
Junmai Ginjo wakasa
Obama Sake Brewery | Fukui Prefecture
Obama Sake Brewery
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A port town located in the southwestern part of Fukui Prefecture.Facing Wakasa Bay, Obama has flourished as a strategic point on the Sea of Japan since ancient times.
Obama Sake Brewery's roots date back to 1830, when it was founded as Yoshioka Brewery, and after merging with Hemigura, it continued to exist as Obama's only sake brewery, Wakasa Fuji.In the midst of all this, this new sake brewery was founded in 2016 after Wakasa Fuji withdrew from the sake brewing business, taking over the business with the motto of "never extinguishing the light of local sake."
Akiteru Takaoka, who is also the former CEO's son-in-law and has a background as a salesman for a foreign pharmaceutical company, will take over the business.
They worked hard to obtain support from the city and financial institutions, including funds for equipment, and obtained a sake brewing license after about a year and a half.
They moved their sake brewery to a mountainous area, renovated the storehouse where sake brewing had been suspended for nearly 50 years, and started brewing sake from scratch using the tools inherited from Wakasa Fuji.
They have hired a veteran chief brewer introduced by the Noto Chief Brewers Association, and have made ``wakasa'' their signature product.
We use 100% Obama-produced rice and water with the idea of ``liquor rooted in the region.''In particular, the quality of the subterranean water from the Minami River near the brewery is one of Obama Sake Brewery's weapons, and the sake is made with the unique characteristics of the area.
During the preparation period, there are four brewers working under the chief brewer.Each piece is carefully made by hand.We have a good reputation for our careful raw material processing, which allows us to wash and soak 4kg of rice in seconds.
Rather than being bound by traditional sake brewery management, there are also new initiatives such as installing cameras inside the brewery and broadcasting it over the internet.We also employ foreign brewers and are working hard every day with an eye on both domestic and international markets.
``Our goal is to create a local sake brewery that will last for 50 to 100 years, and we want to pass on the experiences of everyone involved now to future generations,'' says Takaoka.The sake that was born in Obama and passed down from generation to generation is etched in the hearts of many people.
Enjoy seafood from Wakasa as a side dish while feeling the story of Obama, Fukui Prefecture.