SAKE
With 13 Sake breweries in a single area, Saku is one of the leading Sake-brewing centers in Japan.
The people here have been brewing fine Sake for a long time, doing so with a respect for nature and using advanced brewing technology.
The personalities of the people brewing the Sake go into the Sake that they make, so you will enjoy tasting and comparing the Sakes from each of these breweries.
BREWERY
Otsuka Brewery
Brewing in the Castle Town of Komoro
Founded in 1841, Otsuka Brewery is the only sake brewery in Komoro, a city developed from an old castle town. Komoro City issuitable for sake brewing due to its extremely cold climate. Takingadvantage of the cold weather, we have been brewing Asamadakebrand sake using rice from Nagano and underground water flowingfrom Mt. Asama. During his stay in Komoro, Toson Shimazaki (apoet active during the rst half the 1900s) wrote poetry aboutAsamadake (Mt. Asama).
Asamadake is always at the dinner table, making your meal ahappy occasion. We are doing our best to create “sake that isperfect for every meal.”
2-1-24 Ote, Komoro City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-22-0002
Brewery tour : Not available
Otsuka Brewery
Chikumanishiki Brewery
Chikuma Nishiki,
a Flagship Sake of Saku City
Saku Basin in Nagano is a land of intense cold, located at thefoot of Mt. Asama. Chikuma Nishiki Brewery has been brewingChikuma Nishiki for over 330 years here. Chikuma Nishikisake is always brewed with local Nagano rice, the renownedunderground water from Mt. Asama, and our brewers’ passion,nurtured in the long history of our brewery.
1110 Nagatoro, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:00267-67-3731
Brewery tour : By reservation only
Chikumanishiki Brewery
Totsuka Brewery
A Brewery Trusted and Loved
by Many Customers
Totsuka Brewery, whose foundation goes back over 360 years,was started by Heiemon Totsuka, who moved to Saku in 1653.Heiemon's unfiltered sake became popular, which encouragedhim to start a full-scale brewery. Since then, we have been takingthe time to brew good sake for 16 generations, utilizing Saku'scold climate, which is perfect for sake brewing. We are alsoexperimenting using the snow-covered mountains and windcaves as natural cool storage to create richer flavors.
752 Iwamurada, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-67-2105
Brewery tour : Not available
Totsuka Brewery
Furuya Brewery
The Challenge and Pursuit of
Undeniably Delicious Sake
In 1891, this sake, whose name appeared in Emperor Meiji's poem, was created. We approach sake from diverse points of view by also producing shochu, wine and brandy, and applying these techniques to the brewing of our handcrafted sake. We value the spirit of “challenge” and “pursuit,” and we strive to create sake that will soothe your body after a day of hard work and give you a fresh start for tomorrow.
411 Tsukahara, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-67-2153
Brewery tour : Not available
Furuya Brewery
Takeshigehonke Brewery
Continuing to Create Sake
Loved by Locals
The origin of the Takeshige family dates back to the 17th century, during the early Edo era. We started brewing sake in the late 19th century (early Meiji era), and are still brewing in the land of Motai on the historic Nakasendo Way. Our mottos are preserving our tradition and original taste, pursuing new tastes, and continuing to brew first-class local sake. We value tradition while pursuing new possibilities. The majority of our sake is full-bodied, filled with aged flavor. They are made by the “kimoto method,” a traditional way of creating wild lactic acid bacteria. We also brew new types of sake, such as sparkling sake.
2179 Motai, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-53-3025
Brewery tour : Tours as far as the office are available during business hours.
Takeshigehonke Brewery
Osawa Brewery
Brewing the One and Only in the Spirit of
“Harmony Creating Good Sake,
Good Sake Creating Harmony.”
Osawa Brewery, founded in 1689, sits quietly in the village of Motai on the former Nakasendo Way. Our original sake, passed on for generations, is valued as the oldest sake in Japan. It is made with quality, underground water from Mt. Tateshina and choice sake rice from Nagano and other prefectures. We use both traditional and innovative methods to highlight its clear flavor and rich rice taste, leaving a lasting impression. The site of our brewery also includes folklore, art, and calligraphy museums as enjoyment for visitors.
2206 Motai, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-53-3100
Brewery tour : Not available (Folkfore, art, and calligraphy museums are open to the public.)
Osawa Brewery
Tuchiya Brewery
A Brewery That Reflects
the Hearts of the People
Named for good luck, our Kame no Umi (Sea of Turtles) brand sake has been brewed for over 100 years in hopes of providing joyous occasions. We have been brewing our rich sake in a historic wooden brewery.We have been meticulous in our brewing, which has resulted in our marketing of Nagano's first ginjoshu, a sake made from highly-milled rice. In addition, we have recently been challenging ourselves to make sake in Asashina Gorobei Shinden (Saku City), a land famous for quality rice, using organic sake rice. We are a brewery that walks with our community to create sake that expresses their thoughts.
1914-2 Nakagomi, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-62-0113
Brewery tour : Partial tour available with a reservation
Tuchiya Brewery
Fuyou Brewery
Connecting People and Hearts with Sake
Founded in 1887 at the foot of Mt. Arafune, to the east of Saku, we have been brewing sake ever since. Our flagship sake is named Kimpo Fuyo, which means the ultimate beauty, and this name expresses our attitude toward brewing and our wish for sake. We also make sake from the blessings of various localities throughout Japan. Our motto is to respect and make the most of the diverse natural environments in Japan through our handmade sake. In addition, we make shochu liquor using special products from across the country.
5371-1 Hiraga, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-62-0340
Brewery tour : Not available
Fuyou Brewery
Tomono Brewery
Beautiful Flowers Blossoming
in the Clear Waters of Saku
We brew our sake from Miyama Nishiki and Hitogokochi rice produced in Nagano. We aim to create clear sake whose first cup is tasty, and second cup is refreshing.We strive for consistency in our sake with dedicated handwork. Whether we are brewing standard or super premium sake, we always do our very best, pursuing what it means to brew local sake.
123 Nozawa, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-62-0021
Brewery tour : Not available
Tomono Brewery
Kiuchi Brewery
Preserving the Original Spirit
While Pursuing New Sake with
the Nature of Saku
The Kiuchi Family traces their ancestry back to an old respectable family related to Shingen Takeda, a great samurai warrior active during the 16th century. Members of the Kiuchi family served as Village Mayor for many generations. Kiuchi Brewery was established by the third-generation family head, Goichi, whose policy was “to brew sake using carefully-examined, highly-milled rice in abundance.” Earnestly committed to the policy, we would like to pursue new sake brewing, including use of naturally-frozen rice, by taking advantage of the nature and climate of Saku.
985 Osawa, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-62-0005
Brewery tour : Available with a reservation
Kiuchi Brewery
Kitsukura Brewery<
Since the Late 17th Century…
Sake Is a Gift from Nature.
Beautiful Sake from Beautiful Saku
Since our foundation in 1696, we have been creating sake for over 300 years, succeeding our ancestor's aspirations and techniques, and preserving their traditions. Our ancestors are said to trace back to the Tachibana family in the Heian era (the late 8th to late 12th centuries). Our brewery name comes from the Chinese-derived pronunciation of “Tachibana,” added to “kura,” which means brewery. We aim to make sake that honors our Saku roots, and celebrates people, nature, and history. In order to meet the needs of the times, we apply the same dedication when making our amazake drinks, soba shochu, and cooking wines. Sake is a gift from nature. We value serving people through brewing.
653-2 Usuda, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-82-2006
rewery tour : Available with a reservation
Kitsukura Brewery<
Sakunohana Brewery
Creating Sake and Smiles
Our brewery is located up the Chikuma River, between the Yatsugatake Mountain Range and Mt. Asama. This area is suitable for sake brewing because of its clear water and air, and cool climate. Saku, a leading granary in Nagano, is where high quality rice is harvested. We also grow our own sake rice in rice paddies of high quality. As a famous saying says, “Harmony creates good sake, good sake creates harmony.” As a company, we have been working together to create delicious sake in a harmonious environment.
620 Shimogoe, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-82-2107
Brewery tour : Not available (Tasting is available at the promotional store.)
Sakunohana Brewery
Kurosawa Brewery
The Uppermost Brewery along
the Chikuma River, in the Foot of
North Yatsugatake Mountain Range
Since our foundation as the uppermost brewery along the Chikuma River in 1858, we have been brewing sake rooted in our community, and taking advantage of the cool climate, clear air, and quality underground water of the Chikuma River. All of our sake is brewed with Nagano rice only. We grow some of it ourselves, recognizing the importance of agriculture in sake brewing. We have been committed to making full and rich sake using the “kimoto method,” a traditional method of making yeast, which requires twice as much time as other methods. We strive to create good sake for any meal, which will make you want to have another glass.
1400 Hozumi, Sakuho Town, Minami Saku-gun, Nagano Prefecture
TEL:0267-88-2002
Brewery tour : Not available(Free admission to the Sake Museum)