Naeba Sake Brewery in Tsunan, Niigata Prefecture, is supported by the pure water and clean air that are unique to snowy regions.
The year 2024 marks a major turning point for the company with the rebranding of its popular brand "Josu Mori" and the completion of a new brewery.
With the teachings of his two masters in mind, Takeda Shota was appointed to the position of chief brewer at a young age. We spoke to him about the birth of “Joso Mori,” which was the first to attempt a single-stage brewing process, the background to the rebranding, and the attention to detail he has put into the new brewery.

I spoke to this person

Shota Takeda, Director and Production Manager, Naeba Shuzo Co., Ltd.

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Born in Tsunan Town, Niigata Prefecture. After graduating from high school, he joined Takizawa Sake Brewery, the predecessor of Naeba Sake Brewery. He was in charge of launching the "Joso Mori" (now "Yuki no Mayu") brand, and from winter 2024, he will oversee the entire brewing process, including other brands, as the head brewer. He doesn't like sweet things and prefers dry sake.

Learning from two teachers

Tsunan Town in Niigata Prefecture is known as a heavy snow area, with over 3 meters of snow in the winter. Takizawa Sake Brewery, the predecessor of Naeba Sake Brewery, has been producing sake beloved by locals since its founding in 1907.

The company was considering closing down due to the aging of its owner, but current president Mitsuyoshi Shinbo took over in 2014 and changed its name to Naeba Sake Brewery, named after Mount Naeba, a famous local peak that is listed as one of the XNUMX most famous mountains in Japan.

A signboard that still retains the image of Takizawa Sake Brewery

The chief brewer at Naeba Sake Brewery is Takeda Shota, who turns 30 this year. Born and raised in Tsunan Town, Takeda was surrounded by sake, so it was a natural progression for him to move into the world of sake brewing. Takeda was put in charge of sake brewing at a young age, and he has two mentors. One is Shinbo Hidehiro, who was selected as a "Niigata Master Craftsman," and the other is Uchiyama Katsuya, who still brews sake with him today.

"Shinbo-san often told me, 'Cleaning is everything in sake brewing. Cleaning is more important than any technique,'" says Takeda-san. In the world of sake brewing, which relies on the action of microorganisms, he was taught the importance of creating a clean environment where they can work comfortably.

On the other hand, he learned the basics of sake brewing and how to behave as a leader from Uchiyama. "Most of the brewers are locals. The oldest is 73 years old and the youngest is 23 years old, so there is a half century difference between them, but we all work together in harmony to make sake, just as the saying goes, 'Japanese sake, good sake.'"

What he learned from his mentor also comes in handy in the teamwork that brings members of different age groups together and works together to brew sake.

The story behind the birth of the popular brand "Josu Mori"

Three or four years after joining the company, Takeda was put in charge of brewing sake during the summer when Uchiyama, who is also a farmer, was away. Around that time, the company received a request from the Tokamachi City hotel "Josu Mori" to make a sake for the toast served at the hotel.

"They told me they wanted a sake with a sweet and sour taste that was brewed in one stage, but at the time three stages were the norm and no one knew how to make it. I was at a loss as to what to do."
This is where Takeda's trial and error began.

In sake brewing, the usual method is "three-stage brewing," in which steamed rice, koji, and water are put into a tank three times to allow alcoholic fermentation to proceed. "One-stage brewing" does this all at once, and because it is pressed before the sugar in the rice has completely broken down into alcohol, it has a fresh taste with the sweetness of the rice remaining. On the other hand, there are risks such as high raw material costs due to the high proportion of sake lees, and unstable quality due to the sudden dilution of the yeast density.

When Takeda started making sake using the one-stage brewing method, which no one had ever tried before, he was inspired by documents from the Edo period. "A classmate of mine at the Sake School was an expert who researched old documents. She told me that sake was made using the one-stage brewing method up until the Edo period, and I was encouraged by that, thinking, 'If it was done in the past, it should be possible to do it today too.'"

After repeated fine-tuning to get closer to the ideal taste, the final product was named "Josu Mori" after the name of the inn. With a unique fruity aroma, fresh sweetness, sourness, and rich umami, it quickly became a popular brand, helping to make Naeba Shuzo a household name nationwide.

Visit the "Snow Cocoon" unique to areas with heavy snowfall

"Josu Mori," which has many fans across the country, will change its name to "Yuki no Mayu" on October 2024, 10 (Sake Day).

"The new name comes from a phenomenon known locally as 'snow cocoon.' When snow piles up on stones in the river, they look round like cocoons. This is an area that receives heavy snowfall, so we decided to change the name to something related to that. The sake has a rounded, soft flavor, so I think it fits that image."

Yukimayu (Photo courtesy of Naeba Sake Brewery)

The abundant snowfall that is unique to Tsunan Town also has a positive effect on sake brewing.
"Because we have such a large amount of snow, we have an abundance of high-quality soft water. Even the tap water tastes like mineral water. Also, the snow clears the dust from the air, allowing us to brew sake in clear air."

There was still a lot of snow remaining when I visited at the end of March.

It is rare even on a global scale for agriculture and sake brewing to take place in an area with so much snow, and this rebranding is a strategy to make the most of that strength.

Three recommended brands selected by a sake-loving master brewer

Takeda, who is himself a big fan of alcohol, introduced us to three different types of brands that he recommends.

Yukino Mayu Junmai Daiginjo - Yamada Nishiki 40 - Namasake
A fruity aroma reminiscent of white peach and lychee. A rich honey-like sweetness bursts in your mouth, followed by a juicy acidity like green apple.
"In order to make the most of the fruity aroma that is unique to Yukino Mayu, we squeeze the juice in a bag rather than using a press, which is a bit of a hassle. It has a strong sweetness, so it's recommended as a toast or dessert wine."

(Photo courtesy of Naeba Sake Brewery)

Naebayama Junmai
The sharpness of the alcohol tightens up the rich flavor packed with the umami of rice.
"It's delicious both hot and cold, and is a local favorite. I often drink it with curry. The aged flavor of the sake goes really well with the spices in the curry."

(Photo courtesy of Naeba Sake Brewery)

Yukino Mayu Authentic Shochu
The ginjo aroma is reminiscent of gorgeous flowers, and the rounded flavor blends easily into the mouth.
"Yuki no Mayu is brewed in a single step, which produces more than twice the amount of sake lees than normal, so we use that to make this shochu. We recommend mixing it with hot water to get a light ginjo aroma. Of the various drinks we tried, chicken nanban and samgyeopsal went well together. I think it also goes well with spicy dishes."

(Photo courtesy of Naeba Sake Brewery)

The future of sake brewing, moving forward with a new, dedicated brewery

The year 2024, when the brand was rebranded to "Yuki no Mayu," was also the year that the new brewery was completed. The ability to control the temperature throughout the brewery allows for stable brewing throughout the year, and a system has been put in place to increase production of "Yuki no Mayu," which is in high demand.

"When we built our new brewery, we worked out the flow of traffic so that there would be no unnecessary movement when working. The new koji room is made of cedar, which has excellent dehumidifying and antibacterial properties. To further improve the dehumidifying properties, we took special care to incorporate the latest floor heating in addition to the traditional skylights."

When I actually got to see the new storehouse, I got the impression that the brewing equipment was compact and it would be easier for a team to work together. The old storehouse, which is being used in parallel with the new storehouse, is also well-maintained down to the last detail, with the tools used for sake brewing easy to use and well-organized. I felt that this was an essential environment for the delicate one-stage brewing process.

As a pioneer of the single-stage brewing method, Takeda-san has continued to produce the beloved "Joso Mori" and "Yuki no Mayu." When asked what he would like to try in the future, he prefaced his remarks by saying, "I think it will be some time before I can realize that."

"I like alcohol, so I'd like to try making alcoholic drinks other than sake and shochu. We have a lot of high-quality sake lees from Yukino Mayu, so I thought it would be interesting to use it to make beer or gin."

Fueled by the blessings of the heavy snow region, the teachings of his master, and his love for his favorite sake, Takeda continues to take on the challenge of brewing sake into the future.

Writer: Kanane Urabe
Living in Niigata Prefecture / Master of sake sommelier, sake sommelier, shochu sommelier
I worked for a government agency supporting the export of food products, including sake, and now I work as a freelance writer. I like craft sake, which has a pronounced sweet and sour flavor, and sake made with additional ingredients. https://www.foriio.com/k-urabe