During the Muromachi period, Hiroyo Ouchi modeled the city after Kyoto, and Yamaguchi City in Yamaguchi Prefecture is also known as the "Western Capital." In January 2024, Yamaguchi was selected as one of the "1 Places to Visit in 2024" by the New York Times, attracting a lot of attention.

Divided into three areas, the Seto Inland Sea coastal region, the Japan Sea coastal region, and the inland mountainous region, the prefecture brews a wide variety of sake types. They range from refreshing daiginjo types that go well with protein-rich, refined delicacies such as fugu and kawara soba in Shimonoseki City and swordfish in Nagato City, to full-bodied types brewed in hard water.

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Sake from Yamaguchi Prefecture that was presented to the Nara Imperial Court

Yamaguchi Prefecture has a long history of sake brewing, with records showing that sake was presented to the Nara Imperial Court from Nagato and Suo in the 6th century. During the Muromachi period, the city of Yamaguchi was developed to resemble the capital of Kyoto, and in the Edo period it continued to prosper, becoming the home base of the Mori clan of the Choshu domain.

It is said that there were over 500 sake breweries in the early Edo period, but after the Meiji period, sake breweries in the prefecture found themselves struggling as times changed.

In the late Showa period, the Yamaguchi Prefectural Industrial Technology Center took the lead in improving sake brewing techniques in the prefecture. In 1999, they developed yeasts such as "Yamaguchi Sakura Yeast" and "Yamaguchi Yamahai Yeast". In 11, they developed the long-awaited original variety "Saito no Shizuku", which is still used in many sake breweries today.

The prefecture is also actively involved in planning activities in which sake breweries in the prefecture work together, such as the "Yamaguchi Local Sake Revolution." With the appearance of some of the leading sake breweries in the current sake industry, the area has become a hot topic among many sake fans.

Yamaguchi sake available for purchase with "Sake World NFT"

① "Nakajimaya Sake Brewery"

Founded in 1823 (Bunsei 6).
Nakajimaya Sake Brewery has been brewing sake for over 200 years in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and its brewery is located in Tomitadoi, where the Jindai River and Tomita River meet. The local brand "Kotobuki" is used in celebrations and ceremonies in hopes of longevity, and has long been loved by local residents, known as "Tsuru, Kame, Kotobuki." They have a wide lineup of sake with a clear concept, and their company motto is "Keep your heart in the sake," so they brew with a single mind, and their appeal is a delicious taste that cannot be achieved through mass production.

As the saying goes, "First, koji, second, third, brewing," in Japanese sake brewing, the "koji room" where the most important process, koji making, is carried out is made using high-quality Akita cedar. While continuing to cherish the connections with people connected through sake, this long-established sake brewery is also working on product development and overseas expansion, such as participating in overseas contests, in order to make its sake brewing more widely known.

"A recommended bottle!" Kotobuki Junmai Daiginjo

This sake is named after the character "ju" (longevity), which expresses a prayer to the gods for a long life. It is made using carefully selected, top-quality rice and water, and is brewed using traditional methods, making it the perfect sake for celebrations and special occasions. It comes in a luxurious box, making it the perfect gift for someone special. With just one sip, the gorgeous aroma spreads, and the mellow taste lingers. This is a recommended bottle that will add elegance to a wide range of occasions, such as spending time with family and friends, as a gift for loved ones, or for dinner on a special day.

Specific name: Junmai Daiginjo
Ingredients: Rice (domestic), Koji (domestic)
Rice used: 100% Yamada Nishiki
Alcohol content: 15%

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Nakajimaya Sake Brewery

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② "Okazaki Sake Brewery"

Founded in 1924 (Taisho 13).
Okazaki Sake Brewery, located along the Abu River in Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was founded in 1924 near Chomonkyo, one of the most scenic spots in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Due to the construction of the Abu River Dam, the brewery moved to its current location upstream from Hagi City in 1970. The brewery continues to make sake that aims to bring out the natural flavor of rice to the fullest, with its flagship brand Chomonkyo named after the place where it was founded.

In 2010, they began brewing pure rice sake using pesticide-free rice "Ise Hikari." They are also actively working on initiatives rooted in the local community, such as "Fukurasuzume," a pure rice ginjo brewed with "Saito no Shizuku," an original sake-brewing rice from Yamaguchi Prefecture, and the limited sale of a brand made with "Special A Yamada Nishiki," a sake-brewing rice grown and polished locally in Hagi City, in collaboration with local farmers and sake breweries.

In 2018, the koji room where koji is made was completely renovated. By strictly controlling the temperature and humidity inside the room, the ideal environment for the koji mold to work in its best condition was created. Okazaki Sake Brewery values ​​tradition while at the same time challenging itself to create new flavors, and will continue to contribute to the development of Hagi's sake culture.

"Recommended one!" Chomonkyo P&A (PANDA)

This sake is made by blending white and black koji used in shochu brewing, rather than the yellow koji normally used in sake brewing, to create a light aroma and flavor with the sourness of the citric acid. The refreshing acidity can be enjoyed with any dish. The rice used is Isehikari, which is edible. The rich flavor of the rice combined with the moderate acidity creates an aroma and flavor that will have you drinking more and more. This is a great product to recommend to anyone looking for a refreshing and light sake.

Specific name: Junmaishu
Ingredients: Rice (domestic), Koji (domestic)
Rice used: Isehikari rice
Alcohol content: 15%

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Okazaki Sake Brewery

Yamaguchi

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3. "First Maple"

Founded in 1819 (Bunsei 2).
Hatsumomiji was founded in the late Edo period in the downtown area of ​​Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The distinctive name of the company comes from a Japanese poem, "Hatsumomiji," which likens the slight blush on one's cheeks after drinking sake to the changing colors of autumn leaves.

With the catchphrase "You can drink all the seasons of Japan," they brew all of their sake as pure rice sake in order to bring out the full flavor of the rice. They brew one seasonal sake for each season: new sake in spring, low-alcohol sake in summer, chilled sake in autumn, and cloudy sake in winter. They practice four-season brewing, brewing sake all year round, with the desire to "deliver the taste of freshly pressed sake at any time."

All the rice used in the sake brewing is from Yamaguchi Prefecture. They pursue pure rice sake made with local ingredients. "Harada" is made from Yamaguchi Prefecture's original sake rice "Saito no Shizuku", the best sake rice "Yamada Nishiki", and "Ise Hikari" and "Omachi", which are considered "mythical rice".

"A recommended bottle!" Harada Junmai Daiginjo Genshu 1 Saito no Shizuku

Hatsumomiji has a long history, but in 1985 (Showa 60), due to the slump in demand for sake at the time, they temporarily stopped brewing and focused on selling sake. Sake brewing was suspended for 20 years. Then in 2005 (Heisei 17), sake brewing was restarted by the XNUMXth generation brewer, and a sake named after the brewery, "Harada," was born, with the meaning of returning to the origins. "Harada" is now the flagship brand, and is imbued with the desire to cherish the connection with the brewery's ancestors, precisely because it is such a historic brewery.

This Junmai Daiginjo sake is made using Yamaguchi Prefecture's original sake rice, "Saito no Shizuku," polished to 35%. The pleasant acidity harmonizes with the gentle sweetness in the mouth, bringing out the natural flavor of the rice and providing the distinctive crispness of Saito no Shizuku.

Specific name: Junmai Daiginjo
Ingredients: Rice (domestic), rice malt (Yamaguchi Prefecture)
Rice used: Saito no Shizuku
Alcohol content: 16%

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First Momiji

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♯Sake brewery#Yamaguchi

④ "Sakai Sake Brewery"

Founded in 1871 (Meiji 4).
Sakai Sake Brewery is located in the delta of the Nishiki River, where abundant water veins that spring from the surrounding mountains converge. Their representative brand, "Gokyo," is named after the beautiful five-arched wooden Kintai Bridge that spans the clear waters of the Nishiki River in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and also contains the idea of ​​"building a bridge between hearts."

In 1947, Gokyo won first place at the National New Sake Tasting Competition. At the time, many sake breweries in the Japanese sake industry used hard water, but Gokyo's success demonstrated that good sake could be made with super soft water. Gokyo's name, with its soft mouthfeel and rich aroma characteristic of soft water brewing, spread throughout the country.

In 1996, they began contract cultivation with a nearby farmer who was passionate about research. Furthermore, as the assistant chief brewer's family was a farming family, they rented rice fields and attempted to grow sake rice in-house. Gradually, the cultivated area increased, and in 8, they established the agricultural corporation "Gokyo Nouten", and currently produce their own rice in five hectares of rice fields. By cultivating the rice themselves, they have built a deep connection between sake brewing and agriculture, and currently all the rice they use is produced in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

"A recommended bottle!" Gokyo Junmai Daiginjo Nishiki-obi

Specific name: Junmai Daiginjo
Ingredients: Rice (domestic), Koji (domestic)
Rice used: Yamada Nishiki
Alcohol content: 16%

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Sakai Sake Brewery

⑤ "Yamagata Main Branch"

Founded in 1875 (Meiji 8).
About 10 minutes by car from JR Tokuyama Station in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Yamagata Honten is located on the old Sanyo Road. In the mid-1970s, when the consumption of sake began to decline and the public began to turn away from sake, they developed "Kahori", a fruity unpasteurized sake that could be enjoyed chilled as a new type of sake that would be enjoyed by young people and women. Even today, "Kahori" is one of their signature brands, and they can be said to be pioneers of the unpasteurized sake boom that continues to this day.

The master brewer's goal is to "brew beautiful sake," and each year he continues to update his brewery with the desire to "make better sake than last year." In recent years, he has attracted attention for reviving the "Bocho Tsuru" brand, which was the icon at the time of the brewery's founding, and giving it a beautiful makeover. In order to produce better sake, he is thorough in not cutting corners in any of the sake brewing processes, taking care of every nook and cranny of the brewery and tools, and carefully attending to each daily task.

"A recommended bottle!" Bochotsuru Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki

Specific name: Junmai Daiginjo
Ingredients: rice, rice koji
Rice used: 100% Yamada Nishiki from Yamaguchi Prefecture
Alcohol content: 15.5%

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Yamagata main store

Chugoku・Shikoku

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Enjoy the profound charm of Yamaguchi Prefecture's sake!

Yamaguchi Prefecture has a long history of sake brewing, but is also home to many sake breweries that are constantly taking on new challenges. The mild climate, the pure water nurtured by the abundant nature, and the commitment to the sake rice used express the rich flavor of the sake.

The sake from the breweries introduced in this article are all masterpieces that are filled with the local climate and passion of the brewers. We hope you will try Yamaguchi's local sake and experience its profound charm.

Writer: Yuki Arai
Born in Shiga Prefecture, living in Kyoto City / Sake Master, SAKE DIPLOMA, SAKE certification instructor, Wine expert
Due to his love of alcohol, after graduating from university he got a job at a liquor store in Kyoto. After that he worked in sales for a food manufacturer before becoming a freelance writer. His specialties are traditional cuisine and alcohol. He will continue to work hard to spread the appeal of Japanese sake through his articles.