Traditional Sake Brewing at a Tokyo Brewery

Sake is often referred to as "rice wine" in English, and its raw materials are rice and water. Through Japan's traditional fermentation techniques, it is these simple ingredients that become sake—a drink reflecting the climate, geography, and food culture unique to each region of Japan. Sake is truly a drink that lets you experience Japan's terroir.

The Tama region, located in the outskirts of Tokyo, forms part of one of the world's major metropolises yet spans a vast expanse of rich nature that covers approximately half the land area of Tokyo Metropolis. Clear, beautiful streams flow through this region, and it is thanks to their blessings that one particular sake brewery—Ozawa Sake Brewery—has continued sake production for more than 300 years. While guiding a tour of the brewery, Mr. Shinnosuke YOSHIZAKI of Ozawa Sake Brewery, stated: "It is not we who make the sake. With the blessings of nature, microorganisms produce the sake. What humans do is create the environment for that to happen."

You are invited to visit this sake brewery, taking center stage amid abundant nature, so as to sense the distinctive climate and terroir unique to Tokyo's Tama region, as well as to fully experience with all your senses the flavor of the sake born here.

We spoke with Mr. Shinnosuke YOSHIZAKI from the planning and design office of Ozawa Sake Brewery, the brewer of the Sawanoi sake brand.

A Tokyo sake brewery that upholds traditional brewing methods

Sake has long been regarded as deeply revered because it is made using pure water and rice—the blessings of the land—and because its brewing techniques have been carefully preserved and passed down by artisans to the present day. Japan's traditional brewing method that employs traditional koji mold, i.e., "traditional sake making," was inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2024, and sake brewing forms part of this heritage.

The symbol of the Sawanoi sake brand is the sawagani freshwater crab, which is said to inhabit clear streams.

The well from which the brewery draws its fresh raw water is a sacred place.

Ozawa Sake Brewery is one of the breweries that carries on this traditional sake brewing. The brewery began sake production in the mid-Edo period (from the late 17th century to the early 18th century), when Tokyo was still known as "Edo" and when samurai were still present in society. (samurai existed in Japan up to 1868). The first-generation founder, a descendant of a samurai who served warlords, founded a forestry business and started brewing sake using spring water.

"Because they were engaged in forestry, they must have known the locations of pure spring water," Yoshizaki states. "One of the reasons why the brewery has endured for so long is that they were able to secure water suitable for sake brewing."

From the mid-Edo period onward, as food culture flourished, ordinary people began drinking sake daily, and this era also saw sake brewing techniques advance amid various historical and social developments. The brewing techniques that Ozawa Sake Brewery has preserved for more than 300 years likewise came into being during the Edo period. Although modern methods allow for faster and more-consistent production today, the brewery reveres tradition and continues to produce certain sakes in the old-fashioned way by making active use of natural lactic acid bacteria.

In addition, as part of their commitment to carrying on traditional sake brewing, they revived wooden-barrel brewing in 2003. While modern sake production often relies on enameled or stainless steel tanks because from the standpoint of hygiene, on the occasion of felling a 300-year-old cedar tree behind the brewery, they made the decision to return to wooden barrels after an interval of about 50 years. Wooden barrels readily allow microorganisms to take up residence, and they impart the distinctive flavor inherent to the wood, thereby adding complex depth to the refined sake.

The unwavering will of Ozawa Sake Brewery, which has continued operations for 300 years, is passed down through its brewing techniques, sake-making tools, and other such elements.

The flavor of sake born from two sources of spring water

Ozawa Sake Brewery produces two different types of sake: One that is dry and crisp, and one that brings out the sweetness of the rice.

The dry style of sake has long stood as a staple flavor, and because its aroma and taste do not exhibit overly strong individuality, it pairs easily with a wide variety of meals. This profile is said to have emerged together with the food culture of the Tama region.

Yoshizaki states: "The sake we regard as our standard is a flavor that has long been cherished by common people. This region once thrived on forestry, with many people engaged in mountain labor. After such physical work, salty food tastes were favored, which in turn created demand for a dry sake to accompany them. It is surmised that everyday meals employed koikuchi soy sauce—with its robust aroma and strong saltiness—produced in areas near Edo. Such sake likely paired excellently as well with dishes born in Edo at the time, such as Edomae tempura and Edomae soba."

Additionally, the sake that draws out the sweetness of rice emerged amid advances in brewing technology and has gained growing popularity. It features a vibrant, elegant aroma and pairs excellently with French and Italian dishes—the kind of cuisine that typically calls for wine. In recent years, the brewery has been challenging itself to craft sake with a diverse range of aromas and flavors by combining traditional techniques with modern technology.

Yoshizaki emphasizes that water is the crucial element in realizing different sake flavors. "Through the long history of our brewery, we have come to use two clear water sources from the Tama region. For sake brewed in the traditional style, we use medium-hard water rich in minerals; for the sake that has gained popularity in recent years, we use soft water. Both spring waters are blessings of this region, where clear streams flow and nature abounds," he explains. In this way, the diverse range of sakes from Ozawa Sake Brewery is sustained by techniques inherited by people and the beautiful nature of the Tama region.

Experiencing rich nature and the taste of sake through a brewery tour—and discovering how they intertwine

Encountering sake at a restaurant or liquor store offers a rich dining experience, but by going one step further and visiting a brewery, a distinctly different experience awaits. Tasting sake while coming into direct contact with the local nature and the brewery's techniques allows the land and food to become profoundly connected, resulting in a deeply engaging cultural experience.

Yoshizaki states: "Tokyo carries a strong image as an urban metropolis, and people are sometimes surprised when I mention that sake is produced here. But once they visit, I believe that they will feel that this is indeed a place capable of producing fine sake."

At Ozawa Sake Brewery, visitors can enjoy paid sake tasting & comparison. The same water used as the raw material for brewing the sake is available free of charge as a chaser, so it is recommended to drink an equal amount of this water alongside the sake to help temper the effects of alcohol.

Some sake breweries conduct brewery tours, sake sales, and tastings in order to allow visitors to come to know sake itself and the distinctive character of that brewery. One can encounter sake that varies with the seasons, learn about the raw materials and production methods, and gain knowledge of the climate, terroir, and history—so visiting a sake brewery is sure to impart a true sense of the profound depth of sake.

When visiting a sake brewery, please also pay attention to the sake lees alongside the sake itself. Sake lees are a by-product born during the sake brewing process. Since ancient times, sake lees have served as a base for pickling fish and vegetables or as an ingredient in soups, forming a sustainable cycle that helps reduce food loss. If bringing sake home proves difficult, sake lees make an excellent recommended souvenir.

Tokyo is home to many sake breweries, each producing sake rich in distinctive flavor. You are invited to visit Tokyo's sake breweries, enjoy comparative tastings of their sake, and sense the climate, terroir, and culture of the very land where each brewery stands.