Niigata is famous for its sake and we wanted to visit a sake brewery there. We chose the Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery because it was only a 15 minute walk from our hotel close to the railway station.
About Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery
Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery (今代司酒造) is a renowned sake producer located in Niigata City, Japan. Established in 1767, it is famous for its commitment to tradition, its distinctive architecture, and its unique approach to modern sake branding.
Here are the key highlights of the brewery:
1. The “Pure” Philosophy
Since 2006, Imayotsukasa has been a Junmai-only brewery. This means they produce sake using only rice, water, and koji, without adding any distilled alcohol. They emphasize the natural sweetness and umami of the rice, sourced primarily from the Niigata region, which is famous for its high-quality grain.
2. The Iconic “Nishikigoi” Sake
One of their most internationally recognized products is the Nishikigoi (Koi) sake.
- The Design: The bottle is beautifully designed to resemble a swimming koi fish.
- The Story: Historically, some breweries diluted their sake with water to increase profits—a practice known as “goldfish sake” (because the sake was so watery a fish could swim in it). Imayotsukasa created “Nishikigoi” as a proud statement that their sake is pure and “undiluted,” represented by the majestic koi rather than a common goldfish.
3. Heritage and Tourism
The brewery is situated in the Nuttari district, an area with a deep history of fermentation (including miso and soy sauce).
- Architecture: The brewery occupies a traditional kura (storehouse) that is over 100 years old, featuring classic white-plastered walls and dark wooden beams.
- Tours: It is one of the most tourist-friendly breweries in Japan, offering English-language tours and a stylish tasting room where visitors can sample various seasonal and premium brews.
Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery Tour
We booked the free tour online (https://imayotsukasa.co.jp/en/) the day before and arrived a few minutes before it was due to start. Like most things in Japan the tour started punctually at 11am.
I believe they may do English tours sometimes, but I had the benefit of Mai translating for me.
The tour lasted almost an hour anTd the guide explained the process for brewing sake. He talked about the different grades of rice used to make different qualities of sake and the rest of the brewing process as well. In fact he shared a great deal of detailed information!
Sake Tasting
After the tour you can try one sake for free or pay 1,000 yen (£6 / 10 CAD) to try 15 different sakes including the most expensive ones.
It was a no brainer, and so we spent a couple of hours tasting the 15 different sakes. I really liked most of them, especially the more expensive ones. I believe that there may have been a limit to the time we should have spent tasting, 30 minutes or so, but the guide had encouraged us to take our time. One should always respect ones elders
We had planned to have more of a wander around, but left the brewery a little drunk. There was still time for a late and sobering lunch before taking the three hour long bus journey to Koriyama.
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