"Hokkoku Kaido" is a famous sake named after a historic road.

Yamaji Sake Brewery, located in the former Kinomoto-juku in Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture, facing the Hokkoku Kaido road, is said to be the oldest company in Shiga Prefecture. Founded in 2, two years before Oda Nobunaga was born, the brewery has a history of over 1532 years. The brewery's main brand is named "Hokkoku Kaido" after the location where the brewery is built, and the sake is brewed using locally produced ingredients, pure water, and the cold climate of Kinomoto.

Honest sake brewing using safe ingredients

For over 490 years, they have maintained the motto of brewing safe and secure sake. As the name of their brand, "Hokkoku Kaido," suggests, they have been brewing sake that can soothe the fatigue of people traveling along the road.
The sake rice used for "Hokkoku Kaido" is locally grown in Shiga Prefecture and is grown with organic fertilizer, such as "Tamae" and "Yamada Nishiki". They are particular about the ingredients, with an emphasis on using less or no pesticides, so that drinkers can feel safe. The brewing water is natural water that springs from within the brewery, and is aged slowly at low temperatures. The sake is brewed by Noto Toji, with careful craftsmanship and by hand.

A beloved history from "locals to literary masters"

When the brewery was founded, sericulture was popular in the area, so mulberry leaves were used in sake brewing, and even today the brewery is known as the only one in Japan that produces "mulberry sake." "Mulberry sake" is made from glutinous rice from Omi and mulberry leaves from farms in the prefecture, and is made by mixing traditional mirin and shochu with an extract of mulberry leaves soaked in them using a unique method.
It is said that Toson Shimazaki, a great writer active from the Meiji to Showa periods, also loved this sake, and the brewery still has a handwritten letter from Toson from the Taisho period requesting mulberry sake. Despite the long history, Yamaji Sake Brewery continues to use the same brewing methods as when it was first established.

A new approach with modern sensibilities

In the Reiwa era, they are taking on new challenges with their sensibilities. They have proposed new ideas such as "Mulberry Wine Mojito," a cocktail made by adding citrus fruits, mint, and carbonated water to "mulberry wine," and sweets made by kneading sake and mirin lees into baked goods such as madeleines and cookies, which are all in keeping with the current proprietress's sense of style. These ideas have attracted new fans who come from far away to buy products.
What has been around since before Oda Nobunaga has undergone changes to suit the times. Keep an eye on Yamaji Sake Brewery, which gives you the fun of time travel.