Kanto area, with the Honorary Award by the National New Sake Contest which was only given to breweries that have won consecutive prizes at the sake competition.
- 1948-Mr. Minoru Tsuchida
- 3rd generation owner reevaluated the brewery’s production and started to explore traditional sake making in harmony with microorganisms.
- 1965-Mrs. Koto Tsuchida
- 4th generation owner strived to sustain business after the sudden death of the 3rd generation owner, her husband.
- 1972-Mr. Yozo Tsuchida
- 5th generation owner mastered Ginjo style sake making. He concentrated on producing clear sake with refreshing flavor using polished rice. In 1992, he had relocated the manufactory to the present site in order to produce larger quantity and stable quality. These led to the further acceleration of “Homare-Kokko” brand being loved and chosen by locals in Gunma.
- 2008-Mr. Yuji Tsuchida
- 6th generation owner, Yuji Tsuchida, has drastically changed the way the brewery produces sake. He strives to bring out the umami flavors of the rice. He is committed to the traditional kimoto method of sake making, as well as sake making with ambient yeast and minimally polished rice grains.
Recent Awards
- 2019
- Awards of excellence, Junmai Ginjo category at 90th Annual Sake Contest by Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Taxation Bureau
- 2018
- Platinum Award at KURA MASTER
- 2017
- Gold Medal at National New Sake Contest
Junmai Gold Medal at KURA MASTER - 2016
- Awards of excellence ar Gunma New Sake Contest
ACCESS
Address: 2691 Yuhara Kawaba, Kawaba Village, Tone District, Gunma Prefecture, 378-0102 JAPAN
Approximate transport time
- Via Public Transport
- Joetsu Shinkansen line - 70 mins from Tokyo Station to Jomo-Kogen Station then either Kanetsu Kotsu Bus to Numata and local bus (30mins) or taxi for 30mins.
- JR line - 50 mins from Takasaki Station to Numata Station, then local bus for 30mins.
- Via Car
- Kanetsu Express Motorway – About 90mins from Nerima Interchange to Numata Interchange.
Then 15mins drive via #64 Prefectural Road.
Brewery tours
Opening hours: 9:30 - 16:00
Closed: New Year Holidays
Individual visitors are welcome
(unguided walk-around)
For tour bus visitor reservation, please contact here
(Japanese-speaking guide necessary)