Sake brewery experience
Scroll down
Connecting to the Origins of Japanese Craftsmanship Through Traditional Sake Brewing
Tracing Setouchi’s Breweries and Touching the Depths of Japanese Culture
Japanese sake brewing originated in ancient rice culture and prayers for bountiful harvests, enduring across the ages.
Japan’s unique brewing techniques with rice, water, and koji—cultivated through understanding regional climates—embody the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship.
Setouchi’s breweries preserve traditional techniques and sake culture while embracing innovation. We invite you on a sake journey to the essence of Japanese culture.
Seven Spirits in Sake Brewing
-
- Understanding
- Like all things, humans exist within nature’s order. Brewery workers assess each year’s climate and rice quality, approaching brewing with sincerity and understanding.
-
- Diligence
- Diligence means persistent refinement through practice. From rice washing timed to the second to achieving optimal steaming, meticulous care is devoted to crafting the ideal sake.
-
- Refinement
- Koji is created by adding mold to steamed rice, then used to cultivate the yeast starter. In this crucial stage determining sake quality, the five senses of brewers̶ honed through refinement-guide the process.
-
- Intuition
- Brewing relies on intuition backed by experience to assess fermentation states. During the moromi(the main fermentation mash) stage, brewers face daily changes and grasp subtle nuances.
-
- Entrusting
- Yeast fermentation creates sake. Brewers observe foam and aroma, quietly watching fermentation’s progress while discerning the optimal moment.
-
- Acceptance
- After long brewing, sake is complete. Brewers accept the results woven from nature’s gifts, microbial activity, and brewing skill. This spirit of acceptance enables the next brewing to begin.
-
- Gratitude
- Sake brewing reflects local climate and is sustained by community tradition. Completed sake is offered to the gods, and through brewery openings and festivals, gratitude is conveyed to the community and sake lovers.
