About Sasaiwai Shuzo Co., Ltd.
A sake brewery that offers the taste of "local sake among local sake" living in the climate of Niigata
■ Commitment to "local sake" rooted in the community The sake produced by Sasaiwai Shuzo is "local sake among local sake," with about 90% of the production consumed locally. Our goal is not to chase trendy styles, but to create sake that the producers and local residents can sincerely think is "delicious to drink now." All staff involved in sake brewing live locally, and all the rice used as raw material is sake rice produced in Niigata City. You can enjoy authentic local sake that is proud and closely aligned with the rich climate of Niigata and the taste preferences of its residents.
■ The history and tradition of the brewery that has continued since 1899 Founded in 1899 (Meiji 32), along the old Hokuriku Highway, which was once a transportation hub. The beginning of sake brewing was when the wife of the first brewery owner ran a tea house where "sake sold like hotcakes." Even today, the wooden building with thick beams from the old days remains, and the space where the brewery workers (sake brewers) once lived and worked has been transformed into a place to convey Japan's fermentation culture as a "koji classroom." We also focus on the traditional technique of "kimoto brewing," which predates the Meiji era, inheriting the history of classic sake brewing to the present day.
■ Experience traditional sake brewing with a "brewery tour" At Sasaiwai Shuzo, we offer a "brewery tour" where you can feel how sake is made (closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays). You will be guided through the back of sake brewing, which you usually cannot see, including the use of traditional large pots and steaming rice with a koshi (steamer), as well as traditional architecture that tells the history of the brewery. After the tour, you can also enjoy sake tasting and shopping at the sales area attached to the brewery.
【Basic information and reservations for the brewery tour】
Current brewery workers will guide you through the history of Sasaiwai Shuzo and the actual sake brewing site. To ensure that we can guide you, we recommend making an online reservation in advance.
- Dates: Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (10:00–12:00 / 13:00–17:00) *For weekday tours, please contact us directly.
- Participation fee: Adults (20 years and older): 2,200 yen (tax included) *Includes tasting of 6 types of sake or a 1,000 yen gift certificate usable at the direct sales store, along with a special souvenir
- Under 20 years to middle school students: 1,100 yen (tax included)
- Elementary school students and younger: free
▶︎ [Check availability and make a reservation for the brewery tour here]
https://www.asoview.com/channel/activities/ja/sasaiwai/offices/836/courses?language_type=ja
