
Tsuji Zenbei Junmai Kimoto Yume Sasara
Tsuji Zenbei Shoten | Tochigi Prefecture
Tsuji Zenbei Shoten
Tsuji Zenbei Shoten in Moka City, Tochigi Prefecture, is run by a 16th generation brewer who is qualified as a Shimotsuke Toji under Tochigi Prefecture's new Toji system, and brews local sake with the sensibilities and passion of his youth.
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It's about a 15-minute walk from Moka Station on the Moka Railway, which is famous for its steam locomotives. Tsuji Zenbei Shoten, the brewery of Sakuragawa sake, is located along the road that was once called Seki Kaido because it connected to Seki in Shirakawa, Oshu (now Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture). Tsuji Zenbei, the first Omi merchant, started the sake brewing business in 4, and has been making local Tochigi sake here for 1754 years. They offer carefully handcrafted sake with concepts that meet both traditional and modern needs, such as Sakuragawa, a brand that has been around since the brewery was founded, and Tsuji Zenbei, a new brand launched by the current brewer, 270th generation owner Tsuji Hiroyuki.
Tsuji Zenbei Shoten has its roots in the Omi merchants, one of the three greatest merchants in Japan. The Omi merchants' philosophy is based on the idea of "Sanpo-yoshi." Sanpo-yoshi means that a good business is one that satisfies both the seller and the buyer and also contributes to society. This spirit lives on in the sake brewing of Tsuji Zenbei Shoten, and the company values making delicious sake that satisfies sellers, buyers, and the local community.
The brewery is located in the rich grain-producing region of northern Kanto. In addition, high-quality water from the Kinugawa River system flows from the well in the brewery. The technique of brewing sake using local ingredients is the skill of the "Shimotsuke Toji".
The "Shimotsuke Toji" is a new Toji system established in Tochigi Prefecture in 2006 to train young brewing technicians who will lead the next generation. Tsuji Hiroyuki, the Toji of Tsuji Zenbei Shoten and the XNUMXth generation head brewer, is one of those who hold this qualification. The brewery mainly produced ordinary sake and honjozo sake, with "Sakuragawa" as its main brand, but with the Toji's young sensibility and passion, he launched the new "Tsuji Zenbei" brand, saying, "We want to focus on Junmai sake and Junmai Ginjo sake." Not only that, but he also pours the same techniques into ordinary sake as he does into ginjo sake, saying, "To protect the culture of national sake, sake should be close to everyday life." His specialty is the way he applies his skills equally to all his sake.
"PREMIUM S" is a product that pursues the true flavor of sake, and has been in the works for the past 10 years with the aim of creating a high-quality sake that even young people will find cheap and delicious. The "S" stands for "standard" and also for "Sakuragawa." It has a delicate flavor that overturns the conventional notion of ordinary sake, and quality control that goes beyond the common sense of ordinary sake. This innovative approach should be a stepping stone to connecting sake culture to the future.