Assemblage Club, a sake project made possible through the cooperation of three Kyoto sake breweries, and My Sake World, a place where individuals, restaurants, and businesses can create their own original blended sake. We interviewed the breweries and people who are cooperating and supporting this unprecedented project called "sake blending," about why they decided to participate and the impact it has had since then.
This time, we follow the blending experience of Ryotaro Yamazaki, president and CEO of Takanoi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., who brews the Tamotsu sake that is used as the base liquor for the My Sake World Oike Bettei blend.

I spoke to this person

Ryotaro Yamazaki, President and CEO of Takanoi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.

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Born in Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture in 1973, he became president and CEO in 2011. He majored in economics at university. While working in convenience stores at a major food wholesaler, he felt the value of the traditions of his family's sake brewery, which is the polar opposite of data-driven marketing, and decided to take over as the third generation.

1. Takanoi Sake Brewery: Focusing on locally grown Niigata sake rice

Takanoi Sake Brewery is located in the rice-producing region of Niigata and is known for its light, dry sake made using techniques passed down by Echigo brewers. The history of sake brewing dates back to the Edo period, but after suffering a fire in 12 and rice restrictions during the war, the brewery closed for a time and began brewing miso and soy sauce. It then resumed sake brewing in 30. Its representative brands include "Tenyu," which uses local Niigata sake rice, and "Echi no Hatsuume," Japan's first sake stored in the snow.

—Takanoi Sake Brewery's representative brand, "Tentomo," is featured on "My Sake World." What kind of sake is this?

Yamazaki: "This sake is brewed with a type of sake rice called 'Echitanrei,' which can only be found in Niigata. Yamada-nishiki is famous for its sake rice, but it is difficult to grow in Niigata. The harvest season, mid- to late November, is when it snows in the Uonuma region where our brewery is located. So about 11 years ago, we crossed Yamada-nishiki with Gohyakumangoku to create a new variety of rice called 'Echitanrei,' which has the best of both worlds. At the time, farmers made more money from koshihikari, so it was hard to find a place to grow it. But gradually, as the number of farmers changed and the number of large-scale farmers increased, rather than just growing the single variety of koshihikari, we started to grow other varieties as a risk hedge. More and more places are willing to cooperate in this way, and now 20% of our rice is grown locally under contract. In other words, 'Tenyu' is a sake that goes back to its roots as a local sake made with local rice."

2. Blends offer new ways to drink

-You tried your hand at blending sake for the first time with "My Sake World." What were your impressions?

Yamazaki: "As for the blending itself, we have products where we blend our own alcoholic beverages together, but this was the first time we mixed alcoholic beverages from other companies. It was like a science experiment and was simply fun."

- Were you reluctant to try blending?

Yamazaki: "At events, we tell customers that our Yuki-naka-zouka-shu (stored sake) is delicious when mixed with soda when it's hot, but many say it's a waste to drink it that way. But whether it's a highball or a blend like this one, I think it's important to suggest new ways to drink it and somehow get people interested in sake. Just like with traditional performing arts, the market won't expand if it's not known to the general public. I would be happy if experiences at facilities like this could become an opportunity to spread interest."

- In [My Sake World], you can choose from 12 types of sake and blend them together. After deciding on the recipe after two trials, you will receive your own original sake at a later date. Yamazaki's first blend was 2ml of Eikun, 1ml of Shinzo, 10ml of Hafukuzetto, and 10ml of TAMA.

Yamazaki: "Since I came all the way to Kyoto, I decided to use only Kyoto sake. Kyoto also mainly uses soft water, which is close to Niigata and has a refreshing taste. Each sake has its own unique characteristics and is delicious. I think it will be delicious no matter how you combine them, so I mixed them together using equal parts of 10ml each."

-The second time, I bought 2ml of your Tamotsu, 10ml of Ishizuchi, 10ml of Shin Tsuchida, and 10ml of Niidashi Zenshu.

Yamazaki: "Niidashi Zenshu is a unique type of sake, so it may have tasted better if I had changed the mixture a little. But since this isn't work, I just had fun making it. The experience of blending sake like this is interesting, and I think it would really appeal to people from overseas."

 3. Nothing beats an experience - be sure to visit a sake brewery

-Finally, please tell us about Takanoi Sake Brewery's future prospects.

Yamazaki: "In addition to domestic consumption, I would like to increase the proportion of overseas exports. At the same time, while the local area is of course important, I would like to have Takanoi Sake Brewery known nationwide through various opportunities. I would be happy if this makes people want to visit the brewery, Niigata, or Ojiya because this sake is so delicious. Nowadays you can buy anything online, but nothing beats an experience."

In My Sake World, Takanoi Brewery's "Tentomo" is popular as a representative light, dry sake, and is often chosen as the base for blends. Yamazaki was serious about his first sake blending experience, but also enjoyed it very much. It was impressive to see how he was enthusiastic about the blending technique, hoping it would spark an interest in sake. Takanoi Brewery is always accepting tours of the brewery (application required). We hope you will visit Niigata's sake brewery and experience it for yourself.

My Sake World Oike Bettei
Book in Japanese

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Writer/Sake Master Eriko Fujita
Expand your world to a sake specialty store in Osaka and encounter a variety of sake and sake breweries. Favorite sakes are Akishika, Ohgi, and others.
Other than drinking, my hobbies include collecting minerals and raising swallowtail butterflies.